Rep. Daniel S. Goldman

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a posthumous Congressional gold medal for Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights attorney and federal judge. It directs the Treasury to strike a gold medal featuring her image and name, to be presented to her son, Joel Motley III, and niece, Constance Royster. The medal is a commemorative tribute recognizing her historic contributions to civil rights and her service as the first African-American woman appointed to a federal judgeship. No new policies or programs are created; the bill solely honors her legacy through a commemorative medal.

Maddy summaryThe Energy Resilient Communities Act creates a federal grant program to fund clean energy microgrids that keep critical community services running during climate disasters like wildfires or floods. Eligible entities - including local governments, nonprofits, and Tribal agencies - can apply for grants covering up to 90% of costs in environmental justice communities (defined as areas with high populations of people of color, low-income residents, or Tribal communities) to build microgrids supporting hospitals, schools, or medical baseline customers (e.g., those relying on life-saving medical devices). Priority is given to projects that reduce pollution, lower energy costs, create local jobs, and use U.S.-made materials, while requiring fair wages and community-focused hiring. The program mandates annual reports to Congress tracking grant use, environmental benefits, and job creation.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act (HR 830) changes how health insurance plans calculate patient cost-sharing. It requires that payments made by third parties (like pharmacies, charities, or discount programs) toward medical costs count toward a patient's deductible, copay, or out-of-pocket limit. This directly affects insured individuals who receive financial assistance, discounts, or product vouchers for healthcare expenses. The law ensures these external payments reduce the patient's actual out-of-pocket costs more quickly, aligning with existing Affordable Care Act and Public Health Service Act requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 1014, the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act, imposes a tax on major oil companies (defined as those averaging over 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily in 2019) based on the difference between current Brent crude oil prices and the 2015-2019 average, calculated at 50% of that excess. The tax revenue funds the "Protect Consumers from Gas Hikes Fund," which provides quarterly rebates to eligible individuals (with income limits of $75,000-$150,000 depending on filing status) via refundable tax credits. The bill directly affects large oil producers through the new excise tax and eligible U.S. residents through the rebate program. Key mechanisms include the price-based tax calculation, automatic fund transfers for rebates, and income-adjusted credit limits. The tax applies to crude oil extracted or imported in the U.S., with rebates distributed starting in 2022.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor all U.S. Army Dustoff crews who served during the Vietnam War (1962-1973). It recognizes their critical role in evacuating nearly 900,000 wounded personnel, including U.S., South Vietnamese, and allied forces, under extreme combat conditions. The medal, designed with input from the Secretary of Defense, will be presented to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum for permanent display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, but the primary action is the commemorative recognition of these crews' service.

Maddy summaryHR 1002, the "Saving the Civil Service Act," restricts how federal government positions can be moved between competitive hiring (where most federal jobs are filled through merit-based exams) and non-competitive "excepted service" positions. The bill prevents agencies from moving positions out of the competitive service unless they fit specific schedules in place as of September 2020, requires Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approval for certain transfers, and mandates employee consent for any position transfer between service types. It also limits the number of employees that can be moved from competitive to excepted service during a presidential term - capping it at 1% of an agency's workforce or five employees, whichever is greater. The bill directly affects federal employees and agencies by making it harder to shift positions out of the competitive hiring system without strict oversight.

Maddy summaryThe SNAP Theft Protection Act of 2023 requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish regulations allowing states to reissue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits stolen through identity theft or skimming (like card skimming). It directs states to identify eligible households and reissue lost benefits meeting specific criteria, directly affecting SNAP recipients who experience benefit theft. Key provisions include setting criteria for reissuance, requiring a 240-day status report to Congress on implementation, and annual reports detailing the value and number of reissued benefits per state. The bill also mandates periodic reviews of electronic benefit transfer security to adapt to evolving theft threats.

Maddy summaryThe Pregnant Women in Custody Act establishes new standards for care of pregnant women in correctional facilities across federal, state, tribal, and local systems. It prohibits using restrictive housing for pregnant women from confirmed pregnancy through 12 weeks after delivery (with limited exceptions), requires facilities to provide comprehensive healthcare services including prenatal and postpartum care, and mandates data collection about the health needs of incarcerated pregnant women. The bill also requires staff training on proper treatment, establishes protocols for unexpected childbirth, and mandates transfer of women with high-risk pregnancies to facilities with appropriate medical care. These provisions aim to improve health outcomes for both mothers and infants by addressing gaps in care for incarcerated pregnant women.

Maddy summaryHR 987 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Golda Meir, Israel's first female Prime Minister, and the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar clad coins (max 750,000), with detailed weight and composition requirements. All coins will include Golda Meir's image, her name, and commemorative inscriptions, and will be sold during 2026. A surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) will be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc. to support its hospital operations.

Maddy summaryHR 964, the Democracy in Design Act, requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to follow the 1962 "Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture" when designing all new U.S. public buildings. It mandates the GSA Administrator to create new regulations within 180 days of the bill's enactment, establishing minimum design standards for federal buildings. These regulations must be developed after public notice and comment, as required by standard federal rulemaking procedures. The bill directly affects all federal building projects and the GSA's design process, ensuring adherence to established architectural principles.