Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Helping Tobacco Users Quit Act This bill provides for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of certain tobacco cessation services. Specifically, the bill provides for coverage, without cost-sharing, of diagnostic, therapy, and counseling services and pharmacotherapy, including prescription and nonprescription tobacco cessation agents, that are provided under medical supervision and in accordance with specified guidelines. It also applies a 90% Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for such items and services for five years.

Maddy summaryHRES 608 is a non-binding House resolution recognizing the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at colleges and universities. It affirms that DEI initiatives help create supportive learning environments where all students, faculty, and staff thrive, and specifically supports programs like implicit bias training and cultural competence resources. The resolution emphasizes that DEI efforts strengthen institutions’ ability to recruit diverse talent and align with academic freedom principles. It also notes concerns about state-level efforts to restrict DEI programs and states that such restrictions threaten campus inclusivity. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but expresses congressional support for DEI work in higher education.

This resolution (1) recognizes the Latino community’s commitment to conservation and the importance of getting outdoors, and (2) supports the designation of Latino Conservation Week.

Maddy summaryHR 4740, the Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act of 2023, removes specific reporting requirements for the Department of Defense and related agencies. It repeals sections requiring reports on unfunded priorities (10 U.S.C. § 222a, 222b), military construction project reporting (Military Construction Authorization Act for FY2018), and nuclear security administration reporting (Atomic Energy Defense Act § 4716). This bill directly affects Pentagon budget offices, military construction planners, and the National Nuclear Security Administration by eliminating these administrative obligations. The change simplifies budgeting processes without altering funding levels or policy decisions.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 25 would remove the 1979 deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was originally proposed in 1972. This bill directly affects states that ratified the ERA after the deadline (such as Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia in 2017-2018) by making their ratifications legally valid. The key provision states that the ERA is valid as part of the Constitution if ratified by three-fourths of states, regardless of the original deadline. The bill does not create new rights but aims to finalize the constitutional amendment process by eliminating the time limit.

This resolution condemns the 1994 attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and calls for the perpetrators, including Iranian and Hezbollah operatives, to be held accountable for their crimes.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 1282 (Major Richard Star Act), expands benefits for certain military retirees by allowing them to receive both veterans' disability compensation and military retirement pay simultaneously. It specifically affects combat-related disabled retirees under Chapter 61 of the military retirement system who have fewer than 20 years of service. The key change removes the automatic reduction of military retirement pay when these retirees also receive disability compensation, as amended in Section 1413a(b)(3) of Title 10. Technical updates to the law’s structure and effective date (starting after enactment) complete the provisions.

This resolution recognizes the significant impact and legacy of Cecil Corbin-Mark in the environmental justice community and further recognizes that climate change most severely impacts vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. In addition, the resolution urges the U.S. government to work with its global partners to pursue policies that prioritize climate adaptation among vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "ghost guns" as firearms lacking unique serial numbers from licensed manufacturers. It prohibits non-licensed individuals from selling, transferring, or possessing ghost guns in interstate commerce, with a 90-day transition period for licensed dealers. Exemptions include firearms manufactured before 1968, state-identified guns, and activities by licensed manufacturers. The law requires all new firearms to have traceable serial numbers to improve law enforcement's ability to track weapons used in crimes.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 56 is a non-binding congressional resolution recognizing that climate change disproportionately harms children's health, economic opportunities, and rights. It expresses Congress's view that U.S. leadership is urgently needed to address the climate crisis and calls for a national climate recovery plan. The resolution specifically demands a science-based plan to phase out fossil fuels, protect natural carbon sinks, and reduce atmospheric CO2 to below 350 parts per million by 2100. This resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally states congressional support for a comprehensive climate strategy prioritizing children's well-being.