Rep. Katie Porter

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 10-member Commission to study how U.S. federal laws and policies affect citizens living abroad. The Commission will examine specific issues including tax reporting requirements, access to financial institutions, voting procedures, Social Security/Medicare interactions, and immigration processes for family members. It must submit an initial report within one year of enactment, detailing findings and recommendations for improving these systems. The Commission will terminate after submitting a follow-up report one year later, with no direct policy changes enacted by the bill itself.

Maddy summaryHR 2693, the Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2023, ensures Coast Guard members, civilian staff, and qualifying contractors receive pay and benefits during specific funding gaps. It requires Congress to appropriate funds for Coast Guard personnel pay, allowances, and key benefits (like death gratuities and housing allowances) if a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs - when Coast Guard funding isn’t approved before a fiscal year starts but Department of Defense funding is. The bill mandates these payments continue until a full appropriation is enacted or for up to two weeks after the lapse begins, with costs charged to future appropriations. This addresses a gap in funding continuity for Coast Guard personnel during government shutdowns affecting only the Coast Guard.

Maddy summaryThe Puppy Protection Act of 2023 sets new standards for businesses that sell dogs (dealers), directly affecting pet stores and breeders operating under the Animal Welfare Act. It requires specific housing with space allowances based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), temperature control (45-85°F), clean food twice daily, and daily exercise or socialization with humans/dogs for at least 30 minutes. The bill also mandates annual veterinary exams including dental care, strict breeding limits (e.g., age restrictions, maximum 2 litters in 18 months), and efforts to place retired breeding dogs in homes instead of selling them to other breeders. Regulations must be finalized within 18 months of enactment.

Maddy summaryHRES 303 is a symbolic House resolution designating April 2023 as "Care Worker Recognition Month" to honor care workers in the U.S. It specifically recognizes home care workers supporting older adults and people with disabilities, childcare workers, and early educators. The resolution highlights how these workers enable families to remain in the workforce and emphasizes the importance of their roles in community care. This is a non-binding expression of support with no new policy or funding changes.

Maddy summaryHR 2682, the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act, creates a federal exemption allowing veterans to use, possess, or transport state-legal medical marijuana without facing federal penalties. It specifically protects veterans in states or tribal lands where medical marijuana is permitted, and permits VA physicians to discuss or recommend it as a treatment for pain or conditions like PTSD. The bill mandates the VA to conduct research on medical marijuana's effects for veterans within 180 days and study veterans' access to state programs within two years. This exemption expires automatically five years after the bill’s enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Ending Wall Street Tax Giveaway Act would change how certain investment management fees are taxed. It would require that net capital gains and losses from "investment services partnership interests" be treated as ordinary income and losses rather than capital gains and losses. This applies to investment managers who hold partnership interests in exchange for providing investment management services to partnerships. The bill would also treat gains on disposition of such interests as ordinary income, rather than capital gains. These changes would primarily affect investment professionals and firms that use partnership structures for investment management services.

Maddy summaryHR 2665 delays Medicaid payment reductions for safety net hospitals by two years, changing the effective date from 2024 to 2026 under Section 1923(f)(7)(A) of the Social Security Act. This bill directly affects hospitals that serve high numbers of low-income and uninsured patients, providing them with additional time before facing reduced federal Medicaid payments. The key mechanism is a technical amendment to existing law, postponing an already scheduled payment adjustment without altering funding levels or eligibility. As a procedural bill, it does not create new programs or change hospital requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 2688, the Streamlining IRS Operations Act, requires tax returns that are electronically prepared but submitted on paper to include a scannable code. This affects tax preparers and filers who use electronic software to create returns but submit physical copies. The key provision mandates the IRS to require this code so scanned paper returns can be automatically converted to electronic format. The rule applies to returns due after December 31, 2023, aiming to improve IRS processing efficiency.

Stop Airplane Seat Shrinking Act This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prohibit air carriers from reducing the size of passenger seats on aircraft until the FAA issues a final rule establishing minimum dimensions for passenger seats.

Flightmare Prevention Act of 2023 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to establish minimum requirements for aviation enterprise resource planning systems that are used by domestic air carriers and necessary for passenger safety. These technology systems and software are used by air carriers for operational management, including for crew planning and communication, building flight schedules, and making changes to flight paths.