Rep. Ritchie Torres

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Our Democracy Act is a comprehensive legislative bill designed to prevent abuses of presidential power, restore checks and balances, and defend elections against foreign interference. Key provisions include prohibiting the President from granting self-pardons, requiring congressional oversight for pardons involving the President or their family, and banning the President from accepting payments from individuals who have received clemency. The bill also strengthens enforcement of the Hatch Act and ethics rules for political appointees, mandates greater transparency in presidential tax returns and campaign finances, and restricts the use of federal property for political conventions. Additionally, it expands reporting requirements for foreign contacts in federal campaigns and imposes stricter penalties for violations of election laws.

Maddy summaryThe Supporting Newborn Parents Act of 2026 creates a new tax credit of $2,000 for each child born to a taxpayer during the tax year. To receive this credit, parents must have earned income, with the maximum amount limited to 20% of their earnings, and the benefit phases out as family income rises. The bill allows parents to request an advance payment of the credit shortly after a child's birth by providing their information when applying for a Social Security number. Additionally, the legislation requires the Treasury to establish an online portal to help parents understand how to make elections regarding advance payments and estimated income figures.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the U.S. Chancery building in Pristina, Kosovo, as the "Eliot L. Engel Building" to honor a specific individual. It requires all future legal documents, maps, and official records to use this new name instead of the current designation. The change is purely symbolic and does not alter the building's function or the operations of the U.S. government in Kosovo.

Maddy summaryThe FLEX Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to increase funding for high-quality charter schools. It raises required funding reserves for program expansion (from 12.5% to 15% and 22.5% to 25%) and mandates at least 30% of funds be reserved for charter school facilities, national activities, and program support. The bill explicitly allows funding for "addition or expansion of programs" at existing charter schools (e.g., new academic programs or personalized learning) and permits single-sex educational services. It also clarifies that funds can cover facility operations, renovations, and student transportation needs. This directly affects charter schools, state education entities administering grants, and charter management organizations receiving federal support.

Maddy summaryThe TRUST Act of 2025 amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to increase the asset threshold for banks qualifying for less frequent examinations. It raises the threshold from $3 billion to $6 billion in assets for well-managed institutions under Section 10(d). This change directly affects larger banks meeting the revised criteria, reducing their required examination frequency. The key mechanism is modifying specific asset value thresholds in existing regulatory provisions without altering the underlying examination standards.

Maddy summaryThis resolution reaffirms the House of Representatives' support for the Taiwan Relations Act and longstanding bipartisan U.S. policy toward Taiwan. It highlights key provisions such as maintaining commercial and cultural ties, emphasizing regional peace, and providing Taiwan with defensive arms. The document also reiterates the Six Assurances, which clarify that the U.S. does not set a date for ending arms sales, will not mediate between Taiwan and China, and will not pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China. By restating these principles, the bill aims to reinforce the current framework without introducing new legal obligations or changing existing policy.

Maddy summaryThe Campaign Event Contract Integrity Act prohibits individuals working for federal candidates, political parties, and related organizations from trading financial contracts based on election outcomes if they possess confidential campaign information. This law defines "political event contracts" as derivatives tied to election results and bans both the use of inside knowledge for trading and the sharing of such information to facilitate trades. To enforce these rules, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will require trading platforms to monitor suspicious activity, verify trader affiliations, and report violations, with penalties including fines and trading bans for those who break the law. The legislation explicitly protects legitimate journalism, academic research, and trading conducted without access to nonpublic campaign data.

Maddy summaryThis bill seeks to overturn a specific rule issued by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection that would have removed previous restrictions on how financial institutions advertise remittance transfer fees and speeds. By using a congressional disapproval process, the measure aims to reinstate the earlier regulations that prohibited misleading claims about the cost or timing of sending money home. If passed, the bill would prevent the Bureau from enforcing the new guidelines that allowed for more flexible marketing practices regarding international money transfers. The legislation directly impacts banks, money transfer services, and consumers who rely on these financial tools.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the House of Representatives' support for keeping United States troops as part of the Kosovo Force (KFOR). The bill directly affects the roughly 600 U.S. military personnel currently stationed in Kosovo and the NATO mission they support. It asserts that maintaining this presence is vital for stabilizing the region amid ongoing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. The text urges that American forces remain in Kosovo until the peace mission is fully completed.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the House of Representatives' sense that the United States must permanently end the unhoused crisis by 2029 while protecting the civil and human rights of unhoused individuals. It calls for specific actions such as allocating billions of dollars in funding for affordable housing, expanding access to healthcare and food assistance, and removing barriers that prevent people with criminal records from receiving public services. The text also urges the government to decriminalize behaviors like sleeping in public or panhandling, prohibit discrimination based on housing status, and establish legal protections for those providing services to unhoused communities. Additionally, it requests the creation of more accurate methods for counting the unhoused population and mandates annual reports on law enforcement interactions with this population.