Rep. Jimmy Gomez

Maddy summaryThe Head Start for America's Children Act amends the Head Start Act to enhance early childhood education services for low-income children, with specific provisions to improve culturally responsive programming for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities. It increases funding for Head Start programs, including $91.575 million for transportation, $37.5 million for workforce development, and $863 million for extended operations to provide full calendar year services. The bill updates definitions throughout the law to use more inclusive language, replacing "limited English proficient" with "children who are developing English proficiency," and establishes new requirements for staff compensation and benefits to improve recruitment and retention. Native American Head Start programs and migrant/seasonal programs are exempt from certain requirements, such as the full calendar year service requirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from conducting most immigration enforcement operations during the four weeks before federal elections. Exceptions only allow enforcement for specific criminal investigations involving a particular individual or to prevent imminent death or serious injury. It directly affects ICE operations by requiring stronger legal justification for actions near election periods. The law amends existing federal code to explicitly include immigration officers in election interference prohibitions.

Maddy summaryHR 7608, the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026, prevents the deportation of eligible Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese nationals who entered the U.S. before January 1, 2008, and have continuously resided here since. The bill halts removals for these individuals, grants them permanent work authorization with 5-year permits renewable indefinitely, and eliminates in-person check-ins for immigration supervision. It also requires immigration authorities to reopen past deportation cases for eligible individuals, allowing them to seek relief under the Act’s provisions without retroactive penalties. This directly affects approximately 15,000 long-term Southeast Asian residents, many of whom arrived as child refugees following conflicts the U.S. was involved in.

Maddy summaryThe Prohibiting Political Prosecutions Act of 2026 prohibits federal prosecutors and investigators from using a person's political views, activities, or associations to decide whether to bring criminal charges or investigations. It requires all criminal complaints, indictments, and warrants to include an attestation that the case wasn't motivated by political reasons and that evidence meets the trial standard, while allowing victims to sue officials for damages if prosecuted politically. The bill also mandates that grand juries be informed of exculpatory evidence and impeachment information, and bans the White House from directing individual criminal cases. These changes aim to prevent politically motivated prosecutions by adding transparency, accountability, and civil remedies.

Maddy summaryHRES 1061 is a symbolic resolution recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Lunar New Year in 2026. It does not create new laws or policies, but formally acknowledges Lunar New Year's origins (over 4,000 years in China), its celebration as Seollal in Korea and Tết in Vietnam, and its observance by millions of Asian Americans and others in the U.S. The resolution expresses respect for Asian Americans and extends holiday wishes for a "happy and prosperous new year" during the Year of the Horse. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect or direct impact on any individuals or groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most employers to provide workers with earned paid sick leave. Employees would earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year, which can be used for their own illness, medical care, caring for family members (including children, parents, spouses, domestic partners, or other family-like relationships), or addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking situations. The bill prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who use this leave and requires employers to inform employees about their rights. It ensures that workers who leave and return to the same employer within a year can reinstate their unused sick leave. This law would not override more generous state or local paid leave policies.

Maddy summaryHRES 1058 is a non-binding House resolution recognizing the federal government’s duty to develop a Transgender Bill of Rights. It calls for specific policy changes, including amending civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations; protecting access to gender-affirming medical care; and streamlining legal recognition of gender identity on federal documents like passports and voter registration. The resolution also proposes expanding protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals in healthcare, education, immigration, and correctional facilities, while emphasizing community-led policy development. As a resolution, it does not create new law but sets a framework for future legislative action.

Maddy summaryHRES 1059 is a resolution requesting the President to provide the House of Representatives with documents about the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to Social Security Administration data. It specifically asks for information on DOGE's efforts to share Social Security data with organizations related to voter rolls or election results, sharing data with the Department of Homeland Security, using third-party servers like Cloudflare, and any actions potentially violating court orders. The President must submit these documents within 14 days of the resolution's adoption. This resolution is a congressional oversight measure to examine compliance with data privacy laws and court orders, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Postmaster General to issue a commemorative "forever stamp" depicting Bayard Rustin, a key civil rights leader and organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. The stamp must meet standard first-class mail postage requirements and remain valid for that purpose even if postage rates later increase. It is purely symbolic, honoring Rustin's legacy in civil rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy without creating new policies or affecting any laws. The Postal Service is the sole entity responsible for implementing this commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryThis bill would impose a 100% tax on civil damages received by a former President or their family members (spouse or relatives covered under tax code rules) from lawsuits filed against the U.S. government during their presidency. It applies to all settlement, verdict, or judgment amounts received while the individual served as President, covering damages from cases filed by them against the government. The tax treats these damages as taxable income, with no exclusion from gross income calculations. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to add this specific tax provision for such civil action awards.