Rep. Josh Harder

Maddy summaryHR 6088, the *Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025*, repeals specific sections (10101-10108) from a prior reconciliation law. This action revives previous provisions related to food security programs that were modified by those repealed sections. The bill directly affects federal food assistance and agricultural support programs by restoring their prior legal framework. It does not create new policies but reverses recent changes to existing food security measures.

Maddy summaryHR 5059 creates a new grant program to boost sales of U.S.-grown specialty crops (like fruits, vegetables, and nuts) within the domestic market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will award grants to eligible organizations - such as agricultural trade groups, cooperatives, or nonprofit associations - to fund marketing and promotion activities. Organizations must contribute at least 25% of the grant amount from non-Federal sources and cannot use funds to directly assist large for-profit corporations (except cooperatives or specific associations). The program is authorized to receive $75 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026, with strict reporting and evaluation requirements to track how funds develop domestic markets.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal grant program to boost domestic sales of U.S.-grown specialty crops (like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and nursery products). It authorizes $75 million annually to fund grants for eligible organizations - such as agricultural trade groups, cooperatives, or state agencies - that develop marketing plans for domestic promotion. Grantees must provide at least 25% non-Federal matching funds (including in-kind support) and cannot use funds to promote foreign products or most for-profit corporations. The program includes strict oversight, requiring annual reviews, spending audits, and evaluations to ensure funds effectively expand domestic markets for specialty crops.

Maddy summaryHR 3453, the Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act, creates new federal grants to help educator-led teams plan and open charter schools. It provides up to $100,000 per team for pre-charter planning, targeting groups led by educators with at least 4.5 years of school-based experience (including after-school programs) and a demonstrated ability to lead. To qualify, teams must submit a community needs assessment and a plan showing how their proposed school will address those needs. The bill reserves 5% of relevant funding for these educator-led grants, adjusting existing ESEA grant formulas to prioritize this new support. This directly affects educators seeking to start charter schools and the communities where those schools would operate.

Maddy summaryHR 2426 requires the VA Secretary to commission an independent study comparing the quality of mental health and addiction care provided by VA health care providers versus non-VA providers for veterans. The study must examine health outcomes, use of proven treatment methods, care coordination, veteran satisfaction, and access times across different care types like telehealth and in-person visits. It mandates a report to Congress and public release within 18 months, detailing findings on factors like symptom improvement, suicide risk assessment, and whether veterans with multiple conditions receive integrated care. This bill directly affects veterans seeking mental health or addiction therapy services and aims to identify gaps in care quality between VA and non-VA systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to exclude the value of employer-provided child or dependent care services from overtime pay calculations. It directly affects employers who offer such care benefits, allowing them to exclude the cost of these services when determining overtime wages for eligible employees. The key change adds a new exclusion (paragraph (9)) to the overtime calculation rules, meaning the value of childcare or elder care provided by an employer is no longer counted toward an employee's regular rate for overtime purposes. The change applies to overtime pay required for workweeks beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryHR 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025, modifies how funds from the False Claims Act are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. It specifies that from 2025 through 2029, certain False Claims Act proceeds (specifically those for qui tam plaintiff payments and government damage reimbursements) cannot be deposited into the fund. This change directly affects the composition of the Crime Victims Fund by excluding these specific revenue streams during the specified period. The bill does not create new benefits or alter victim services; it only adjusts fund allocation rules for existing False Claims Act revenues.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 980) commemorates the one-year anniversary of the 2025 Southern California wildfires, which impacted communities like Pacific Palisades and Altadena. It honors the 31 people who lost their lives, commends first responders who fought the fires, and affirms the House's ongoing support for affected communities. The resolution is purely ceremonial and does not create new laws, allocate funds, or change existing policies. It directly affects the Southern California communities devastated by the wildfires and their residents.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 969) expresses support for designating the week beginning September 8, 2025, as "National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week." It recognizes colleges and universities with at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment (known as Hispanic-Serving Institutions or HSIs) and their role in serving diverse, low-income students. The resolution does not create new policies or funding but encourages public observance through ceremonies and activities to honor HSIs’ contributions to higher education access and economic mobility. It applies symbolically to all 615+ HSIs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Veterans Community Care Program to cover eyeglass lens fittings as an authorized medical service, directly affecting veterans who receive care through non-VA providers under the program. It amends the law to explicitly include "fittings for eyeglass lenses" in the list of covered services, allowing eligible veterans to schedule these appointments at nearby community providers. The Department of Veterans Affairs must establish regulations to implement this change, ensuring veterans can access these fittings without needing to go through VA facilities. A report on implementation progress, challenges, and veteran benefits must be submitted to Congress within 180 days of the bill's enactment.