Rep. André Carson

Maddy summaryThe Outdoors for All Act establishes a federal grant program to fund outdoor recreation projects in underserved communities. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award grants to eligible entities (like states, cities, tribal organizations, or nonprofits) for acquiring land, developing parks, or renovating outdoor facilities in qualifying urban areas (population 25,000+ or tribal lands) or low-income communities (where 30%+ of residents have incomes at or below 80% of local median income or 200% of the federal poverty line). Grants require a 100% cash or in-kind match (with limited waivers), prohibit funding for indoor facilities or maintenance, and prioritize projects enhancing park access, engaging youth, creating jobs, or improving environmental benefits like reducing urban heat islands. The program mandates annual reporting and focuses on concrete community outcomes rather than speculative results.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the removal of specific memorials honoring Francis G. Newlands from a fountain at Chevy Chase Circle (Connecticut Avenue and Western Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.). It requires removing a brass plaque, a stone tablet, and carved inscriptions bearing his name from the memorial fountain's grounds and face. The bill offers these removed items to Newlands' descendants for 60 days; if unclaimed, they will be stored by the National Park Service in Rock Creek Park's museum. The bill is purely procedural, affecting only the physical memorial and its associated items, with no broader policy changes.

Maddy summaryHRES 26 is a symbolic House resolution expressing support for replacing the phrase "Thank you for your service" with "Thank you for our freedom" when acknowledging military members and veterans. It does not change any laws or require government action, but urges the public, Congress, and the President to adopt the new phrase as a way to honor those who protect American freedom. The resolution cites a historical anecdote about a Navy pilot to argue that the revised phrase better reflects the military's role in preserving freedom. It directly affects public messaging and cultural recognition of service members, not legal rights or benefits. The resolution has no binding effect on federal policy or funding.

Establishing Accreditation Grants for Law Enforcement Act of 2023 or the EAGLE Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Justice to provide grants to eligible local law enforcement agencies for activities related to obtaining qualified accreditation or recertification. Such accreditation or recertification shall be provided by a professional law enforcement organization involved in developing standards for law enforcement at the national, state, regional, or tribal level, such as the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Maddy summaryThe Jobs to Compete Act creates a new Workforce Pell Grant program to support students in short-term career training programs. These programs must be between 150-600 clock hours (or equivalent), align with high-demand occupations, and demonstrate graduates earn at least 20% more than before completing the program. Institutions offering qualifying programs must publicly report detailed information including tuition costs, completion rates, employment outcomes, and graduate earnings. The bill requires programs to meet specific quality standards including industry alignment, provision of recognized credentials, and transparency about student outcomes. This program targets students in career and technical education programs who may not pursue traditional four-year degrees.

Maddy summaryHR 1654, the DEPOSIT Act, imposes a new tax on certain bank executives' bonuses and stock profits when their bank fails and the FDIC becomes conservator or receiver. It specifically targets executives who earned over $250,000 (adjusted for excluded profits) in the year before their bank's failure and received bonuses within 60 days prior to the FDIC takeover or sold bank stock within that same period. The tax adds 90% of bonus profits and 100% of stock profit amounts to the executive's regular income tax. All revenue generated from this tax will be directed to the Deposit Insurance Fund, which protects bank deposits.

Maddy summaryHR 1520 reauthorizes the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program through 2028 with $3.5 billion annually. It expands eligible uses to include infrastructure for alternative fuels (like hydrogen or electric vehicle charging) and projects that diversify energy supplies. State and local governments would receive grants for initiatives such as district heating systems, distributed energy resources, or fuel delivery infrastructure. The bill explicitly allows funding for projects that expand alternative fuel access, building on the 2007 Energy Independence Act framework. This represents a concrete policy update to modernize program eligibility and funding levels.

Maddy summaryHR 1423, the 911 Community Crisis Responders Act of 2023, provides federal grants to states, tribes, and local governments to establish unarmed mobile crisis response teams. These teams respond to nonviolent 911 calls involving mental health, substance use, homelessness, or disabilities - instead of sending police - offering services like de-escalation, referrals to treatment, and transportation. The bill requires teams to operate in groups of two or more, avoid law enforcement oversight, and coordinate with 911 systems to triage calls. Grantees must collect data on call volumes, demographics, and outcomes like reduced ER visits, with reports submitted biannually to the Secretary and Congress.

Maddy summaryHRES 231 requires all House Members, Delegates, Resident Commissioners, officers, and employees to complete annual medical emergency preparedness training. The training, provided by the Office of the Attending Physician, must cover cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use. New staff must complete the training within 90 days of starting their position, and all staff must renew it annually. Certification of completion will be issued by the Office of the Attending Physician, and the rule takes effect 90 days after the resolution is adopted.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - female telephone operators who served in the Army Signal Corps during World War I. They provided critical battlefield communications in France (connecting 26 million calls), wore military uniforms, and faced combat risks, but were denied veteran benefits for 60 years due to being classified as civilian contractors. The medal recognizes their pioneering service, devotion, and the decades-long struggle to gain military recognition. The award follows similar recognition for other WWII women veterans and aims to correct the historical injustice they faced.