Rep. Troy A. Carter

Maddy summaryHR 2904, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023, establishes a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC. The center will declare racism a public health crisis, conduct research on how structural racism affects health outcomes, and develop data systems to track health disparities across race, ethnicity, gender, and other factors. It will fund regional centers in minority communities, create public health interventions, and require CDC to report annually on antiracist efforts. This bill directly affects public health agencies, researchers, and communities of color by mandating systemic analysis of racial inequities in healthcare and public health policy.

Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to evaluate current federal research regarding approaches to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on homeland security. The bill also allows DHS to research and develop approaches to mitigate the negative effects.

Maddy summaryThe Election Mail Act (HR 2987) establishes new requirements for handling mail-in ballots in federal elections to improve reliability and accessibility. It requires the Postal Service to process absentee ballots on the same day received, place postmarks indicating mailing dates on ballot envelopes, and treat election mail as first-class mail with free postage for completed ballots. The bill also mandates states to use intelligent mail barcodes on return envelopes, affix specific tags for ballot visibility, and adopt a uniform 7-day deadline for accepting mailed ballots postmarked on or before election day. These changes apply to federal elections, with most provisions taking effect for the 2024 election cycle. The bill includes additional provisions for the Postal Service to consult with Indian Tribes about voting barriers on tribal lands.

Maddy summaryThe Child Care for Working Families Act establishes a federal entitlement program providing subsidized child care for working families with children under age 6 who are not yet in kindergarten. It creates a sliding fee scale where families at or below 85% of State median income pay no copayment, while higher-income families pay up to 7% of their income based on income thresholds. The bill requires states to develop quality rating systems for child care providers and ensures providers receive sufficient funding to meet quality standards, including wages equivalent to elementary educators. It prioritizes access for underserved populations including children with disabilities, infants and toddlers, children experiencing homelessness, and families in low-income communities. The program is funded with $20 billion for fiscal year 2024 and subsequent years through 2029.

Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2023 or the FAIR Act of 2023 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.

Maddy summaryThe RAP Act of 2023 (HR 2952) would prevent prosecutors and plaintiffs from using a defendant’s creative or artistic works - such as poems, songs, art, or films - as evidence in court, unless specific exceptions apply. It requires the government to prove by clear evidence that the work was meant literally (not figuratively), directly relates to the specific facts of the case, is relevant to disputed facts, and has unique value beyond other evidence. If admitted, courts must redact the work to limit its presentation and provide jury instructions about its restricted use. This bill directly affects defendants in both criminal and civil cases who create artistic expression, aiming to protect their creative works from being misused in legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryHR 2974 establishes the United States Interagency Council on Housing Affordability and Preservation, a new federal body composed of heads from 21 agencies (including HUD, Treasury, and Justice) to coordinate efforts on affordable housing. The Council’s key duties include developing a national strategic plan for affordable housing within 12 months, reviewing federal housing programs, providing regional support to states and localities to access federal resources, and requiring annual agency reports on housing barriers. It mandates $4.8 million annually for operations (2024-2028) and encourages states to create their own housing councils to align with federal goals. The bill directly affects federal agencies, state/local governments, and low-income renters by improving coordination and access to housing programs, without directly changing housing subsidies or tenant protections.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 331) symbolically designates the week of April 24-28, 2023, as "National Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Appreciation Week." It honors school support staff including counselors, social workers, psychologists, therapists, and nurses who provide critical academic, emotional, and behavioral support to students. The resolution recognizes their role in creating safe learning environments and improving student outcomes, but contains no binding policy changes or funding. As a non-binding resolution, it serves solely to raise awareness of these personnel’s contributions.

Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2023 This bill modifies the above-the-line tax deduction for the expenses of performing artists (including commissions paid to managers or agents) to provide for a phaseout of such deduction for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($200,000 for joint return filers). The $100,000 phaseout threshold is adjusted for inflation annually for taxable years beginning after 2023.

Maddy summaryThe Flight Education Access Act increases federal student loan limits for students enrolled in eligible flight education programs, which prepare students for commercial pilot certification. It sets specific annual and aggregate loan limits based on a student's year of study (e.g., dependent students can borrow up to $111,000 total), and requires programs to meet a 70% completion rate after three years to maintain eligibility. The bill also creates a new $40 million annual grant program to support partnerships between educational institutions and aviation industry partners to diversify the pilot workforce and increase interest in aviation careers. It requires data collection on program completion rates and demographic information, with reports to Congress on the program's effectiveness.