Rep. Grace Meng

Maddy summaryHR 3680, the Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act, targets mental health disparities affecting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. It requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to develop a national outreach strategy (Section 4) to create culturally appropriate mental health resources and reduce stigma, with annual reports on outcomes. The bill also mandates two studies: one on AANHPI youth mental health and suicide rates (Section 5), and another on AANHPI mental health workforce shortages (Section 6), both requiring disaggregated data by race, language, and other factors. Funding of $3 million annually (2024-2028) supports the strategy, while $1.5 million each funds the studies.

Maddy summaryThe Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2023 requires states to establish a policy mandating annual suicide prevention training for school staff and high school students (grades 9-12). The training must be evidence-based, cover recognizing suicide warning signs, appropriate responses, and referrals to mental health services, while including cultural competency. It allocates $48 million in federal funds, with at least 15% dedicated to supporting this training program, and requires states to collaborate with mental health experts. The bill directly affects school staff and high school students in states that adopt the policy and receive federal funding.

Maddy summaryHR 3619, the Toxic-Free Beauty Act of 2023, bans the intentional addition of specific chemicals - including formaldehyde, certain parabens, phthalates, mercury, and two dyes - to cosmetic products sold across state lines. It directly affects cosmetic manufacturers and retailers, requiring them to reformulate products to remove these substances. The ban prohibits these chemicals in cosmetics introduced into interstate commerce starting January 1, 2025. This policy change updates federal safety standards under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to restrict the use of identified chemicals in beauty products.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes research programs to study health impacts of cosmetic chemicals on communities of color and professional salon workers. It requires manufacturers to provide translated safety data sheets for professional cosmetics in multiple languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean. The bill funds two resource centers: one focused on beauty justice for communities of color and another specifically for salon worker health and safety. It also allocates funds for research into developing safer cosmetic alternatives, particularly for products marketed to women and girls of color and used by salon workers.

Cosmetic Fragrance and Flavor Ingredient Right to Know Act of 2023 This bill imposes disclosure and labeling requirements on cosmetic products that contain certain ingredients. A cosmetic product that fails to meet such requirements may not be sold. Within two years of this bill's enactment, a cosmetic product's labeling or packaging must include a full list of its ingredients, as well as a specified statement that directs consumers to the brand owner's website for the health impacts of any ingredient that (1) is identified on specified lists of harmful or potentially harmful chemicals, such as chemicals identified as carcinogenic to humans by the Environmental Protection Agency or toxic air contaminants under California regulations; or (2) must be disclosed under certain European Union laws and is present in a product above specified concentrations. The Food and Drug Administration must publish and periodically update on its website a list of the ingredients subject to this requirement. Within one year of this bill's enactment, a brand owner must disclose the full list of ingredients for each cosmetic product on its website, as well as whether a cosmetic product contains any fragrance or flavor ingredient that is subject to this bill's labeling or packaging requirement and, if so, the ingredient's functional purpose.

Cosmetic Supply Chain Transparency Act of 2023 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to maintain a list of certain nonfunctional constituents in cosmetics that are harmful to human health or the environment, authorizes the FDA to request from a brand owner (i.e., the entity bringing a cosmetic to market) certain information about a cosmetic's ingredients, and addresses related issues. For each listed nonfunctional constituent, the list must identify the ingredient or cosmetic (or category of ingredient or cosmetic) in which the constituent is known or reasonably expected to be present. The FDA must also (1) establish procedures for petitions to add substances to the list, (2) issue guidance for industry related to testing and detecting such nonfunctional constituents, and (3) establish a committee to provide advice on creating the list and developing the required industry guidance. Within a year of a nonfunctional constituent being added to the list, a supplier of an ingredient or cosmetic must test for that constituent and provide a brand owner the results and other information before selling the ingredient or cosmetic to the brand owner. A supplier of an ingredient or cosmetic must provide additional information about the item upon a brand owner's request. Brand owners must maintain records with information about the suppliers of ingredients and raw materials used in their cosmetics and provide such information to the FDA upon request. The bill also imposes civil penalties for brand owners and suppliers that violate this bill's provisions.

Maddy summaryThe Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2023 would provide federal grants to support comprehensive sex education and sexual health services for young people ages 10-29, with specific focus on marginalized communities including Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ youth. The bill authorizes $100 million annually for 2024-2029 to fund programs through grants for elementary/secondary schools (section 4), colleges (section 5), educator training (section 6), and youth-friendly sexual health services for marginalized young people (section 7). These programs must be evidence-informed, medically accurate, culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed, while addressing racial and gender inequities in current sex education approaches. The bill also repeals the "abstinence-only-until-marriage" program and redirects its funding to support this comprehensive approach, requiring grantees to report on implementation and impact.

Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act This bill preempts any state law that prohibits or restricts the purchase of real property by an individual based on the individual's citizenship.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Older Americans Act to better serve LGBTQI older adults (defined as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex individuals, and those living with HIV) by adding specific definitions and creating new support structures. It establishes an Office of LGBTQI Inclusion within the Administration on Aging, led by a Director and Assistant Director, to coordinate services, advocate for this community, and collect data on their challenges. The bill also creates a National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging to provide training and resources to organizations serving LGBTQI older adults and requires data collection on discrimination against them in long-term care settings. These changes aim to improve access to culturally competent services and address the unique needs of LGBTQI older adults through concrete policy updates.

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.