Rep. André Carson

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution supports designating April 2026 as "National County Government Month." It encourages counties nationwide to raise public awareness about their essential services and workforce, and asks Members of Congress to help educate residents about the vital role of county governments.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Social Security credit system for unpaid family caregivers who provide care to chronically dependent relatives, allowing them to earn credits toward future retirement benefits. It defines qualifying months as those where a caregiver spends at least 80 hours providing care to a child under 12 or an adult with significant daily living limitations without receiving monetary compensation. The legislation would credit these caregivers with up to 60 months of deemed wages, calculated as 50% of the national average wage index, starting in 2027, to help increase their future Social Security benefits. Caregivers must submit applications with documentation from physicians for adult dependents and certify their caregiving status annually. The bill requires the Social Security Administration to establish regulations and verification procedures to prevent fraud and abuse within one year of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires developers of artificial intelligence data centers to publicly disclose project details, such as location and environmental impact, at least 180 days before taking definitive construction steps. To ensure community awareness, the legislation mandates that developers engage local media, post on social media, send direct mail, place physical signs at the site, and provide materials in multiple languages. Additionally, the bill restricts the use of non-disclosure agreements with government entities and requires independent third-party environmental impact analyses funded by the developers. The Federal Trade Commission is designated as the enforcement agency, with violations treated as unfair or deceptive acts under existing federal law.

Maddy summaryThe Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act establishes a grant program to provide financial compensation and safety resources to essential health care workers during declared emergencies or disasters. This legislation directly affects medical providers, support staff, and other frontline workers whose jobs cannot be performed remotely, such as orderlies and janitors in health care settings. Under the bill, eligible facilities can receive federal funds to pay workers an additional hourly rate of up to $13 for hazardous duties, with a yearly cap of $25,000 per employee, while also allowing funds for protective equipment and alternative transportation. The program is triggered by various federal or state emergency declarations and authorizes the necessary funding to implement these hazard pay measures.

Maddy summaryThe PRIMATE Act prohibits the importation of live nonhuman primates into the United States, with specific exceptions for accredited zoos and aquariums. Under this law, importers must certify that these animals will not be used for experiments, testing, or breeding for such purposes. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will deny entry to shipments containing these animals, and violators face civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation or forfeiture of the animals. The Department of the Treasury is required to issue detailed regulations to enforce these rules within one year of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Baby Food Safety Act of 2026 aims to enhance the safety of infant and toddler food by regulating contaminants, directly affecting food manufacturers and processors, and ultimately protecting young consumers. The bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish mandatory limits for toxic elements like lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic in infant and toddler food, as well as fruit and vegetable purees and juices. Manufacturers of these foods will be required to implement control programs, conduct regular testing of their final products for these contaminants using accredited laboratories, and maintain detailed records. Food found to exceed established limits or produced by non-compliant facilities will be deemed adulterated, allowing the FDA to enforce these standards, including through mandatory recalls. The bill also grants the FDA expanded authority for remote record inspections and enhances food traceability requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a 15 percent pay increase for career employees of the Transportation Security Administration, including agents and officers who are not senior executives or high-level appointees. The raise would take effect starting with the first pay period following the law's enactment and would apply to both basic pay rates and compensation bands under the TSA's core system. The legislation directly affects TSA staff members who fall under the career employee definition, ensuring they receive the salary adjustment in their next eligible paycheck.

Maddy summaryHR 5543, the Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025, requires the U.S. State and Defense Departments to submit a report within 180 days of enactment. The report will assess emerging military, cyber, hybrid, and political threats to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including the roles of Russia, Belarus, China, Iran, and other actors. It will also evaluate U.S. and NATO military presence in the region, opportunities for defense cooperation, and recommendations to strengthen deterrence, cybersecurity, and democratic resilience in the Baltic countries. This bill directly affects U.S. foreign policy and defense planning regarding the Baltics, but does not create new programs or funding.

Maddy summaryThe Civics Learning Act of 2026 amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to expand federal funding and support for civics education in K-12 schools. The bill directs the Department of Education to distribute $70 million in grants to schools, with at least 60 percent reserved for elementary and middle schools and a preference for programs that include hands-on civic engagement, constitutional history, and civil rights education. It also requires grant recipients to submit annual reports detailing how they meet civics education goals and ensures geographic diversity in funding distribution across urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Maddy summaryThe STAR Act (HR 8399) aims to remove certain restrictions on how federal transit funds can be used. Specifically, it amends sections of title 49, United States Code, related to federal transit programs. The bill strikes provisions that currently prohibit the use of federal funds for acquiring transit rolling stock manufactured outside the United States and for constructing bus revenue vehicles by manufacturers not established in the U