Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky

Maddy summaryHR 7041, the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act of 2024, imposes a corporate tax penalty on large companies where the CEO's pay exceeds 50 times the average worker's pay. The penalty adds 0.5% to 5% to the corporate tax rate, depending on how much higher the CEO's pay is relative to workers (e.g., 50-100:1 ratio adds 0.5%, over 500:1 adds 5%). It applies only to corporations with over $100 million in average annual revenue, exempting smaller businesses. The law aims to address extreme pay disparities by increasing taxes on companies with the highest CEO-to-worker pay ratios, effective for tax years after 2024.

Maddy summaryThe Stronger Communities through Better Transit Act establishes a new federal grant program to improve public transportation service. It provides funding to urban areas, states, and Indian tribes to cover up to 50% of public transit operating costs (up to 80% in persistent poverty areas and 100% for Indian tribes), with requirements to report on service frequency, access to jobs, and conduct community surveys. The program mandates that a majority of funds must benefit underserved communities and areas of persistent poverty, defined as census tracts with high poverty rates or minority populations. Recipients must maintain their transit funding levels and report on improvements in access to essential services. The bill authorizes $20 billion annually for fiscal years 2024-2027.

Maddy summary# Summary of "Protecting Communities from Plastics Act" (Title II) This comprehensive legislation addresses the environmental, health, and environmental justice impacts of plastics production and use. Key provisions include: ## Environmental Justice Protections - Requires environmental justice assessments for permits of "covered facilities" (plastics manufacturing facilities) - Mandates consultation with "fenceline communities" (communities near facilities) including: * Prompt notification in multiple languages * Public hearings with translation services * Community benefit agreements - Establishes a 45-day waiting period before approving permits after public hearings ## Regulatory Requirements - Amends Clean Air Act to establish new source performance standards for plastics facilities - Requires continuous monitoring of air emissions (benzene, nitrogen oxides, etc.) - Amends Clean Water Act to prohibit discharge of plastic pellets in wastewater - Requires financial assurance for facility closure and emergency response - Prohibits new facility permits within 5 miles of community buildings (schools, hospitals, etc.) ## Research and Monitoring - Requires study of microplastics in food (including fish, meat, fruits, vegetables) - Mandates research on microplastics in human bodies (urine, breastmilk, stool) - Establishes a pilot program to test technologies for microplastic removal - Requires inventory of plastics manufacturing and distribution ## Additional Provisions - Temporary permitting moratorium on new plastics facilities (during "temporary pause period") - Requires listing of discarded polyvinyl chloride as hazardous waste - Limits National Recycling Strategy to exclude chemical recycling technologies - Creates grants to reduce single-use plastics in agricultural packaging - Requires biodegradable alternatives to plastic weed barriers The legislation aims to address the disproportionate environmental and health impacts of plastics production on vulnerable communities while establishing comprehensive regulatory frameworks for plastics manufacturing and disposal.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the rule for replacing SNAP (food assistance) benefits stolen through skimming, ensuring affected households receive the exact amount stolen. It directly affects SNAP recipients who have had benefits unlawfully accessed via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) skimming. The key change specifies that replacement benefits must equal the precise amount stolen from a household, replacing the previous formula. This adjustment removes prior language that may have limited or altered the replacement amount. The policy change takes effect under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis resolution commemorates the 60th anniversary of President Johnson's 1964 War on Poverty declaration and acknowledges its historical achievements, such as creating Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, alongside its shortcomings. It specifically notes the War on Poverty's failure to adequately address fair employment, workforce preparation, and racial disparities in poverty, while recognizing that current antipoverty policies have not adapted to today's challenges. The resolution is purely symbolic, with no new policy requirements, and urges continued efforts to address poverty through existing frameworks.

Maddy summaryHR 7007, the BEST Act, provides federal grants to states to establish or improve Seal of Biliteracy programs recognizing students proficient in English and one additional language. It requires states to include Native American languages as a base language (allowing proficiency in them to substitute for English) and ensures equitable access for English learners, students with disabilities, and heritage language learners. The $10 million annual funding (2024-2028) supports program administration, public outreach, and subsidizing testing for low-income students. States must award students a permanent seal on diplomas or transcripts upon meeting state-set proficiency criteria for speaking and writing in both languages.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores visa eligibility for immigrants who had diversity visas allocated for fiscal years 2017-2022 but were denied entry due to specific travel restrictions (like Executive Orders 13769/13780 or related proclamations) or pandemic-related delays. The State Department must notify affected individuals within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, giving them one year to confirm they wish to proceed with their visa applications. Unused visas from those years can be reallocated without counting against current annual limits, and applicants who fail to respond or are denied for standard reasons (like education requirements) lose eligibility. The policy directly affects individuals impacted by these specific past barriers to immigration.

Maddy summaryHRES 967 would amend House rules to allow Members who have recently given birth to vote by proxy for up to six weeks after childbirth. Specifically, a new rule permits a Member to designate another Member as their proxy during this period to cast votes on their behalf. The proxy cannot be used to count the Member's presence for quorum purposes in the House or its committees. This change directly affects female Members during their postpartum leave, with no other proxy voting allowed under the amendment.

Maddy summaryHRES 963 is a symbolic resolution honoring Korean American Day, which commemorates the January 13, 1903 arrival of the first large wave of Korean immigrants to the U.S. It recognizes Korean Americans' contributions to U.S. society, including their economic, cultural, and military impacts, and marks the 121st anniversary of this historic migration. The resolution urges all Americans to observe Korean American Day to appreciate these contributions. As a commemorative measure, it does not create new policies or affect specific groups beyond this ceremonial recognition.

Maddy summaryHRES 960, the RESPECT Resolution, is a non-binding congressional resolution urging states and localities to adopt equity-focused cannabis policies. It outlines 15 specific best practices, including eliminating criminal penalties for cannabis possession, reforming licensing fees to be cost-based, prioritizing licenses for communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis enforcement (such as formerly incarcerated individuals and low-income residents), and creating automatic expungement for cannabis offenses. The resolution also calls for reinvesting cannabis tax revenue into communities harmed by prohibition and urges the U.S. to advocate for global descheduling of cannabis at the United Nations. It directly addresses racial disparities in enforcement and market access, particularly for people of color who face barriers to entering the legal cannabis industry.