Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - female telephone operators who served in the Army Signal Corps during World War I. They provided critical battlefield communications in France (connecting 26 million calls), wore military uniforms, and faced combat risks, but were denied veteran benefits for 60 years due to being classified as civilian contractors. The medal recognizes their pioneering service, devotion, and the decades-long struggle to gain military recognition. The award follows similar recognition for other WWII women veterans and aims to correct the historical injustice they faced.
Sponsored bills
Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States Act or the A-PLUS Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to revise its regulations to allow livestock market agencies (e.g., auction market owners) to hold an ownership interest in, finance, or participate in the management or operation of a meat packer with a cumulative slaughter capacity of (1) less than 2,000 animals per day or 700,000 animals per year for cattle and sheep, and (2) less than 10,000 animals per day or 3 million animals per year for hogs.
Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act This bill permanently adds fentanyl-related substances to schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. (A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act.) Fentanyl-related substances are currently regulated under schedule I through a temporary order issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The temporary order expires December 31, 2024.
This resolution supports the designation of National FFA Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America) in developing the next generation of leaders who will change the world, and (2) celebrates the 90th anniversary of the iconic FFA jacket.
Maddy summaryThe Military Spouse Hiring Act expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include military spouses. Employers who hire a spouse of an active-duty military member - certified by a local agency as meeting eligibility requirements on the hiring date - can claim this tax credit. The credit reduces the employer's federal tax liability for hiring such individuals. This provision applies to new hires after the bill's enactment date.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires colleges to provide pre-loan counseling to students before they take out federal student loans, including an estimate of monthly payments compared to expected income after expenses (using government data) and a full breakdown of all debt (federal, private, and future costs). It also mandates that lenders send borrowers quarterly statements during non-payment periods (like while in school), showing loan balances, interest rates, payments made, and how making small payments can reduce total interest. These changes apply directly to students receiving federal loans, colleges, and loan servicers. The goal is to improve transparency about long-term repayment impacts before borrowing begins.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Members of Congress from receiving student loan debt relief for their service in Congress. It blocks them from qualifying for service-based student loan forgiveness tied to their congressional tenure and prevents eligibility for any new federal student loan programs created while they are in office. The law directly affects current and future Members of Congress by denying them specific debt relief benefits related to their congressional service, as defined by the bill's provisions. It does not change student loan policies for the general public.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Higher Education Act to exempt certain family-owned assets from being counted when calculating federal student aid eligibility. Specifically, it excludes family farms where the family resides and small businesses with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees owned and controlled by the family. These assets will no longer be considered when determining a student's financial need for aid programs. The change directly affects students from qualifying family farms or small businesses when applying for federal financial aid. The exemption applies to assets held by the family, not just the business itself.
Maddy summaryHR 1200, the National Right-to-Work Act, prohibits requiring workers to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment in both private-sector workplaces (covered by the National Labor Relations Act) and railroad industries (covered by the Railway Labor Act). The bill amends key sections of these laws to eliminate provisions that allowed union security agreements, meaning workers in unionized settings would no longer be forced to pay dues to retain their jobs. This directly affects employees in unionized workplaces across the U.S., particularly those in industries with existing union contracts that included mandatory dues. The law changes the legal framework to ensure union membership and dues payment remain voluntary for all workers.
Maddy summaryHR 1190, the "Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act," amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require lobbyists to disclose the name and address of any foreign government or political party (other than the client) that directs, plans, supervises, or controls their lobbying activities. This change directly affects registered lobbyists who work with foreign entities, mandating them to report these foreign influences in their filings. The key provision adds a new requirement to disclosure forms, specifying that foreign governments or political parties involved in controlling lobbying efforts must be named, even if they are not the direct client. This focuses on transparency about foreign involvement in U.S. lobbying, without altering the core lobbying registration framework.