Rep. Zachary Nunn

Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act of 202 3 This bill establishes a loan program within the Farm Service Agency to assist agricultural producers in purchasing precision agriculture equipment and technology, such as geospatial mapping, data management and analytics software, and network connectivity products and solutions. Precision agriculture refers to managing, tracking, or reducing crop or livestock production inputs, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time, at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality.

Maddy summaryThe PRECISE Act (HR 1459) modifies existing USDA loan and conservation programs to specifically support farmers and ranchers adopting precision agriculture technologies. It expands eligibility for loan guarantees and increases payments under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for practices involving precision agriculture - such as GPS-guided equipment, soil sensors, and data management software. The bill defines "precision agriculture" broadly to include technologies that reduce input use (like fertilizer or water) while improving efficiency, and requires USDA agencies to coordinate on these programs. Directly affects farmers using EQIP/CSP, with special provisions for socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers. It does not create new programs but adjusts existing funding mechanisms to prioritize precision agriculture adoption.

Maddy summaryThe MODERN WIC Act of 2023 modernizes the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program by expanding remote participation options for eligible individuals. It allows certification, recertification, and nutritional risk evaluations via phone, video, or other interactive technology (ensuring ADA accessibility), with states required to collect health data within 30-90 days for remote cases. The bill also permits remote delivery of food benefits (e.g., electronic transfers or mail) without in-person pickup and allocates $60 million for technology upgrades to improve program access and secure data sharing. A report to Congress on remote technology use must be submitted within one year, detailing impacts on participation, satisfaction, and best practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Veterans Affairs Secretary to expand or modify an existing national cemetery (under National Cemetery Administration control) before Arlington National Cemetery reaches capacity, ensuring it provides full military honors using the same standards and eligibility criteria that applied to Arlington as of March 31, 2023. It directly affects veterans and their families seeking burial with full military honors at national cemeteries nationwide. The bill also mandates a joint report within one year to Congress on expanding cemetery capacity and assessing whether interment criteria should recognize exceptional service, including impacts on women, non-combat veterans, and other groups. The key mechanism is preserving current military honors standards at alternative cemeteries to prevent Arlington's capacity limits from disrupting existing burial practices.

Maddy summaryHR 1139, the GUARD VA Benefits Act, amends federal law to strengthen penalties for individuals or organizations charging veterans unauthorized fees when helping with VA benefit claims. It directly affects veterans seeking assistance with VA claims and the representatives (like advocates or attorneys) who might charge them fees. The bill adds a new provision making it a violation to solicit, charge, or receive any fee for preparing, presenting, or prosecuting VA claims, punishable by fines under Title 18. This change specifically targets unauthorized fee-charging while excluding fees covered under existing exceptions in sections 5904 or 1984 of the law.

Maddy summaryHR 1818, the Aviation Workforce Development Act, expands tax-advantaged savings plans (529 plans) to cover costs for specific aviation training programs. It allows funds from these plans to pay for tuition, fees, and required materials at FAA-certified aviation maintenance technician schools (Part 147) or commercial pilot training programs (Part 61 or 141). This directly affects students pursuing careers as aircraft maintenance technicians or commercial pilots by making these training costs more affordable through existing tax-advantaged savings. The bill amends the tax code to include these programs under "qualified higher education expenses" for 529 plan distributions.

Maddy summaryHR 1831 would award Billie Jean King a Congressional Gold Medal to honor her lifelong advocacy for equal rights in sports and society. The bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike the medal and have it presented by congressional leaders, recognizing her pivotal role in advancing women's equality through tennis (including founding the Women’s Tennis Association and securing equal prize money) and her broader impact on society through initiatives like Title IX advocacy.

Maddy summaryHR 1806, the Small LENDER Act, reduces reporting burdens for small lenders by creating a phased transition period for new data collection rules under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. It requires regulators to give qualifying small lenders a 3-year period to comply with new rules and a subsequent 2-year "safe harbor" period during which they aren’t penalized for non-compliance. A "small business lender" is defined as one originating at least 500 small business loans (defined as loans to entities with $1 million or less in annual revenue) in each of the two prior calendar years. This directly affects small lenders meeting these volume thresholds, easing their administrative burden without changing existing lending standards.

Maddy summaryThe Bank Loan Privacy Act (HR 1810) requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to issue a rule with public notice and comment before deleting or modifying data related to credit applications. The rule must describe the intended data changes and explain how they protect consumer privacy. This law directly affects the CFPB's procedures for handling credit data, adding a transparency step before any data modifications. It does not change credit reporting content but mandates public input for privacy-focused data adjustments.

Maddy summaryHR 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, would require public schools receiving federal funding to provide parents with greater access to educational information. The bill mandates that schools post curricula online or widely distribute it to parents, include school budgets in report cards, and provide specific information about school activities including violent incidents and plans to eliminate gifted programs. It also guarantees parents the right to meet with teachers twice a year, review library materials, and address school boards. These requirements would apply to all local educational agencies and schools covered by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The bill amends existing education laws to strengthen parental transparency and involvement in their children's education.