Rep. Joe Neguse

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Department of Veterans Affairs' procurement rules to ensure women-owned small businesses receive equal priority in contracting preferences. It requires the VA to treat preferences for women-owned small businesses the same as other small business preferences under federal procurement law. Specifically, it adds a new provision (Section 8(m) of the Small Business Act) to VA procurement guidelines, mandating that all such preferences be afforded "the same degree of priority." This directly affects VA contracting officers and women-owned small businesses seeking federal contracts with the VA.

Maddy summaryHR 9390, the Sober Act of 2024, creates a federal grant program to fund state, local, and tribal 24/7 sobriety programs. These programs require individuals with substance use disorders (often linked to alcohol-related offenses) to abstain from alcohol/drugs, undergo regular testing (twice daily or via continuous monitoring), and face immediate sanctions for violations like jail time or community service. The bill authorizes $10 million annually from 2025-2029 to cover up to 80% of program costs, with recipients required to report on participation, testing outcomes, and program expenses. It aims to expand access to structured sobriety support as a complement to existing measures like ignition interlock devices for DUI offenders.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the House of Representatives' sense that the U.S. Postal Service should issue a commemorative stamp honoring Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley. It specifically directs the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (a USPS entity) to recommend such a stamp to the Postmaster General. The resolution highlights her historic role as the first Black officer in the Women’s Army Corps and her leadership of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during WWII, which cleared critical mail backlogs in Europe. This is a symbolic measure with no binding effect on USPS policy.

Maddy summaryThe Active Shooter Alert Act of 2024 establishes a national coordination system for active shooter alerts by designating a Department of Justice Coordinator. The Coordinator will work with federal agencies (FEMA, FCC, Transportation) and state/local governments to develop voluntary best practices for alert systems, including geotargeted notifications, multilingual messaging, and training for transportation authorities. The bill requires annual reports to Congress on state adoption of protocols and mandates a Comptroller General study on state response times to active shooter alerts, funded by $2 million for the Department of Justice. It does not mandate state adoption but encourages coordination to improve alert effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHR 9253, the National Gun Violence Research Act, repeals longstanding restrictions that blocked federal funding for gun violence research, including the 1996 Dickey Amendment. It establishes a National Gun Violence Research Program to support scientific studies on gun-related injury and death, with $200 million authorized over six years (2025-2030). The program directs agencies like the CDC, NIH, and National Institute of Justice to fund research, train researchers, develop safety standards, and share gun trace data with researchers through new protocols. This bill directly affects federal research institutions and public health agencies by enabling evidence-based study of gun violence causes and prevention strategies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument, protecting approximately 376,963 acres of land in Arizona for the preservation of Indigenous heritage, cultural landscapes, archaeological sites, and natural resources. The monument's management requires consultation with a Tribal Commission representing interested Native American tribes, incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge into planning, and protects sacred sites while maintaining existing tribal treaty rights. Key provisions include prohibiting new permanent roads within the monument, requiring meaningful tribal engagement in management decisions, and ensuring continued access for traditional tribal uses like cultural and religious activities. The bill maintains existing grazing, water rights, and tribal treaty rights while emphasizing the protection of natural quiet, dark night skies, and scenic attributes. It creates a framework for tribal co-stewardship through the Tribal Commission, which provides guidance on management plans and policies.

Maddy summaryThe Sustaining America's Fisheries for the Future Act of 2024 aims to improve the long-term health of U.S. fisheries by addressing climate change impacts, supporting fishing communities, and modernizing management practices. The bill requires federal agencies to incorporate climate science into fishery management decisions and mandates regular vulnerability assessments of fish stocks to environmental changes. It establishes new grant programs to help coastal communities preserve working waterfronts and improve data collection systems through electronic monitoring technologies. The legislation also strengthens transparency by requiring more detailed reporting on fishery management council activities and expanding tribal representation on regional councils. Additionally, the bill creates a standardized national program to track and reduce bycatch across all fisheries while updating international fisheries management agreements.

Maddy summaryThe STAR Act of 2024 creates a new 25% tax credit for semiconductor companies in the United States, specifically for qualified semiconductor design expenditures. This credit applies to both in-house design costs (like employee wages for design work and supplies used in design) and contracted design work paid to external firms, all conducted within the U.S. The bill directly affects U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturers and design firms by reducing their tax liability for eligible design expenses. The credit is added to the existing advanced manufacturing investment credit, with specific exclusions for non-qualifying activities like cosmetic design or duplicating existing products.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal grant program to help state, local, and tribal prosecutors' offices hire and retain legal staff. It provides competitive grants covering up to 75% of costs for hiring, training, or retaining prosecutors and support staff, with preference given to rural, tribal, and areas affected by budget cuts. The program requires annual reporting on outcomes and includes $10 million in annual funding for fiscal years 2025-2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program, which provides federal funding to state and local law enforcement agencies to reduce backlogs in processing DNA evidence from crime scenes. It extends the program's funding period from fiscal years 2024 through 2029 (previously ending in 2024). The bill also updates audit requirements to ensure grant funds are used properly through 2029. This directly affects law enforcement agencies that receive these grants to accelerate DNA analysis for criminal investigations.