Rep. Ashley Hinson

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 6819, the Workforce Solutions Act, requires the Secretaries of Labor and Energy to jointly submit annual reports to Congress beginning 180 days after the bill's enactment. These reports must analyze economic impacts on occupations in energy and critical manufacturing industries, including growth trends, entry-level requirements, living wage data, career pathways, barriers for under-served communities, and digital technology effects. The bill does not create new programs or alter existing policies but mandates this specific reporting requirement for federal departments. It directly affects the Department of Labor and Department of Energy, which must produce the analyses. The focus is solely on gathering data to inform congressional decision-making.

Bettering Employee Skills and Talents Act or the BEST Act This bill allows a new tax credit against employment taxes for 30% of qualified workforce training expenses paid by an employer. The bill defines qualified workforce training expenses as amounts paid by an employer to provide entry-level employees without a bachelor's degree with skills training recognized by governmental and private organizations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new rules for auditing firms used by U.S. companies. It defines a "compromised auditor" as an accounting branch or subsidiary controlled by a country identified as a U.S. national security threat (like those named in the Director of National Intelligence's annual report). The law prohibits trading in securities of U.S. companies headquartered in such "countries of concern" if they use a compromised auditor for their financial audits. This directly affects publicly traded companies that rely on auditing firms tied to designated threat countries.

Maddy summaryHR 6734 prohibits the use of federal funds to finalize, implement, or enforce the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' (ATF) proposed rule (2022R-17) defining "engaged in the business as a dealer in firearms." This bill directly affects the ATF by blocking funding for this specific regulatory rule, which was proposed in August 2023. The legislation does not create new requirements but prevents federal resources from being used to advance this particular ATF regulation.

Maddy summaryHR 6733, the American Investment Accountability Act, requires U.S. businesses to report certain investments to Congress. It targets "covered United States businesses" (non-small U.S. entities or foreign entities with significant U.S. ownership) making direct or portfolio investments exceeding specific thresholds ($5 million single transactions for direct investments, $10 million for portfolio) in "countries of concern" (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela) or "covered entities" tied to those countries. The bill mandates quarterly reports from the Commerce Department (tracking direct investments by sector and location), Treasury (tracking portfolio investments), and the SEC (tracking corporate actions like spin-offs or mergers involving covered entities). These reports will detail investment values, locations, and transaction sizes, with data disaggregated by sector and U.S. state. The law focuses solely on transparency, requiring no new investment restrictions.

Maddy summaryHJRES 88 is a resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment options for federal student loan borrowers. The rule, published in the Federal Register on July 10, 2023, targeted the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. This resolution uses the Congressional Review Act process to disapprove the rule, preventing it from taking effect and preserving the current repayment structure. If enacted, it would stop the proposed changes to repayment terms without altering existing loan policies.

This resolution disapproves of the United Nations' recommendations to reduce meat consumption in their global food systems' road map and opposes the use of federal resources to reduce meat consumption.

Maddy summaryHR 6670, the REAL Trucking Act, would lower the minimum age for commercial truck drivers from 21 to 18 years old. The bill requires the Transportation Secretary to update federal regulations within 180 days of enactment to implement this change, directly affecting young drivers seeking commercial trucking jobs. It also repeals a provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that previously maintained the 21-year age requirement. This is a direct policy change to trucking regulations, not a funding or program measure.

Maddy summaryThe Innovative FEED Act of 2023 defines and regulates "zootechnical animal food substances" - substances added to animal feed to affect digestion, reduce foodborne pathogens, or alter gut microbiome without providing nutrition. It requires these substances to be approved as food additives by the FDA under existing rules, with specific data on intended effects and mandatory labeling stating "Not for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals." The bill excludes drugs, hormones, ionophores, and other substances from this category. This directly affects animal feed manufacturers, the FDA’s regulatory process, and the labeling requirements for these products.