Rep. Greg Landsman

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to include Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers who die while performing official duties protecting transportation systems as eligible for public safety officers' death benefits. It specifically adds TSA employees working to "ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce" to the list of covered personnel under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. The change applies to deaths occurring on or after October 31, 2013, directly affecting TSA officers and their families by expanding access to death benefits previously available only to other public safety personnel.

Maddy summaryHR 882, the American Teacher Act, requires states to ensure full-time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools earn at least $60,000 annually (adjusted for inflation), with part-time teachers receiving proportional pay. It provides federal grants to states to fund these salary increases, mandating sustainability plans beyond the 4-year grant period and prioritizing schools in high-poverty areas. The bill also includes cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index and funds a national campaign to promote teaching as a career. It explicitly states grant funds must supplement existing education budgets without reducing current teacher pay or state loan forgiveness programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 333) corrects an inaccurate title and updates military retirement pay rules for veterans. It allows military retirees with service-connected disabilities (including those rated under 50%) to receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation without reduction. Specifically, it removes the requirement that veterans must have a 50% disability rating to keep both payments and adjusts calculations for retirees with fewer than 20 years of service. The change directly affects military retirees receiving VA disability benefits who previously had their retirement pay reduced. The bill takes effect after enactment for payments starting in the following month.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands paid family and medical leave for federal employees by increasing total entitlement from 12 to 26 weeks annually. It modifies existing laws to cover all federal workers (including those at the GAO, USPS, Library of Congress, and congressional staff), replacing "parental leave" with broader "family and medical leave" and adding 14 additional weeks for qualifying events like childbirth, adoption, or serious health conditions. Employees who already used paid leave under other programs will have their new entitlement reduced by the days already taken. The changes apply immediately to most federal employees, with specific timelines for agencies like the Veterans Affairs Department and District of Columbia courts.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 13 is a concurrent resolution expressing Congress's support for maintaining the current policy that prohibits imposing new fees on local radio stations for playing music. It states that Congress should not impose any performance fee, tax, royalty, or charge on local radio stations for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on businesses like bars and restaurants that play music publicly. The resolution argues that such fees would harm local radio stations - critical sources for emergency information and community programming - and jeopardize the economic model that has supported both radio and the music industry for decades. This resolution does not create new law but formally opposes potential legislative changes to the existing fee structure.

Maddy summaryThe Auto Theft Prevention Act establishes a federal grant program to fund state and local law enforcement efforts combating auto theft and stolen vehicle trafficking, authorizing $30 million annually from 2024 to 2028. States receive funds based on prior-year auto theft rates, requiring at least 50% to be distributed to local agencies in high-theft areas and 25% to state agencies. Grants cover specific anti-theft measures like purchasing equipment (e.g., license plate readers), hiring staff, training officers, and funding data collection related to auto theft. The program also expands existing grant uses to include these anti-theft activities, with no more than 5% of funds allowed for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThe Better Care Better Jobs Act (HR 547) aims to improve access to home and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid beneficiaries by providing states with planning grants and enhanced federal funding. States that develop approved HCBS infrastructure improvement plans will receive a 10 percentage point increase in federal Medicaid funding for HCBS services, with additional incentives for self-directed care programs. The bill requires states to address barriers to access, expand workforce development, improve payment rates for direct care workers, and track demographic data on service utilization. It also establishes quality measurement requirements and mandates regular reporting on progress toward improving HCBS access and quality.

Maddy summaryHR 765, the African American History Act, authorizes $2 million annually for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop educational resources and programs about African American history. The bill directs the museum to create accessible teaching materials, support teacher professional development, and expand digital content for schools and the public, focusing on contributions, civil rights, and historical contexts. It requires annual reports to Congress and expires in 2028. The program directly supports educators, students, and families in learning about African American history through museums, schools, and online platforms.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new federal crime for assaulting law enforcement officers causing serious injury or death, with penalties up to 10 years in prison for serious injury and up to life for aggravated cases involving death, kidnapping, or attempted killing. It applies when offenses involve interstate travel, commerce, or target officers engaged in law enforcement duties. Federal prosecution requires Attorney General certification that state authorities cannot or will not handle the case, or that federal action is necessary for public safety. The law covers all law enforcement officers (state, local, and federal) who enforce criminal laws or detain individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 827, the Home Internet Accessibility Act, requires a study of broadband access in federally assisted housing (like public housing and HUD-subsidized units) and a plan to improve it. The Comptroller General must report within one year on where broadband access exists or is lacking, including demographic breakdowns by location, and analyze retrofitting costs and challenges. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must then develop and submit a specific plan to retrofit housing for broadband service within 18 months of the bill's enactment. This bill directly affects residents of federally assisted housing nationwide by focusing on infrastructure gaps, not by providing immediate internet service.