Rep. Lateefah Simon

Maddy summaryThe Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act of 2025 establishes a federal Task Force to identify and address challenges facing working waterfronts, which are properties used for commercial fishing, boating businesses, aquaculture, and other water-dependent coastal activities. It creates a $50 million annual grant program (2025-2029) to help coastal states, tribal governments, and Native Hawaiian organizations develop and implement working waterfronts plans that preserve access to coastal waters and protect these businesses from threats like sea level rise and conversion to incompatible uses. The bill also authorizes a preservation loan fund to provide low-interest loans for waterfront preservation, with special provisions for disadvantaged communities. Covered entities must develop plans identifying threatened waterfront areas, prioritizing preservation needs, and ensuring public access. The law aims to protect working waterfronts through coordinated federal and local planning efforts.

Maddy summaryHR 1787 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring baseball legend Roberto Clemente, including $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins, with specific specifications for weight, size, and metal content. The bill requires the coins to feature Clemente's image and commemorative inscriptions, and mandates a surcharge ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation for its educational, youth sports, and disaster relief programs. All coins must be minted in 2027, sold at face value plus surcharge and production costs, and will be legal tender. The bill focuses solely on the coin program, not broader policy changes.

Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits). Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Section 5(e)(6) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 by removing a reference to "subparagraph (B)" and renumbering the following provisions. It does not change SNAP eligibility rules or benefits; it only adjusts the internal numbering of existing provisions. The change takes effect January 1 following enactment. As a procedural amendment, it directly affects how the law is cited but does not alter policy or impact beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 63) would rename the Robert E. Lee Memorial, a National Park Service site in Arlington, Virginia, to "Arlington House National Historic Site." It directly affects the National Park Service, which manages the site, and all federal government documents, maps, and records referencing the location. The key provision updates all official references to the site to the new name and repeals two prior resolutions that established the memorial. As a procedural renaming bill, it does not create new policies or funding but changes the site's official designation.

Maddy summaryHR 1667, the Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2025, would expand Medicare coverage to include acupuncture services provided by qualified practitioners. It adds "qualified acupuncturist services" to Medicare’s coverage under Section 1861 of the Social Security Act, defining a qualified acupuncturist as a state-licensed practitioner or a physician legally authorized to perform acupuncture. The bill establishes payment rules by including these services in the physician fee schedule and adjusting hospital billing procedures to allow separate billing for acupuncture in inpatient settings. This change would directly affect Medicare beneficiaries receiving acupuncture, as well as acupuncturists and healthcare providers who would now bill Medicare for these services. The provisions would take effect 270 days after the bill’s enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1657, the Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025, prohibits cosmetic companies from conducting or contracting animal testing for products sold in the U.S. beginning one year after the law takes effect. It also bans the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using such testing after that date, with limited exemptions (e.g., for foreign regulatory requirements or when no non-animal safety alternatives exist). The bill directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and distributors by requiring them to shift to non-animal testing methods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will enforce the law, including reviewing records and imposing civil penalties for violations.

Maddy summaryThe American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 would create pathways to permanent residency for certain immigrant youth who entered the U.S. as children (Dream Act component) and for individuals from countries with Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure (American Promise Act component). To qualify, applicants must meet continuous physical presence requirements (since January 1, 2021 for Dream Act applicants, and for 3+ years for American Promise applicants), pass background checks, and satisfy educational or employment criteria. Conditional permanent resident status would be granted initially, with the option to convert to full permanent residency after meeting additional requirements like earning a degree, serving in the military for two years, or demonstrating three years of earned income. The bill includes fee exemptions for low-income applicants, establishes a grant program to assist applicants with legal help, and creates specific procedures for background checks and appeals.

Maddy summaryHR 1382 amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a formal San Francisco Bay Restoration Program. It provides federal funding through grants or cooperative agreements to local agencies, nonprofits, and the Estuary Partnership for specific Bay restoration projects, studies, and activities listed in an annual priority plan. The bill requires that federal funds cover no more than 75% of project costs, with non-federal sources (like local governments or nonprofits) contributing at least 25%. Additionally, it prohibits federal funding to entities with ties to certain foreign countries of concern, as defined in federal law.

Maddy summaryThe Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2025 establishes a new Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice to address environmental health disparities. This Office will develop strategies, coordinate enforcement efforts, and administer a $50 million annual grant program for state, local, and Tribal governments to improve environmental enforcement in affected communities. The grants will fund staff training, hiring for investigations, and community engagement programs focused on low-income, Tribal, and Indigenous populations facing disproportionate environmental risks. The bill directly impacts the Department of Justice, state/local/tribal governments, and communities experiencing environmental justice challenges.