Rep. James P. McGovern

Maddy summaryHR 969 (GAAME Act of 2023) requires public schools receiving federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide structured, standards-aligned arts and music education. It mandates that schools offer sequential arts education (defined as dance, media arts, theater, and visual arts) taught by state-certified arts educators, and sequential music education taught by state-certified music educators. The bill also directs targeted funding for schools to support certified educators, professional development, supplies, instruments, and other resources needed for these programs. This directly affects all public elementary and secondary schools participating in federal education programs, aiming to ensure consistent access to arts and music instruction.

Maddy summaryHR 932 repeals two key congressional authorizations for military force in Iraq: the 1991 resolution (Public Law 102-1) and the 2002 resolution (Public Law 107-243). This bill removes the legal foundation that has permitted U.S. military operations in Iraq for over two decades. It directly affects the executive branch’s authority to conduct military actions under these specific resolutions, requiring future operations to seek new congressional approval. The repeal is a procedural change that would end the statutory basis for ongoing military engagement in Iraq without altering other laws or policies.

Maddy summaryHR 971, the Black History Matters Act, directs the Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture to study Black history education in public elementary and secondary schools. The 3-year study will identify which schools require Black history curriculum, assess teaching quality through discussions and materials, and analyze how schools measure student understanding. It does not change school requirements but will produce a report for Congress on the current state of Black history education, including coverage of topics like slavery, Reconstruction, and systemic racism. The bill specifically defines "Black history education" as teaching the history of African Americans, including struggles against racism and discrimination. This is a procedural study bill, not a policy requiring new educational mandates.

Presidential Tax Transparency Act This bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for President and Vice President to disclose federal income tax returns for the ten most recent taxable years. The returns must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which must make the returns publicly available after redacting information that is necessary for protecting against identity theft, such as Social Security numbers. If the tax returns are not disclosed to the FEC as required by this bill, the Internal Revenue Service must provide the returns to the FEC upon receiving a written request from the FEC.

This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor to Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh). The resolution calls on the U.S. government to work with international partners to deploy observers to explore opportunities for security and peaceful development. The resolution also calls on the President to (1) suspend military and security assistance from the United States to Azerbaijan, and (2) fully enforce a U.S. law prohibiting certain bilateral assistance to Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan takes demonstrable steps to cease all offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

This resolution condemns the attack against Brazil's government institutions on January 8, 2023. The resolution opposes any attempt to overturn Brazil's 2022 election results and calls for the U.S. government to cooperate with requests for assistance from Brazilian authorities investigating the attack.

Maddy summaryHR 882, the American Teacher Act, requires states to ensure full-time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools earn at least $60,000 annually (adjusted for inflation), with part-time teachers receiving proportional pay. It provides federal grants to states to fund these salary increases, mandating sustainability plans beyond the 4-year grant period and prioritizing schools in high-poverty areas. The bill also includes cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index and funds a national campaign to promote teaching as a career. It explicitly states grant funds must supplement existing education budgets without reducing current teacher pay or state loan forgiveness programs.

Restoring Communities Left Behind Act This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a competitive grant program for local partnerships to carry out neighborhood revitalization support activities in economically distressed areas. Eligible activities include weatherization and energy efficiency improvements; housing accessibility improvements for seniors and persons with disabilities; purchasing delinquent mortgages; pre-purchase counseling and down payment assistance for prospective homebuyers; purchasing and developing vacant or distressed properties to create affordable rental housing and for other purposes; and improving parks, sidewalks, and street lighting.

Maddy summaryThe Better Care Better Jobs Act (HR 547) aims to improve access to home and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid beneficiaries by providing states with planning grants and enhanced federal funding. States that develop approved HCBS infrastructure improvement plans will receive a 10 percentage point increase in federal Medicaid funding for HCBS services, with additional incentives for self-directed care programs. The bill requires states to address barriers to access, expand workforce development, improve payment rates for direct care workers, and track demographic data on service utilization. It also establishes quality measurement requirements and mandates regular reporting on progress toward improving HCBS access and quality.

Maddy summaryHR 811 transfers command authority over the District of Columbia National Guard from the U.S. President and federal officials to the Mayor of Washington, D.C. The bill amends multiple laws, including the 1889 Act governing the District's militia and titles 10 and 32 of U.S. Code, to replace references to the President, Secretary of the Army, or "commanding general" with the Mayor. This change directly affects how the D.C. National Guard is organized, deployed, and managed, placing the Mayor as the ultimate commander-in-chief. The bill makes no changes to the Guard's missions or funding, only to the chain of command. It aligns D.C. National Guard authority with the District's home rule framework.