Rep. Frederica S. Wilson

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve rivers, harbors, and water resources across the United States while establishing new administrative offices to better manage inland navigation, water supply, and community outreach. It introduces specific mechanisms such as creating a new board for levee owners to advise on flood safety, allowing for categorical permissions to streamline certain environmental reviews, and mandating a prohibition on diverting water from the Missouri River without approval from all relevant state governors. The legislation also authorizes numerous specific projects for flood risk management, ecosystem restoration, and water supply in locations ranging from Alaska to Texas, while simultaneously deauthorizing or modifying older projects that are no longer needed or require changes to better align with current environmental and safety standards.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 401 North Elm Street in Tuskegee, Alabama, as the "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Post Office".

Maddy summaryThe SYLLABLE Act of 2026 authorizes the Department of Education to award up to five grants over a five-year period to partnerships consisting of local school districts, early childhood education programs, and technical assistance providers. These grants are designed to fund dual language immersion programs for children from low-income families, including English learners and minority students, serving them from preschool through fifth grade. To receive funding, applicants must demonstrate that their programs use a partner language for at least half of the instructional day and include rigorous assessment systems, professional development for teachers, and strong community engagement. The bill appropriates $15 million for fiscal year 2027 and such sums as necessary for the following four years to support these initiatives and conduct evaluations of their effectiveness.

Maddy summaryThe FLUENT Act authorizes a competitive grant program to provide family literacy services to households with English language learners, specifically targeting families that include at least one child under the age of eight. The Department of Education would award grants ranging from $150,000 to $1,000,000 to eligible providers, such as schools and nonprofit organizations, for periods of up to five years. These funds must be used for research-based instruction grounded in the science of reading, with a requirement that programs prioritize families facing the greatest economic and educational needs. The bill also mandates that grantees track specific outcomes, including improvements in English proficiency, primary language skills, and caregiver workforce readiness, while reserving federal funds for program evaluation and technical assistance.

Maddy summaryThe Reaching English Learners Act establishes a competitive grant program to help colleges and universities improve how they prepare teachers to instruct students who are learning English. These grants, which last up to five years, require partnerships between higher education institutions and high-need school districts or early childhood programs to develop curricula that include evidence-based teaching strategies such as bilingual and immersion education. Recipients must cover at least half of the program costs with non-federal funds and prioritize recruiting teacher candidates from underrepresented groups or those who are former English learners. The law also mandates that these partnerships evaluate their progress in placing new teachers in high-need areas and report findings to the Secretary of Education.

Maddy summaryThe Backlog Justice Act of 2026 aims to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits by requiring the Attorney General to create a public database tracking inventory levels and laboratory processing times across state and local jurisdictions. To address staffing shortages, the bill authorizes the FBI to develop training programs for forensic analysts and DNA technical leaders, allowing states and localities to hire individuals who have completed this federal training. Additionally, it funds a program for the FBI to collaborate with state and local providers on validating new DNA processing technologies and sharing related protocols. The legislation also provides increased grant funding to states that implement electronic tracking systems allowing sexual assault survivors to monitor the status of their evidence kits from collection through final disposition.

Maddy summaryThe Equity in Research Act directs the National Science Foundation to create a grant program that provides financial assistance to specific institutions of higher education for improving their research capabilities. These grants, ranging from $1 million to $5 million per institution, can be used to upgrade building infrastructure, purchase materials and equipment, and cover personnel costs related to research activities. The bill targets a defined group of schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges, and various other minority-serving and land-grant universities. To fund this initiative, the legislation authorizes $50 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent year.