Rep. Steve Cohen

Affordable Pricing for Taxpayer-Funded Prescription Drugs Act of 202 3 This bill requires companies that receive federal funding for research (or a license of the rights to a patent or regulatory test data) for a biomedical product or service to agree to set reasonable prices for the resulting biomedical product or service. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must determine a reasonable price based on a formula that ensures the U.S. price for the product or service is not more than the median price for the product or service in Canada and six other reference countries with, based on specified criteria, large economies and high incomes. Companies entering these agreements also must report to HHS certain financial information related to the biomedical product or service involved.

This resolution reaffirms the central role of local frontline health workforces in achieving global health objectives. The resolution also urges greater global attention and support for local frontline health workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires states to use independent redistricting commissions (or court-selected plans) rather than state legislatures to draw congressional district maps after each census. It prohibits commissions from considering political party affiliation, voting history, or incumbent residence when drawing districts, and mandates that districts be drawn to ensure population equality, geographic continuity, and compactness. States must establish these commissions within specific deadlines after receiving census data, and the bill provides $150,000 per congressional seat to support implementation. The law applies to redistricting following the 2030 census, aiming to create more fair and non-partisan district boundaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022 to allow Ukrainian nationals with protected status (like those under humanitarian parole) to obtain driver's licenses or state ID cards under the REAL ID Act of 2005, bypassing a standard restriction that would normally deny eligibility. It directly affects Ukrainian nationals in the U.S. who hold temporary protected status under current immigration programs. The key provision adds a new eligibility category to existing law, removing a specific barrier to accessing driver's license services. This is a technical adjustment to immigration-related identification rules, not a new benefit or funding measure. The change applies only to REAL ID-compliant licenses, which are required for federal purposes like boarding domestic flights.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 3232 (Respect for Grieving Military Families Act), requires the military to automatically forgive overpayments of retired pay sent to a joint account after a service member’s death but before the end of the month of death. It directly affects military retirees’ families who have joint accounts with designated beneficiaries, preventing them from having to repay these accidental payments. The bill also adjusts Survivor Benefit Plan payments: if forgiveness doesn’t occur, the first 12 monthly annuity payments to the beneficiary will each be reduced by one-twelfth of the overpayment amount. This ensures grieving families aren’t burdened with repaying funds they weren’t meant to receive.

Maddy summaryHR 3238, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023, updates the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to increase the availability of affordable housing across the United States. The bill makes several key changes including increasing state funding formulas, modifying tenant eligibility rules to better serve vulnerable populations (such as domestic violence victims and students), and expanding credit eligibility for projects in rural and Native American communities. Specific provisions raise the credit for properties serving extremely low-income households, clarify rules around tenant income increases, and require housing providers to protect victims of domestic violence. The bill also updates terminology from "low-income" to "affordable" throughout the tax code and enhances program transparency through data sharing requirements. These changes aim to make the LIHTC program more effective at creating and preserving affordable housing units for low-income households nationwide.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to allow public school buildings to qualify for rehabilitation tax credits, which were previously excluded from such benefits. It specifically removes a restriction that prevented public schools from claiming these credits if they were used as educational facilities during a five-year period before renovation. The policy directly affects public schools that were used for education within five years prior to rehabilitation and continue operating as schools afterward. The change applies to properties placed in service after the bill's enactment, enabling tax incentives for rehabilitating these facilities.

Maddy summaryThe Transit to Trails Act establishes a federal grant program to fund transportation projects connecting critically underserved communities - defined as areas lacking adequate park access, low-income, communities of color, or environmental justice areas - to public lands and recreational spaces. Eligible entities, including states, local governments, tribal organizations, and park districts, can apply for grants to develop transportation connectors (like bus routes) and culturally appropriate education materials, with priority for projects using low-emission vehicles and offering discounted fares for low-income riders. Grants range from $25,000 to $500,000, with federal funding covering up to 80% of costs, and recipients must report on demographics served and project outcomes. The program is funded at $40 million annually in its fifth year, aiming to improve mobility to parks and recreation in communities historically excluded from such access.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires airlines to publish cargo hold dimensions online and offer refunds if a traveler's wheelchair (powered, manual, or scooter) cannot fit. It mandates annual reports tracking wheelchair mishandling (damage, loss, or delay) by type and directs research into whether passengers could safely remain seated in their wheelchairs during flights. The law aims to improve accessibility for travelers with disabilities who rely on mobility devices, with research focusing on costs, demand, and safety for in-cabin wheelchair seating. The Department of Transportation must report findings to Congress within specified timelines.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 37 is a non-binding congressional resolution expressing that Congress views climate change as an emergency requiring a massive national mobilization. It states that human-caused climate change severely impacts U.S. economic well-being, health, safety, and national security, and urges the President to use existing authorities to accelerate climate action. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but emphasizes the need for urgent, equitable efforts to reduce emissions, address environmental injustice, and support vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by climate impacts. It cites rising global temperatures, extreme weather costs ($165 billion in U.S. disasters in 2022), and the Inflation Reduction Act as context, while clarifying it does not declare an actual national emergency.