Maddy summaryHR 9584, the Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Act, establishes a federal grant program to fund media literacy education in K-12 schools and public libraries. The bill authorizes $20 million annually (for fiscal years 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031) to provide grants to state/local education agencies, public libraries, and qualified nonprofits. These grants require states to create advisory councils and develop inclusive digital citizenship guidelines for all students, including those with disabilities, while schools must integrate media literacy into curricula and train teachers. The program aims to build skills for critically analyzing media, countering disinformation, and addressing digital wellness concerns, with a focus on accessibility for diverse student populations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe VOICE Act of 2024 establishes a grant program to fund cybersecurity and digital literacy training for veterans. It directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to award $20 million annually (for 2023, 2025, and 2027) to eligible organizations - such as nonprofits, community groups, and veterans service organizations - to teach veterans how to recognize online scams, protect personal data, and identify foreign influence campaigns. The program requires grantees to develop skills in cybersecurity best practices, critical media analysis, and understanding how digital platforms can be manipulated. This directly affects veterans by equipping them with tools to avoid fraud (which cost veterans $267 million in 2021) and resist foreign disinformation targeting their communities.
Maddy summaryThe BIOSECURE Act prohibits U.S. federal agencies from contracting for or using biotechnology equipment and services from designated "biotechnology companies of concern," such as BGI, MGI, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTec, and WuXi Biologics, and bans federal funds for these purposes. It requires the Office of Management and Budget to create and update a list of these companies based on national security risks, with implementation phased in over 60-180 days after regulations are issued. Exceptions include intelligence activities, overseas health care for U.S. personnel, and publicly available multiomic data, while limited waivers for national security or overseas health care are permitted with congressional notification. The law does not require new funding and mandates annual reviews of the designated companies.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends survivor benefits to spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It revises eligibility rules so that veterans who die from ALS are treated as having met the required service duration for benefits, and surviving spouses must have been married for at least eight years prior to the veteran's death. The bill also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a report within 180 days identifying other service-connected disabilities with high mortality rates that might qualify for similar treatment. These changes apply to veterans dying from ALS on or after October 1, 2023.
Maddy summaryHRES 1429 is a non-binding House resolution that congratulates Michigan athletes who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics. It specifically honors 20 athletes, including basketball player Devin Booker and track and field athlete Grant Fisher, by naming them in the resolution. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic gesture recognizing their achievements and the values of the Olympic movement.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the operation of "connected vehicles" (like cars with GPS, remote access, or wireless updates) designed or made by foreign-owned entities deemed a national security risk on U.S. military bases and other Department of Defense property. The Secretary of Defense must create and annually update a list of such vehicles based on specific security risks, including threats to critical infrastructure or U.S. security. It directly affects military installations by banning these vehicles, while defining "connected vehicles" broadly to include modern tech features. The law requires annual review of the prohibited list to ensure it reflects current security assessments.
Maddy summaryThe Avian Influenza Research and Response Act establishes a new grant program to train dairy producers and workers on biosecurity measures - such as equipment cleaning and animal movement protocols - to prevent disease spread, including highly pathogenic avian influenza. It increases annual funding for related research and extension programs from $25 million to $50 million per year (2025-2029) and requires training materials to be available in English, Spanish, and other needed languages. The bill also updates research priorities to specifically include highly pathogenic avian influenza and expands emergency assistance to cover losses from this disease in dairy operations. These changes directly affect dairy farms, rural communities, and agricultural research institutions through enhanced prevention resources and funding.
Maddy summaryHR 8611, the Save Our Small Farms Act of 2024, amends crop insurance and assistance programs to better support small-scale and diversified farms. The bill creates a voluntary transition program from noninsured crop disaster assistance to whole farm revenue insurance with tiered premium discounts (25% for the first year, 50% for subsequent years) and streamlines application processes for urban, small-scale, and direct-to-consumer farming operations. It allows use of IRS Schedule F for revenue history, establishes remote appraisal options for crop loss assessments, and creates a new single index insurance policy to protect against weather-related income losses. These changes directly affect limited resource, beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers, as well as producers of hand-harvested or rapidly-deteriorating crops.
Maddy summaryThis bill, officially titled the "Spotted Wing Abatement Trust Act of 2024" (though nicknamed the "SWAT Act"), creates a $6.5 million fund within the USDA to address the spotted wing drosophila fruit fly pest. It directly affects fruit growers of berries, cherries, and stone fruits by funding research and mitigation efforts to combat this invasive species, which causes an estimated 20% revenue loss across targeted crops. The fund will support cooperative agreements and grants for research and pest control activities over five years (enactment year plus four subsequent years). The bill does not change existing regulations but allocates specific federal funding to address a documented agricultural threat.
This resolution supports the designation of National FFA Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America) in developing the next generation of globally conscious leaders who will change the world; and (2) celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Give the Gift of Blue program, which has donated more than 17,000 FFA blue jackets to FFA members in need.