Maddy summaryThe Invest to Protect Act of 2025 establishes a $50 million annual grant program (2027-2031) for local governments employing fewer than 175 law enforcement officers, including counties, municipalities, and Tribal governments. Grants fund de-escalation training, victim-centered domestic violence response training, evidence-based safety training for scenarios like mental health crises or active shooters, recruitment/retention bonuses (capped at 20% of salary), and mental health resources for officers. Recipients must report on program use, disclose bonus amounts publicly, and comply with audits to prevent misuse of funds. The bill aims to improve officer safety and community relations through targeted support for smaller law enforcement agencies.
Rep. Scott H. Peters
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHR 2678, "Ellie’s Law," authorizes $20 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to conduct new research on unruptured brain aneurysms. The funding specifically aims to study diverse patient populations by age, sex, and race, addressing gaps in current research. This bill directly affects the estimated 6.8 million Americans with unruptured brain aneurysms - particularly women and people of color, who face higher rupture risks - by advancing medical understanding of the condition. The law requires the funds to supplement, not replace, existing research budgets.
Maddy summaryThe Tax Fairness for Workers Act (HR 2671) would allow certain employees to deduct work-related expenses directly from their gross income. Specifically, it creates an above-the-line deduction for union dues (amending IRC Section 62(a)(1)) and reinstates a deduction for other out-of-pocket work costs like uniforms or tools (amending IRC Section 67(g)), effective for 2025 tax years. This directly affects union members and workers with significant job-related expenses who previously could not deduct these costs. The bill removes the prior limitation that barred these deductions, making them available without needing to itemize. The policy change simplifies tax filing for affected workers by treating these expenses as deductible business costs.
Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2253 (Puppy Protection Act of 2025), sets new federal standards for commercial dog dealers who sell puppies to the public. It requires specific housing sizes based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), daily exercise in safe outdoor areas, clean water and nutritious food twice daily, and annual veterinary exams including dental checks. The bill also limits breeding frequency (max 2 litters in 25 months), sets age minimums for breeding (18 months for small dogs, 2 years for large dogs), and mandates health screenings to prevent genetic diseases. These requirements apply directly to commercial dealers, with final regulations to be issued within 18 months of enactment.
Maddy summaryHR 2195, the Feed Hungry Veterans Act of 2025, would expand eligibility for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to more veterans. It adds four new qualifying categories to the existing rules: veterans with a "catastrophically disabled" determination under military disability law, veterans under 65 receiving a pension, and veterans meeting specific combined disability rating thresholds. The bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act to include these new groups in SNAP eligibility, directly affecting veterans who currently may not qualify under existing disability rating criteria. The changes would take effect on October 1, 2030.
Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2102 (Major Richard Star Act), allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both full military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation simultaneously, without the previous offset that reduced retired pay. It directly affects veterans already eligible for both benefits due to combat-related injuries, removing the requirement that their retired pay be reduced by the disability compensation amount. The key provision amends Title 10 and Title 38 to eliminate the offset rule (sections 5304 and 5305 of Title 38) for these veterans. The change applies to payments starting after the bill’s enactment date, effective for all qualifying veterans. This is a policy change to increase financial support for affected veterans, not a new benefit.
Federal Firearm Licensee Act This bill establishes new security requirements and expands recordkeeping and reporting requirements for federally licensed dealers, importers, and manufacturers of firearms (i.e., federal firearms licensees, or FFLs). The bill also broadens the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to administer federal firearms laws and enforce violations. Specifically, bill requires FFLs to implement and comply with a plan to secure their business premises, conduct quarterly physical checks of their business inventories, maintain video surveillance of the area where firearms are sold or transferred, and initiate firearms-related background checks for employees. Additionally, the bill requires FFLs to report to the ATF any inventory firearm that is lost, stolen, or unaccounted for and to notify the ATF about default-proceed transactions (i.e., allowable firearm transfers to an unlicensed person prior to the completion of a background check when the submitted background check remains incomplete after three business days). Finally, the bill removes limits on the ATF's authority to conduct activities related to the administration of federal firearms laws. It enhances the ATF's inspection authority, including by removing the limit on the number of annual compliance inspections (currently, one), requiring inspections of high-risk FFLs, and authorizing an additional 650 investigators. Finally, the bill directs the ATF to deny an application for a federal firearms license if it would endanger public safety or if the applicant is unlikely to comply with the law.
Maddy summaryThe IDEA Full Funding Act (HR 2598) mandates specific annual federal funding levels for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), directly affecting schools and students with disabilities nationwide. It requires the federal government to appropriate either a fixed dollar amount or a specified percentage (increasing annually from 4.5% to 40%) of a calculated total - based on the number of eligible students and average per-pupil costs - starting in fiscal year 2026 through 2035. The bill sets clear, escalating funding targets, with the higher of two calculated amounts (dollar figure or percentage) becoming available for obligation each fiscal year. This establishes a binding financial commitment to address long-standing underfunding of special education services under IDEA.
Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and similar sectors. Specifically, Labor must issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector, in the social service sector, and in sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors. Among other elements, the standard must require each employer to (1) develop a workplace violence prevention plan, (2) promptly investigate incidents of workplace violence, and (3) provide relevant training and education to employees. The bill requires certain hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to comply with this standard as a condition of Medicare participation.
Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 2532) blocks federal funding for large-scale layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its sub-agencies. It prohibits using federal funds to remove 3% or more of all HHS employees, or 3% or more at any single sub-agency, within a 60-day period. This applies to actions like layoffs under federal workforce rules (Title 5) or agency reorganizations. The bill directly affects HHS employees and its operating divisions by preventing rapid, widespread workforce reductions. It does not change HHS policies but restricts how personnel actions can be funded.