Rep. Jahana Hayes

Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution supports designating the week of September 21 through September 25, 2026, as National Falls Prevention Awareness Week to highlight fall risks among adults over age 65. The bill cites statistics showing that falls are a leading cause of injury and death in this demographic, resulting in significant medical costs for Medicare, Medicaid, and private payors. It recognizes the effectiveness of cost-effective prevention strategies such as exercise programs, medication management, and home hazard reduction. Additionally, the resolution encourages federal investments in these programs and acknowledges the collaborative efforts of government agencies, health care providers, and community organizations to reduce fall risks.

Maddy summaryThe Public Service Educational Assistance Act creates a federal program to cover tuition, fees, and books for the dependents of public service employees who have completed at least 20 years of full-time service. Eligible workers include first responders, educators, and social workers employed by government entities. This financial support can be used for up to four academic years at public postsecondary institutions or programs that lead to recognized credentials. The bill specifies that this assistance is tax-exempt, does not count as wages for retirement benefit calculations, and can be received alongside other federal student aid.

Maddy summaryThe Diversify Act expands the federal TEACH Grant program by doubling the maximum annual award to $8,000 and increasing the total grant limit to $32,000 for eligible teacher candidates. These funds can be applied directly toward a student's full cost of attendance, including tuition and fees. The bill also broadens the definition of qualifying service to include teaching in high-need early childhood education programs, not just schools with significant shortages of qualified teachers. Additionally, it prohibits the government from imposing monetary penalties if a recipient fails to complete the required teaching service and exempts the program from automatic budget cuts known as sequestration.

Maddy summaryThe Food for Thought Act of 2026 establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Department of Agriculture to provide free meals and snacks to low-income college students at eligible institutions, including community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, and other minority-serving schools. To qualify, an institution must have at least 20 percent of its undergraduate students eligible for Federal Pell Grants, and grants are awarded for a maximum duration of two years with funds restricted to meal preparation, outreach, and limited equipment purchases. Recipients are required to prioritize students who receive Pell Grants or report food insecurity, while also evaluating institutional policies that may create barriers to enrollment and referring students to other federal benefit programs like SNAP. The bill authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit reports to Congress on the program's impact on student retention and completion rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require Medicare to cover early detection screening tests for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias starting January 1, 2028. It defines eligible tests as FDA-cleared genomic blood tests, blood product analyses, or equivalent medical imaging methods (like protein expression or whole genome sequencing) that detect pre-symptomatic or early-stage conditions. Medicare beneficiaries would receive this coverage without cost-sharing for these specific screenings. The bill amends Medicare coverage rules to explicitly include these tests under Section 1861(nnn) of the Social Security Act.

Maddy summaryHR 2978, the GUARD Act, allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to use existing federal grant funds for investigating elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" investment scams, and general financial fraud. The bill directs these funds toward hiring specialized staff, training on blockchain tools and transnational fraud, purchasing investigative software, improving data collection, and creating financial sector liaisons to coordinate with banks. It requires annual reports from law enforcement on fund usage and outcomes, and mandates federal agencies to submit comprehensive reports to Congress on scam statistics, enforcement actions, and funding allocation. The legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies and aims to strengthen efforts against fraud targeting vulnerable populations, particularly elderly individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all new passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the U.S. to include AM radio as standard equipment (not an optional add-on) by 2027-2028, depending on manufacturer size. It mandates that AM radio receivers must be easily accessible to drivers and allows compliance through digital AM broadcast technology. During a transition period, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio but cannot charge extra for this feature. The bill also mandates a GAO study on AM radio's role in emergency alerts and includes a 10-year sunset provision for the rule. It preempts state laws regarding AM radio access in vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution supports designating the week of September 14 through September 18, 2026, as Malnutrition Awareness Week to highlight the public health impact of inadequate nutrition in the United States. The bill recognizes the contributions of various professionals and community organizations that work to prevent and treat malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups such as older adults, children, and communities facing food insecurity. It also emphasizes the role of existing federal nutrition programs and calls for continued research into dietary patterns and their effects on chronic disease. Additionally, the resolution acknowledges the importance of implementing electronic clinical quality measures to track and improve malnutrition care within the healthcare system.

Maddy summaryThe WIC for Kids Act expands eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to include children in households receiving Head Start services, food assistance on Indian reservations, or nutrition block grants in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The bill extends the standard certification period for WIC-eligible children from one year to two years and allows state agencies to align recertification dates for all eligible family members within a household. Additionally, it requires states to automatically certify infants born to participating mothers without requiring a new application and grants automatic eligibility to children in kinship care arrangements.