Rep. Steve Cohen

Maddy summaryHR 851, the DOT Victim and Survivor Advocate Act, creates a new position within the Department of Transportation called the National Roadway Safety Advocate. This role directly serves victims and survivors of road crashes, as well as their family members (broadly defined to include non-immediate relatives), by providing them a dedicated point of contact at DOT. The advocate gathers stakeholder input on roadway safety programs, translates complex DOT processes into plain language, and submits annual reports highlighting systemic safety issues with recommendations for improvement. The position does not make policy decisions or alter existing laws but focuses on improving communication between DOT and those affected by road safety incidents.

Maddy summaryHRES 81 is a symbolic House resolution commending the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) for reducing wild poliovirus cases by over 99.9% since 1988, from 350,000 annual cases to only Afghanistan and Pakistan currently reporting transmission as of 2024. The resolution highlights GPEI’s work protecting vulnerable children globally, including in conflict zones, and notes that polio eradication would make it only the second human disease (after smallpox) to be eliminated worldwide. It urges continued U.S. funding for GPEI and international support to achieve full global eradication, emphasizing that polio remains a threat until transmission stops everywhere.

Stop Antiabortion Disinformation Act or the SAD Act This bill prohibits deceptive advertising for reproductive health services. Specifically, the bill makes it unlawful for a person (i.e., individual, partnership, corporation, association, or organization) to deceptively advertise the reproductive health services they offer, including by misrepresenting that the person (1) offers or provides contraception or abortion services (or referrals for such contraception or abortion services), or (2) employs or offers access to licensed medical personnel. The bill provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission. In addition to any other penalty, violations are subject to a civil penalty that may not exceed the greater of $100,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) or 50% of the revenue earned during the preceding 12-month period by the ultimate parent entity of the person who violated the bill.

Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act This bill requires the Department of Justice to adopt national standards for the prevention, reduction, and punishment of sexual harassment and sexual assault by incarcerated individuals against correctional officers or other employees of the Bureau of Prisons.

Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025 This bill increases certain payment adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule for services furnished between April 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the House of Representatives' position that Congress should take steps to prevent the privatization of the United States Postal Service (USPS), ensuring it remains a federal independent agency. It highlights USPS’s constitutional role, self-sustaining nature (relying on service revenue, not taxpayer funds), and critical functions - serving 168 million addresses daily, supporting rural communities, and underpinning e-commerce. The resolution opposes privatization, noting it would raise prices, reduce services, and harm the $1.9 trillion mailing industry. As a non-binding resolution, it reflects the House’s stance but does not create new law or policy.

Maddy summaryHR 768, the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act, requires the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Director to study how states and school districts currently teach about the Holocaust and antisemitism in K-12 schools. The study will examine curriculum requirements, teacher training, educational materials used, and assessment methods across all states and a representative sample of school districts and schools. It specifically aims to identify gaps, resources needed, and how schools address antisemitism and genocide prevention in their teaching. The Museum must submit a report to Congress within three years of the bill's enactment, detailing findings on current practices and challenges. This bill does not mandate new teaching requirements but seeks to understand existing approaches to Holocaust education.

Maddy summaryHR 764, the Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act, removes two barriers for foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) seeking U.S. foreign assistance. It ensures these organizations cannot be denied funding solely because they provide health services (like counseling and referrals) using non-U.S. government funds, as long as those services comply with local laws. The bill also requires that foreign NGOs face the same rules on using non-U.S. funds for advocacy and lobbying as U.S. NGOs receiving similar aid. This directly affects international health-focused NGOs working in countries where U.S. aid is provided.

Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 This bill establishes grants to support mentoring programs for eligible youth (e.g., in-school youth, out-of-school youth, or youth who are failing academically or who meet specified criteria).  Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Labor to award competitive grants for certain community-based organizations or partnerships involving community-based organizations to (1) establish, expand, or support mentoring programs; (2) assist eligible youth enrolled in secondary schools in developing cognitive and social-emotional skills; and (3) prepare eligible youth for success in high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce. Additionally, Labor must work with the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Department of Education to (1) refer grant recipients to the National Mentoring Resource Center to obtain mentoring resources, and (2) provide grant recipients with information regarding transitional services for eligible youth returning from correctional facilities and transition services for students with disabilities. The bill also requires Labor's Chief Evaluation Office to study and report on mentoring programs.

Maddy summaryHRES 66 is a non-binding resolution affirming the U.S. government's leadership in global education. It calls on the State Department and USAID to prioritize quality, inclusive public education for girls, children with disabilities, and children in crisis settings, while integrating education into humanitarian responses. The resolution urges these agencies to meet existing commitments to international education programs and advance learning outcomes for marginalized youth worldwide. It does not create new laws or funding but emphasizes coordination across U.S. government agencies to support global education efforts.