Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva

Maddy summaryThe Keeping All Students Safe Act prohibits the use of "unlawful" seclusion and restraint in schools, including physical restraint that's life-threatening, contraindicated for a student's disability, or not properly trained for. It requires schools to use less restrictive interventions first, mandates training for school personnel in crisis intervention, and establishes reporting requirements for restraint incidents, including immediate parent notification and annual public reporting. The bill prohibits using physical restraint as a planned intervention in student education plans and requires states to submit compliance plans with data on restraint incidents disaggregated by race, disability status, and other factors. It applies to public schools and programs receiving federal funding, but does not affect private schools not receiving federal funds or home schools.

Maddy summaryThe Extinction Prevention Act of 2023 establishes four separate conservation funds to protect specific species: butterflies across North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest. Each fund authorizes $5 million annually from 2024-2029 to provide competitive grants for habitat protection, research, and conservation programs. Projects must be submitted by eligible organizations (states, tribes, nonprofits) and include specific elements like stakeholder engagement and demonstration of conservation potential. The Secretary of the Interior will review proposals based on criteria including conservation priority, sustainability, and matching funds, with annual reports required to Congress on fund usage and species status.

Maddy summaryHR 3544, the Remote Naturalization Act, allows immigrants with approved naturalization applications to complete their oath ceremony remotely via video call if they cannot attend in person due to specific emergencies (like pandemics, disasters, or public health crises) or personal inability to travel. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish remote ceremony procedures within 30 days, notify eligible applicants, and hold these ceremonies within 30 days of their request. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress tracking how many people used remote ceremonies versus in-person ones, and clarifies that missing a remote ceremony does not count as abandoning naturalization. This directly affects immigrants whose in-person ceremonies were canceled or who face barriers to attending.

Maddy summaryThe Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2023 establishes a new regulatory framework for hardrock mineral mining on federal lands, replacing the 1872 Mining Law. It requires permits for exploration and operations, imposes new royalty rates (minimum 8-12.5% of gross value), and creates a new Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation Program funded by fees and royalties. The bill establishes a "small miner's lease" program with reduced fees for small operations (up to 200 acres) and requires financial assurance to cover reclamation costs. It also mandates consultation with Indian Tribes before mineral activities that may impact tribal lands or resources, and prohibits mining in protected areas including National Parks, wilderness areas, and sacred sites. The bill applies to all existing mining claims and new mineral activities on federal lands, with new rules taking effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 3537 authorizes the minting of commemorative coins to mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Foreign Service, established by the 1924 Rogers Act. The bill specifies three coin types ($5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar clad) with limited mintage (50,000 gold, 400,000 silver, 750,000 half-dollars) to be issued in 2025, featuring designs honoring diplomatic history. A surcharge on each coin sale ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollars) will fund the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST) to support its oral history program and diplomatic preservation efforts. The coins will be legal tender, sold at cost-plus-surcharge, with all revenue directed to ADST per the bill's provisions.

This bill requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of State to report to Congress on the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. The report shall also be made available to the public on the State Department's website. (Abu Akleh was a U.S. citizen and journalist who was shot and killed in the city of Jenin in the West Bank in May 2022. At the time of her shooting, Israeli security forces and Palestinians were trading fire in the area.)

Maddy summaryThis bill changes federal tax rules to allow employees to receive tax-free benefits for bike commuting expenses. It repeals a suspension of tax exclusions and expands coverage to include reimbursement for qualified bike/scooter purchases, repairs, or rentals (like bikeshare), as long as the vehicle meets safety specs (e.g., e-bikes under 20mph or 750W, scooters under 100lbs). The benefit is capped at 30% of the monthly amount allowed for commuting expenses. It directly affects employees who regularly bike to work and employers offering these tax-free commuting benefits, effective for 2023 tax years.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 44 is a non-binding congressional resolution urging the creation of a U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. It does not establish the commission itself but calls for its formation to acknowledge historical injustices against Black, Indigenous, and other people of color - including systemic discrimination in housing, Social Security, the GI Bill, and land policies - and to address ongoing racial inequities. The resolution emphasizes the need to dismantle the "belief in a hierarchy of human value" and promote racial healing as a national priority. It complements ongoing efforts like H.R. 40 (a bill to study reparations) but does not create new legal requirements or funding.

This resolution condemns the great replacement theory, which it describes as a white supremacist conspiracy theory that has been used to falsely justify racially motivated, violent acts of terrorism domestically and internationally.

Maddy summaryHR 3409, the Healthy Families Act, requires most employers to provide employees with paid sick leave. Employees earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours per year, which can be used for their own illness, caring for family members, or addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking situations. Smaller employers with fewer than 15 employees can provide unpaid sick leave instead of paid leave. The bill includes protections against retaliation for using sick leave and requires employers to inform employees about their rights under this law.