Rep. Jared Huffman

Maddy summaryThis bill amends NOAA's sexual harassment and assault prevention policies to strengthen reporting and response mechanisms. It requires NOAA to issue annual reports detailing sexual harassment and assault cases, including specific information about cases involving fisheries observers, protected species observers, and endangered species observers. The bill establishes a confidential restricted reporting system that allows employees to report incidents without automatically triggering an investigation, while adding protections for survivor anonymity. It also creates new requirements for reporting certain cases to the Coast Guard. The bill directly affects NOAA employees, commissioned officers, and "covered personnel" including observers and regional fishery management council members.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 4-year pilot program (HR 5865) to protect Native American burial sites, village sites, and cultural resources during federally funded civil works projects in California's Sacramento River watershed (including the American, Bear, Yuba, and Feather Rivers). It requires the Army Corps of Engineers to work directly with affected tribes to identify reburial areas, recover human remains and funerary objects within 45 days (or negotiate alternative timelines), and reimburse tribes for costs up to 1% of project expenses. The program mandates strict confidentiality for site locations and tribal cultural practices, prohibits using eminent domain for reburial sites, and allows tribes to manage recovery operations under federal reimbursement. The bill applies only to projects owned or operated by the Army Corps of Engineers within the specified watershed.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of September 25-29, 2023, as "National Clean Energy Week" to recognize the growing role of clean energy in the U.S. economy. It expresses support for clean energy jobs and innovation, noting the sector employed about 8.1 million people in 2022. The resolution encourages federal, state, and local investment in affordable clean energy technologies and promotes "commonsense solutions" for energy needs. As a symbolic gesture, it has no legal force or funding implications - it simply urges recognition of clean energy's economic and environmental contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill replaces "Columbus Day" with "Indigenous Peoples’ Day" as the official federal holiday observed on the second Monday in October. It directly affects federal government operations and all federal documents, rules, or laws that previously referenced "Columbus Day" by automatically updating those references to "Indigenous Peoples’ Day" upon enactment. The key mechanism is a simple amendment to federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103(a)) to change the holiday name and a provision ensuring all existing federal references to Columbus Day are legally treated as referring to Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead. This is a procedural change to federal holidays and references, not a new policy or program.

Maddy summaryHR 5784 would provide federal grants to public schools (including Bureau of Indian Education schools) to make them more environmentally sustainable and equitable. It prioritizes schools in the most vulnerable communities (based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index) for full funding to become "healthy zero-carbon schools" through energy-efficient retrofits and new construction, while offering reduced funding for less vulnerable schools. The grants require community engagement in planning, mandate hiring from local communities with specific diversity goals, fund social services and mental health support, and include strict energy efficiency standards for all projects. The bill also includes funding for educational equity planning and climate resiliency programs to help schools serve as community centers during disasters.

Maddy summaryHRES 733 is a non-binding resolution expressing concern about the rising number of book bans in U.S. schools and libraries. It cites data showing nearly 3,400 book removals affecting 1,557 titles from July 2022-June 2023, with disproportionate targeting of books featuring LGBTQ+ themes (36%) and racial justice content (37%). The resolution urges school districts to follow established best practices for handling book challenges and reaffirms the importance of protecting students' access to diverse materials. It does not create new laws but calls for local governments to support free expression as protected by the First Amendment.

Maddy summaryHR 5097 establishes new federal funding programs to support the development of alternative proteins - foods that mimic animal meat using plants, cell cultivation, or fermentation. It allocates $15 million annually (2024-2028) for Centers of Excellence focused on research and workforce training, $10 million for USDA research, $50 million for manufacturing grants to U.S. companies and institutions, and $25 million for workforce development programs. The bill requires the USDA to create a national strategy coordinating multiple federal agencies to advance this sector. These provisions directly affect U.S. businesses, universities, and workers in the alternative protein industry by providing targeted funding for research, production, and job training.

Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act This bill expands the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) producer indemnity and compensation program to include compensation for all poultry growers and layers located in an APHIS-determined control area.  Currently, APHIS provides indemnity and compensation to producers to remove animals classified as affected, suspect, or exposed to diseases of concern, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). An APHIS-determined  control area consists of both an infected zone and a buffer zone.  Under the bill, APHIS must compensate all owners of poultry growing or laying facilities for flocks of birds that the facility owner was prohibited from growing or laying due to the location of the facility within a control area. This may include facilities that are located in the buffer zones and have non-infected poultry. Further, the bill establishes a new compensation payment formula that requires payments to be based on the owner’s average income from the five most recent flocks. Under the bill, APHIS's compensation determination is final and not subject to judicial or administrative review (other than by the Secretary of Agriculture or a designee).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Higher Education Act to require all U.S. colleges and universities receiving federal financial aid to create detailed anti-harassment policies covering physical, online, and institution-sponsored settings. It mandates policies prohibiting harassment based on race, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, religion, and other protected characteristics, including harassment via institutional email, computers, or electronic messaging. The bill also establishes a $50 million annual grant program to fund colleges developing prevention programs, victim support services, and training for students and staff on recognizing and addressing harassment. These policies and grants must comply with existing civil rights laws like Title IX but add specific requirements for reporting and prevention.

Maddy summaryThe Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2023 requires companies with over $50 million in annual revenue or that handle data for more than 1 million consumers to assess how their automated decision systems might negatively impact people before and after deployment. These companies must document potential biases related to protected characteristics like race, gender, and age, and submit annual summary reports to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC will create a public repository with anonymized information about these systems to help consumers understand how automated decisions affect critical areas like housing, employment, and healthcare. The law aims to increase transparency around automated decision-making while requiring companies to implement measures for consumers to contest or appeal decisions.