Rep. Jennifer L. McClellan

Maddy summaryThe Family Building FEHB Fairness Act (HR 2828) amends the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program to add assisted reproductive treatment as a covered benefit for federal employees and their families. It specifically defines these treatments to include procedures like in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, and the preservation of eggs, sperm, or embryos. The bill requires the Office of Personnel Management to include these services under FEHB coverage, expanding access to reproductive care for eligible federal workers. The change would take effect one year after the bill's enactment, directly affecting federal employees enrolled in the FEHB program seeking fertility-related medical services.

Maddy summaryThe Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act requires U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) contractors to annually disclose if they or their subcontractors faced serious labor violations - including child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act - in the past three years. Contractors with such violations must report corrective steps, and those failing to address issues or repeating violations face a five-year ban from USDA contracts (including the year of listing and the next four years). The law mandates annual reports to Congress tracking the number of contractors on the ineligible list and the program's effectiveness. This policy directly affects agricultural businesses and suppliers contracting with the USDA, aiming to enforce labor compliance through financial consequences.

Maddy summaryThe Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023 amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit housing discrimination based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. It defines "source of income" broadly to include housing vouchers, Social Security benefits, child support, and other lawful income sources like savings or gifts. This change directly affects renters using these income types and requires landlords to avoid discrimination. The bill also updates multiple sections of the Fair Housing Act to include these protections and extends the certification period for housing agencies by 40 months.

Maddy summaryThe Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023 amends the Food and Nutrition Act to exclude a military member's basic housing allowance (BAH) from income calculations when determining eligibility for nutrition assistance programs like SNAP. This change directly affects military families who receive BAH as part of their housing benefit but currently have that allowance counted as income, potentially disqualifying them from food assistance. The key provision adds a specific exclusion for BAH paid to or on behalf of uniformed service members under Title 37, U.S. Code. As a result, military families will have their housing costs subtracted from their income for program eligibility, making it easier for them to qualify for nutrition support.

Maddy summaryThe Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2023 establishes a new trust fund funded by increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 24.5% to support water infrastructure and affordability programs. It allocates funds to clean water programs (42%), safe drinking water funding (42.5%), household water wells (1%), colonias assistance (0.5%), Indian health services (3%), and water operator job training (0.5%). The bill requires the EPA to conduct a study and submit a report on water affordability, discrimination in water services, public participation in regionalization, and data collection related to service disconnections. It includes specific provisions for colonias, household water wells, and job training programs for water system operators to improve water access and equity.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive framework to address environmental justice by requiring federal agencies to identify and address disproportionately adverse environmental and health effects on communities of color, low-income communities, and Tribal and Indigenous communities. It creates a White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council to coordinate federal efforts, mandates that agencies develop environmental justice strategies, and requires consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions for pollution sources. The bill also establishes grant programs for environmental justice communities, creates training requirements for federal employees, and includes specific provisions for safer cosmetics and economic revitalization in fossil fuel-dependent communities. These provisions aim to ensure fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making processes, directly affecting federal agencies and communities disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards.

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that (1) medication abortion is appropriately approved and regulated under federal law, and (2) federal law preempts any in-person dispensing requirements or telehealth restrictions with respect to medication abortion under state law.

This resolution urges (1) the President to issue a proclamation recognizing Earth Day; and (2) governments and people to continue building upon the Paris Agreement and other efforts to ensure that future generations inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically rich planet.

Maddy summaryThe SAD Act prohibits crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) from making deceptive claims about offering abortion services, contraception, or employing licensed medical personnel. It directly affects CPCs nationwide - over 2,500 of which operate under false pretenses, often outnumbering abortion clinics by 3:1 in many states. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would enforce this by imposing civil penalties up to $100,000 or 50% of a CPC’s annual revenue for violations. The law requires CPCs to provide accurate information about reproductive health services, aiming to prevent misleading patients from accessing abortion care.

American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.