Rep. Dwight Evans

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1088) is a non-binding House of Representatives measure recognizing the importance of Black history museums and cultural institutions. It formally acknowledges their role in preserving Black American history and contributions, particularly in relation to the 2026 100th anniversary of Black History Month and the U.S. 250th anniversary. The resolution urges the House to affirm that Black history is foundational to American history and calls for federal agencies to support these institutions through funding and partnerships. It also encourages the public to visit these museums, support them financially, and engage with their educational resources. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funding, but serves as a symbolic endorsement of these institutions' cultural and historical significance.

Maddy summaryHR 7736, the RELIEF Act, requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to refund tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on imports entered on or after January 1, 2025. It directly affects importers of record by mandating automatic refunds within 90 days of the bill's enactment, without requiring them to submit applications or protests. The bill directs Customs to use existing data to calculate and disburse refunds for all affected tariff collections, including entries involving goods withdrawn from warehouse for consumption. This policy change eliminates the need for importers to seek refunds through separate processes, streamlining the recovery of overpaid duties.

Maddy summaryHR 7740, the African American History Act of 2026, authorizes $4 million annually for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop educational resources and support teaching about African American history. The bill directs the museum to create digital and print materials, provide teacher training, and expand access to curriculum resources for K-12 and college classrooms. It requires annual reports to Congress on fund usage and expires in 2030. This program directly affects educators and students by enhancing classroom materials and professional development on African American history.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Bureau of Prisons to employ at least one full-time, board-certified OB-GYN at every federal prison housing female inmates. It mandates specific services including menstrual care, contraception, prenatal care, cancer screenings, and postpartum support, along with patient protections like informed consent and the right to refuse non-emergency care. The bill also requires initial OB-GYN visits within 14 days of incarceration and establishes a process for referrals to other specialists without delays. Annual reports to Congress will track facility compliance, staffing vacancies, and health outcomes like prenatal visits, childbirths, and pregnancy-related deaths.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from using federal funds to buy or use full-body restraints, which are devices that immobilize individuals. It directly affects DHS personnel and operations by banning the acquisition and utilization of four-point and five-point restraints. The law includes penalties for violations, such as removal from federal service for officers who break the rules or deceive leadership about them. DHS must also submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing compliance status and any instances where restraints were used, including specific information about the individuals restrained and the circumstances involved. Existing contracts for these restraints made before the bill's enactment are exempt from the ban.

Maddy summaryHRES 1078 is a procedural resolution requesting the President and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary to provide specific documents to the House of Representatives. It seeks records related to the December 2025 "Defend the Spend" freeze on child care funding, including communications about the freeze, payment delays, social media posts alleging fraud, and related legal analyses. The resolution specifically targets documents concerning the freeze's impact on States, Tribes, and Territories receiving child care funds under federal programs. The request requires these documents to be submitted within 14 days of the resolution's adoption. This is a congressional oversight measure, not a policy change, focused on transparency around an existing funding freeze.

Maddy summaryHRES 1080 is a symbolic resolution recognizing and celebrating Black History Month 2026, focusing on its theme "A Century of Black History Commemorations." It highlights historical figures and events central to Black history, including Carter G. Woodson’s founding of Negro History Week (the precursor to Black History Month), Juneteenth, and key moments like the 1865 Charleston commemoration. The resolution emphasizes how Black history commemorations counter historical erasure and affirm Black contributions to U.S. history, referencing figures like Mary McLeod Bethune and W.E.B. Du Bois. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no binding effect but aims to raise awareness of Black achievements through official recognition.

Maddy summaryHRES 1071 is a non-binding resolution recognizing the historical desegregation efforts at Girard College in Philadelphia and the civil rights leaders involved. It highlights how the college, founded in 1848 to admit only poor white male orphans, rejected African-American students in 1954, leading to legal challenges led by figures like Raymond Pace Alexander and Cecil B. Moore. The resolution notes the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1957 ruling that the racial ban was unconstitutional, followed by Girard College’s eventual admission of seven students in 1968 after further court action. The resolution formally acknowledges these events and the leaders’ contributions to expanding civil rights and integration.

Maddy summaryHR 7615, the RELIEF Act, requires the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner to refund all tariffs collected under emergency economic powers laws (specifically the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) for imports entered on or after January 1, 2025. It mandates these refunds be processed automatically within 90 days of the bill's enactment, without importers needing to file applications or protests. The refund applies to all importers of record for goods subject to these tariffs, covering entries including withdrawals from warehouses for consumption. This directly affects businesses importing goods subject to those specific tariffs by returning funds collected under the emergency authority.

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.