Rep. Joe Neguse

Maddy summaryHR 10090, the "Keeping Guns from High-Risk Individuals Act," expands existing federal firearm prohibitions. It bars individuals convicted of a crime of violence (as defined in Section 16 of Title 18) within the last five years, or convicted of stalking, from purchasing or possessing firearms. This directly affects people with these specific recent convictions, adding them to the list of those prohibited under Section 922(d) (sales) and Section 922(g) (possession) of the U.S. Code. The bill makes concrete policy changes by broadening the categories of individuals barred from gun access based on certain criminal histories.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how disability benefits are treated for homeless disabled veterans seeking housing assistance. It excludes certain disability payments (under Chapter 11 or 15 of Title 38, U.S. Code) from income calculations when determining eligibility for HUD-assisted housing programs, including the supported housing program under Section 8(o)(19) and housing on Department property. Specifically, it ensures these benefits are not counted toward income for housing eligibility, though they still count for "adjusted income" definitions. The bill directly affects disabled veterans applying for HUD housing assistance who receive these specific disability benefits. It makes a concrete change to income calculation rules without altering benefit amounts or creating new funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Comptroller General, working with the National Academy of Sciences, to study how to create a nonpartisan office or agency that would analyze whether federal legislation would likely increase or decrease greenhouse gas emissions. It directs a 2-year study to evaluate options for this office (including using existing agencies), ensure nonpartisanship, and involve experts across sectors like energy and agriculture. The study must also examine how state legislatures have handled similar "carbon scoring" for bills. The bill itself does not change emissions policies or impose new requirements; it only mandates this analysis framework for future congressional consideration of legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds two Colorado water authorities to a list of entities permitted to maintain Bolts Ditch and its headgate under existing law. Specifically, it inserts "the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District" and "the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority" into the John D. Dingell Conservation Act. The change directly affects these two Colorado water districts by granting them explicit authority to manage this specific water infrastructure. The bill is procedural, making a technical update to a conservation law without creating new policy or altering funding.

Maddy summaryThe VA Employee Fairness Act of 2024 modifies collective bargaining rules for employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). It removes existing subsections (b), (c), and (d) from the law governing VHA employee bargaining and renumbers the remaining provision. This change streamlines the collective bargaining framework but does not alter the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' existing authorities over incentive pay and expedited hiring. The bill directly affects VHA employees by changing how their collective bargaining rights are structured under federal law. The law remains neutral, focusing solely on procedural adjustments to the existing bargaining framework.

Maddy summaryHR 9950, the "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act," authorizes three gold medals to be awarded to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team for their historic victory over the Soviet Union during the Winter Olympics. The medals, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be presented by Congress to honor the team's achievement, which revitalized American morale during the Cold War. One medal will be displayed at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, one at the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, and one at the U.S. Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs. This is a ceremonial honor, not a policy change, directly recognizing the team members and their legacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a key barrier preventing student loan debt from being discharged in bankruptcy. It amends the U.S. Bankruptcy Code by eliminating the exception that previously made most federal student loans non-dischargeable, meaning borrowers could not erase this debt through bankruptcy proceedings. The change applies only to bankruptcy cases filed on or after the bill's enactment date, affecting new cases where student loan borrowers may now seek relief. This is a procedural change to bankruptcy law, not a direct loan forgiveness or repayment program.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the REPLACE Act (HR 9846), requires the President to waive fees for replacing critical documents like passports or licenses after a major disaster. It directly affects individuals and households in areas where the President has declared a major disaster under the Stafford Act and provided assistance for individuals and households, if their critical documents were destroyed. The bill mandates that the President, working with state governors, must provide these fee waivers and requires the State Department and USCIS to publicly post waiver availability and submit annual reports on the number of waivers granted and associated costs. The law amends existing disaster relief provisions to streamline this fee waiver process for disaster victims.

Maddy summaryHR 9723 reauthorizes and updates the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, extending its funding and expanding its focus through 2029. The bill directs federal agencies to improve understanding of windstorm impacts - including wind-driven rain, fires, and storm surge - and develop cost-effective ways to reduce damage to buildings, infrastructure, and communities. Key changes include requiring interdisciplinary research (e.g., combining social science with engineering), adding Tribal governments to partnership requirements, establishing a new NOAA advisory committee, and prioritizing climate change impacts on future windstorm risks. This affects federal agencies like NOAA and HUD, researchers, and communities nationwide by advancing science-based strategies to enhance resilience against windstorms.

Maddy summaryHR 1719, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2023, establishes a presumption that certain cancers diagnosed in public safety officers (like police and firefighters) are work-related if linked to their duties. It defines 22 specific cancers (including lung, mesothelioma, and WTC-related cancers) as "exposure-related," allowing officers or their families to receive benefits without proving direct work connection, provided they were diagnosed within 15 years of leaving active service. The bill also creates a process for adding new cancers to the list based on scientific evidence, requiring the Bureau to review petitions and make decisions within 180 days. This applies to deaths or disabilities occurring on or after January 1, 2023, directly affecting officers who developed covered cancers during service.