Rep. Josh Harder

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new federal requirements for employers to prevent heat-related illness and injury among workers. It mandates that employers provide safe work environments by implementing specific measures, including access to cool water, scheduled rest breaks in shaded areas, employer-paid cooling equipment, and training for employees and supervisors on recognizing heat illness symptoms. The Secretary of Labor must create these standards within one year, requiring employers in high-heat occupations (like construction, agriculture, and outdoor labor) to adopt engineering controls, administrative schedules, and health protocols. Key provisions include ensuring hydration, rest, and language-accessible training, while preserving existing safety protections and allowing for updates as scientific evidence evolves.

Maddy summaryThe COREY Safety Act of 2023 requires colleges and universities to report accident statistics that cause serious physical injury or death, expanding the Clery Act's scope beyond crime data. It mandates detailed reporting on accident types - including transportation incidents, slips/falls, overdoses, and choking - broken down by category and location. Institutions must also publicly list the closest Level I and Level II trauma centers on campus websites and in safety reports. These changes, effective after a two-year implementation period, aim to improve transparency and data collection for campus safety decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Child Nutrition Act to require school food service training programs to be scheduled during regular paid work hours whenever possible. If training must occur outside work hours, schools must compensate staff for attending, explain the necessity, and not penalize staff for missing it. Training must also be offered in-person with hands-on components when appropriate. The law directly affects school food service workers and their employers, mandating specific scheduling and compensation practices for required training.

Maddy summaryHR 4893, the Scientific Integrity Act, requires federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research to adopt policies preventing political interference in science. The bill mandates these agencies to prohibit suppression or distortion of research findings, establish Scientific Integrity Officers to enforce policies, and implement training and reporting systems. It directly affects scientists and engineers employed by or contracted with covered agencies (like the EPA or NIH), ensuring their work remains free from political pressure. Key mechanisms include annual public reporting on misconduct complaints, whistleblower protections, and requiring scientific conclusions to be based on evidence, not ideology.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Child Nutrition Act to extend liability protections for food and pet supply donations. It adds definitions for "pet," "emotional support animal," and "pet supply" to the Act, clarifying that donations of pet food or supplies for pets, service animals, or emotional support animals are covered. The key provision (Section 22(c)(4)) shields donors and nonprofits from civil/criminal liability when donating such items in good faith for direct distribution to animals. It directly affects pet food donors, animal welfare nonprofits, and local governments distributing pet supplies. The bill does not create new programs but modifies existing donation rules to include pet-related items.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 25 would remove the 1979 deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was originally proposed in 1972. This bill directly affects states that ratified the ERA after the deadline (such as Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia in 2017-2018) by making their ratifications legally valid. The key provision states that the ERA is valid as part of the Constitution if ratified by three-fourths of states, regardless of the original deadline. The bill does not create new rights but aims to finalize the constitutional amendment process by eliminating the time limit.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 1282 (Major Richard Star Act), expands benefits for certain military retirees by allowing them to receive both veterans' disability compensation and military retirement pay simultaneously. It specifically affects combat-related disabled retirees under Chapter 61 of the military retirement system who have fewer than 20 years of service. The key change removes the automatic reduction of military retirement pay when these retirees also receive disability compensation, as amended in Section 1413a(b)(3) of Title 10. Technical updates to the law’s structure and effective date (starting after enactment) complete the provisions.

Maddy summaryHR 4047, the Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act, increases funding limits for home modifications for disabled veterans. It raises the maximum benefit from $6,800 to $10,000 for certain home improvements and from $2,000 to $10,000 for structural alterations under Section 1717(a)(2) of Title 38, U.S. Code. The bill also requires annual adjustments to these amounts based on the Consumer Price Index to account for inflation. This directly affects disabled veterans who qualify for these home health services, providing them with higher financial support for necessary home modifications.

Maddy summaryThe FRIDGE Act of 2023 authorizes $1 million annually (2024-2028) to provide technical assistance for improving cold chain infrastructure in developing countries. It directly affects U.S. agricultural exporters by addressing infrastructure gaps that cause food loss and export damage, and it targets developing nations needing upgrades to cold storage, transport, and port systems. The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund needs assessments, training, and infrastructure support through agreements with eligible trade organizations. This concrete funding mechanism aims to reduce food waste and expand U.S. agricultural exports by strengthening supply chains in key markets.

Maddy summaryThe American Food for American Schools Act of 2023 requires school meal programs (including lunch, breakfast, summer food, and child care programs) to prioritize purchasing domestic food products, defined as those produced, processed, or harvested in the United States. Schools may request waivers to buy foreign products for up to 5% of annual food costs per category if domestic options are unavailable in sufficient quantity or quality, and must notify parents annually about such purchases. The bill also mandates that suppliers of school food contracts comply with domestic purchasing rules, with penalties for noncompliance requiring reimbursement of federal funds used for foreign products. It increases funding for "Buy American" training programs and adds transparency requirements, including public reporting of waivers and noncompliance instances.