Rep. Judy Chu

Maddy summaryHR 7770, the Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act, authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell three commemorative coins honoring women who worked on the U.S. home front during World War II. It specifies $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), all to be issued between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Each coin sale includes a surcharge ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar), with all surcharge funds directed to the Rosie the Riveter Trust for maintaining the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and educational programs. The coins will feature designs reflecting the legacy of diverse women workers and must meet specific weight, diameter, and composition standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create a new wealth tax on individuals with significant assets, targeting those with net assets exceeding $50 million. It would tax assets between $50 million and $1 billion at 2%, and assets above $1 billion at 3% (potentially increasing to 6% if certain health care legislation is enacted). The tax would apply to individuals, married couples treated as a single taxpayer, and certain trusts, with specific valuation and reporting requirements for assets. The bill also includes $70 billion in funding over 10 years for the IRS to enforce this new tax and related reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 99 is a symbolic congressional resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy murdered in a hate crime on October 14, 2023, after being stabbed 26 times by a perpetrator who made anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian remarks. The resolution recognizes Congress's condemnation of hate crimes, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian discrimination, while affirming the United States' "zero tolerance" for such violence. As a procedural resolution (not a law), it does not create new policies but formally honors Wadee and his family, emphasizing the need to reject dehumanizing rhetoric targeting religious or ethnic groups.

Maddy summaryThe Housing ACCESS Act requires the federal government to issue guidance within one year to help states connect Medicaid beneficiaries with housing services. It directs states to align eligibility processes, streamline service coordination between health and housing agencies, and track outcomes like housing stability - disaggregated by race. The bill also mandates a national study to set fair reimbursement rates for housing services, aiming to ensure living wages for providers and a 1:15 case manager-to-client ratio. States must report on progress within two years, with the guidance intended to simplify how health and housing providers access each other's systems.

Maddy summaryHR 7634, the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, prohibits plastic pellets and pre-production plastic materials from being discharged into water through wastewater, spills, or runoff from specific facilities. It directly affects plastic polymer production facilities, plastic molding and forming facilities, and any point source (like packaging or transport operations) handling plastic pellets. The bill requires the EPA to issue a final rule within 60 days of enactment banning these discharges and updating all relevant wastewater, stormwater, and performance standards in permits and regulations. This creates a legal requirement for facilities to prevent plastic pellet pollution in waterways, targeting a major source of ocean plastic pollution.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (HCONRES 97) recognizes the gender wage gap, noting that women working full-time earn 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. It highlights racial disparities (e.g., Latinas earn 57 cents, Black women 69 cents) and the economic impact of the gap, including $965 billion in annual lost wages for women. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the issue and reaffirms Congress’s commitment to addressing wage inequality.

Maddy summaryHRES 1074 is a symbolic House resolution reaffirming congressional support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. It explicitly states the House supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state and recognizes Palestinians' right to sovereignty through a separate state. The resolution identifies a two-state solution as the best path to lasting peace and condemns efforts opposing this approach. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new law or policy but formally expresses the House's position on this issue. It was introduced by multiple House members on March 12, 2024.

Maddy summaryThe Federal Judgeship Act of 2024 adds new federal district judgeships across multiple courts, primarily in California, Florida, Texas, and other states with growing caseloads. It authorizes specific numbers of additional judges for districts including the Central and Northern Districts of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the Western District of Texas, with appointments to take effect in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031. The bill also permanently converts certain temporary judgeships to permanent positions and adds circuit judges to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2027 and 2031. These changes directly affect federal court operations by increasing judicial capacity in specific geographic regions. The legislation focuses on adjusting court staffing levels to address case volume without altering substantive legal procedures or policies.

Maddy summaryThe ZEVs Act of 2024 requires automakers selling over 100 new passenger vehicles annually in the U.S. to gradually increase sales of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), starting with 43% of new passenger vehicle sales in 2027 and reaching 100% by 2035. Manufacturers must meet these targets using a credit system: they earn credits for each ZEV sold or can purchase credits from others, with unused credits bankable for up to five years. The bill sets annual, increasing percentage targets (e.g., 51% in 2028, 88% in 2033) and imposes civil penalties for noncompliance, including fines equal to twice the value of missing credits. After 2035, manufacturers must sell only ZEVs, with the EPA enforcing these requirements through penalties and potential injunctions.

Maddy summaryHR 7575, the Supporting America’s Young Entrepreneurs Act of 2024, provides student loan relief to borrowers who start or work for qualifying small businesses in economically distressed areas. Founders of certified "distressed area businesses" (operating 5+ years in designated low-income/unemployment zones) can have up to $20,000 of their Federal Direct Loans canceled after 24 months of payments while employed by their business. Employees of new "small business start-ups" (operating ≤3 years) may qualify for up to $3,000 annually (max $15,000 total) after 12 months of full-time employment. The Young Entrepreneurs Business Center, established under the Small Business Act, certifies businesses, identifies distressed areas, and approves loan cancellations, with canceled debt excluded from taxable income.