Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

Maddy summaryHJRES 11 proposes a constitutional amendment that would limit Members of Congress to serving a maximum of three terms in the House of Representatives and two terms in the Senate. If passed and ratified, it would prevent any member who has already served the maximum terms from running for re-election, including time spent filling vacancies (for more than one year in the House or three years in the Senate). This amendment directly affects current and future members of Congress by changing eligibility rules for re-election. The proposal is currently a joint resolution in the House, requiring ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures to become part of the Constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to adjust contract prices to reimburse contractors for paying employees during government funding lapses (e.g., shutdowns). It covers costs for furloughed, laid-off, or reduced-hour workers, or for restoring paid leave used during the lapse, with a weekly cap of $1,442 per employee. Directly affecting federal contractors and their employees who experienced work disruptions due to funding gaps, it mandates agencies to make these adjustments promptly after enactment. Contractors must provide proof of costs, and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy must report on implementation to Congress within a year.

Maddy summaryHR 5641, the Pay Our Troops Act, ensures military personnel and their support staff continue receiving pay during fiscal year 2024 if Congress fails to pass regular budget appropriations. It appropriates existing Treasury funds to cover pay and allowances for active-duty troops, reserve components, and civilian employees or contractors supporting military operations. The bill automatically terminates on January 1, 2025, or earlier if Congress enacts a regular budget or continuing resolution. This provision directly affects service members, Department of Defense staff, and Coast Guard personnel (when not under the Navy) during budget implementation gaps.

Maddy summaryHR 5772, the "No Work, No Pay Act," directly affects Members of Congress by imposing fines during government shutdowns. If a shutdown occurs, each member faces a daily fine calculated as their daily pay rate multiplied by the number of shutdown days, enforced by the House Sergeant-at-Arms or Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper. Unpaid fines are deducted from members' net salaries after 30 days, and members cannot use campaign or official funds to cover these fines. The bill defines a government shutdown as a lapse in appropriations due to failure to pass a funding bill or continuing resolution.

Maddy summaryHR 5728, the Government Shutdown Impact Report Act of 2023, requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to issue daily reports during government shutdowns. The CBO must submit reports within 24 hours of each shutdown day, detailing specific economic impacts like lost GDP, unprovided Small Business Administration assistance, lost park revenue, and tourism revenue declines. These reports will provide Congress with real-time data on the costs of shutdowns to taxpayers and the economy. The bill directly affects how Congress receives information about shutdown consequences, mandating standardized, frequent reporting on economic and service disruptions.

Pay Our Border Patrol and Customs Agents Act This bill provides FY2024 appropriations for the salaries and expenses of certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees who are required to work during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown) in FY2024. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations to CBP for the salaries and expenses of agents of the U.S. Border Patrol and officers of the Office of Field Operations who are excepted from furlough (i.e., required to work) during a lapse in discretionary appropriations in FY2024.

Maddy summaryThe Veteran Medical Exams for Distant Areas Act (HR 5470) amends the 2020 Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act to adjust two specific deadlines for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical disability examination procedures. It postpones one deadline from three years after the 2020 Act's enactment to September 1, 2028, and changes another deadline from the day before the 2020 Act's enactment to January 4, 2021. These are administrative timing adjustments affecting how VA schedules examinations for veterans, particularly those in remote areas as referenced in the bill's title. The bill does not alter the substance of medical exam requirements but modifies implementation timelines.

Maddy summaryThe Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2023 increases annual funding for the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program to $150 million per year from fiscal years 2024 through 2028. This program provides financial incentives to private landowners who allow public access to their land for recreational activities like hunting and fishing, while also supporting habitat conservation efforts. The bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish this new funding level, replacing previous annual amounts. It directly affects participating landowners who enroll in the program and the public seeking expanded recreational access to private lands. The change is a specific funding adjustment without altering the program's existing structure or eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes special pay rates for wildland firefighters employed by the Forest Service or Department of the Interior. It creates a percentage increase over standard General Schedule base rates (ranging from 1.5% for GS-15 to 42% for GS-1), provides 450% premium pay for days deployed to qualifying wildfire incidents, and requires rest and recuperation leave following incident deployment. These changes apply specifically to firefighters whose duties primarily relate to wildland fires, not structural fires. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2023, and replaces standard pay rates for affected firefighters. Premium pay is not considered part of basic pay for various compensation calculations.

Maddy summaryHR 5652, the Stop Overdose in Schools Act, establishes a federal pilot program to help schools respond to opioid overdoses. It provides grants to school districts to train staff (like resource officers and nurses) in administering opioid reversal medications, purchase necessary kits, and raise awareness about opioid use disorder. The bill prioritizes rural schools (50% of grants) and districts in areas with high youth overdose rates (the other 50%). It also sets aside $5 million annually for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to fund this program, requiring grant recipients to train designated school personnel in opioid reversal agent use.