Rep. Katie Porter

Equal Access to Reproductive Care Act This bill includes assisted reproduction as a tax deductible medical expense. It defines assisted reproduction as any methods, treatments, procedures, and services for effectuating a pregnancy and bringing it to term, and treats it as medical care of the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent to the extent that they intend to take legal custody or responsibility for any children born as a result of such assisted reproduction.

Maddy summaryHRES 553 is a symbolic resolution honoring Gloria Molina, the first Latina elected to the California State Legislature, Los Angeles City Council, and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It recognizes her 32-year political career and historic firsts, celebrating her legacy as a pioneer for Latinas in public office. The resolution does not create new policy or affect any specific group, as it is purely commemorative. It follows existing honors like the Gloria Molina East Los Angeles Civic Center station and the Gloria Molina Grand Park.

Maddy summaryHRES 551 is a non-binding House resolution (not a bill) introduced in June 2023 that calls for action to address U.S. child poverty. It recommends making permanent the expanded Child Tax Credit (which lifted nearly 3 million children out of poverty in 2021), establishing a federal council to coordinate child-focused policies, and increasing federal investment in children’s programs like early education and nutrition assistance. The resolution highlights that child poverty rebounded sharply after the 2021 tax credit expansion expired, affecting over 4 million children, and emphasizes the need for equitable access to benefits for immigrant families, children in Puerto Rico, and children with disabilities. It does not create new laws but urges Congress and federal agencies to prioritize these policy changes.

Transparency in Taxpayer-Funded Travel Act This resolution requires Members of Congress who use their Representational Allowance to pay for official travel expenses to disclose the purpose of, and other information about, the travel. The Representational Allowance provides funds to Members for operating their offices and carrying out their official and representational duties.

Maddy summaryThe Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2023 updates the Internal Revenue Code to use gender-neutral language regarding married couples. It replaces terms like "husband and wife" with "married couple" and "his spouse" with "the individual's spouse" throughout tax code provisions. The bill makes these language changes to ensure the tax code applies equally to all married couples regardless of gender, without altering tax rates, deductions, or other substantive tax policies. This affects all married taxpayers and tax professionals who apply the tax code. The bill is a language update rather than a policy change, making the tax code more inclusive while maintaining existing tax treatment.

Healthcare Equality and Rights for Our Heroes Act or the HERO Act This bill allows claims to be brought against the United States for damages relating to the personal injury or death of a member of the Armed Forces arising out of a negligent or wrongful act or omission in providing medical, dental, or related health care functions at a military medical treatment facility. However, the bill does not apply to care provided at a medical treatment location deployed in an area of armed combat.

Maddy summaryHR 4335, the VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2023, requires mortgage lenders to include specific information about VA home loan programs in standard mortgage disclosures. The bill amends the National Housing Act to mandate that lenders provide details on VA loans (guaranteed under Title 38) alongside other loan options, including assumptions about prevailing interest rates. This change directly affects lenders processing VA-guaranteed mortgages, ensuring borrowers receive clearer comparisons between VA loans and other financing. The law does not require lenders to verify borrower eligibility for VA loans, only to include the specified disclosure language.

Maddy summaryThe PRIDE Act of 2023 amends the Internal Revenue Code to replace gender-specific terms like "husband and wife" with gender-neutral language such as "married couple" or "spouses" across numerous tax code sections. This bill affects all legally married couples who file federal tax returns by updating language in over 30 sections of the tax code related to filing status, deductions, credits, and other tax matters. The bill is a language update that makes the tax code more inclusive without changing existing tax treatment for married couples. It does not alter tax rates, benefits, or policies, but ensures all provisions apply equally regardless of gender.

Maddy summaryThe HERO Act establishes a national data system to track suicides among public safety officers, including firefighters, EMTs, police, and telecommunicators, collecting detailed statistics by age, gender, occupation, and employment status (career, volunteer, or retired). It mandates annual reports to Congress and public availability of findings to identify suicide trends and effective interventions. The bill also funds peer-support wellness programs for fire/EMS departments, behavioral health programs for healthcare providers, and resources to train mental health professionals on treating public safety personnel. All data collection and program provisions include strict privacy safeguards to protect confidentiality and prohibit using suicide data to deny survivor benefits.

Maddy summaryHR 4241, the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2023, prohibits transporting horses between states or territories in multi-level motor vehicles (like certain livestock trailers with stacked levels). This directly affects commercial horse transporters moving animals across state lines. The bill adds a civil penalty of $100-$500 per horse per violation for knowingly violating this rule, with separate penalties for each horse transported. It amends the Horse Protection Act to address safety concerns related to transporting horses in vehicles not designed for such travel.