Homeland and Cyber Threat Act or the HACT Act This bill allows claims in federal or state court against foreign states that conduct or participate in cyberattacks against U.S. nationals.
American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.
Maddy summaryThis bill terminates the national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020, under the National Emergencies Act. It ends the executive branch's authority to use emergency powers related to that specific declaration. The resolution passed both chambers in early 2023 and took effect April 10, 2023, without creating new policies or affecting specific groups.
Maddy summaryThe Safe Students Act (HR 2502) repeals the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, which had prohibited possessing firearms in federally designated school zones under federal law. It also amends related sections of Title 18 (U.S. Code) to remove references to the repealed law and adjust section numbering. This bill does not establish a new federal rule for school zones; it solely eliminates the existing federal prohibition on firearms in school zones. The repeal means the federal government would no longer enforce this specific ban, though state laws may continue to regulate firearms in schools.
Maddy summaryHR 2539 permanently extends the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, which incentivizes private investment in low-income communities. The bill directly affects community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and investors who fund projects in designated low-income areas by ensuring the credit remains available beyond 2025. Key provisions include automatically adjusting the credit amount annually for inflation starting in 2024 and clarifying that the credit can be used to offset alternative minimum tax liability. This maintains the program’s effectiveness in channeling capital to underserved neighborhoods without changing eligibility or funding levels.
Maddy summaryHR 1581, the America Works Act of 2023, modifies work requirement exemptions for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It expands direct exemptions to include individuals medically certified as unfit for work, parents or caregivers of children under 7, and pregnant women, while removing a specific enforcement clause (Section 6(o)(4)(A)(ii)). The bill adjusts existing exemption rules to clarify that certain exemptions apply retroactively to cases beginning before the bill's enactment date. These changes directly affect SNAP recipients who would otherwise face work requirements under federal law.
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau titled Small Business Lending under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) and published on May 31, 2023. The rule requires financial institutions to collect and report to the bureau credit application data for small businesses. On July 31, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ordered the bureau not to implement or enforce the rule until a related pending case is resolved.
Maddy summaryHJRES 47 proposes a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th Amendment, which established Congress's authority to levy federal income taxes. If ratified, this amendment would eliminate the federal government's power to tax income from any source (except during a formally declared war by Congress) within two years of ratification. The bill directly affects the federal tax system by removing the constitutional basis for income taxation, fundamentally changing how the government would fund itself. It requires the Secretary of the Treasury to submit implementation recommendations to Congress within 180 days of ratification. This is a procedural constitutional amendment proposal, not a direct tax law change.
Maddy summaryHR 2445 establishes a new Office of the Special Inspector General for Ukraine Assistance to oversee all U.S. military and nonmilitary aid to Ukraine since January 2022. The Inspector General will conduct independent audits and investigations into how funds are spent, track weapons transfers, review contracts, and monitor compliance with U.S. requirements, directly affecting all agencies administering Ukraine aid. Quarterly reports to Congress must detail all obligations, expenditures, and comparisons of U.S. support versus other NATO allies' contributions. The office is funded with $70 million for fiscal year 2023 and terminates 180 days after unspent aid drops below $250 million.
Maddy summaryHRES 158 is a resolution requesting the President and directing the Secretaries of Defense and State to provide the House of Representatives with all documents related to U.S. congressionally appropriated funds sent to Ukraine between January 20, 2021, and February 24, 2023. It requires the transmission of communications (including meeting notes, emails, and recordings), financial records, and expenditure details within 14 days of the resolution's adoption. This procedural resolution seeks transparency about how aid was administered, without altering funding or policy.
