Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky

Maddy summaryHRES 710 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Thai-American garment workers who escaped a 1995 El Monte, California sweatshop where they were trafficked and held against their will. The resolution recognizes their landmark lawsuit - the first federal case against garment employers - which spurred national anti-sweatshop campaigns, influenced the creation of T and U visas for trafficking survivors, and advanced corporate accountability. It does not enact policy changes but commemorates their role in inspiring lasting labor rights reforms and their induction into the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor.

Maddy summaryHRES 703 is a symbolic resolution supporting the designation of September 2023 as "National Voting Rights Month" to raise awareness about voting access. It encourages all U.S. citizens to uphold voting rights, urges Congress to pass specific voting rights legislation (like the Freedom to Vote Act and Democracy Restoration Act), and recommends that schools teach about voting history and current voter access issues. The resolution does not create new laws or directly affect specific groups, but it aims to promote broader public engagement with voting rights through education and advocacy. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses support for these goals without implementing any concrete policy changes.

Maddy summaryHR 5569, the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2023, increases funding for child care nutrition programs. It adds a 10-cent per meal reimbursement for providers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), applying to all meals and supplements served. This change directly affects child care centers, family day care homes, and group day care homes that receive CACFP funding. The additional reimbursement is calculated alongside existing payment rates and applies to all meals served after the bill's enactment. The bill modifies specific sections of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to implement this funding increase.

Maddy summaryThe Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act would expand benefits for part-time workers by reducing the eligibility requirement for family and medical leave from 12 months to 90 days, applying to federal, state, and congressional employees. It prohibits employers from discriminating against part-time workers based on hours worked, requiring equal treatment in compensation, benefits, and promotion opportunities. The bill mandates employers to obtain written statements from employees about desired work hours and prioritize scheduling existing employees before hiring new staff or using contractors. It applies to employers with more than 15 employees across various sectors and establishes enforcement through the Department of Labor with civil penalties for violations. The bill would take effect one year after enactment, with regulations to be issued within 180 days of passage.

Maddy summaryHR 5566, the *Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization Act of 2023*, establishes an 18-year term limit for all Supreme Court justices. It requires the President to nominate one new justice every two years (during first and third years after presidential elections), with Senate confirmation within 90 days, and prohibits lifetime appointments. Current justices are automatically retired in order of service length as new justices are appointed, while retired justices may temporarily fill vacancies through a randomized process. The bill directly affects all sitting and future Supreme Court justices by restructuring appointments and retirement timelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill would establish the Civilian Climate Corps, a national workforce program that would employ and train 50,000 to 400,000 young adults annually through 2028 to work on climate-related projects. The program would provide participants with a minimum living allowance of $17 per hour, health care benefits, and $25,000 in educational benefits per term of service. It would require 50% of projects to be located in under-resourced communities (with 10% specifically in Indian country) and ensure at least 50% of participants come from these communities. The Corps would focus on climate resilience, clean energy infrastructure, environmental remediation, and creating career pathways in the growing clean economy sector.

Maddy summaryThe Reuniting Families Act reduces family-based visa backlogs by reclassifying spouses, permanent partners, and minor children of legal permanent residents as immediate relatives, allowing them to be processed more quickly. The bill recaptures unused visa numbers from previous years, increasing the total number of available family-based visas without changing the overall annual caps. It expands rights for permanent partners (not just married spouses) and provides relief for orphans, widows, and widowers with pending applications. The legislation also prohibits removal of aliens with pending applications and prioritizes family reunification in refugee resettlement processes.

Maddy summaryThe Schedules That Work Act (HR 5563) requires employers in retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, and warehouse sectors to provide workers with at least 14 days' advance notice of their work schedules and to pay predictability pay for last-minute schedule changes. It allows employees to request schedule modifications for caregiving, health conditions, education, or second jobs, with employers required to grant such requests unless they have a bona fide business reason for denial. The bill also prohibits scheduling shifts less than 11 hours apart without employee consent and mandates employers to provide estimates of monthly work hours for the following year. These provisions aim to address the widespread problem of unpredictable schedules that disproportionately impact low-wage workers, particularly women and workers of color, who often lack control over their work hours.

Maddy summaryThe Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 amends the Animal Welfare Act to strengthen enforcement of animal welfare standards. It gives the Attorney General authority to bring civil cases for violations, including seeking penalties up to $10,000 per day per violation and injunctions to remove or relocate animals. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and Attorney General to coordinate through a new Memorandum of Understanding, focusing on repeat violators. These changes directly affect dealers, exhibitors, and enforcement agencies by expanding civil enforcement tools and clarifying jurisdiction over rule violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends existing programs that provide payments to counties and states with federal land, primarily to support local schools and communities. It updates key deadlines, extending secure payments through 2026, special project authorities through 2029, and county fund expenditure authority through 2028. A new pilot program allows regional foresters to appoint resource advisory committee members directly, with this authority ending October 1, 2028. These changes directly affect rural counties and states managing federal lands, maintaining current funding mechanisms without altering eligibility or payment amounts.