Rep. Kim Schrier

Maddy summaryHR 3850, the Pride In Mental Health Act of 2023, establishes a federal grant program to improve mental health and substance abuse services for LGBTQ+ youth (including nonbinary, intersex, and Two Spirit individuals). The bill directs the Health and Human Services Secretary to fund eligible organizations to provide trauma-informed care, cultural competency training for caregivers, school bullying prevention guidelines, and family support resources. It explicitly prohibits grant funds from being used for conversion therapy or advertising related to such therapy. The bill also requires data collection on LGBTQ+ youth mental health and a federal survey to measure psychological distress.

Maddy summaryHR 3795 requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (specifically the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response) to create and regularly update a national plan for rapid diagnostic testing during public health emergencies like pandemics. The plan must cover developing, authorizing, scaling, and distributing testing tools and lab capacity, with specific focus on new threats like emerging diseases or bioterrorism. It mandates public-private coordination between government agencies and private labs, manufacturers, and distributors to ensure efficient response. The plan must be made public and include a congressional report evaluating its effectiveness during emergencies. This bill directly affects federal health agencies and private-sector testing providers by establishing a structured framework for emergency testing preparedness.

Maddy summaryThe American Family Act establishes a monthly child tax credit of $250 per month for each child under age 6 and $300 per month for each child aged 6-18, with income limits of $150,000 for joint filers and $112,500 for other filers. The credit is refundable, meaning it can be paid even if the taxpayer owes no income tax, and will be adjusted annually for inflation. The bill includes detailed rules for determining eligibility, including requirements that the child resides with the taxpayer for more than half the month and provisions to prevent fraud through recapture of improperly received payments. The credit will be paid monthly in advance rather than as a single annual payment, with specific mechanisms for calculating and distributing the payments.

Maddy summaryHR 698, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023, prohibits the sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of specific firearms and ammunition devices commonly referred to as "assault weapons" and "large capacity magazines" in interstate commerce. The bill defines "semiautomatic assault weapons" to include rifles like AR-15s and AK-47s, as well as firearms with specific features such as folding stocks, pistol grips, threaded barrels, and detachable magazines holding more than 15 rounds. It exempts law enforcement, military, antique firearms, and weapons already lawfully owned before the law's enactment (known as "grandfathered" weapons). The bill also requires new identification markings on these weapons and large capacity magazines, and adds background check requirements for transfers of grandfathered weapons.

Maddy summaryHR 3792 extends U.S. security funding for Israel through 2028 (Section 3) and expands energy cooperation to include advanced nuclear technologies and carbon capture (Section 5). It requires annual reports on regional security partnerships involving Israel (Section 6) and ensures countries in the Abraham Accords can access U.S. development programs (Section 8). The bill also mandates reports on diplomatic efforts against ICC investigations targeting the U.S. and Israel (Section 10) and encourages people-to-people programs to strengthen the Abraham Accords (Sections 7, 9). These provisions directly affect Israel’s diplomatic engagement, security partnerships, and economic cooperation in the Middle East.

Maddy summaryHR 3174 creates two new grant programs to address forests damaged by invasive plant pests and weeds. It authorizes competitive research grants (up to $400,000 annually per entity) for organizations like universities and nonprofits to study forest restoration methods, including biological control and genetic solutions, with a 20% non-Federal matching requirement. It also establishes implementation grants ($25 million annually) for eligible groups to carry out restoration projects, requiring a 10% non-Federal match and prioritizing areas most at risk from invasive species. Funding for these programs totals $3 million in 2023, increasing to $10 million annually for research and $25 million yearly for implementation through 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a barrier for college students seeking food assistance by amending the SNAP program rules. It directly affects students enrolled at least half-time in recognized colleges or training programs, who were previously automatically ineligible unless they met separate requirements. The key change eliminates the prior restriction (in section 6(e)) that barred most higher education students from SNAP, allowing them to qualify under the new provision in section 3(m)(5)(F). The changes take effect January 2, 2024.

Maddy summaryHR 3036, the Increased TSP Access Act of 2023, amends conservation program rules to expand access to third-party providers (TSPs) who offer technical assistance to farmers on conservation practices. It creates new pathways for non-Federal entities like agricultural cooperatives or professional associations to certify TSPs, streamlines certification processes (requiring Secretary review within 10 business days), and sets payment rates for TSPs equivalent to government-provided technical assistance. The bill mandates public reporting on certification numbers, payment details, and a target utilization rate for TSPs to improve conservation program delivery. It directly affects farmers participating in USDA conservation programs by increasing options for technical support and requiring transparency in how TSPs are certified and compensated.

Eliminating Needless Administrative Barriers Lessening Efficiency for Conservation Act of 2023 or the ENABLE Conservation Act of 2023 This bill amends the continuous enrollment procedure for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) of the Farm Service Agency. CRP is a land conservation program that provides an annual rental payment to farmers in exchange for removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and planting species that will improve environmental health and quality. Specifically, the bill permanently allows producers to use the continuous enrollment procedure for land that will be enrolled under the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) initiative. (The SAFE initiative restores habitats to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.)  The bill also allows the Department of Agriculture to grant a waiver to exclude acreage enrolled under the continuous enrollment procedure from a cap that limits the amount of cropland in a county that is permitted to be enrolled in CRP. The government of the county involved must concur with the waiver for it to be granted.

Maddy summaryHR 3713 creates federal grants to fund comprehensive school-based mental health programs for students in grades K-12, including those in Bureau of Indian Education schools. It requires partnerships between schools and community mental health providers to deliver trauma-informed, culturally appropriate services addressing suicide risk, grief, violence, and trauma exposure. The bill authorizes $300 million annually (2024-2027) for these programs, mandating privacy protections under HIPAA and FERPA, and requires annual reporting on program effectiveness.