Rep. Jared Huffman

Maddy summaryHR 1088, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968) and the first Black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image, which will be presented by Congress and then permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This bill commemorates Chisholm's legacy and achievements without creating new laws or affecting any current policies.

Maddy summaryHR 907, the Protecting Community Television Act, is a procedural bill that modifies the legal definition of "franchise fee" in the Communications Act of 1934. It changes the wording from "includes" to "means" and adds "other monetary" before "assessment" in the fee definition. This amendment does not alter actual fee amounts, payment requirements, or protections for community television providers. It solely adjusts the technical language used in federal law to describe these fees. The bill has no direct impact on community TV operations or funding, as it only refines the statutory definition.

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.

Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act This bill limits where a non-individual debtor (e.g., a corporate debtor) may file for bankruptcy to prevent forum shopping. Specifically, these debtors must file in the district court where their principal place of business or principal assets are located. Corporate debtors may also file in a district where there is a pending bankruptcy case concerning an affiliate that has a certain level of control over or ownership of the debtor (e.g., if the affiliate is a controlling shareholder of the debtor), if that pending case is in a proper venue under this bill. Under current law, these debtors may also file where they are domiciled (i.e., incorporated) or where there is a pending bankruptcy case concerning any affiliate, general partner, or partnership of the debtor. For corporate debtors that are issuers of securities, their principal place of business is defined in the bill as the address of the entity's principal executive office as provided in specified Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

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 summaryHR 782 prohibits state officials from interfering with abortion services provided across state lines. It specifically blocks states from restricting: (1) out-of-state patients traveling for legal abortions, (2) providers offering such services, (3) assistance for travel or care, or (4) the interstate shipment of FDA-approved abortion drugs. The bill allows the federal Attorney General or affected individuals to sue violators for injunctions, damages, and attorney fees. It directly affects patients seeking care in other states, healthcare providers, transportation services, and pharmacies handling FDA-approved abortion medications. The law focuses on preventing state laws from blocking access to legally permitted abortion services.

Maddy summaryHR 927, the Supreme Court Ethics Act, establishes new ethics rules and oversight for Supreme Court justices. It requires the Judicial Conference to create a binding code of conduct within one year and mandates the appointment of an Ethics Investigations Counsel to receive public complaints, investigate potential violations, and issue annual public reports. The bill also requires justices to publicly disclose their reasons for recusing themselves or denying recusal motions in cases. These provisions directly affect Supreme Court justices by creating a formal process for handling ethics concerns and increasing transparency around their conduct.

Maddy summaryThe Child Care for Every Community Act establishes a federal program to provide universal, high-quality child care and early learning services for all young children not yet required to attend school. It provides 90% federal funding for most programs (100% for migrant/seasonal farmworkers and Native American children) with a sliding fee scale based on family income (maximum 7% of income). The bill requires states, tribes, and localities to develop comprehensive plans ensuring services are accessible, culturally appropriate, and meet national quality standards. It specifically focuses on serving low-income children, children with disabilities, dual language learners, homeless children, and children in foster care. The program emphasizes coordination with schools and other community services to support children's development and school readiness.