Rep. Susie Lee

Maddy summaryThe Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution (HRES 23) would allow U.S. House Members who have given birth or whose spouse has given birth to appoint another Member as a proxy to cast their vote or record their presence in the House and committees for up to 12 weeks after childbirth. To use this, the new parent must submit a signed letter to the Clerk detailing the birth or medical condition and naming the proxy; the proxy must vote exactly as instructed and announce the vote as "by proxy." The proxy vote does not count toward quorum, and the new parent can revoke the proxy at any time by submitting a new letter or casting their own vote. This resolution applies to all House Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner, though they cannot cast votes for the House itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies tax incentives to increase affordable housing near military installations. It excludes military housing allowances (payments under 37 U.S.C. § 403) from income calculations when determining eligibility for low-income housing tax credits, directly helping service members and their families qualify for affordable housing. It also designates buildings within 15 miles of large military installations (valued over $2.833 billion) as "difficult development areas" for tax credit purposes, encouraging developers to build in these areas. The bill does not require such housing to be occupied solely by military members. These changes apply to tax credit determinations made after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases healthcare affordability for low- and middle-income people by expanding eligibility for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. It removes the previous 400% of poverty level cap for subsidy eligibility and replaces it with a new sliding scale based on income tiers, ranging from 0% to 8.5% of household income for coverage costs. The scale adjusts linearly across income levels, with households earning 300-400% of poverty paying 6.0%-8.5% of income (up from the prior fixed 400% cap), while lower-income households pay progressively less. These changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, directly affecting individuals purchasing health insurance through marketplace plans.

Maddy summaryHR 285, the Advanced Border Coordination Act of 2025, requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish at least two Joint Operations Centers along the southern border within six months of enactment. These centers will enable coordinated operations between federal (including DHS, Defense, and Justice), state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to address threats like drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal border crossings, and weapons seizures. Key mechanisms include centralized communication for field operations, shared information protocols, personnel deployment tracking, and annual reporting to Congress on center operations, resource use, and communication gaps. The bill directly affects border agencies and tribes participating in these coordinated efforts, aiming to improve interagency collaboration without specifying new enforcement powers.

Maddy summaryHR 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain government workers. It eliminates the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which cuts spousal or survivor benefits for people with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security (like federal or state government roles), and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which lowers retirement benefits for those with similar pensions. The law takes effect for benefits paid after December 2023, requiring the Social Security Administration to adjust benefit calculations to remove these reductions. This change directly affects public-sector employees who previously had their Social Security benefits reduced due to their government pensions.

Maddy summaryHR 7365, the VETS Safe Travel Act, provides free TSA PreCheck access to veterans with specific service-connected disabilities. It applies to veterans enrolled in VA healthcare who have lost or lost use of an extremity, experience paralysis, or have permanent blindness, requiring mobility aids like wheelchairs or prosthetics. The bill requires TSA and the VA to coordinate implementation within one year, including outreach to veterans about this benefit and reporting to Congress on progress.

Maddy summary# Summary of the EXPLORE Act Legislative Text This is a comprehensive legislative text (likely the "EXPLORE Act" - Enhancing Recreation Opportunities for People of All Abilities, and Veterans) that establishes several key initiatives to improve outdoor recreation access across Federal lands. ## Key Focus Areas: ### 1. Accessibility for People with Disabilities (Title II - Access America) - Requires comprehensive assessments of outdoor recreation facilities on Federal lands within 5 years - Mandates development of 3 new accessible trails per region for each agency (Forest Service, National Park Service, BLM, USFWS) within 1 year - Requires development of 2 new accessible recreation opportunities per region within 1 year - Requires making accessibility information available on public websites within 7 years - Requires development of accessible features including trail bridges, parking, and restrooms ### 2. Military and Veterans Programs - Requires educational materials for military members/veterans on accessing Federal lands free of charge within 2 years - Establishes Military Veterans Outdoor Recreation Liaisons within relevant agencies within 1 year - Requires a National Strategy for Military and Veteran Recreation within 1 year - Creates a pilot program for veteran employment in conservation positions - Promotes partnerships with organizations providing outdoor recreation for veterans ### 3. Youth Access - Requires a strategy to increase youth recreation visits to Federal lands within 2 years - Extends the "Every Kid Outdoors" program until September 30, 2031 - Focuses on increasing opportunities for underserved youth ### 4. Recreation Permitting Modernization (Title III) - Defines special recreation permits and establishes fee structures - Creates categories for different types of recreation permits - Establishes a process for application and review of permits - Includes provisions for multijurisdictional trips across different Federal lands The legislation aims to improve access to outdoor recreation for people with disabilities, veterans, and youth while modernizing the permitting process for recreational activities on Federal lands. It requires specific timelines for implementation and includes detailed definitions and requirements for each component of the bill.

Maddy summaryThe AACE Act (HR 5443) changes how appraisers can work on Department of the Interior (DOI) real property transactions. It requires that appraisers only need one state license to value property nationwide for DOI transactions, rather than needing licenses in every state where property is located. The bill mandates the DOI Secretary to submit annual reports tracking appraisal request timelines, workforce staffing, and cases where out-of-state appraisers were used under specific conditions (unavailability, lack of qualifications, or higher cost). It also requires all DOI policies related to appraisals to be published online within 90 days. This directly affects DOI contractors, appraisers working on federal land transactions, and DOI's internal appraisal processes.

Maddy summaryThe Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act (HR 1318) authorizes the placement of a monument on the National Mall to honor the women’s suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment. The bill specifies that the monument must be located within a designated area on the National Mall known as the "Reserve," bypassing standard requirements for monument locations under existing law. This legislation sets the physical site for a monument already authorized by previous law (Public Law 116-217), without creating new policy or altering commemorative regulations beyond the location.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to establish "Election Day" as an official federal holiday, adding it to the list of recognized holidays for federal employees. It directly affects federal workers by designating Election Day (the Tuesday following the first Monday in November) as a day when federal offices close. The key mechanism is a simple insertion into the existing list of federal holidays under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. This change does not alter voting procedures or create new voting requirements.