Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar

Maddy summaryHR 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023, allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole milk as an option during lunch. It amends the school lunch law to explicitly permit schools to serve flavored and unflavored whole milk alongside reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk choices for students. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust meal regulations to account for saturated fat from whole milk, ensuring it doesn't count against meal fat limits. This change directly affects participating schools and the students who receive school lunches, expanding their milk beverage options.

Maddy summaryHR 6416, the "Russian War Crimes in Ukraine Tax Act," imposes a 100% tax on interest and dividends earned from frozen Russian and Belarusian sovereign assets held abroad. This tax revenue is directed into a new Ukraine Reconstruction Trust Fund, which must be used for Ukraine's reconstruction, humanitarian aid, economic development, and transparent governance. The bill requires U.S. financial institutions to withhold this tax from qualifying income and overrides international treaty obligations to ensure implementation. It also mandates annual reports on fund usage to Congress, specifying that all revenues from the tax must support Ukraine's recovery efforts as defined in the legislation.

Tigertail Historical Tree Island Repatriation Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to realign, at full federal expense, a portion of a specified levee in central and southern Florida in order to reconfigure the levee in the vicinity of the Tigertail Camp of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends existing law to expand substance abuse treatment services for children, adolescents, and young adults to explicitly include suicide prevention. It broadens eligibility for funding to include pediatric specialists, children’s hospitals, emergency departments, and Indian Health Service programs. The bill requires grantees to provide parents or guardians with counseling on preventing overdose/suicide and supplies to reduce access to lethal means (like medications or firearms). It mandates a minimum of $2 million annually in federal grants for these suicide and overdose prevention programs, effective 2024-2028.

Maddy summaryHRES 911 is a symbolic resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 5, 2023, commending María Corina Machado as Venezuela’s opposition candidate following her victory in a primary election. The resolution condemns Venezuela’s Maduro regime for invalidating the primary results, blocking Machado’s candidacy, and suppressing opposition efforts, while demanding free elections with international observers and the release of political prisoners. It specifically references the October 2023 primary - where over 2.4 million voters participated - as the basis for recognizing Machado as the opposition’s chosen candidate. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses U.S. support for democratic processes in Venezuela but does not enact new laws or policy changes.

Maddy summaryHR 6578 establishes a 9-member bipartisan commission to study antisemitism in the United States. The commission will investigate current manifestations of antisemitism, evaluate government efforts to combat it, and report findings and recommendations to Congress within one year. It directly affects Jewish communities by examining incidents like the 300% surge in antisemitic activity reported by the Anti-Defamation League, and impacts federal, state, and local governments through its evaluation of existing policies. The commission terminates 120 days after submitting its report, with no predetermined conclusions or interference in ongoing law enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the President to block transactions involving "covered Iranian funds" processed by foreign or international financial institutions. These funds refer specifically to money transferred from South Korea to Qatar under certain Iran sanctions waivers. The law imposes sanctions under existing U.S. authorities to block all U.S.-related transactions with institutions handling these funds. Sanctions can be lifted if Iran stops supporting terrorism and dismantles its weapons programs, as certified by the President. The bill directly affects global financial institutions processing these specific Iranian-linked transfers.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a clear process for returning unused Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds to the U.S. government. It requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to issue guidance within 30 days detailing how borrowers, lenders, and financial institutions must return unused PPP funds, including documentation requirements and procedures for depositing funds into the Treasury. The law directly affects PPP borrowers who received unused funds, lenders that originated PPP loans, and SBA staff managing the process. It focuses on streamlining the return of unspent funds - without creating new fraud penalties - to ensure taxpayer money is recovered and deposited into the general Treasury fund.

Maddy summaryHRES 905 is a House resolution commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Monroe Doctrine, first articulated by President James Monroe in 1823. The resolution formally recognizes the doctrine's historical significance in establishing U.S. policy against foreign colonization in the Western Hemisphere and its enduring influence on U.S. foreign policy. It resolves that the House will "commemorate" the anniversary, "reassert" the U.S. position against foreign malign influence threatening Western Hemisphere democracies, and "recognize" the doctrine's principles as a foundational element of U.S. foreign policy. This is a purely ceremonial resolution with no new policy or funding implications.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 6551, the HEAL Act) updates transportation benefits for veterans receiving care at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. It raises the mileage reimbursement rate for veterans traveling to appointments to match the rate set by the General Services Administration (replacing the fixed 41.5 cents per mile), bans deductibles for travel costs, and expands eligible providers for transportation assistance. Specifically, it allows veterans service organizations, approved personal care providers, and local government agencies (including volunteers) to offer transportation services under VA programs. These changes directly affect veterans using VA healthcare services and aim to reduce out-of-pocket costs for transportation.