Rep. Joe Neguse

Maddy summaryHRES 459 is a resolution expressing the House of Representatives' support for designating June 2, 2023, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2023 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." It encourages the public to wear orange, promote gun safety awareness, and discuss community safety measures during this time, particularly highlighting the summer months when gun violence often increases. The resolution references statistics on gun violence deaths and pays tribute to victims like Hadiya Pendleton, but does not create new laws or impose requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 3776, the Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2023, creates a new housing voucher program targeting families with young children facing instability. It provides up to 50,000 incremental vouchers annually (2024-2029) for families who either have a child under 6, will welcome a minor child within 300 days, and are homeless, unstably housed, living in high-poverty areas, or at risk of displacement from neighborhoods with high-performing schools. Public housing agencies receiving funds must offer mobility services to help these families relocate to areas with quality schools or childcare, without requiring participation as a voucher condition. The bill defines key terms like "opportunity area for children" and mandates evidence-based services to support family transitions. This policy directly affects low-income families with young children in unstable housing situations seeking better educational opportunities.

Maddy summaryHR 3713 creates federal grants to fund comprehensive school-based mental health programs for students in grades K-12, including those in Bureau of Indian Education schools. It requires partnerships between schools and community mental health providers to deliver trauma-informed, culturally appropriate services addressing suicide risk, grief, violence, and trauma exposure. The bill authorizes $300 million annually (2024-2027) for these programs, mandating privacy protections under HIPAA and FERPA, and requires annual reporting on program effectiveness.

Maddy summaryThe Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2023 requires states to establish a policy mandating annual suicide prevention training for school staff and high school students (grades 9-12). The training must be evidence-based, cover recognizing suicide warning signs, appropriate responses, and referrals to mental health services, while including cultural competency. It allocates $48 million in federal funds, with at least 15% dedicated to supporting this training program, and requires states to collaborate with mental health experts. The bill directly affects school staff and high school students in states that adopt the policy and receive federal funding.

Maddy summaryHR 3186, the Supporting Veteran Families in Need Act, permanently authorizes funding for supportive services for very low-income veteran families living in permanent housing. It amends Section 2044(e) of the U.S. Code to establish ongoing annual funding authority starting in fiscal year 2025, replacing previous temporary or annual appropriations. This change ensures consistent financial assistance for essential services like childcare, transportation, and counseling that help these families maintain stable housing. The bill directly affects eligible veteran families meeting specific income and housing criteria, providing them with reliable support through a permanent funding mechanism.

Save Affordable Housing Act of 2023 This bill revises the low-income housing tax credit to repeal the qualified contract option for a building that received its allocation of housing credit dollar amount before January 1, 2023, or received before that date, a determination from the bond issuer or housing credit agency of its eligibility to receive an allocation of a housing credit dollar amount. Under current law, properties eligible for the low-income housing tax credit are subject to a 30-year affordability period, during which the value of properties is set at a below market rate. The qualified contract option allows property owners, in some cases, to convert to market rate after 15 years.

Maddy summaryHR 3715, the Affordability and Fairness for Mountain Communities Act of 2023, creates a new waiver program allowing counties in mountain communities to use ZIP codes or neighboring counties instead of standard area median income (AMI) calculations for housing assistance programs. This directly affects low-income residents and seasonal workers in rural mountain areas (as defined by the Census Bureau) who face high housing costs relative to their income under current AMI rules. The bill requires the Housing Secretary to establish this waiver program within 90 days, letting counties choose localized AMI methods for programs like public housing, rental assistance, and homeless services. It also mandates a two-year study assessing how AMI calculations impact housing affordability in mountain communities, including effects on rent burdens and income limits.

Maddy summaryHR 3717, the MicroCap Small Business Investing Act of 2023, creates a new license category for small business investment companies (SBICs) to increase capital access for underserved businesses. It allows up to 10 annual licenses for firms that don’t meet standard management experience requirements but demonstrate industry expertise, business success, or community focus. These "MicroCap" SBICs must invest at least 25% of capital in low-income communities, opportunity zones, R&D businesses, manufacturers, underserved-owned businesses, or rural areas. The bill also establishes a streamlined 90-day licensing process with clear feedback and requires the Small Business Administration to publish annual reports on license numbers, investment industries, and geographic focus.

Small-business Procurement Utilization Reform Act or the SPUR Act This bill raises from 23% to 25% the government-wide goal for participation by small businesses in procurement contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax credit for expenses related to "qualified access technology for the blind" under the Internal Revenue Code. It allows taxpayers to claim a credit of up to $2,000 per year (adjusted for inflation) for costs paid for hardware, software, or IT that converts visual information into formats usable by blind individuals, covering the taxpayer, their spouse, or a dependent who is blind. The credit is limited to $2,000 over any three consecutive tax years per blind individual and expires after 2028. It directly affects blind individuals and their families who purchase qualifying assistive technology. The credit cannot be claimed for expenses already covered by other tax deductions or credits.