Rep. Pete Stauber

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 LEO Fair Retirement Act of 2023 would allow federal law enforcement officers to include unpaid overtime hours toward their retirement benefits. Currently, these officers work significant overtime that isn't compensated due to pay caps, meaning they don't receive full credit for those hours in retirement calculations. The bill would amend retirement systems to include this unpaid overtime in retirement calculations, but officers would need to make a lump-sum payment to cover the difference between what they would have contributed to retirement if paid for the overtime versus what they actually contributed. This applies to specific federal law enforcement roles including criminal investigators, federal air marshals, special agents in the Diplomatic Security Service, probation officers, and pretrial services officers. The changes would take effect one year after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1322 expands federal retirement benefits to include specific non-traditional law enforcement roles. It adds IRS employees focused on tax collection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service staff, Department of Veterans Affairs police officers, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized property specialists to the definition of "law enforcement officer" under federal retirement systems. Current employees in these newly covered positions must elect to pay deposits for past service to receive full retirement credit, while their agencies must contribute additional funds for that past service. The bill also temporarily prevents mandatory separation for current law enforcement officers for three years after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Permitting for Mining Needs Act of 2023 streamlines federal permitting for mining projects on public lands by establishing specific time limits for environmental reviews (12 months for assessments, 24 months for impact statements) and allowing lead agencies to adopt applicant-prepared environmental documents that meet National Environmental Policy Act requirements. It enables mineral exploration with limited surface disturbance (up to 5 acres) to proceed without full environmental review, and creates mechanisms for coordination between agencies and project applicants through memorandums of agreement. The bill applies to all minerals, not just "critical" minerals, and ensures uranium is treated as a critical mineral for certain purposes. The legislation aims to expedite domestic mineral development while maintaining environmental review standards.

Maddy summaryHR 1202, the REDI Act, amends the Higher Education Act to allow medical and dental residents to temporarily pause federal student loan payments without accruing interest during their internship or residency programs. This directly affects borrowers with federal student loans who are enrolled in qualifying medical or dental training programs. The key provision adds a new rule (paragraph 6) ensuring these borrowers qualify for a deferment period where they don't pay principal and interest accrues at 0%. The change modifies existing loan rules to explicitly include medical/dental residents under the "in-school" deferment category. This policy change provides immediate financial relief during a critical training phase for healthcare professionals.

Maddy summaryHR 1116, the "Stop Taxpayer Funding of Traffickers Act," prohibits individuals charged with specific human trafficking or drug trafficking offenses near U.S. borders from receiving federal benefits. It directly affects people indicted for offenses defined as "covered trafficking offenses" (including human trafficking under Title 18 or drug trafficking involving controlled substances near borders). The bill blocks access to federal benefits like grants, loans, licenses, Social Security, or veterans' benefits for those charged. If charges are dismissed or the person is found not guilty, the benefit ban ends, and any unpaid benefits must be restored. This policy change removes federal funding access for individuals facing these specific charges.

Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2023 This bill revises requirements concerning determinations on whether a species is a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) and caps attorney's fees to prevailing parties in ESA citizen suits. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must publish online, subject to privacy or administrative limitations, the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for each determination. The bill states that the term best scientific and commercial data available includes all data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government. Thus, the USFWS and NMFS would no longer consider whether data from those sources are the best scientific and commercial data available. Instead, the data would be automatically deemed the best scientific and commercial data available regardless of the quality of the data. Before making a determination on whether a species is an endangered or threatened species, the USFWS and NMFS must provide affected states with all of the data that is the basis of the determination. The Department of the Interior must also publish and maintain an online searchable database that discloses federal expenditures related to litigation under the ESA.

Maddy summaryHR 356, the Unleashing American Energy Act, requires the federal government to hold annual offshore oil and gas lease sales in specific Gulf of Mexico regions and Alaska starting in 2023. It mandates that all unleased areas (not restricted by law) be included in these sales, following existing federal leasing rules. The bill also amends federal law to prevent the President from delaying or blocking these leasing processes without explicit congressional approval, creating a rebuttable presumption that such actions are unreasonable. This directly affects federal energy leasing programs and companies seeking offshore drilling rights.

Maddy summaryHR 189, the "Action Versus No Action Act," requires federal agencies (like the Department of Agriculture or Interior) to limit environmental reviews for certain forest management projects to only two options: proceeding with the project or taking no action. It applies specifically to projects on lands suitable for timber production that meet one of four criteria, such as being developed through a collaborative process or covered by a community wildfire protection plan. The bill mandates that agencies analyze only these two alternatives, including detailed assessments of how "no action" would impact forest health, wildfire risk, habitat, and economic factors. This change streamlines environmental reviews but restricts consideration of other potential management approaches.

Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act This bill makes the Bureau of Reclamation the lead agency for the purpose of coordinating all permitting and related activities required to construct certain new surface-water storage projects. Specifically, Reclamation must identify, notify, and coordinate all Federal agencies that may have jurisdiction over a review, analysis, opinion, statement, permit, license, approval, or decision for a qualifying project. A state where a project is being considered may also choose to participate as a cooperating agency. Reclamation's coordination responsibilities include (1) preparing a unified environmental review document, and (2) maintaining a consolidated administrative record and project data records. Additionally, Reclamation is authorized to accept and expend funds contributed by a nonfederal public entity to expedite the evaluation of a permit for such a project.