Rep. Katie Porter

Maddy summaryThis bill would establish the Civilian Climate Corps, a national workforce program that would employ and train 50,000 to 400,000 young adults annually through 2028 to work on climate-related projects. The program would provide participants with a minimum living allowance of $17 per hour, health care benefits, and $25,000 in educational benefits per term of service. It would require 50% of projects to be located in under-resourced communities (with 10% specifically in Indian country) and ensure at least 50% of participants come from these communities. The Corps would focus on climate resilience, clean energy infrastructure, environmental remediation, and creating career pathways in the growing clean economy sector.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Office within the Department of Justice to address racial disparities in missing and murdered Black women and girls cases. The Office will collect data on case resolution times, coordinate with law enforcement, and create a public dashboard tracking these cases. It also creates grants for community organizations to provide culturally appropriate services, prevention programs, and training for law enforcement targeting violence against Black women and girls. The bill directly affects Black women and girls who are victims of violence and their communities, focusing on improving data collection and support systems rather than changing criminal laws.

Maddy summaryThe Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 amends the Animal Welfare Act to strengthen enforcement of animal welfare standards. It gives the Attorney General authority to bring civil cases for violations, including seeking penalties up to $10,000 per day per violation and injunctions to remove or relocate animals. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and Attorney General to coordinate through a new Memorandum of Understanding, focusing on repeat violators. These changes directly affect dealers, exhibitors, and enforcement agencies by expanding civil enforcement tools and clarifying jurisdiction over rule violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends existing programs that provide payments to counties and states with federal land, primarily to support local schools and communities. It updates key deadlines, extending secure payments through 2026, special project authorities through 2029, and county fund expenditure authority through 2028. A new pilot program allows regional foresters to appoint resource advisory committee members directly, with this authority ending October 1, 2028. These changes directly affect rural counties and states managing federal lands, maintaining current funding mechanisms without altering eligibility or payment amounts.

Maddy summaryHR 5057, the Agricultural Emergency Relief Act of 2023, establishes a new program to provide financial assistance to farmers who suffer crop losses due to qualifying disasters like droughts, wildfires, or floods. It requires farmers to apply with proof of loss and calculates payments based on either their previous insurance claims or revenue from typical crop years, with income-based limits (capping payments at $125,000-$900,000 depending on farm income). A key provision mandates that recipients purchase crop insurance or enroll in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program for the next two crop years. The bill directly affects eligible farmers (excluding joint ventures or general partnerships) who experience qualified losses, using funding authorized through fiscal year 2028.

Maddy summaryHR 4845, the Food Secure Strikers Act of 2023, amends the Food and Nutrition Act to remove a restriction that previously disqualified workers from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if they were on strike. The bill changes eligibility rules so that striking workers are no longer automatically ineligible for SNAP benefits solely because they are participating in a labor strike. This change directly affects workers involved in strikes who rely on SNAP for food assistance, ensuring they can access benefits during labor disputes. The key provision removes specific language from Section 6(d) of the Food and Nutrition Act that had barred strike participants from SNAP enrollment.

Maddy summaryThe Tribal Access to Clean Water Act of 2023 provides dedicated federal funding to address water infrastructure gaps in Native communities. It allocates $100 million annually (2024-2028) through the USDA for technical assistance and water system construction, $20 million for Indian Health Service sanitation facilities, and $100 million for operation/maintenance of existing water systems. The bill specifically targets tribes and Native Hawaiian communities, requiring no matching funds and prioritizing the most urgent needs. This directly supports tribes in accessing existing infrastructure funding, developing self-sustaining water utilities, and maintaining facilities for public health and safety.

Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 would strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by updating the criteria for which states and localities must obtain federal preclearance before changing voting practices. It would establish new standards for proving vote dilution and vote denial by requiring courts to consider historical discrimination, racial polarization in voting, and whether voting practices disproportionately burden minority voters. The bill would also require states and localities to provide public notice of voting changes and share demographic data about polling locations. These changes would primarily affect jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations, aiming to prevent discriminatory voting practices before they take effect.

Maddy summaryThe Humane Cosmetics Act of 2023 bans cosmetic animal testing in the United States, prohibiting companies from conducting or contracting such testing after its enactment (effective 1 year later). It also bans selling or transporting cosmetics developed using animal testing conducted after that date within U.S. interstate commerce. The law directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers operating in the U.S. market, requiring them to use non-animal testing methods for safety evaluations. Exceptions exist for foreign regulatory requirements or when no alternative testing methods are available for specific ingredients.

Maddy summaryHJRES 89 requires the President to obtain Senate approval (with a two-thirds vote) or new congressional legislation to suspend, terminate, or withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). It prohibits using federal funds for such actions until Congress passes a two-thirds resolution or enacts a law authorizing withdrawal. The bill mandates 180-day written notification to relevant congressional committees (Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations) before any withdrawal action and authorizes Congress to sue to block unilateral executive moves. This directly affects the executive branch's ability to act unilaterally on NATO membership, reinforcing congressional oversight of treaty obligations.