Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky

Maddy summaryHR 3050, the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act, changes how immigration authorities define a "conviction" for deportation purposes. It specifically excludes dismissed, expunged, or vacated cases, probation without judgment, and cases under appeal from being counted as convictions. The bill also requires courts to issue a formal recommendation against removal before immigration penalties apply for certain convictions. This directly affects immigrants with past criminal records who have had these specific legal dispositions applied to their cases.

Maddy summaryHRES 341 is a nonbinding resolution expressing the House's support for maintaining cash as a viable payment option. It highlights that 18.6% of U.S. households (nearly 6 million) rely solely on cash due to lack of bank access, privacy concerns, and risks associated with digital payments like data breaches. The resolution cites legal tender status under U.S. Code and Federal Reserve Chair Powell's testimony emphasizing cash's critical role for unbanked and low-income communities. It does not create new laws but urges businesses to accept cash to protect consumer privacy and financial security.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting America's Workers Act expands workplace safety protections to public employees, including those working for state and local governments who were previously excluded from some OSHA protections. It strengthens whistleblower protections by prohibiting retaliation against employees who report safety concerns, refuse to perform dangerous tasks, or report work-related injuries. The bill requires employers to promptly report work-related deaths and hospitalizations, prohibits policies that discourage injury reporting, and mandates posting of employee safety rights information. It also increases penalties for safety violations and improves access to information for victims and families during workplace investigations. These changes apply to all employers covered by OSHA, with specific implementation timelines for state and local government workplaces.

Maddy summaryHR 3022 is a procedural bill that adds "Workers’ Memorial Day" to the list of official federal holidays observed by the U.S. government. It amends Title 5 of the U.S. Code to insert "Workers’ Memorial Day" after "Washington’s Birthday" in the federal holiday schedule. This bill does not create new policies, programs, or funding; it solely recognizes April 28th as a day for honoring workers who have died in workplace incidents. The change affects only the federal government's calendar, not private citizens or businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects living organ donors from insurance discrimination by prohibiting life, disability, and long-term care insurers from denying coverage, raising premiums, or altering policy terms solely because someone donated an organ while alive. It also updates the Family and Medical Leave Act to include recovery from organ donation surgery as a qualifying health condition, allowing donors to take protected leave for this purpose. Additionally, the bill requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to update public educational materials about living donation benefits, risks, and insurance protections within six months of enactment. These changes directly affect living organ donors, insurers, employers, and healthcare systems by ensuring fair access to insurance and workplace leave.

Maddy summaryHR 2955, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, establishes a Federal Work Group to improve data collection and best practices for youth in residential programs (like therapeutic schools, treatment centers, and group homes). The Work Group, composed of federal agency representatives and diverse stakeholders, must develop national data standards, create risk assessment tools, and issue biennial reports with recommendations to enhance safety, reduce restraints, and expand community-based alternatives. It directly affects youth with mental health, substance use, or disability needs placed in these facilities, as well as agencies overseeing them. The bill also mandates a National Academies study to examine funding, oversight, and barriers to community care. These mechanisms aim to standardize data tracking and promote less restrictive, trauma-informed care for youth in residential programs.

Maddy summaryHR 2904, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023, establishes a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC. The center will declare racism a public health crisis, conduct research on how structural racism affects health outcomes, and develop data systems to track health disparities across race, ethnicity, gender, and other factors. It will fund regional centers in minority communities, create public health interventions, and require CDC to report annually on antiracist efforts. This bill directly affects public health agencies, researchers, and communities of color by mandating systemic analysis of racial inequities in healthcare and public health policy.

Maddy summaryHRES 335 is a symbolic resolution condemning two mass shootings in Louisville, Kentucky: one at the Old National Bank on April 10, 2023 (killing 5 people), and another at Chickasaw Park on April 15, 2023 (killing 2 people). It honors the victims' memories, expresses condolences to their families and the affected community, and reaffirms the House's commitment to supporting all gun violence victims. The resolution does not propose new laws or policies but serves as a formal statement of condemnation and solidarity. It directly affects the victims' families, Louisville residents, and the broader community impacted by these tragedies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Pentagon to obtain a clean audit of its finances. If the Department of Defense fails to get an unqualified audit (a "clean" opinion) for a department or agency, it triggers automatic spending cuts: 0.5% in the first year of failure and 1.0% in subsequent years. These cuts apply broadly across programs but exclude military personnel, National Guard, reserve forces, and the Defense Health Program. The President may temporarily waive cuts for national security reasons, but must justify the waiver to Congress. The goal is to link defense spending to financial accountability, using existing audit standards.

Maddy summaryThe Smart Sentencing Adjustments Act creates a federal grant program to help states reduce prison populations by at least 20% over three years. States receive planning grants (up to $700,000) to develop strategies, then implementation grants (up to $70 million) to fund specific changes like eliminating mandatory minimums, downgrading offenses, expanding early release programs, reducing fines for low-income individuals, and improving reentry services. The bill requires states to track racial, gender, and socioeconomic impacts of funded programs and prohibits using funds for new prison construction or policies that increase incarceration. It authorizes $2 billion annually for 2024-2034 to support these state-level reforms.