Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Marshall "Major" Taylor, a pioneering Black cyclist who broke racial barriers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It recognizes his athletic achievements, including world records and international championship wins, as well as his advocacy for equality in sports. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be presented to Taylor's great-granddaughter, Karen Donovan, following the congressional authorization. As a commemorative act with no policy changes, it serves solely to honor Taylor's legacy as a trailblazer and role model.

Maddy summaryThe ARMAS Act of 2023 transfers regulatory control of certain firearm exports from the Department of Commerce to the Department of State. It designates Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, and other Caribbean nations as "covered countries" requiring special oversight for firearm exports. The bill requires the State Department to develop strategies to disrupt illegal firearm trafficking to these countries, implement tracking systems for firearms, and submit annual reports on exports. It establishes certification requirements for exports to covered countries, including detailed reporting to Congress about proposed exports. The law aims to improve tracking of firearms used in violence and reduce illegal trafficking that fuels crime and violence in the region.

Maddy summaryThe Inclusive Democracy Act of 2023 protects voting rights for people with criminal convictions in federal elections, ensuring they can register and vote while incarcerated, on probation, or on parole. It requires states to notify individuals about their voting rights at key points (during conviction, on probation/parole, and in carceral settings), and mandates carceral settings to provide voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, and voting information. The bill establishes procedures for transmitting registration and ballot applications with expedited processing near election deadlines, requires states to accept applications and ballots postmarked within 2 days of deadlines, and prohibits prosecution for voting in non-federal elections when registered for federal elections. The law applies to federal elections starting with the 2024 general election.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to require lenders to collect and report data on loans to LGBTQI-owned businesses. It specifically adds "LGBTQI-owned" to existing categories for data collection, includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status as protected characteristics in lending data, and defines an "LGBTQI-owned business" as one where over 50% of ownership/control and net profit/loss accrues to self-identifying LGBTQI individuals. The policy change directly affects financial institutions that report lending data to the government, mandating they track and disclose these new categories. This provides concrete data on lending practices for LGBTQI business owners, who face documented barriers in accessing credit.

Maddy summaryThe YouthBuild for the Future Act increases annual funding for the YouthBuild program, authorizing $159.5 million for 2024 with incremental growth through 2029. It reserves 20% of funds above $125 million for rural programs and tribes, while adding new requirements like meal assistance, benefits counseling for programs like SNAP, and support services for participants with disabilities. The bill updates participant eligibility terms (e.g., "youth justice-involved" instead of "youth offender") and mandates annual consultation with program providers to set performance goals. It directly affects low-income youth in rural areas, tribal communities, and justice-involved youth through expanded workforce training and support services.

Maddy summaryThis bill would impose a tax on hedge funds and large real estate investors who own more single-family homes than a gradually decreasing threshold (starting at 90% of their previous year's holdings and phasing down to 0% after 9 years). The tax would be $50,000 per excess property for each year they exceed their limit. Revenue from the tax would fund a down payment assistance program that prioritizes families buying homes from these investors. The bill aims to limit large-scale investment in single-family homes by these entities while providing financial assistance to homebuyers.

Maddy summaryHR 6381, the Veterans Visa and Protection Act of 2023, helps noncitizen veterans and service members who face deportation by creating a pathway to legal permanent residency in the U.S. It requires the government to reopen removal cases for eligible veterans, adjust their status to lawful permanent residents if they served honorably without certain serious criminal convictions (like crimes of violence), and prohibit deportation except for such crimes. The bill also ensures these individuals can access military and veterans benefits they lost due to removal proceedings and allows them to apply for naturalization through military service. It mandates that immigration officials identify service members/veterans early in proceedings and track their cases to prevent unjust removal.

Maddy summaryHR 5785 modifies the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship for veterans and military dependents pursuing STEM degrees. It updates eligibility by adding "or graduate" to degree requirements, reduces maximum benefit periods from 60 to 45 months for undergraduate and 90 to 67.5 months for graduate study, and adds new priority criteria for beneficiaries who've used the most entitlement months or are studying STEM fields. The bill also requires veterans to exhaust all other educational benefits before using this scholarship. These changes directly affect individuals seeking STEM education benefits under the program.

Maddy summaryHRES 907 is a non-binding House resolution condemning rising antisemitism in the U.S., citing increased hate crimes (25% rise in 2022 per FBI data) and campus incidents (41% increase from 2021-2022 per ADL). It calls on all Americans, including campus leaders and government agencies, to combat antisemitism and urges implementation of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. The resolution specifically requests increased funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to strengthen safety protections for Jewish communities. It directly affects Jewish Americans, campus communities, and government agencies responsible for hate crime prevention and community safety.

Maddy summaryHRES 900 is a non-binding House resolution recognizing November 2023 as National Native American Heritage Month. It affirms the contributions of Native Americans to U.S. history, culture, and governance, and urges the public to observe the month through appropriate programs. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds; it solely expresses support for recognizing Native American heritage. It references prior recognition efforts like the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009 but has no direct impact on policy or affected groups.