Rep. Carol D. Miller

Maddy summaryHRES 1246 is a non-binding House resolution passed on May 21, 2024, condemning the Department of State's May 20 statement expressing condolences for the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian. The resolution does not change policy but formally disapproves of the State Department's communication, reflecting the House's position that Raisi's leadership involved overseeing executions and supporting Iran's nuclear program and attacks on Israel. As a procedural resolution, it has no legal effect but serves as a symbolic expression of congressional disapproval.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Department of Defense and State Department to immediately deliver all previously approved military equipment and services to Israel within 15 days, reversing any pauses on arms transfers. It prohibits using federal funds to withhold, halt, or cancel defense article deliveries to Israel and mandates that unobligated security assistance funds for Israel must be spent by the end of 30 days. The bill also requires monthly reports to Congress detailing all security assistance provided to Israel since October 7, 2023, including specific items delivered and funding sources. The law directly affects U.S. agencies responsible for military aid and Israel as the recipient of the security assistance.

Maddy summaryThe BUILD Act creates a federal grant program to fund economic development projects led by universities located in economically distressed communities. It targets institutions in areas where median household income is at least 25% below state or national averages, as defined by specific income thresholds. Universities receive planning grants (up to $100,000 annually for 2 years) to develop projects, followed by implementation grants (minimum $25 million, maximum $50 million over 5 years) for approved initiatives like renovating community-accessible buildings, establishing small business support programs, building broadband infrastructure, or creating health clinics. These projects must directly benefit the surrounding distressed community and are restricted to eligible institutions meeting the bill's criteria.

Maddy summaryHJRES 143 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a Department of Labor rule that would amend specific exemptions for retirement investment transactions. The bill targets a rule (published April 25, 2024) that would change how retirement funds can invest, particularly affecting retirement plan providers and fiduciaries managing employee savings. It directs Congress to disapprove the rule under a specific federal law, meaning the rule would not take effect if passed. This is a procedural step to halt the rule's implementation, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryHJRES 140 is a resolution requesting Congress to disapprove a Department of Labor rule that amended Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02. The rule, published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2024, would have changed how retirement plan fiduciaries can engage in certain investment transactions, specifically affecting retirement account providers and administrators. If approved, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect, directly impacting entities managing retirement funds that rely on the exemption framework. The bill uses the statutory disapproval process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, to halt the rule’s implementation.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 141 is a congressional resolution disapproving a Department of Labor rule (89 Fed. Reg. 32302, April 25, 2024) that amended Prohibited Transaction Exemption 84-24. This rule would have changed regulations governing retirement investment transactions, specifically affecting how financial institutions and retirement plan administrators handle certain transactions. The resolution, if passed, would block the rule from taking effect by invoking the disapproval process under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. It directly impacts retirement plan providers and financial firms that rely on this exemption for investment activities. The bill does not create new policy but seeks to prevent the implementation of the specific Department of Labor rule.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a 2021 law to specify the location for the National Medal of Honor Monument on federal land in Washington, D.C. It requires the monument to be placed within the National Mall's "Reserve" area and attached to, or no more than 1,000 feet from, the Lincoln Memorial. The change directly affects the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, which is authorized to build the monument under existing law. This policy adjustment finalizes the physical placement of the monument to honor Medal of Honor recipients, aligning it with the Lincoln Memorial's historical significance.

Maddy summaryHR 7109, the Equal Representation Act, requires the U.S. Census Bureau to add a citizenship status checkbox to the 2030 and future decennial censuses, asking respondents to identify if they are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful residents, or unlawful residents. It then mandates excluding noncitizens (both lawful and unlawful residents) from the population count used to determine each state's number of congressional seats and electoral votes starting with the 2030 census. This bill directly affects how states are apportioned representation in Congress and presidential electoral votes, based solely on the citizen population. The key change is shifting the apportionment base from total population to citizen population alone, using the new census data.

Maddy summaryHR 8295, the Immediate Support for Israel Act, amends an existing appropriations law to require that any ammunition purchased under the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024, be delivered to Israel within 30 days of procurement. This change directly affects the timing of military aid delivery, applying specifically to ammunition acquired under the referenced 2024 supplemental funding. The key provision replaces a previous delivery condition with a strict 30-day deadline for all such ammunition. The bill does not create new funding or alter the scope of the original appropriations.

Maddy summaryThe Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act amends federal energy efficiency standards for home appliances, requiring the Department of Energy to set or update standards only if they are technologically feasible, economically justified (meaning they don’t increase net consumer costs and provide significant energy savings), and maintain product performance. It creates a new petition process allowing stakeholders to request changes to standards if evidence shows they cause excessive costs, fail to save energy, or make products unavailable. The bill also mandates a 2-year review of each new standard to confirm its feasibility and justification, with the option to revise or remove it if criteria aren’t met. These changes directly affect appliance manufacturers, the Department of Energy, and consumers purchasing energy-efficient products.