Rep. Chris Pappas

Maddy summaryThis bill amends VA education benefits rules to help veterans transition into truck driving careers. It allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to directly approve multi-state trucking apprenticeship programs for veterans using their education benefits, rather than requiring individual state approvals. This change specifically affects veterans seeking trucking training that crosses state lines, as current rules only permit state-specific programs. The key provision removes a barrier for veterans pursuing interstate trucking careers through VA-funded apprenticeships.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to include new data on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its regular energy reports, such as the Petroleum Supply Monthly. The data must cover feedstock sources (by state, U.S. total, and foreign countries), production volumes, and imports, while defining SAF as fuel meeting environmental standards (at least 50% lower lifecycle emissions than jet fuel) and not derived from palm oil or petroleum. The EIA must collect this information using reliable statistical methods without double-counting. This provides transparency on the SAF industry but does not change production rules or regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 6531, the TRAIN VA Employees Act, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create mandatory training for all VA supervisors and certain other designated employees. The training program, to be developed within one year of enactment, covers key supervisor duties like performance appraisals, addressing workplace issues (including hostile environments), and managing employee conduct. All affected employees must complete the initial training within 18 months and refresher sessions every two years. The bill directly impacts VA supervisors and specific leadership roles, focusing on improving management practices through structured, adult-learning-based instruction.

Maddy summaryThe Safer Skies Act of 2024 requires certain smaller airlines to adopt the federal security screening program currently used by larger carriers. Specifically, it mandates that airlines operating passenger planes with more than 9 seats (that do not use TSA checkpoints, offer individual seats in advance with public schedules) must comply with the Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program within 360 days of enactment. The Transportation Security Administration must revise its rules to enforce this new requirement. This directly affects regional carriers that currently skip standard airport security screenings but serve passengers under these specific operational conditions. The bill extends existing security standards to cover these previously exempt airlines without creating new security protocols.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to change how enlisted service time counts toward total service for military officers who completed Service Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC). It allows officers to count their enlisted service toward their total service time using the date the bill is enacted, instead of the previous cutoff date of August 1, 1979. The change directly affects officers who completed SROTC and are now serving as officers, particularly those whose enlisted service ended after 1979. This adjustment simplifies the process for these officers to qualify for certain benefits tied to their total service duration.

Maddy summaryThe New England Coastal Protection Act of 2024 prohibits the federal government from leasing any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut for oil and gas exploration, development, or production. It amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to explicitly block such leases, overriding any existing or future laws that might permit them. This policy change directly affects the oil and gas industry by eliminating potential new drilling opportunities in these coastal waters and restricts the federal government’s authority to issue offshore energy leases in the region. The bill creates a permanent ban on new oil and gas leasing in this specific coastal zone.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Higher Education Act to require colleges and universities receiving federal funds to implement evidence-based programs preventing alcohol and substance misuse among students and staff, replacing outdated terms like "drug abuse" with "substance misuse." It creates a new $15 million annual grant program (for fiscal years 2025-2030) to fund recovery services, peer support, integrated health care, overdose prevention, and crisis training. Grants can support campus-based services like counseling, re-entry assistance for students on academic probation due to substance use, and coordination with community health providers. The bill also mandates interagency coordination between education and health agencies to develop best practices and requires institutions to certify compliance with prevention program requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a federal crime to steal packages that have been delivered by private carriers (like FedEx or UPS) but not yet received by the recipient. It directly affects package recipients, carriers, and thieves who target unclaimed deliveries left on porches or in mailboxes. The key provision amends federal law to include these delivered-but-unclaimed packages under the same legal protections as mail in transit. This changes the law to treat stolen packages at the delivery stage as a federal offense, similar to theft of postal mail. The bill does not create new penalties but expands existing theft statutes to cover this specific scenario.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program, which provides federal funding to state and local law enforcement agencies to reduce backlogs in processing DNA evidence from crime scenes. It extends the program's funding period from fiscal years 2024 through 2029 (previously ending in 2024). The bill also updates audit requirements to ensure grant funds are used properly through 2029. This directly affects law enforcement agencies that receive these grants to accelerate DNA analysis for criminal investigations.

Maddy summaryThe 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024 makes several key changes to the World Trade Center Health Program that serves 9/11 responders and survivors. It allows licensed mental health providers (not just physicians) to conduct mental health evaluations for program participants and extends the time period for adding new health conditions from 90 to 180 days. The bill also adjusts enrollment calculations by removing deceased individuals from program counts and provides $2.97 billion in new funding for fiscal year 2024 with a minimum annual funding level of $20 million for 2025. These changes aim to improve access to care while ensuring stable, long-term funding for the program that provides medical services to those affected by the 9/11 attacks.