Rep. Nancy Mace

Maddy summaryHR 4550 creates a federal grant program to help public elementary, secondary, and preschool schools recruit and retain paraprofessionals (school support staff like teaching assistants). The bill directs the Secretary of Education to fund state education agencies, which then distribute subgrants to schools - prioritizing those serving high numbers of low-income students - to support activities like mentoring programs, professional development, and wage increases or certification assistance (e.g., for special education or English learner support). States must report annually on wage baselines, paraprofessional numbers, and program outcomes. This bill directly affects schools and paraprofessionals, with funding authorized for fiscal years 2024-2028.

Maddy summaryHR 4395, the Natural GAS Act of 2023, requires the Department of Energy to conduct a comprehensive energy analysis (including full fuel cycle impacts) before setting new efficiency standards for gas water heaters, furnaces, boilers, and kitchen cooktops/ranges/ovens. It mandates that new rules must not cause a significant shift from gas to electric appliances in residential or commercial settings, and requires manufacturers to prominently disclose the analysis results on product labels at point of sale. The bill specifically protects key features of gas appliances (like burner types and grates) and exempts small manufacturers from certain requirements. This affects appliance manufacturers and consumers by adding transparency requirements while preserving gas appliance functionality.

Maddy summaryThe Freeing Americans Detained Abroad Act requires the State Department to create a public website listing resources (like legal and medical assistance) for U.S. citizens detained or kidnapped overseas and their families. It mandates training for all overseas Foreign Service officers on identifying arbitrary detention cases, connecting families to aid, and coordinating with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. Each diplomatic post must designate a "hostage affairs officer" to track cases, ensure monthly embassy meetings for detained citizens, provide legal/medical support, and manage a trust account for their needs. The bill also requires the State Department to report to Congress within 180 days on training completion, designated officers, and detention case numbers by country. This directly affects U.S. citizens held abroad and their families by standardizing and improving the government's response.

Maddy summaryHR 4462, the Election Security Assistance Act, requires the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to submit annual reports to Congress and state election officials on foreign threats to U.S. elections, including cybersecurity risks. It establishes a voluntary process for testing voting systems for cybersecurity vulnerabilities through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Election Assistance Commission, with labeling for systems that pass testing. The bill also mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security notify state and local election officials within 96 hours of confirming a credible election cybersecurity incident affecting voter systems. These provisions directly affect state election agencies, local election officials, and federal entities like DHS, but do not alter existing voting equipment certification or administration. The law focuses on information sharing and testing, not on changing voting procedures or outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal grant program to fund high-impact tutoring in K-12 schools, primarily targeting students in schools with high poverty (Title I schools) and those experiencing significant academic declines since the pandemic. It requires tutoring to meet specific standards: at least 30 minutes per student, three days per week, with a 3:1 student-to-tutor ratio, and alignment with classroom instruction. States receive 80% of funds to award subgrants to local schools, which must submit detailed plans, provide monthly progress reports, and partner with research organizations to evaluate program effectiveness. The program prioritizes schools with the greatest academic need and mandates accountability through annual reviews of student outcomes by state agencies and an independent Advisory Board.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the IRS from using federal funds to purchase, receive, or store firearms or ammunition. Within 120 days of enactment, the IRS must transfer all existing firearms and ammunition to the General Services Administration for sale - firearms to licensed dealers and ammunition to the public - with proceeds deposited into the Treasury for deficit reduction. It also transfers the IRS Criminal Investigation Division’s authority for enforcing tax-related crimes to the Department of Justice, effective 90 days after enactment. The bill directly affects the IRS’s internal operations and weapon inventory, not taxpayer obligations or policy.

Maddy summaryHR 4345, the Dignity for Aborted Children Act, requires abortion providers to offer patients choices for handling fetal tissue after an abortion, including taking it home or having the provider arrange interment or cremation. Providers must obtain patient consent in writing for tissue disposal and arrange final disposition (interment or cremation) within 7 days if patients choose to release the tissue, failing which faces civil penalties up to $50,000 or criminal charges. The bill mandates annual reporting by providers on abortion procedures and tissue disposal methods, and requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress on abortion statistics and disposal practices. This directly affects abortion providers and patients by changing post-abortion tissue handling procedures under federal law.

Maddy summaryHR 4323 delays any changes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) current rule limiting ship speeds to protect North Atlantic right whales. The bill requires NOAA to wait until two conditions are met: (1) new whale protection protocols from the 2022 Coast Guard Act are fully developed and deployed, and (2) the Secretary submits a report to four congressional committees detailing how those protocols will shape future rule updates. This directly affects NOAA's regulatory authority and vessel operators who must follow the existing speed rules. The law does not change the current rule but pauses any amendments until these specific steps are completed.

Saving Organs One Flight at a Time Act This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to jointly issue regulations, as necessary, to enable air carriers to transport human organs for transplant above wing (i.e., in the cabin of an aircraft). Among other things, the regulations must include consideration of protocols for air control outages; a requirement that air carriers implement a protocol for a person to accompany organs to and from the aircraft and between connecting flights; and a standardized process for commercial air carriers to accept, handle, and manage organs in transit. The TSA and the FAA must also consult with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to identify metrics for the handling of organs and organ-related tissue by air carriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal pretrial detention rules by updating legal references and reorganizing a subsection in Title 18. Specifically, it changes citations from "42 U.S.C. 14135a" to "34 U.S.C. 40702" and renumbers subsection (e)(3) provisions. It directly affects federal criminal cases involving pretrial detention, particularly for drug charges. The changes are procedural - updating existing law without altering the substance of pretrial release conditions or detention standards.