Rep. Chellie Pingree

Maddy summaryHR 3639, the After Hours Child Care Act, creates a new Child Care and Development Innovation Fund to improve access to child care for parents working nontraditional hours (such as evenings, nights, or weekends). The bill directly affects working parents with young children and eligible child care providers who serve these families. It authorizes competitive grants (ranging from $25,000 to $500,000) to providers or partnerships with businesses/community organizations to expand after-hours care programs, establish workplace child care, or improve existing facilities. Grantees must cover 25% of costs, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services must report biennially on program impact to Congress.

Maddy summaryHRES 439 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' support for keeping the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as an independent federal agency, not subject to privatization. It highlights USPS's constitutional role, self-sustaining nature (relying on service revenue, not taxpayer funds), and its importance to rural communities, e-commerce, and over 600,000 employees. The resolution urges Congress to take action to preserve USPS's independence, emphasizing that privatization could raise prices, reduce services, and harm the nation's mail infrastructure. As a procedural resolution, it does not change law but formally states the House's position.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits corporal punishment (such as spanking or paddling) in all schools receiving federal funding, directly affecting students, school personnel, and school administrators. It requires schools to notify parents within 24 hours if corporal punishment occurs and establishes enforcement through civil lawsuits by students/parents, Attorney General actions, and Office for Civil Rights oversight. The bill mandates states to submit school climate reports and develop training programs on positive behavioral interventions to reduce exclusionary discipline practices that disproportionately affect students of color, students with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. It creates a grant program to help schools implement these approaches, with priority given to schools with high suspension rates and disciplinary actions. The bill does not apply to private schools or home schools that don't receive federal funding.

Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act This bill extends through FY2033 and increases funding for the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund. The funding is provided from revenues from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leases, and awards from the fund are made to states and other entities, including tribes and nonprofits.

Maddy summaryThis bill would designate approximately 1.7 million acres of public land in Utah's Colorado Plateau and Great Basin regions as wilderness areas, protecting them from development while preserving traditional uses by Indigenous communities. It establishes specific wilderness areas across Utah's red rock canyons, including the Great Basin Wilderness Areas, Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas, and others, with detailed acreage for each designated zone. The bill includes administrative provisions for managing these areas, such as maintaining existing livestock grazing rights, setting road setbacks to protect wilderness character, and reserving water rights for the wilderness areas. This legislation directly affects how the Bureau of Land Management administers public lands in Utah and defines the boundaries for public use of these designated wilderness areas.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of DIPG Awareness Day. DIPG is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a terminal childhood brain cancer.

Maddy summaryThe EVs for All Act of 2023 establishes a Department of Energy grant program to fund electric vehicle (EV) sharing services at public housing projects. Eligible entities - like public housing agencies, local governments, and partner nonprofits - can apply for grants to purchase used EVs, install charging equipment, and run community outreach. Grants prioritize projects in historically marginalized communities with high pollution or limited transportation access, require fair labor practices, and mandate affordable, non-discriminatory charging fees. The program requires grantees to report on usage, emissions reductions, and service costs while ensuring EVs meet domestic content and worker protection standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that AM radio receivers be included as standard equipment in all new motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks) sold in the United States, with a rule to be issued by the Department of Transportation within one year. The rule must ensure AM radio is easily accessible on the dashboard and allows manufacturers to use digital AM radio technology instead of traditional AM. During the one-year period between the bill's enactment and the rule's effective date, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio. The bill also directs a study to evaluate whether an alternative system could deliver emergency alerts as reliably as AM radio across the country, especially during crises.

Maddy summaryHR 3420, the My Body, My Data Act of 2023, restricts how companies can handle reproductive and sexual health data - such as pregnancy details, contraceptive use, or abortion-related information - by requiring them to collect only what’s necessary for requested services and limiting employee access. It gives individuals the right to access, correct, or delete their data, see which third parties received it, and get clear privacy policies explaining data practices. The Federal Trade Commission enforces the law, with penalties for violations including $100-$1,000 per violation per day, and bans retaliation for exercising these rights. The law applies to companies (like health apps or insurers) but excludes HIPAA-covered healthcare providers and entities subject to existing federal health privacy rules.

Healthcare Extension and Accessibility for Developmentally disabled and Underserved Population Act of 2023 or the HEADs UP Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers.