Rep. Jared Huffman

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act to establish a fifth round of payments for eligible victims of state-sponsored terrorism, requiring all authorized payments to be distributed by December 31, 2024. It directs specific funds into the Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, including $898 million from the Binance case settlement and 50% of annual unobligated balances from DOJ and Treasury forfeiture funds starting December 1, 2024. The bill mandates annual payments beginning January 1, 2025, for eligible claimants and requires the Special Master to submit annual reports on fund activity to Congress, including detailed deposit and disbursement records. It directly affects victims of state-sponsored terrorism, the Special Master administering the fund, and federal agencies managing forfeiture funds.

Maddy summaryHR 6319 (the 911 SAVES Act of 2023) requires the Office of Management and Budget to reclassify public safety telecommunicators as "Protective Service Occupations" within 30 days of enactment. This change corrects their current misclassification in the federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, which is used for statistical data on jobs. The bill directly affects how these professionals - critical in emergency calls involving missing children, active threats, and officer safety - are officially categorized in government workforce data. It does not create new benefits or funding but aims to better recognize their lifesaving role through accurate federal job classification.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. government to immediately restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), reversing a temporary funding pause. It repeals two appropriations acts that halted payments and requires the Secretary of State to resume UNRWA funding under existing authorities. The legislation specifically aims to support UNRWA’s critical humanitarian work - providing shelter, education, healthcare, and aid to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan - during an acute famine risk in Gaza. It also mandates quarterly reports to Congress on UNRWA’s implementation of reforms from an independent review, ensuring accountability for its humanitarian mission.

Maddy summaryHR 9650 requires federal agencies to purchase WaterSense-labeled water-efficient products (like fixtures or appliances) when procuring water-consuming items, unless cost or availability prevents it. It establishes an EPA grant program to provide rebates or incentives for households to buy WaterSense products, prioritizing low- and middle-income families through eligible entities like state governments or utilities. The bill also makes these rebates non-taxable income for individuals and expands existing tax exclusions for water conservation measures. These changes directly affect federal agencies, local governments, and households purchasing water-efficient products.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Medicaid and CHIP rules to let eligible out-of-state healthcare providers enroll without extra state screening. It applies to providers already in Medicare or their home state program, with low fraud risk, serving children under 21 with complex medical conditions. Providers would receive 5 years of enrollment under this streamlined process, eliminating state-level barriers. The change directly affects children seeking specialized care across state lines and the providers who serve them.

Maddy summaryThe Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024 would require major fossil fuel companies that emitted more than 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide between 2000 and 2022 to pay a tax based on their historical emissions. The tax revenue would fund a new Climate Fund that would provide $15 billion annually for disaster response and resilience programs through FEMA, $6 billion for clean air initiatives, and mandate 40% of funds support environmental justice communities. The fund would finance climate resilience projects including climate-resilient infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and support for vulnerable communities affected by climate change. Companies could pay the tax over nine years, and the bill explicitly states it does not affect existing legal claims against polluters for climate-related damages.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the U.S. Postal Service facility at 130 South Patterson Avenue in Santa Barbara, California, as the "Brigadier General Frederick R. Lopez Post Office Building." It updates all official U.S. government references to the building to reflect this new name, with no policy changes or funding impacts.

Maddy summaryHRES 1436 is a symbolic resolution (not a law) introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. It recognizes suicide as a preventable public health crisis by citing statistics from the CDC, VA, and SAMHSA showing rising suicide rates across age groups, including veterans and adolescents. The resolution formally supports designating September as "National Suicide Prevention Month" and September 10, 2024, as "World Suicide Prevention Day." It does not create new policies, allocate funding, or directly affect any individuals - its purpose is solely to express congressional support for suicide prevention awareness and efforts.

Maddy summaryHRES 1422 is a resolution recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act (enacted in 1964), which established the National Wilderness Preservation System. The resolution commends advocates for the Act, acknowledges wilderness areas' role in protecting over 112 million acres of public lands, and highlights their benefits for recreation, clean water, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience. It specifically emphasizes the importance of including Tribal governments in wilderness designation and management. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or directly affect any group.

Maddy summaryHR 8492 prohibits wildlife killing contests - events where participants kill animals for cash, prizes, or entertainment - on all federal public lands managed by agencies like the National Park Service or U.S. Forest Service. It specifically bans contests targeting species such as coyotes, foxes, and bobcats, except for field trials with hunting dogs, contests for deer/birds (Galliformes/Anatidae), or agency-led invasive species control. The law requires federal agencies to issue implementing regulations within a year of enactment. It directly affects organizers, sponsors, and participants of such contests on federally managed lands, while allowing states to maintain stricter rules.