Rep. Mary E. Miller

Maddy summaryHRES 967 would amend House rules to allow Members who have recently given birth to vote by proxy for up to six weeks after childbirth. Specifically, a new rule permits a Member to designate another Member as their proxy during this period to cast votes on their behalf. The proxy cannot be used to count the Member's presence for quorum purposes in the House or its committees. This change directly affects female Members during their postpartum leave, with no other proxy voting allowed under the amendment.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 92 seeks congressional disapproval of a 2022 rule from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) that updated how discrimination complaints are processed in federal nutrition programs (like SNAP) following the *Bostock v. Clayton County* Supreme Court decision. The bill aims to block the rule’s implementation, which would have required agencies to handle discrimination complaints under the expanded protections established by *Bostock* (covering LGBTQ+ individuals). If passed, the resolution would make the FNS policy update ineffective, maintaining the previous complaint processing approach. This affects how federal nutrition programs address discrimination claims but does not change the underlying anti-discrimination law.

This resolution supports the designation of National Teach Ag Day and recognizes the important role of agricultural education and the National FFA Organization in developing the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the dollar threshold that determines when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) can handle labor disputes involving small businesses. It increases the threshold for 2023 to ten times the previous year’s amount and sets up an automatic annual adjustment using the Personal Consumption Expenditure Per Capita Index (starting in 2024) to keep pace with inflation. Small businesses with payroll below this higher threshold will no longer fall under the NLRB’s jurisdiction for labor disputes. The change directly affects small businesses and the NLRB’s ability to assert jurisdiction over their labor issues, shifting oversight away from the agency for smaller employers. The amendment applies to all NLRB decisions made after the bill’s enactment date.

Maddy summaryHR 6934, the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, protects parents' fundamental right to direct their child's upbringing, education, and health care without government interference. It prohibits government actions that substantially burden these parental rights - including withholding benefits, imposing penalties, or excluding families from programs - unless the government proves a "compelling interest" and uses the "least restrictive means." The bill explicitly applies to all federal laws and requires courts to consider parental rights as a fundamental right under the Constitution, with exceptions only for actions causing serious child injury or death. It also adds parental rights to existing legal frameworks for recovering attorney fees in court cases involving these protections.

Maddy summaryHRES 941 is a non-binding House resolution condemning the final agreement from the December 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, which includes language urging a "transitioning away from fossil fuels." The resolution states that Congress believes the U.S. should not promote policies discouraging fossil fuels and urges the Biden administration not to implement policies aligned with the UN agreement. It references U.S. energy exports and economic benefits from fossil fuel production as context for its position. This resolution has no legal effect and serves only as a symbolic expression of congressional sentiment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend federal law to require the rejection of a state's electoral votes for president if a candidate nominated by a major political party did not appear on that state's ballot. It defines "major political party" using the IRS's criteria for "major party" status under the Internal Revenue Code. The change directly affects states' ability to certify presidential election results, as electoral votes from any state failing to include a major party candidate would be disqualified from counting. The bill does not alter voting procedures or ballot access but modifies the federal process for certifying electoral votes.

Maddy summaryHR 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023, allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole milk as an option during lunch. It amends the school lunch law to explicitly permit schools to serve flavored and unflavored whole milk alongside reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk choices for students. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust meal regulations to account for saturated fat from whole milk, ensuring it doesn't count against meal fat limits. This change directly affects participating schools and the students who receive school lunches, expanding their milk beverage options.

Maddy summaryHR 6813 blocks the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a specific proposed rule about air emissions reporting. The bill directly targets the EPA Administrator, preventing action on the "Revisions to the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements" rule published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2023. This bill does not change current reporting rules but stops the EPA from moving forward with this particular revision. The key mechanism is a direct prohibition on the EPA's regulatory actions regarding this specific rule.

Maddy summaryThe ACE Act expands tax-advantaged education savings by allowing 529 plan funds to cover homeschooling costs and additional K-12 expenses like tutoring, therapies, and curriculum materials. It doubles the annual distribution limit from $10,000 to $20,000 for these expenses and adds a $20,000 annual gift tax exclusion for contributions to 529 plans. The bill also restricts tax-exempt bonds for school construction to states meeting specific school choice program metrics, requiring at least 40% of students to be eligible for programs like vouchers or education savings accounts. These changes directly affect families using homeschooling or private education, states with school choice programs, and contributors to 529 plans.