Rep. Sarah Elfreth

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline to establish a dedicated "Press 3" option (via IVR) for LGBTQ+ youth seeking crisis support, directly affecting LGBTQ+ youth who face a four times higher suicide risk than peers. It mandates that at least 9% of funds allocated for the lifeline's services be reserved specifically for these specialized LGBTQ+ youth services. The bill amends existing law to formalize this dedicated resource, building on current services that handled over 1.5 million contacts from LGBTQ+ youth in 2025. This creates a concrete policy change for accessing tailored crisis support without altering other lifeline operations.

Maddy summaryHRES 723 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing the 180th anniversary of the United States Naval Academy, established on October 10, 2025. It formally commemorates the Academy's founding, historical contributions, and legacy of producing naval and marine leadership. The resolution highlights the Academy's role in educating graduates who have served in major conflicts, earned military honors, and held significant national leadership positions. As a symbolic gesture with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents, it serves solely to honor the institution's history and ongoing mission.

Maddy summaryHR 5401, the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026, ensures military personnel, civilian Defense workers, and supporting contractors receive pay during government funding gaps in fiscal year 2026. It appropriates emergency funds for active-duty service members, reserves, and their supporting personnel (including Coast Guard staff under DHS) if regular appropriations aren't enacted by the end of the fiscal year. The bill provides necessary pay and allowances during any period when full-year funding is unavailable, covering both active service and support roles. Funding expires when regular appropriations are passed, a funding resolution is enacted, or January 1, 2027, whichever comes first. This is a procedural measure to prevent pay delays for military and support staff during fiscal year 2026 funding lapses.

Maddy summaryThe FAMILY Act would establish a national paid family and medical leave insurance program that provides wage replacement benefits for workers needing time off for caregiving or medical reasons. It defines "qualified caregiving" to include caring for a family member with a serious health condition, personal medical needs, or recovery from violence (including domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking). Benefits would be calculated based on earnings, with a minimum monthly benefit of $580 and maximum of $4,000, administered by a new Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration. Eligible individuals would need to have worked for at least 8 quarters in the previous year and file an application with required documentation, while existing state paid leave programs would continue to operate alongside this federal program.

Maddy summaryHR 1860 establishes Regional Breast Cancer and Gynecologic Cancer Care Coordinators within the VA to improve care coordination for veterans diagnosed with breast or reproductive system cancers (like cervical, ovarian, or uterine cancer) who receive treatment through the Veterans Community Care Program at non-VA facilities. These coordinators, reporting to the VA’s Breast and Gynecologic Oncology System of Excellence, will directly connect veterans with community care providers, monitor treatment outcomes, document care in electronic records, and provide veterans with information on emergency care and mental health resources. The bill requires the VA to create regional care coordination networks, prioritizing rural veterans’ needs, and mandates a 3-year report comparing health outcomes between VA and community care for these veterans. It focuses on streamlining care coordination rather than creating new benefits or funding.

Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.) On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden. The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent.

Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2026. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 3.3% and increases locality pay by 1%.

Maddy summaryThe George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025 would establish a National Police Misconduct Registry to track officer complaints, disciplinary actions, and misconduct records across all law enforcement agencies. It would require law enforcement agencies to implement body-worn camera programs with specific recording and retention policies, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants in drug cases, and reform qualified immunity to make it easier to hold officers accountable for misconduct. The bill mandates comprehensive data collection on use of force incidents, requiring agencies to report detailed information about stops, searches, and force used, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and other demographics. These provisions would directly affect all Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies that receive federal grant funding, with requirements for policy changes, training, and data reporting.

Maddy summaryThe National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2025 would establish a government-owned bank to finance infrastructure projects across the United States, aiming to address a $3.69 trillion financing gap identified by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The bank would provide loans up to $5 trillion for transportation, energy, environmental, and community development projects, with specific criteria focused on economic growth, environmental benefits, and serving disadvantaged communities. It would be governed by a 25-member Board of Directors with diverse regional and expertise qualifications, and would operate with tax exemptions and capital requirements to ensure financial stability. The bill also establishes regional economic accelerator planning groups to coordinate infrastructure development and create a pipeline of projects for the bank to finance.

Maddy summaryHR 5309, the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025, authorizes a posthumous Congressional gold medal for Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights attorney and judge. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to strike the medal with her image and name, to be presented to her son, Joel W. Motley III, and her niece, Constance Royster. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates at cost to cover expenses, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint fund. This is a commemorative measure with no substantive policy changes, honoring Motley’s legacy as the first African-American woman appointed to a federal judgeship.