Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 621) is a non-binding tribute expressing congressional support for designating August 3, 2023, as "Tony Bennett Day" to honor the late singer's life and legacy. It does not create new laws or affect any specific group, as it solely encourages nationwide recognition of Tony Bennett's contributions to music, civil rights, and arts education. The resolution urges citizens, schools, and organizations to celebrate his career through events and activities. It commemorates his birthdate (August 3, 1926), his military service, advocacy for racial equality, and his work founding arts programs in his Queens community.

Maddy summaryHRES 578 is a non-binding House resolution calling for the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez, a U.S. citizen and Los Angeles County public defender wrongfully detained by Venezuela since March 2022. The resolution urges U.S. officials, including the President and Secretary of State, to press Venezuela for his release and condemns Venezuela’s practice of detaining U.S. citizens for political purposes. It specifically references Hernandez’s wrongful detention without evidence or fair trial, noting his status as a Department of State-designated wrongfully detained individual. The resolution expresses support for Hernandez and other Americans detained abroad, without creating new legal requirements or funding.

Maddy summaryHR 4889, the Raise the Wage Act of 2023, would gradually increase the federal minimum wage for most workers to $15.50 per hour by 2027, with specific annual targets: $9.50 starting in 2023, rising to $11.00 after one year, $12.50 after two years, and $15.50 after four years. It would also phase out the separate lower minimum wage for tipped employees (starting at $6.00/hour) by aligning their pay with the regular minimum wage by 2028, while requiring employers to let workers keep all tips. The bill includes similar phased increases for workers under 20 and transitions toward fairer wages for workers with disabilities under special certificates, which would sunset after 2028. Future annual increases after 2028 would tie the minimum wage to the median hourly wage of all workers.

Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act This bill requires an issuer of securities to publicly disclose whether its supply or production chain involves China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or specified forced labor sources. Issuers must provide documentation of supply and product chain entities and independent verification of such documentation. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must annually assess and report on compliance with this bill. The Government Accountability Office must periodically report on the effectiveness of the SEC’s oversight of the certification requirements under the bill.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 25 would remove the 1979 deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was originally proposed in 1972. This bill directly affects states that ratified the ERA after the deadline (such as Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia in 2017-2018) by making their ratifications legally valid. The key provision states that the ERA is valid as part of the Constitution if ratified by three-fourths of states, regardless of the original deadline. The bill does not create new rights but aims to finalize the constitutional amendment process by eliminating the time limit.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 1282 (Major Richard Star Act), expands benefits for certain military retirees by allowing them to receive both veterans' disability compensation and military retirement pay simultaneously. It specifically affects combat-related disabled retirees under Chapter 61 of the military retirement system who have fewer than 20 years of service. The key change removes the automatic reduction of military retirement pay when these retirees also receive disability compensation, as amended in Section 1413a(b)(3) of Title 10. Technical updates to the law’s structure and effective date (starting after enactment) complete the provisions.

Maddy summaryThe DISCLOSE Act of 2023 would increase transparency in political spending by requiring organizations making campaign-related disbursements over $10,000 to disclose the names and addresses of their major donors, including the top five funders for political communications. It would close loopholes allowing foreign nationals to secretly fund election activities through corporations or other entities by expanding the definition of prohibited foreign contributions. The bill would mandate "stand by every ad" disclosure requirements for political communications across all media, including audio, video, and internet ads, requiring clear identification of funders. It would also require reporting of disbursements related to Federal judicial nominations, which currently aren't subject to disclosure requirements. These provisions would apply to corporations, labor organizations, and certain nonprofits that engage in political activity.

Maddy summaryHR 4422 (Global Respect Act) requires the President to publicly identify foreign officials responsible for violence, torture, or arbitrary detention against LGBTQI individuals and block their entry to the U.S., including revoking visas for them and their immediate families. It mandates annual reporting to Congress on the list of sanctioned individuals, the reasons for additions/removals, and efforts to coordinate with other countries on similar sanctions. The bill also updates U.S. human rights reporting requirements to explicitly include data on violence and discrimination against LGBTQI people worldwide. These measures aim to increase accountability for human rights violations against LGBTQI individuals without advocating for specific policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryThe PRIDE Act of 2023 amends the Internal Revenue Code to replace gender-specific terms like "husband and wife" with gender-neutral language such as "married couple" or "spouses" across numerous tax code sections. This bill affects all legally married couples who file federal tax returns by updating language in over 30 sections of the tax code related to filing status, deductions, credits, and other tax matters. The bill is a language update that makes the tax code more inclusive without changing existing tax treatment for married couples. It does not alter tax rates, benefits, or policies, but ensures all provisions apply equally regardless of gender.

Maddy summaryThe Ending Homelessness Act of 2023 would expand housing assistance for low-income families by creating a new entitlement program for housing choice vouchers starting in 2028, with 500,000 new vouchers in 2024 and 1,000,000 annually through 2027. It would provide $1 billion annually for emergency relief grants to address unmet needs of homeless populations, prioritizing jurisdictions with the highest need and local policies that decriminalize homelessness. The bill prohibits housing discrimination based on source of income, including rental vouchers and Social Security benefits, and repeals current ineligibility criteria for housing programs. It also permanently authorizes funding for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act grants and expands eligibility for private nonprofit and faith-based organizations to receive housing assistance. The bill directly affects extremely low-income families, homeless individuals, and housing providers by increasing access to affordable housing and reducing barriers to housing stability.