Rep. Jerrold Nadler

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution; (2) LGBTQIA+ Pride Month should be celebrated; and (3) all Americans should be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation, sex characteristics, or gender identity.

Maddy summaryHRES 561 is a non-binding House resolution opposing state laws that criminalize access to essential health care. It specifically condemns using criminal penalties against people for pregnancy outcomes (such as miscarriages), seeking abortion or contraception, or receiving gender-affirming care, and disapproves of punishing health care providers or supporters for facilitating such care. The resolution affirms that patients deserve access to reproductive and gender-affirming health services without fear of prosecution or discrimination. It emphasizes that criminalizing these health care decisions violates patient rights and ethical provider obligations, without creating new legal requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 4434, the Accountability for Acting Officials Act, clarifies rules for federal agencies appointing acting officials to fill vacancies. It requires first assistants to have served in that role for at least 30 days before assuming acting duties (except for Senate-confirmed positions), limits acting service to 120 days for cabinet-level positions (down from 210 days), and mandates agencies to report acting appointments to Congress within 7 days. The bill also adds requirements for acting officials to testify before congressional committees every 60 days and specifies procedures for vacancies during presidential transitions. These changes directly affect federal agencies and their leadership during leadership vacancies.

Maddy summaryHR 4422 (Global Respect Act) requires the President to publicly identify foreign officials responsible for violence, torture, or arbitrary detention against LGBTQI individuals and block their entry to the U.S., including revoking visas for them and their immediate families. It mandates annual reporting to Congress on the list of sanctioned individuals, the reasons for additions/removals, and efforts to coordinate with other countries on similar sanctions. The bill also updates U.S. human rights reporting requirements to explicitly include data on violence and discrimination against LGBTQI people worldwide. These measures aim to increase accountability for human rights violations against LGBTQI individuals without advocating for specific policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 4340, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2023, prohibits paid providers from offering conversion therapy - defined as any commercial service attempting to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity - and bans advertising that claims such therapy is effective or harmless. It directly affects therapists, counselors, or organizations offering paid conversion therapy services, including those advertising such services. Key provisions make it unlawful to provide, advertise, or facilitate paid conversion therapy, with enforcement led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under consumer protection laws and allowing states to pursue civil actions. The bill explicitly excludes supportive care for gender transition or identity exploration from its definition of prohibited therapy.

Maddy summaryHR 4331 increases federal Medicaid funding for states that provide community-based mental health services to adults aged 21+ with serious mental illness who qualify for Medicaid (income ≤150% of poverty). States receive higher federal funding percentages (3% to 25%) based on how many specific service categories they offer, including assertive community treatment, supported employment, peer support, and mobile crisis services. The bill requires services to be delivered in the most integrated setting possible without discrimination based on disabilities, co-occurring conditions, or other factors. It also mandates states to collect and report data on service access and outcomes to address disparities, with funding effective starting January 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 4329 establishes a new Title X Clinic Fund to expand federal support for family planning clinics. It allocates $512 million annually (2024-2033) for clinic grants/contracts and $50 million for clinic infrastructure (construction/renovation) under the Public Health Service Act. The bill requires all pregnancy counseling at funded clinics to be nondirective, providing patients with neutral, factual information about all options - including prenatal care, adoption, and pregnancy termination - without bias. This directly affects Title X clinics serving low-income patients and ensures funding cannot restrict providers based on unrelated factors.

Equal Access to Reproductive Care Act This bill includes assisted reproduction as a tax deductible medical expense. It defines assisted reproduction as any methods, treatments, procedures, and services for effectuating a pregnancy and bringing it to term, and treats it as medical care of the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent to the extent that they intend to take legal custody or responsibility for any children born as a result of such assisted reproduction.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program to provide food benefits during school closures (remote, hybrid, or closed for 5+ consecutive weekdays), not just summer months. It directly affects children in schools that close for extended periods, ensuring they receive meal support during these disruptions. Key provisions include increasing implementation grant funding to $50 million for state data systems and adding specific definitions for "school closure period" and "free rate" to clarify eligibility. The changes apply to calendar years 2024 and beyond, extending coverage beyond traditional summer breaks.

Saving Organs One Flight at a Time Act This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to jointly issue regulations, as necessary, to enable air carriers to transport human organs for transplant above wing (i.e., in the cabin of an aircraft). Among other things, the regulations must include consideration of protocols for air control outages; a requirement that air carriers implement a protocol for a person to accompany organs to and from the aircraft and between connecting flights; and a standardized process for commercial air carriers to accept, handle, and manage organs in transit. The TSA and the FAA must also consult with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to identify metrics for the handling of organs and organ-related tissue by air carriers.