Rep. Julia Brownley

Maddy summaryHRES 831 is a symbolic congressional resolution supporting October as "National Domestic Violence Awareness Month." It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but formally expresses the House of Representatives' support for the goals of raising awareness about domestic violence. The resolution urges Congress to continue highlighting domestic violence's impact and backing programs that prevent and address it. It directly affects public awareness efforts and serves as a non-binding statement of congressional support for victims and advocacy organizations.

Maddy summaryHR 5983, the Clean Water Act of 2023, redefines "protected water resources" under federal law to explicitly include all interstate and intrastate waters (such as intermittent and ephemeral streams), wetlands, and their tributaries. This directly affects federal agencies like the EPA, states managing water quality, and developers or landowners needing permits for activities near these waters. The bill eliminates the Supreme Court’s narrow "navigable waters" definition from Sackett v. EPA (2023), restoring protections for tens of millions of acres of wetlands and millions of miles of small streams. Key mechanisms require the EPA to annually review and adjust exclusions from protections based on scientific evidence, ensuring water bodies critical to drinking water, flood control, and ecosystems remain safeguarded.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores federal student loans for graduate and professional students by temporarily reinstating eligibility for Federal Direct Stafford Loans, which was previously terminated. It applies directly to graduate students who were excluded from these loans, preventing them from accumulating additional debt. The change is temporary, ending on or before June 30, 2023, and modifies specific provisions of the Higher Education Act without requiring additional rulemaking.

Transportation Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program for protection and advocacy (P&A) systems to advocate for individuals with disabilities to access transportation. (Each state has a designated P&A system that protects and advocates for the rights of individuals with disabilities.)  The bill directs DOT to select 10 P&A systems to receive five-year grants. Grant recipients must submit an annual report documenting the work they have done to address the barriers to accessing transportation for individuals with disabilities. Further, DOT must award one grant annually to a national organization with extensive knowledge of P&A systems to provide training and technical assistance to the systems.

Maddy summaryThe Rape Kit Backlog Progress Act of 2023 requires states and local governments receiving federal crime-fighting grants to conduct comprehensive inventories of all sexual assault kits (both tested and untested) and report key details to the Attorney General. It mandates that jurisdictions document victim consent for testing, upload DNA results to the national CODIS database, establish electronic tracking systems for victims, and implement victim notification protocols. States must submit these reports annually to maintain eligibility for federal grants, with the Attorney General publishing a public annual report on backlog status and compliance. This law directly affects state/local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors handling sexual assault cases, aiming to improve transparency and accountability in processing evidence.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 72 is a non-binding concurrent resolution recognizing the wage gap between Latina women and White, non-Hispanic men, where Latina women earn 57 cents for every dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men working full-time. It highlights that this disparity results in Latina women losing over $1.2 million in potential earnings over a 40-year career and places them at risk of poverty. The resolution reaffirms congressional support for equal pay but does not create new laws or policy changes. It serves as a symbolic statement to raise awareness about systemic inequities affecting Latina women workers.

Maddy summaryHRES 814 is a symbolic resolution expressing support for recognizing October 2023 as "National Dyslexia Awareness Month." It calls on Congress, schools, and educational agencies to acknowledge dyslexia's educational impact and promote early screening and evidence-based interventions. The resolution highlights dyslexia as a common learning disability affecting 1 in 5 people, emphasizing its neurobiological basis and the need for accommodations to support affected individuals. It does not create new laws or allocate funding, serving solely as a formal expression of awareness.

Maddy summaryHRES 794 is a symbolic resolution recognizing October as "National Learning Disabilities Awareness Month." It does not create new policies, allocate funding, or directly affect students or schools. The resolution cites statistics about learning disabilities (e.g., 34% of students in special education have specific learning disabilities, and over 95% of affected 4th/8th graders were not reading proficient in 2022) to contextualize the recognition. The House formally acknowledges the importance of raising awareness about learning disabilities through this annual observance.

Maddy summaryHRES 771 is a non-binding resolution expressing the U.S. House of Representatives' support for Israel following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. It condemns Hamas' actions, affirms Israel's right to self-defense, and calls for the immediate release of hostages. The resolution also urges enforcement of existing laws restricting aid to terrorists and sanctions against Iran for supporting Hamas. It does not create new policies or allocate funds, as it is a symbolic statement of congressional support.

Maddy summaryHRES 768 is a symbolic House Resolution expressing congressional support for Israel following Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks. It condemns Hamas' actions, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, and calls for the immediate release of hostages. The resolution references the U.S. commitment to Israel's security through existing military aid programs, including the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, and emphasizes enforcement of laws like the Taylor Force Act to prevent U.S. aid from reaching terrorist groups. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new policy but serves as a statement of congressional support for Israel.