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 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.
Maddy summaryHR 5327 would grant federal recognition to the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia, making the tribe eligible for federal services and benefits. The bill defines the tribe's service area as specific Virginia counties (Nottoway, Southampton, Sussex, Surry, Isle of Wight, Franklin, and Dinwiddie), specifies membership based on the tribe's most recent membership rolls, and allows the Secretary of the Interior to take certain lands held in fee by the tribe into trust. It clarifies that the tribe cannot conduct gaming activities, preserves existing hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, and water rights, and does not affect the application of the Indian Child Welfare Act. The legislation does not create a new reservation but addresses how lands already held by the tribe might be formally recognized.
Maddy summaryHR 5220, the Congressional Power of the Purse Act, strengthens Congress's authority over federal spending by preventing the executive branch from withholding appropriated funds. The bill requires federal agencies to report on budget management, adds penalties for failing to comply with congressional oversight requirements, and establishes new procedures for congressional review of national emergencies. It directly affects federal agencies, the executive branch, and the balance of power between Congress and the President regarding budget authority. The law aims to increase transparency and accountability in how government funds are managed and spent.
Maddy summaryThis bill grants federal recognition to the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe of Southampton County, Virginia, making it eligible for all federal services and benefits available to federally recognized tribes. The recognition applies to all enrolled Tribal citizens, regardless of whether the tribe currently holds reservation land. Key provisions include extending federal applicability to the tribe under existing laws (like the Indian Reorganization Act), preserving the tribe’s existing membership and governing documents, and allowing the tribe to request land held in fee simple to be placed in federal trust. The bill explicitly states the tribe cannot conduct gaming under federal law.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from owning or trading certain investments, including stocks, commodities, and derivatives (referred to as "covered investments"). It requires affected individuals to divest these investments within 90-180 days, with specific exemptions for Treasury bonds, diversified mutual funds, small business interests, and family trusts meeting strict conditions. Violations incur penalties of 10% of the investment's value plus disgorgement of profits, paid directly to the U.S. Treasury. The law applies to all covered individuals during federal service, with exceptions for investments acquired through inheritance or occupational trading (e.g., a spouse’s finance job).
Maddy summaryThe Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2025 establishes a National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) within NOAA to coordinate federal efforts on heat-related health risks. It creates an interagency committee to develop a strategic plan for improving data sharing, forecasting, and decision support tools for heat events, with a focus on communities disproportionately affected by extreme heat. The bill authorizes a Community Heat Resilience Program that provides grants to states, tribes, and local governments for projects like urban forestry, cooling centers, and heat action plans, requiring at least 40% of funds to target communities with environmental justice concerns. The legislation also mandates a study to identify gaps in heat information and response capabilities across the country. This comprehensive approach aims to reduce heat-related health impacts, particularly for vulnerable populations including older adults, outdoor workers, and communities of color.
Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 115) terminates a presidential emergency declaration made on August 11, 2025, which claimed a "crime emergency" in Washington, D.C. It directly affects the District of Columbia by ending federal restrictions that prevented D.C. from using $1 billion in locally-raised funds for public safety, law enforcement, fire services, and schools. The resolution cites that the emergency declaration was legally flawed - section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act does not permit federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department - and notes that D.C. violent crime has reached a 30-year low. The bill formally ends the emergency under the DC Home Rule Act, restoring D.C.'s authority over its own budget and public safety resources.
Maddy summaryHR 4917, the Expanding the VOTE Act, amends the Voting Rights Act to increase language access for voters. It expands the definition of "voting materials" to include digital formats and requires states to provide language assistance (both written and oral) for minority language groups, with special provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native languages when written translations aren't feasible. The bill creates grants to help jurisdictions provide voting materials in languages that don't currently trigger Section 203 coverage, and mandates a study on lowering population thresholds for language assistance requirements. This directly affects states, local election jurisdictions, and voters who speak minority languages, including those in communities not currently covered by existing language access rules.
Maddy summaryHR 4912, the Help America Run Act, amends federal campaign finance law to allow candidates to use campaign funds for essential personal expenses like childcare, elder care, and health insurance premiums (excluding current officeholders for health insurance). This directly affects everyday Americans - particularly working parents, caregivers, and those relying on employer health insurance - who face economic barriers to running for office. The bill’s key provision expands permissible campaign expenditures to cover these services when necessary for campaign activities or holding federal office. It aims to reduce financial hurdles for non-wealthy candidates, addressing findings that Congress underrepresents working-class individuals and women. The change would take effect upon the bill’s enactment.
