Rep. Katie Porter

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act to explicitly include public employees - such as those working for federal, state, or local government agencies - under OSHA's coverage. It changes the definition of "employee" to specify that public sector workers are protected, removing previous exclusions. The law takes effect 90 days after enactment for most workplaces, but gives states and local governments without OSHA-approved plans up to 36 months to comply. This directly affects public service workers in government roles by bringing their workplace safety protections under the same federal OSHA framework as private-sector employees.

Maddy summaryHR 8732, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act, would establish new labor protections for domestic workers including nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers who work in private homes. The bill requires written agreements between employers and domestic employees, provides earned sick days, ensures fair scheduling practices, and prohibits unfair wage deductions for cash shortages or communications. It also creates a Domestic Employee Standards Board to recommend workplace standards and establishes a National Domestic Employee Hotline for assistance. The bill specifically targets domestic workers who have historically been excluded from labor protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Civil Rights Act, benefiting an estimated 2.2 million domestic workers in the U.S. who are disproportionately women of color and immigrants.

Maddy summaryThis resolution condemns Russia's detention of opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, who faces up to 24 years in prison for criticizing Putin's war in Ukraine and advocating for democracy. It calls on Russia to immediately release Kara-Murza and all political prisoners, expresses solidarity with him and other detained activists, and urges global leaders to support democratic efforts in Russia. As a symbolic congressional statement (not a binding law), it has no legal effect but formally aligns U.S. policy with international condemnation of his detention. The resolution specifically references his poisoning attempts and deteriorating health while highlighting his advocacy for democratic values.

Maddy summaryHR 5012 (SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023) authorizes federal funding to improve stillbirth research and data collection. It provides $5 million annually for states to collect standardized stillbirth data (including risk factors) while protecting privacy, $1 million annually for developing public educational materials and data collection guidelines, and $3 million annually for medical fellowships training pathologists in perinatal autopsy and stillbirth research. The bill directly affects state health departments, medical professionals (like obstetricians and pathologists), and families who experience stillbirth by improving data quality for future research. It requires federal reports on guidelines and program effectiveness within five years but does not provide direct medical care or financial assistance to families.

Maddy summaryHR 537 authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor 60 diplomats who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust by issuing visas and passports against their governments' orders, risking expulsion and personal danger. The medal will be presented to the next of kin of these diplomats, alongside representatives from their home countries, and permanently displayed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This legislation recognizes the diplomats' humanitarian actions without creating new government programs or altering existing laws.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 111, the Majority Rule Resolution, proposes changing congressional procedure by requiring only a majority vote (not a supermajority) to end debate on any bill or resolution in either the House or Senate. This would directly affect how all members of Congress vote to advance legislation, as it would eliminate the need for 60 votes (or similar thresholds) to close debate in most cases. The resolution aims to streamline legislative process by making debate closure easier, though it does not alter substantive policy content. As a procedural measure, it focuses solely on voting rules, not on specific policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 112, the Congressional Bipartisan Seating Resolution, requires House and Senate committee members to sit next to members from the opposing party during committee meetings and hearings, where possible. It applies to all members of House committees, Senate committees, and joint congressional committees. The resolution directs the House Rules Committee and Senate Rules Committee to create specific seating regulations to implement this requirement. This is a procedural rule change affecting physical seating arrangements in committee settings, not a policy or voting change.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 110 would allow U.S. House and Senate members to vote by proxy or participate remotely in committee meetings during specific circumstances like illness, family emergencies, jury duty, military service, or unsafe travel conditions. Members would need to submit a signed letter documenting their situation, with usage limits (e.g., up to 7 days for illness, 4 days for family death). The Clerk (House) or Secretary (Senate) would maintain a public list of all members using these accommodations, including the reason and duration. This resolution would amend House Rules 3 and 11 and Senate Standing Rules to implement these changes. The bill ensures members can continue legislative participation during temporary absences without affecting quorum requirements.

Maddy summaryThe "Block the Revolving Door Act" (HR 8696) imposes a two-year ban on lobbying by former federal officials after they leave government positions. It affects former executive branch employees (including those at high pay levels like Executive Schedule I/II roles) and former congressional staff (Members, Senate/House employees, and other legislative branch officials). The ban prohibits them from lobbying the executive branch or Congress for two years to influence official actions, replacing the previous one-year limit for most roles. This eliminates a separate two-year restriction for senior executive officials, creating a uniform two-year rule across all covered positions.

Maddy summaryHR 8695, the Lobbying Disclosure Modernization Act, updates the federal lobbying disclosure system by requiring the Senate and House to maintain a single public website for all lobbying filings instead of separate systems. It mandates assigning each lobbyist a unique public identifier and making this data available as structured downloads. The bill directly affects registered lobbyists who file reports and the Senate Secretary and House Clerk who manage the disclosure system. The changes must be implemented within one year of the bill's enactment to modernize public access to lobbying records.