Rep. Shomari Figures

Maddy summaryThe Supporting VA Families Act grants unpaid parental leave to Department of Veterans Affairs employees. This provision allows employees to take four weeks of unpaid leave within a 12-month period for the birth of a child or for adoption and foster care placements. The leave is designed to supplement existing leave policies rather than replace them, ensuring employees can balance family needs with their work responsibilities. The act defines eligible employees and children according to existing federal definitions found in Title 5 of the United States Code.

Maddy summaryThe ALERT Act (HR 7613) requires the Federal Aviation Administration to improve aviation safety through several key measures. It mandates the evaluation and potential implementation of enhanced collision avoidance systems (ACAS-Xa) for commercial aircraft and ACAS-Xr for rotorcraft, with specific deadlines for rulemaking and installation. The bill establishes committees to develop recommendations for safety technology requirements, requires safety risk assessments for air traffic controllers, and addresses operational procedures at high-traffic airports like Ronald Reagan Washington National. These provisions affect air carriers, air traffic controllers, rotorcraft operators, and Department of Defense aircraft operations. The act aims to enhance situational awareness and reduce midair collision risks through technology upgrades and improved safety protocols.

Maddy summaryThe HBCU Research Capacity Act establishes a Federal Clearinghouse within the Department of Education, in coordination with several other federal agencies, to provide Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with comprehensive information on federal grant opportunities. This Clearinghouse will identify grants supporting research and development and institutional capacity building at HBCUs, while also sharing best practices for securing federal funding. The Department of Education will notify HBCUs and Congress about the Clearinghouse and offer quarterly updates to participating institutions. Additionally, several federal agencies, including Defense, Energy, and the National Science Foundation, are mandated to review their grant programs to align with the Clearinghouse's recommendations and report any identified funding gaps to Congress annually.

Maddy summaryThe Next Gen Road Safety Act amends federal funding provisions to allow law enforcement agencies to purchase specialized equipment for managing high-speed vehicle pursuits. This legislation specifically authorizes the procurement of technologies such as vehicle-disabling systems, police bumper systems, and drones to help prevent and de-escalate dangerous chase situations. The changes apply to federal crime control grants under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, enabling agencies to use these funds for the specified safety equipment. The bill focuses on updating existing grant categories to include modern tools that support officer safety and public safety during vehicular pursuits.

Lulu’s Law This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to issue an order explicitly permitting the transmission of wireless emergency alerts to mobile phones in the event of a shark attack.  (Under current regulations, authorized government authorities are permitted to send wireless emergency alerts regarding public safety emergencies, including severe weather, missing children, and other threats to life or property.)

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create a pilot grant program that funds Food is Medicine initiatives, which connect community organizations with healthcare providers to help people manage diet-related diseases through nutrition-focused services. The program would provide grants for activities such as medically tailored grocery deliveries, cooking classes, and emergency food operations, with priority given to projects using local foods and involving nutrition professionals. Funding of up to $20 million is authorized for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, and the Secretary must submit reports to Congress on how the program affects participant health outcomes and system costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's ability to cooperate with foreign regulatory bodies by formally defining what constitutes a foreign futures authority and updating related legal definitions to include swaps and commodities. It authorizes the Commission to accept assistance from U.S. federal agencies and allows for temporary exchanges of staff with foreign governments without requiring reciprocal arrangements. The legislation also establishes rules for reimbursable or non-reimbursable agreements with foreign entities and requires detailed foreign officials to follow U.S. ethics standards while prohibiting them from holding management positions at the Commission.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally supports the goals and ideals of Social Work Month and World Social Work Day, which are observed on March 17, 2026. It recognizes the contributions of social workers across various settings including healthcare, schools, child welfare agencies, and disaster relief efforts. The measure acknowledges the profession's role in addressing mental health, addiction, poverty, and social justice while encouraging awareness of social workers' integral role in community well-being.

Maddy summaryThe Maternal Vaccination Act amends the Public Health Service Act to expand a federal campaign focused on increasing vaccination rates among pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children. This legislation directly affects public health programs by updating language to explicitly include these populations and directing funding toward outreach efforts that address disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups. Key provisions modify existing sections of the Public Health Service Act to broaden the campaign's scope and increase the authorized funding amount from $15 million to $17 million per fiscal year for the period 2027 through 2031. The bill aims to improve vaccination equity by ensuring federal resources specifically target maternal and pediatric immunization efforts.

Maddy summaryThe Save Struggling Hospitals Act adjusts Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas to help them remain financially viable. It directly affects hospitals located in regions where the average hospital wages fall below the 25th percentile nationally. The bill increases the area wage index for these struggling hospitals by half the difference between their current index and the 25th percentile threshold, starting with discharges on or after October 1, 2019. These adjustments are designed to be budget neutral, meaning the increased payments to low-wage hospitals are offset by reductions elsewhere without decreasing payments to hospitals in the top 75th percentile or reducing any hospital's payment by more than 5 percent from the previous year.