Rep. Troy A. Carter

Maddy summaryHRES 754 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of Latinas in the United States. It highlights Latinas' roles in business (owning over 2 million businesses), military service (45,710 active duty), arts (Oscar-winning artists like Rita Moreno), and public service, while noting persistent challenges like the 57-cent pay gap. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally honors these contributions and acknowledges the need for further progress toward equality. It was introduced by multiple representatives and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of September 25-29, 2023, as "National Clean Energy Week" to recognize the growing role of clean energy in the U.S. economy. It expresses support for clean energy jobs and innovation, noting the sector employed about 8.1 million people in 2022. The resolution encourages federal, state, and local investment in affordable clean energy technologies and promotes "commonsense solutions" for energy needs. As a symbolic gesture, it has no legal force or funding implications - it simply urges recognition of clean energy's economic and environmental contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the CDC to launch public education campaigns about blood clot risks, symptoms, and prevention, with special focus on high-risk groups including Black Americans, cancer patients, seniors, and hospitalized individuals. It creates a new 18-month advisory committee to study DVT/PE data collection, develop prevention guidelines, and recommend improved care standards for at-risk patients. The bill also mandates a federal study on electronic health record systems for better DVT/PE surveillance and authorizes $20 million annually for these efforts through fiscal year 2029. These provisions aim to reduce preventable deaths and improve early diagnosis, directly affecting millions at risk of blood clots nationwide.

Maddy summaryHR 5667, the Pay Our Military Act, ensures continued pay and allowances for active-duty military members, reservists, Department of Defense civilians, and qualifying contractors during any government funding gap in fiscal year 2024. It appropriates funds from the Treasury to cover these payments if regular appropriations bills aren't passed before the end of the fiscal year. The funding automatically terminates once regular appropriations are enacted or by January 1, 2025, whichever comes first.

Maddy summaryThe Feed Our Families Act of 2023 ensures SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits continue for 90 days during the first government shutdown in any fiscal year after 2023. It appropriates emergency funds from the Treasury to cover SNAP operations without requiring new congressional approval during this period. The funds are held in reserve and used solely for SNAP program needs, such as food assistance payments. This directly affects low-income households relying on SNAP for food security during funding gaps.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to adjust contract prices to reimburse contractors for paying employees during government funding lapses (e.g., shutdowns). It covers costs for furloughed, laid-off, or reduced-hour workers, or for restoring paid leave used during the lapse, with a weekly cap of $1,442 per employee. Directly affecting federal contractors and their employees who experienced work disruptions due to funding gaps, it mandates agencies to make these adjustments promptly after enactment. Contractors must provide proof of costs, and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy must report on implementation to Congress within a year.

Maddy summaryHR 5807, the MICROGRID Extension Act, extends a federal tax credit for microgrid controller systems from expiring at the end of 2024 to December 31, 2032. This credit helps businesses and communities offset costs for installing microgrids - localized energy systems that operate independently during power outages to serve vulnerable areas. The extension applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, directly benefiting developers and local governments investing in resilient energy infrastructure. It provides continued financial incentive for projects that enhance power reliability in communities prone to grid disruptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to implement concrete measures to ensure equitable disaster response and assistance. It mandates FEMA to modify data collection systems, develop equity criteria for all programs, appoint an equity advisor, and establish a steering group with diverse representation - all to address barriers faced by underserved communities (including racial minorities, rural areas, low-income populations, and those with disabilities). FEMA must also submit annual reports to Congress on progress and metrics measuring equity impacts, while the GAO will review FEMA’s decision-making factors for disaster declarations. These changes directly affect how FEMA delivers federal disaster aid, aiming to reduce disparities in access and outcomes for communities historically underserved in emergency management.

Maddy summaryThe WIC for Kids Act expands eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) by adding new qualifying pathways. It allows children to qualify if they live in households where someone receives Head Start, Indian reservation food assistance, or Puerto Rico/Northern Mariana Islands nutrition block grants, and streamlines documentation by permitting states to use existing records. The bill extends certification periods for children from one to two years and automatically enrolls infants born to current WIC participants. This directly affects low-income families with children who qualify for related assistance programs but previously faced barriers to WIC access.

This concurrent resolution (1) recognizes the 133 years of significant and meaningful contributions the 1890 Institutions (i.e., historically Black universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890) have made to the United States, (2) supports the efforts of the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies to build stronger partnerships with such institutions, and (3) commits to working in a bipartisan way to address the past funding and program inequities of such institutions.