Rep. Scott H. Peters

Maddy summaryHRES 36 is a symbolic resolution supporting Korean American Day, introduced by multiple House members on January 13, 2023. It honors the 120th anniversary of the 1903 arrival of the first large wave of Korean immigrants to the U.S. and recognizes Korean Americans' contributions to U.S. society, economy, and the U.S.-South Korea alliance. The resolution urges all Americans to observe Korean American Day to appreciate these contributions but does not create new laws or affect any specific group through policy changes. It is a commemorative measure without binding requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 308, the Rosa Parks Day Act, would designate Rosa Parks Day as a legal public holiday for federal employees and government operations. The bill amends Title 5 of the U.S. Code to add "Rosa Parks Day" to the list of federal holidays, placing it after Thanksgiving Day. This change would require federal offices to close on this designated day, affecting federal employees and standard government operations. The bill does not create new programs or alter existing laws beyond the holiday designation.

Capitol Remembrance Act This bill requires the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to design and install in a prominent location in the U.S. Capitol a permanent exhibit that depicts the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. To the extent possible, the AOC must preserve property that was damaged during the attack and include it in the exhibit. The AOC must also include (1) existing photographic records relating to the attack; and (2) a plaque to honor the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies that protected the Capitol, the individuals who died or sustained injuries to protect the Capitol, and the staff who helped restore the Capitol complex after the attack.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires colleges to notify students receiving federal work-study aid about their potential eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It mandates that institutions send electronic notifications (via email or other digital means) to these students, explaining SNAP eligibility requirements, state-specific application processes, and including a document confirming their work-study status to satisfy SNAP eligibility rules. The bill directly affects undergraduate and graduate students participating in federal work-study programs who may qualify for food assistance but lack awareness of SNAP. The key mechanism is the standardized notification developed by the Education and Agriculture Departments, designed to streamline access to nutrition benefits for students facing food insecurity.

This resolution condemns all acts of political violence, as well as attacks on health care facilities, health care personnel, and patients. The resolution also states that all people have the freedom to access reproductive health care services and medical advice without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment. Finally, the resolution calls on the Biden Administration to use all appropriate authorities to uphold public safety, protect health care facilities, and safeguard health care personnel and patients.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 14 proposes amending the U.S. Code to require the President to issue an annual proclamation designating a day as "Democracy Day." The proclamation would call on state and local governments, educational institutions, and the public to observe the day with programs and activities promoting democratic values. It does not fix a specific date (though the preamble references January 6 as a potential day), leaving the annual designation to the President's discretion. The bill directly affects the President and state/local authorities by establishing a formal mechanism for nationwide civic observance of democracy.

Maddy summaryHR 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, would admit Washington, D.C. as the 51st state, named "Washington, Douglass Commonwealth," granting its residents full representation in Congress with two Senators and one Representative. The bill establishes procedures for admission, including elections for state officials, with the state initially having one Representative until the next congressional apportionment. It would create a "Capital" area (including the White House, Capitol, and other key federal buildings) that remains under federal jurisdiction as the seat of the U.S. government, while the rest of the District becomes the new state. The bill also includes provisions to ensure continuity of federal services, property management, and legal procedures during the transition to statehood.

Jurists United to Stop Trafficking Imitation Child Exploitation Act of 2023 or the JUSTICE Act of 2023 This bill broadens the federal criminal prohibition on importation or transportation of obscene materials. Specifically, the bill makes it a crime to import, or knowingly use a common carrier or interactive computer service to transport, a child sex doll.

Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022 This act modifies provisions related to programs and benefits for veterans, including by providing permanent authority for the application of certain flexibilities to assist veterans with their educational assistance benefits during emergency situations. An emergency situation is defined as a situation that the President declares as an emergency and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines is an emergency for purposes of the laws it administers. Specifically, the act extends certain program adjustments that were implemented during the COVID-19 emergency (including adjustments made in the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020) to other emergency situations that may arise and have an effect on veterans and their educational assistance benefits. Among other flexibilities, the act (1) authorizes the VA to continue to provide educational assistance, including monthly housing stipends or subsistence allowances, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation; and (2) extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, or vocational rehabilitation program when institutions are closed due to an emergency situation or executive order. Due to an emergency situation, the VA is authorized to extend by two months the payment of vocational rehabilitation subsistence allowances, continue paying work-study allowances and extend work-study agreements, and continue paying educational assistance and subsistence allowances for a specified amount of time for programs of education that are suspended or closed. This act also adjusts the administration of certain benefits for veterans participating in an apprenticeship or other on-job training during an emergency situation, including by proportionately reducing the 120-hour monthly training requirement to reflect an individual's period of unemployment without a reduction in training assistance. An educational assistance payment shall not be charged against an individual's entitlement to educational assistance if an individual was unable to complete a course or program due to the temporary closure of an educational institution or the temporary termination of a program by reason of an emergency situation. The act provides the requirements that must be met for a study-abroad course to be approved for purposes of VA educational assistance. The act provides eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance for individuals, including officers, who are discharged or released from active duty with a sole survivorship discharge following at least 30 continuous days on qualifying active duty after September 10, 2001. The VA must partner with state approving agencies, educational institutions, and training establishments to require the use of a uniform application for the VA's course approval process. The uniform application must be developed by October 1, 2023, and be required for the approval of any new course of education proposed on or after that day. The act provides notice requirements for VA education surveys. Specifically, the VA or a state approving agency must provide not more than one business day of notice to an educational institution before conducting a targeted risk-based survey. The VA or state approving agency must provide not more than 10 business days of notice to an educational institution or training establishment before conducting a compliance survey. Under the act, educational institutions are excepted from the requirement to verify the enrollment of certain individuals who are receiving VA educational assistance (e.g., individuals who are enrolled in a program on at least a full-time basis before they are able to withdraw from the course without penalty). The act expands eligibility for self-employment assistance under the Veteran Readiness and Employment Program to include certain veterans who have a service-connected disability or employment handicap in addition to those with the most severe service-connected disabilities. The VA must report on possible definitions for student services , marketing , and classroom instruction for purposes of VA educational assistance. The act extends through November 30, 2031, certain limitations on pension payments to veterans who have no dependents and are being furnished domiciliary care by the VA. The act authorizes a servicemember to terminate specified contracts (e.g., contracts for commercial mobile service or internet service) that are entered into in relation to military orders for a permanent change of station if the member then receives a stop movement order in response to a local, national, or global emergency which prevents the member from using the services provided under the contract. The act provides that a spouse of a servicemember may retain their personal residence or domicile for purposes of taxation. Under the act, a servicemember and the spouse of the member are authorized to elect to use the following locations for purposes of taxation: the residence or domicile of the member, the residence or domicile of the spouse, or the permanent duty station of the member. The act provides for the portability of professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses who are relocated, because of military orders, outside of the jurisdiction that issued the license. The act authorizes the VA to provide non-articulating trailers (adaptive equipment) to veterans with specified disabilities or diseases incurred or aggravated due to their military service. The act authorizes the VA to provide (or assist in providing) an eligible veteran or servicemember with an additional automobile or other conveyance under the VA automobile allowance and adaptive equipment program if (1) more than 30 years have elapsed since the person last received such benefit; or (2) beginning 10 years after the date of this act, if more than 10 years have elapsed since the person last received such benefit. Finally, the act includes certain vehicle modifications (e.g., van lifts) under the definition of medical services for VA health care purposes.

This act designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6401 El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego, California, as the Susan A. Davis Post Office.