Rep. Mike Quigley

Maddy summaryHR 3238, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023, updates the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to increase the availability of affordable housing across the United States. The bill makes several key changes including increasing state funding formulas, modifying tenant eligibility rules to better serve vulnerable populations (such as domestic violence victims and students), and expanding credit eligibility for projects in rural and Native American communities. Specific provisions raise the credit for properties serving extremely low-income households, clarify rules around tenant income increases, and require housing providers to protect victims of domestic violence. The bill also updates terminology from "low-income" to "affordable" throughout the tax code and enhances program transparency through data sharing requirements. These changes aim to make the LIHTC program more effective at creating and preserving affordable housing units for low-income households nationwide.

Maddy summaryThe SITE Act streamlines the approval process for large interstate electric transmission projects that cross state lines and exceed 1,000 megawatts in capacity. It establishes a new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) certification process requiring consultation with states, tribes, and affected landowners, along with a 90-day public comment period for environmental documents. The bill creates specific rules for acquiring land through eminent domain, including requirements for fair compensation based on appraisals, and gives landowners protections like the ability to demand property return if projects aren't completed on time. FERC gains exclusive jurisdiction over these projects, with limited exceptions for certain environmental laws. The law aims to balance the need for new transmission infrastructure with protections for affected landowners.

Maddy summaryHR 2757, the Puerto Rico Status Act, establishes a process for Puerto Rico to determine its political status through a plebiscite on November 2, 2025, offering three options: independence, sovereignty in free association with the United States, or statehood. If no option receives a majority in the initial vote, a runoff plebiscite would be held on March 8, 2026. The bill outlines transition processes for each option, including constitutional conventions, implementation steps, and provisions for citizenship, immigration, and economic benefits. It mandates bilingual voter education materials and requires oversight by the Elections Commission and the Attorney General to ensure fair representation of all options. This legislation directly affects Puerto Rico's residents by providing a structured process to choose their permanent political relationship with the United States.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 37 is a non-binding congressional resolution expressing that Congress views climate change as an emergency requiring a massive national mobilization. It states that human-caused climate change severely impacts U.S. economic well-being, health, safety, and national security, and urges the President to use existing authorities to accelerate climate action. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but emphasizes the need for urgent, equitable efforts to reduce emissions, address environmental injustice, and support vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by climate impacts. It cites rising global temperatures, extreme weather costs ($165 billion in U.S. disasters in 2022), and the Inflation Reduction Act as context, while clarifying it does not declare an actual national emergency.

Maddy summaryHRES 355 is a non-binding resolution supporting the designation of May 2023 as National Brain Tumor Awareness Month. It encourages public awareness of brain tumors, promotes collaborative research for improved treatments, and honors individuals living with or affected by brain tumors. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic statement by the House of Representatives. It references statistics on brain tumor diagnoses, survival rates, and treatment challenges to underscore the importance of awareness. The resolution directly affects public discourse and advocacy efforts, not specific individuals or programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a restriction that previously barred people in jail or prison while awaiting trial from receiving Medicaid health benefits. It directly affects individuals in custody pending legal proceedings by allowing states to provide Medicaid coverage for their medical care during this time. The bill also allocates $50 million in planning grants to help states develop systems to enroll these individuals, recruit healthcare providers who can serve them, and establish electronic billing for services provided in correctional facilities or through outpatient care. Key provisions require states to assess healthcare needs, eliminate policy barriers, and create plans to increase provider participation in Medicaid for this population.

Maddy summaryHR 3008, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2023, requires manufacturers of critical essential medicines (like life-saving or emergency drugs) to notify the FDA earlier about potential supply disruptions. Specifically, manufacturers must report permanent production stops, interruptions, or unexpected demand spikes (not seasonal) at least six months in advance for production issues, or within 48 hours for sustained demand increases. The notification must include reasons, ingredient sources, alternative suppliers, and expected duration. The FDA will then share this information with healthcare providers and patient groups to help manage shortages. This law applies to drugs critical for life-sustaining care, excluding certain radio pharmaceuticals.

Maddy summaryThe SAFE Banking Act of 2023 would protect banks and financial institutions that provide services to state-legal marijuana businesses and hemp-related businesses by preventing federal regulators from taking adverse actions against them solely for serving these businesses. It clarifies that income from state-legal marijuana businesses can be considered for mortgage applications, and requires regulators to update guidance on suspicious activity reports related to these businesses. The bill does not require financial institutions to serve these businesses, but ensures they won't face penalties for doing so. It extends similar protections to hemp-related businesses, which have faced banking challenges despite being federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits forced arbitration for race discrimination claims under federal, tribal, state, or local law. It makes pre-existing arbitration agreements unenforceable for disputes involving discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, allowing affected individuals to pursue cases in court instead. The law directly impacts employees, job applicants, and others facing alleged race discrimination who would otherwise be barred from court by mandatory arbitration clauses. It requires courts - not arbitrators - to decide if the law applies to a dispute, ensuring legal clarity for affected parties.

Maddy summaryThe Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 updates federal law to explicitly include "Postal Service police officers" alongside Postal Inspectors as authorized personnel for enforcing regulations on U.S. Postal Service property. It clarifies that the Postmaster General can establish and post rules for protecting postal property, with violations punishable by fines or up to 30 days in jail. This change directly affects USPS police officers (by formalizing their role), the Postmaster General (by expanding regulatory authority), and anyone on postal property who must follow posted rules. The bill makes existing enforcement procedures more explicit without altering penalties or creating new requirements.