Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán

Raise the Age Act of 2023 This bill establishes new restrictions on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age. Specifically, this bill makes it unlawful for a licensed gun dealer, importer, manufacturer, or collector to sell or deliver a semiautomatic center-fire rifle or semiautomatic center-fire shotgun that has (or has the capacity to accept) an ammunition feeding device with a capacity of more than five rounds to an individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under age 21. The prohibition does not apply if the individual under age 21 is a full-time law enforcement officer or active-duty member of the Armed Forces. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.

Maddy summaryHRES 324 is a non-binding House resolution expressing support for library staff across public, school, academic, and special libraries. It recognizes these workers as essential community resources providing access to information, internet services, and social support - especially for underserved populations - and highlights their expanded roles during crises like the opioid epidemic and pandemic. The resolution calls for adequate funding, protects staff from threats while performing their duties, supports their right to unionize, and upholds the public’s right to free access to library resources. It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges these priorities during National Library Week.

Maddy summaryHR 2825, the Prison Libraries Act of 2023, establishes a federal grant program to fund library services in state and territorial correctional facilities. It directly affects incarcerated individuals by providing access to books, digital resources, educational programs, and staff support, with funds requiring states to submit detailed plans demonstrating need and measurable goals like improving literacy or job skills. Key provisions include funding for modern library infrastructure, hiring qualified librarians, and programming such as job training, digital literacy, restorative justice, and cultural activities - all while prohibiting use for food, general prison operations, or unrelated staff costs. The program authorizes $10 million annually for six years (2024-2029), prioritizing grants that align with library standards, prioritize post-secondary education, and show clear impact on reducing recidivism.

Maddy summaryThe Young Americans Financial Literacy Act would create federal grants to fund centers of excellence that develop and deliver research-based financial education programs for young people aged 8-24. These programs would teach essential money management skills like budgeting, saving, debt management, and financial decision-making, with a focus on accessibility through digital and traditional methods. The bill authorizes $27.5 million to $55 million annually (through 2025) for these centers, prioritizing programs serving at-risk youth, families, and communities facing financial challenges. Centers must use evidence-based approaches, address unique needs (e.g., student loans, predatory lending), and report annually to Congress on their outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 1788, the "Goldie’s Act," strengthens USDA enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. It requires annual inspections of all regulated animal businesses (like dealers, research facilities, and exhibitors) and mandates immediate, humane confiscation of animals suffering due to violations, while prohibiting owners from destroying animals during this process. The bill increases civil penalties to $10,000 per violation, requires hearing panels including veterinarians, and mandates that penalties consider business size and violation severity. It also requires USDA to share violation records with local animal control within 24 hours.

Maddy summaryThe Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2023 establishes a new trust fund funded by increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 24.5% to support water infrastructure and affordability programs. It allocates funds to clean water programs (42%), safe drinking water funding (42.5%), household water wells (1%), colonias assistance (0.5%), Indian health services (3%), and water operator job training (0.5%). The bill requires the EPA to conduct a study and submit a report on water affordability, discrimination in water services, public participation in regionalization, and data collection related to service disconnections. It includes specific provisions for colonias, household water wells, and job training programs for water system operators to improve water access and equity.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive framework to address environmental justice by requiring federal agencies to identify and address disproportionately adverse environmental and health effects on communities of color, low-income communities, and Tribal and Indigenous communities. It creates a White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council to coordinate federal efforts, mandates that agencies develop environmental justice strategies, and requires consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions for pollution sources. The bill also establishes grant programs for environmental justice communities, creates training requirements for federal employees, and includes specific provisions for safer cosmetics and economic revitalization in fossil fuel-dependent communities. These provisions aim to ensure fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making processes, directly affecting federal agencies and communities disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards.

Maddy summaryThe Armenian Genocide Education Act (HR 2803) establishes a Library of Congress program to support U.S. schools in teaching about the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. The program will develop educational resources, provide teacher training, and maintain an online resource center to help schools incorporate accurate historical information into curricula. It prioritizes schools without existing Armenian Genocide education programs, with $2 million authorized annually for five years. The Librarian of Congress will report yearly on the program’s activities to Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes annual funding for teaching health centers that train doctors through graduate medical education programs. It sets specific funding levels from 2011 through 2034, gradually increasing over time (e.g., $582.7 million annually for 2033), with future years adjusted for inflation based on medical care costs. The funding directly supports community-based teaching hospitals and clinics that provide both patient care and physician training. Key provisions include fixed annual amounts for specific fiscal years and an inflation adjustment mechanism starting in 2034. This is a procedural funding measure affecting healthcare training institutions, not a new policy.

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that (1) medication abortion is appropriately approved and regulated under federal law, and (2) federal law preempts any in-person dispensing requirements or telehealth restrictions with respect to medication abortion under state law.