Maddy summaryThe Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act aims to combat unpaid wages by strengthening penalties, improving worker protections, and funding community enforcement efforts. It directly affects employers who may underpay workers and employees who face wage theft, particularly low-wage workers, immigrants, and minorities. Key provisions require employers to provide detailed pay stubs and final payments within 14 days of termination, while also granting workers the right to full compensation as agreed in employment contracts. The bill increases civil fines and criminal penalties for violations, extends the time limit for filing wage claims, and establishes a grant program to support partnerships between the Department of Labor and community organizations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe MOMMIES Act expands Medicaid and CHIP coverage for low-income pregnant individuals by extending postpartum benefits from 60 days to one year and mandating full coverage of oral health services during this period. To support these changes, the bill includes a maintenance of effort provision that prevents states from reducing eligibility standards or benefit levels for pregnant individuals until 2027, alongside a 100 percent federal funding match for states that increase spending on this population. A major component is a five-year demonstration project that provides grants to states to implement maternity care home models, which coordinate comprehensive medical and social support services like housing assistance and mental health care to improve birth equity and outcomes. The legislation also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance on covering doula services and directs the Government Accountability Office to study the use of telehealth and gaps in coverage for pregnant and postpartum people.
Maddy summaryThe Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act prohibits states and their officials from restricting or penalizing health care providers who offer reproductive health services that are legal in the state where they are performed. This includes banning laws that stop doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or their staff from providing abortion, contraception, or other reproductive care, as well as preventing the denial of professional liability insurance based on these services. The bill establishes a private right of action allowing providers to sue in federal court to challenge such restrictions and mandates that the federal government cannot use funds to support legal cases against providers acting within state law. Additionally, the legislation appropriates $80 million in grants to support legal defense funds for providers facing lawsuits and to improve physical and cybersecurity measures at health care facilities.
Maddy summaryThe Reproductive Health Care Training Act of 2026 directs the Health Resources and Services Administration to create a grant program that funds medical schools and health centers to expand abortion care training for students and clinicians. These funds are specifically designated for states where such comprehensive training is legally permitted, with a priority given to institutions serving minority populations or those training providers for medically underserved communities. The bill outlines how the money can be used to develop clinical curricula, support telehealth practices, offer scholarships, and build partnerships to improve access to abortion services. Additionally, the legislation requires recipients to submit annual reports on program performance while ensuring federal funds supplement rather than replace existing state or private funding.
This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted. The resolution specifies that it shall not be construed to prevent the United States from defending against an attack on the United States or its personnel or facilities in other nations.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution celebrates the history and achievements of Title IX, a 1972 law that prohibits sex discrimination in any federally funded education program. It highlights the progress made in areas such as athletic opportunities, graduation rates, and access to nontraditional fields of study for women and girls. The document also calls on the executive branch to protect students from discrimination based on sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, while condemning efforts to use the law to harm transgender or nonbinary students.
Maddy summaryThe Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2026 strengthens the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure individuals with long-term care needs have a federally protected right to live in their own homes or integrated community settings rather than institutions. It mandates that states and insurance providers offer community-based services, provide maximum control over care choices to individuals, and establish enforceable plans to transition people out of institutional facilities. The bill also creates new enforcement mechanisms, including a task force to study barriers to community living, requirements for public participation in planning, and the ability for individuals to sue for damages if they are denied these community-based options.
Maddy summaryThe Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026 aims to increase financial aid for college students by doubling the maximum Federal Pell Grant award to $10,000 for the 2026-2027 school year, with amounts rising annually to reach $15,000 by 2031-2032. The bill also changes the funding structure so that Pell Grants become a mandatory program that automatically adjusts for inflation rather than relying on annual congressional appropriations. Additional provisions expand eligibility to include students with negative financial aid indexes, provide special rules for recipients of means-tested benefits, and allow Dreamer students who become citizens or permanent residents to qualify for aid. The legislation further restores the total number of semesters a student can receive Pell Grants from 12 to 18 and modifies how institutions determine satisfactory academic progress to reduce penalties for students struggling with course requirements.
Maddy summaryS 3799, the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends annual funding for the Healthy Start Initiative through fiscal years 2026 to 2030. The bill amends existing law to specify $145 million in annual funding for this program, which provides prenatal and infant health services to at-risk communities. This reauthorization directly affects the Healthy Start Initiative programs nationwide, ensuring continued support for maternal and infant health services. The key provision is the fixed annual funding level, replacing prior language about appropriations.
Maddy summaryThe Protect Our Polls Act establishes a strict notification and approval process before federal troops or armed men can be deployed to election sites to repel armed enemies. Under this bill, the head of the agency sending troops must submit a detailed report to congressional leaders at least 48 hours in advance, including intelligence on the threat and justification for why local forces cannot handle the situation. If Congress is not in session, the Speaker and Senate President pro tempore must request a special session to review the report, and no deployment can occur until Congress passes a joint resolution authorizing the action. The legislation also amends the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to prohibit federal funds from being used to allow military personnel to access election records, while explicitly preserving the right of service members to vote. These provisions are set to expire on January 20, 2029.