Rep. Hillary J. Scholten

Maddy summaryHR 7740, the African American History Act of 2026, authorizes $4 million annually for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop educational resources and support teaching about African American history. The bill directs the museum to create digital and print materials, provide teacher training, and expand access to curriculum resources for K-12 and college classrooms. It requires annual reports to Congress on fund usage and expires in 2030. This program directly affects educators and students by enhancing classroom materials and professional development on African American history.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2026, modifies the H-2B temporary worker visa program by adjusting numerical limits, strengthening enforcement measures, and adding new requirements for employers. It directly affects employers seeking to hire foreign workers under the H-2B program and the workers themselves. The legislation caps the number of H-2B visas at half the number of certified positions from the previous year, while exempting rural and seasonal locations from this limit. It also increases penalties for employers who misrepresent information or fail to meet program requirements, establishes a formal complaint process for workers, and requires employers to maintain workplace safety plans and report certain employment issues to authorities. Additionally, the bill restricts H-2B petitions to nationals from countries designated as participating based on factors like visa fraud rates and overstay statistics, and prohibits workers from paying fees for recruitment or petition processing.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Justice for Allie Act, would create a new federal crime for coercing adults with specific disabilities into sending intimate images. It directly affects individuals aged 18 and older who have conditions like autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, dementia, or schizophrenia that may limit their ability to protect themselves from exploitation. The law prohibits anyone from using mail or interstate communications to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce these protected adults to transmit intimate visual depictions with the intent to harm them. Penalties include fines and up to one year in prison for a first offense, or up to two years for repeat offenses. The bill defines harm broadly to include physical, psychological, financial, or reputational damage.

Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act This bill removes less-than-lethal projectile devices (e.g., certain TASERs) from regulation under the Gun Control Act. The term less-than-lethal projectile device means a device that (1) is not designed or intended to expel (and may not be readily converted to discharge) commonly used ammunition or projectiles exceeding a velocity of 500 feet per second; (2) is designed and intended to be used in a manner not likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; and (3) does not accept (and cannot be readily modified to accept) an ammunition feeding device. The bill also requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine whether a device satisfies the definition of a less-than-lethal projectile device within 90 days of a request.

Maddy summaryHRES 1070 is a non-binding House resolution congratulating Michigan athletes who competed in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics and Paralympics. It formally honors 232 U.S. athletes (including 88 Michigan-affiliated competitors) who represented Team USA, highlighting their collegiate backgrounds and achievements. The resolution specifically recognizes Michigan Olympians and Paralympians like Dylan Larkin and Emilea Zingas through symbolic language. It has no policy impact or legal effect, serving solely as a ceremonial expression of support for athletes.

Maddy summaryHR 7615, the RELIEF Act, requires the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner to refund all tariffs collected under emergency economic powers laws (specifically the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) for imports entered on or after January 1, 2025. It mandates these refunds be processed automatically within 90 days of the bill's enactment, without importers needing to file applications or protests. The refund applies to all importers of record for goods subject to these tariffs, covering entries including withdrawals from warehouses for consumption. This directly affects businesses importing goods subject to those specific tariffs by returning funds collected under the emergency authority.

Maddy summaryHR 7636 creates a new tax credit for individuals affected by unlawfully imposed tariffs. It allows eligible individuals (excluding non-residents, those with dependents claimed by others, and estates/trusts) to receive a refundable credit equal to their household's share of total tariff revenues repaid by the government after a court orders repayment of unlawfully collected tariffs (imposed after January 20, 2025). The credit amount is calculated by dividing total repaid tariff revenues by the number of eligible households, with household size including the individual plus dependents. The credit applies to taxable years ending before the court order date, with refunds processed rapidly and without interest. A separate provision also imposes a 100% excise tax on corporate tariff refunds not passed to consumers.

Maddy summaryHR 7599 creates a federal framework for extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), allowing family members or law enforcement to petition courts to temporarily prohibit individuals from possessing firearms when they pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. The bill establishes a process for issuing ex parte orders (up to 14 days) followed by a hearing within 72 hours to determine if a longer-term order (up to 180 days) should be issued, requiring respondents to surrender firearms to U.S. Marshals or designated law enforcement. Courts must consider specific factors like recent threats, violence, substance abuse, or cruelty to animals before issuing orders, with no fees for petitioners. The law requires law enforcement training to address bias, includes annual reporting requirements, and ensures firearms are returned once the order expires and the individual is eligible to own firearms under federal law.

Maddy summaryHR 7543, the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, prohibits plastic pellets and pre-production plastic materials from being discharged into waterways through wastewater, spills, or runoff from specific facilities. It directly affects plastic manufacturing, molding, packaging, and transportation facilities regulated under existing environmental rules. Within 60 days of enactment, the EPA must issue a rule banning these discharges and update all relevant wastewater, stormwater, and performance standards in permits. The law requires all permits and standards for these facilities to reflect the new ban, ensuring plastic pellets cannot enter water systems. This is a concrete regulatory change to prevent plastic pollution at its source.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Skies Act of 2026 requires the Transportation Secretary to extend existing flightcrew rest and duty rules - currently applied to passenger flights - to all-cargo air carrier operations within 30 days of the bill's enactment. This directly affects flight crews and cargo airlines, ensuring they follow the same rest and duty time limits as those serving passengers. The bill modifies a 2012 FAA rule (77 Fed. Reg. 330) to apply universally, bypassing standard rulemaking procedures (5 U.S.C. § 553) for this specific adjustment. It makes no new policy changes beyond applying current passenger flight rules to cargo operations.