Rep. Greg Landsman

Maddy summaryHR 735 (Susan Muffley Act of 2023) requires the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to recalculate and increase monthly pension benefits for participants and beneficiaries in six specific Delphi-related pension plans to their full vested amount. This includes making lump-sum payments for past underpayments, plus 6% annual interest on amounts owed since prior benefit calculations. The bill directly affects eligible retirees and beneficiaries in the Delphi Hourly-Rate Employees Pension Plan, Delphi Retirement Program for Salaried Employees, and four other Delphi pension plans. It does not change existing asset allocations but ensures payments reflect the full pension amount guaranteed under ERISA without prior phase-in limits.

Maddy summaryHR 715, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023, requires background checks for all firearm transfers between private individuals, not just those through licensed dealers. It mandates that unlicensed sellers must involve a licensed dealer to conduct a background check before transferring a firearm, with exceptions for family transfers (like spouses or parents/children), law enforcement, temporary safety transfers, and certain hunting or range activities. The bill also requires licensed dealers to provide a notice and certification form in both English and Spanish to buyers. It explicitly states it won't create a national gun registry or override state laws on the same topic. The law would take effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 727 establishes a 12-member National Council on African American History and Culture within the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The Council, appointed by the President with Senate consent, advises the NEH on preserving and celebrating African-American history and culture. Its key duties include evaluating NEH programs, gathering information on cultural trends, developing national policy recommendations, and submitting annual reports to the NEH Chair. The Council terminates 10 years after the bill's enactment, with members serving five-year terms (initially staggered) and receiving partial compensation for their service.

Maddy summaryThis bill helps new car dealers affected by pandemic-era supply chain disruptions by changing tax rules for inventory sales. It allows dealers using LIFO accounting to treat certain sales of unsold vehicles (liquidations) between March 2020 and December 2021 as "qualified" for tax purposes. Dealers can defer recognizing income from these sales and have until 2026 to replace the sold vehicles before potential tax adjustments apply. The provision specifically targets dealers who couldn't replenish inventory during the supply chain crisis.

Maddy summaryHR 694, the Job Protection Act, expands access to family and medical leave under the FMLA by reducing eligibility requirements. It lowers the required employment period from 12 months to 90 days for most workers and removes the 50-employee threshold, requiring all employers (including small businesses with one or more employees) to provide leave. Federal, presidential, and congressional employees also see their eligibility thresholds reduced to 90 days. The bill directly affects millions of private-sector workers and small businesses nationwide by making existing leave protections more widely available. It makes no changes to leave duration or pay, only to who qualifies and which employers must comply.

Maddy summaryHR 709, the Muhammad Ali Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes Congress to award Muhammad Ali a gold medal in recognition of his life and achievements. The bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a gold medal for presentation by congressional leaders, which will then be given to Ali's widow, Lonnie Ali. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This is a commemorative measure, not a policy change affecting laws or programs.

Maddy summaryHR 660, "Ethan's Law," requires gun owners in homes where minors (under 18) or individuals prohibited from owning firearms under federal/state law reside to store firearms securely. It makes unsecured storage unlawful if a minor or prohibited person could access the firearm, with fines of $500 per violation and enhanced penalties (up to 5 years in prison) if injury or death occurs. The bill also establishes a federal grant program to help states implement similar secure storage laws and provides funding incentives for states that already have such laws in place.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Higher Education Act to allow colleges to use Federal Work-Study funds to pay college students for tutoring and mentoring in after-school programs at public elementary and secondary schools. It requires colleges to prioritize schools in low-income communities and establishes a registration process for schools to participate. Key provisions include expanding work-study funding to cover after-school activities (like tutoring), allowing federal funding to exceed 75% of student compensation, and requiring training for students providing these services. The policy directly affects participating colleges, K-12 schools, and college students working in these programs.

Maddy summaryHR 648, the Agriculture Export Promotion Act of 2023, increases federal funding for key USDA export promotion programs to boost U.S. agricultural sales abroad. It raises annual funding for the Market Access Program from $200 million to $400 million and for the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program from $34.5 million to $69 million, effective 2024-2029. These changes directly benefit U.S. farmers and agricultural businesses exporting commodities like soybeans, beef, and dairy by expanding their access to international markets. The bill aims to counter competitive disadvantages as foreign competitors grow their export programs faster than U.S. funding has kept pace. This represents a significant funding adjustment to address years of stagnant investment in these programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the possession, sale, or transfer of most large-capacity ammunition magazines (holding more than 15 rounds) for the general public, while exempting law enforcement officers (including campus security officers), retired officers, and certain licensed entities like nuclear facility security. It requires new magazines manufactured after enactment to have serial numbers and manufacturing dates, and allows federal grant funds to support buy-back programs for these devices. Existing owners of such magazines lawfully possessed before the law's enactment are exempt from the prohibition. The law applies to devices not already covered under current exemptions for law enforcement, nuclear security, and retired officers.