Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the use of 529 college savings accounts to cover career training and credentialing costs. It allows funds to pay for tuition, fees, books, and testing expenses related to recognized postsecondary credential programs (like vocational certifications) that meet specific standards under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The change directly affects workers seeking industry-recognized credentials - such as nursing certifications or IT certifications - instead of traditional degrees. It treats these expenses the same as traditional college costs for 529 account withdrawals, making it easier to save for career-focused training. The provision applies to expenses paid after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryHRES 200 is a non-binding House resolution condemning two mass shootings in California: 11 victims in Monterey Park (January 21, 2023) at a Lunar New Year celebration and 7 victims in Half Moon Bay (January 23, 2023) at a farm. It honors all victims - primarily Asian-American seniors and immigrant farmworkers - expresses condolences to their families, and reaffirms the House’s commitment to supporting Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. The resolution specifically addresses the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic and recognizes the vulnerability of immigrant communities. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or allocate funding but formally condemns the violence and affirms solidarity.

This resolution expresses the sense that the federal government should adopt a global health solidarity strategy to end medically avertable deaths and respond to the full burden of disease in poor countries; the federal government should use laws and diplomatic influence to stop ongoing economic harms to the global South; and it is the duty of the federal government to issue reparations, including for slavery and colonialism.

Maddy summaryThe STEM RESTART Act creates a federal grant program to help mid-career workers, particularly women and people from underrepresented racial groups, return to STEM careers. It provides funding for small and medium-sized businesses to establish "returnship" programs that offer above-entry-level positions with full benefits for 10 weeks or more. The program requires grantees to track participants' demographics and employment outcomes, with $50 million authorized annually from 2024-2028. These returnships must provide compensation equivalent to full-time employees with similar experience, including benefits like health care and child care. The bill targets workers who left the workforce but want to return, especially those from rural areas or underrepresented populations.

Maddy summaryHR 1387, the Civics Learning Act of 2023, amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to strengthen civics education in public schools. It requires states to prioritize innovative civics teaching - including lessons on the Constitution, civil rights history, and community engagement - and allocates $70 million for grants to schools, with specific funding targets (30% for elementary, 30% for middle, max 40% for high school). The bill directly affects public elementary, middle, and high schools, particularly those serving high-need communities, by mandating new curriculum activities like service learning, student governance participation, and after-school programs. Grants must include reporting on how schools meet civics education goals, with the Department of Education required to submit annual progress reports to Congress.

Maddy summaryThe Farm System Reform Act of 2023 establishes a moratorium on new large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and requires existing large CAFOs to cease operations by January 1, 2040. It creates a voluntary debt forgiveness and transition assistance program to help AFO owners pay off construction and operational debts while transitioning to alternative agricultural activities. The bill also amends the Packers and Stockyards Act to require packers to purchase 50% of livestock through spot market sales from nonaffiliated producers and prohibits certain unfair pricing practices. Additionally, it restores mandatory country of origin labeling for beef and pork and expands labeling requirements to include dairy products, requiring "Product of U.S.A." labels only when meat is exclusively derived from animals born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes requirements for large industrial agricultural operations (defined as those owning or controlling significant numbers of livestock) to create disaster mitigation plans, register with a new Office of High-Risk AFO Disaster Mitigation and Enforcement, and report depopulation activities. It prohibits certain inhumane depopulation methods like ventilation shutdown and sodium nitrite poisoning, and requires covered operators to cover costs of depopulation, disposal, and compensation for workers and neighboring communities affected by disasters. The bill also sets new labor standards including health insurance coverage and severance pay for workers involved in disaster mitigation events, improves transport standards for livestock, and requires humane treatment of nonambulatory animals. It includes funding for additional OSHA and FSIS inspectors to enforce these requirements, directly affecting large industrial agricultural operators, their workers, and neighboring communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows asylum seekers not in detention to obtain work authorization 30 days after filing their asylum application, provided their application isn't deemed frivolous. It directly affects individuals seeking asylum in the U.S. who are awaiting a final decision on their case. The authorization remains valid until the asylum application receives a final denial, including any administrative or court appeals. This changes the prior system where many asylum seekers faced prolonged work restrictions while their cases were processed.

Maddy summaryHR 1322 expands federal retirement benefits to include specific non-traditional law enforcement roles. It adds IRS employees focused on tax collection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service staff, Department of Veterans Affairs police officers, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized property specialists to the definition of "law enforcement officer" under federal retirement systems. Current employees in these newly covered positions must elect to pay deposits for past service to receive full retirement credit, while their agencies must contribute additional funds for that past service. The bill also temporarily prevents mandatory separation for current law enforcement officers for three years after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Military Spouse Hiring Act expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include military spouses. Employers who hire a spouse of an active-duty military member - certified by a local agency as meeting eligibility requirements on the hiring date - can claim this tax credit. The credit reduces the employer's federal tax liability for hiring such individuals. This provision applies to new hires after the bill's enactment date.