Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola

Maddy summary# Summary of the Federal Appropriations Bill This document is a comprehensive appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024, allocating funds across various federal departments and agencies. It contains five main titles: 1. **Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2024**: Allocates funds for Treasury operations including the Internal Revenue Service (over $12 billion), the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Includes numerous restrictions on IRS activities, such as prohibitions on targeting citizens for First Amendment rights and restrictions on conference spending. 2. **Executive Office of the President Appropriations Act, 2024**: Funds the White House, Office of Management and Budget, National Security Council, and other executive offices. Includes requirements for budget impact statements on executive orders. 3. **Judiciary Appropriations Act, 2024**: Allocates over $5.9 billion for federal courts, including salaries for judges, court operations, defender services ($1.45 billion), and court security ($750 million). Includes provisions for court security improvements and judicial training. 4. **District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2024**: Provides federal funding for District of Columbia programs including $40 million for resident tuition support, $292 million for District courts, $46 million for defender services, and $286 million for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. 5. **Independent Agencies Appropriations Act**: Funds various independent agencies including the Consumer Product Safety Commission ($150.9 million), Election Assistance Commission ($55 million), and Administrative Conference of the United States. Key restrictions across the bill include: - Prohibitions on using funds to target citizens based on First Amendment rights - Restrictions on IRS activities related to taxpayer targeting - Requirements for transparency in information technology spending - Specific limitations on how funds may be transferred between accounts - Prohibitions on certain regulatory actions (like banning gas stoves) The bill contains numerous administrative provisions, reporting requirements, and specific funding allocations for various programs and services across the federal government.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. immigration law to change eligibility criteria for tribal members crossing the U.S.-Canada border. It replaces the previous requirement of "at least 50% blood quantum" with recognition of membership in federally recognized U.S. tribes or Canadian First Nations with Indian Act status. Specifically, it allows members or eligible members of U.S. tribes, or Canadian First Nations members with Indian Act registration, to cross the border under the same provisions. Individuals admitted under this change receive the status of "alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence," providing clearer legal standing. The bill directly affects tribal members and Canadian First Nations citizens who cross the U.S.-Canada border for travel or residence.

Maddy summaryHR 7801, the Sultana Steamboat Disaster Commemorative Coin Act of 2024, authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring the 1865 Sultana steamboat disaster - the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history, which killed nearly 1,200 people. The bill specifies three coin types ($5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar clad) to be minted between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027, with surcharges from sales directed to the Sultana Historical Preservation Society for museum development and artifact preservation. The coins will be sold at face value plus surcharges ($5-$35 per coin), and the funds must support constructing a museum, exhibits, and preserving disaster-related history. This bill does not create new laws but enables commemorative coin sales to fund a specific historical preservation effort.

Maddy summaryHR 7714, the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Act, authorizes $200 million annually (2025-2029) for competitive CDC grants to states to improve colorectal cancer awareness and early detection specifically for individuals under age 45. The bill directs states to target high-risk young people (including those with family history, inflammatory bowel disease, genetic syndromes, or symptoms like rectal bleeding) and underserved communities (American Indian/Alaska Native, African American, rural populations, and those with type 2 diabetes). Grantees must implement activities like risk-factor education, clinician training on early detection, patient navigation support, and developing decision tools for early screening before age 45. The program requires states to report on grant usage and outcomes after five years.

Maddy summaryHR 7770, the Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act, authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell three commemorative coins honoring women who worked on the U.S. home front during World War II. It specifies $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), all to be issued between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Each coin sale includes a surcharge ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar), with all surcharge funds directed to the Rosie the Riveter Trust for maintaining the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and educational programs. The coins will feature designs reflecting the legacy of diverse women workers and must meet specific weight, diameter, and composition standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program from a 5-year to a 10-year period (Section 2). It directly affects eligible Alaska Native veterans who served during the Vietnam era by making specific lands immediately available for selection: all wildlife refuge lands previously identified in a 2020 Fish and Wildlife Service report (Section 3a), and additional Forest Service lands identified by the Secretary of Agriculture within one year of enactment (Section 3b). The Forest Service lands must meet specific exclusions, such as not interfering with wilderness designations, management plans, or coastal areas within 300 feet of water. These changes aim to fulfill land allotment promises made to qualifying veterans under the existing program.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic Region within the State Department, appointed by the President with Senate approval. The Ambassador coordinates U.S. foreign policy across Arctic issues including energy, environment, trade, indigenous affairs, scientific research, and security, reporting directly to the Secretary of State. The position covers the defined Arctic region (north of 66.56°N latitude, U.S. Arctic territories, and surrounding seas) and oversees cooperation with the eight Arctic Council nations (U.S., Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia). The role focuses on integrating federal agency efforts and advancing U.S. interests in the region through diplomatic coordination.

Maddy summaryHR 7660, the Backcountry Aviation Protection Act, permits pilots to conduct specific low-altitude maneuvers - like go-arounds, inspection passes (evaluating landing sites), practice approaches, and qualified instrument approaches - without violating existing FAA altitude rules. It requires the FAA to revise regulations within 180 days to formally allow these maneuvers below standard minimum altitudes, while allowing aircraft to be in landing configuration during some maneuvers. The bill also prohibits FAA enforcement actions against these maneuvers for one year after enactment and clarifies that the FAA must prove violations in court, not the pilot. This directly affects pilots operating in remote backcountry areas who need to assess landing sites or practice procedures safely.

Maddy summaryThe FISH Wellness Act requires fishing vessel operators and crews to receive safety training addressing mental health, substance use disorders, and fatigue risks. It increases annual funding for health services from $3 million to $6 million (for 2024-2025) to support programs addressing behavioral and physical health risks in the commercial fishing industry. Grants will be awarded competitively by the Department of Health and Human Services, with criteria developed alongside the Coast Guard. The bill updates vessel safety standards to integrate health training into operational requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 7634, the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, prohibits plastic pellets and pre-production plastic materials from being discharged into water through wastewater, spills, or runoff from specific facilities. It directly affects plastic polymer production facilities, plastic molding and forming facilities, and any point source (like packaging or transport operations) handling plastic pellets. The bill requires the EPA to issue a final rule within 60 days of enactment banning these discharges and updating all relevant wastewater, stormwater, and performance standards in permits and regulations. This creates a legal requirement for facilities to prevent plastic pellet pollution in waterways, targeting a major source of ocean plastic pollution.