Rep. Jake Auchincloss

Maddy summaryHR 7866, the United States-Israel Anti-Tunnel Cooperation Enhancement Act, increases funding for U.S.-Israel collaboration on anti-tunnel technology from $50 million to $80 million. The bill directly affects U.S. defense and homeland security agencies working with Israel to detect, map, and disrupt underground terror tunnels used by groups like Hamas. Key provisions include authorizing the higher funding level under existing law to enhance joint efforts against subterranean threats, such as tunnels used for attacks, weapon storage, and hostage holding beneath civilian areas in Gaza. This focuses on concrete policy changes to scale up bilateral cooperation on a specific security technology.

Maddy summaryHR 7746, the "Destroy Zombie Guns Act," requires businesses that destroy firearms to destroy every component of a firearm during the process, not just parts of it. This law directly affects licensed firearm destruction businesses and individuals operating as regular business to destroy firearms for profit. The bill amends federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922) to make it unlawful to fail this complete destruction, adding penalties including fines, up to 2 years in prison, and license suspension or revocation for licensed destroyers who violate the rule. The key mechanism ensures no firearm parts remain usable after destruction, targeting incomplete destruction practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. app stores, hosting services, and distributors from enabling foreign adversary-controlled applications (like TikTok, owned by ByteDance) to operate within U.S. borders. It requires companies to provide users with their data in a machine-readable format before a ban takes effect, and imposes civil penalties of up to $5,000 per affected user for violations. The law directly affects major app platforms, app stores, and internet hosting services, targeting applications owned by entities controlled by designated "foreign adversary" countries (e.g., China). It includes exemptions for companies that divest U.S. operations to non-adversary entities before the ban date.

Maddy summaryHR 7634, the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, prohibits plastic pellets and pre-production plastic materials from being discharged into water through wastewater, spills, or runoff from specific facilities. It directly affects plastic polymer production facilities, plastic molding and forming facilities, and any point source (like packaging or transport operations) handling plastic pellets. The bill requires the EPA to issue a final rule within 60 days of enactment banning these discharges and updating all relevant wastewater, stormwater, and performance standards in permits and regulations. This creates a legal requirement for facilities to prevent plastic pellet pollution in waterways, targeting a major source of ocean plastic pollution.

Maddy summaryThe American High-Speed Rail Act authorizes $35 billion annually for high-speed rail corridor development (with $3 billion for corridor planning), requiring at least 20% of project costs to come from non-Federal sources. It defines "high-speed rail" as services reaching 186+ mph and "higher-speed rail" as 110-186 mph, with no more than 20% of funds allocated to higher-speed rail projects. Key provisions include allowing advance acquisition of rail corridors before environmental reviews, creating tax exclusions for rail carriers selling property to high-speed rail projects, and requiring consideration of equity, sustainability, and economic development impacts in planning. The bill affects federal agencies, state and local governments, rail carriers, and communities along proposed rail corridors.

Maddy summaryHR 7534, the Verifying Kids’ Online Privacy Act, raises the age of "child" under online privacy law from 13 to 16 and requires websites and apps to verify a user's age before collecting data. It prohibits companies from selling or reusing age verification data and mandates deleting such data 30 days after an account closes. The bill also creates a Children’s Online Safety Fund, using COPPA civil penalties to provide grants for school digital literacy programs focused on online safety and mental health. These changes directly affect online platforms serving children and fund digital safety education for children in schools.

Maddy summaryHR 7384, the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act of 2024, extends the deadline for issuing priority review vouchers to pharmaceutical companies developing treatments for rare pediatric diseases. The bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to push the program’s expiration from 2024 to 2028 and adjusts another related deadline to 2030. This directly affects drug manufacturers seeking faster FDA review for new treatments targeting rare childhood illnesses. The extension ensures continued incentives for developing these critical therapies without altering the core voucher mechanism.

Maddy summaryHRES 1014 is a symbolic House resolution commemorating the Ukrainian people's sacrifices two years after Russia's February 24, 2022, invasion. It recognizes the war's devastating toll, including over 10,000 civilian deaths, 19,000 abducted children, and 10 million displaced people, while condemning Russia's actions. The resolution reaffirms U.S. support for Ukraine, condemns Vladimir Putin's regime, and stands in solidarity with Ukraine's defense of democratic values. As a commemorative resolution, it has no binding effect but formally acknowledges Ukraine's struggle and resilience. It directly honors Ukrainian civilians, soldiers, and those displaced by Russia's war of aggression.

Maddy summaryHRES 966 is a symbolic resolution condemning alleged sexual violence committed by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. It specifically references eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and Hamas fighters' admissions of ordering gang rape, sexual mutilation, and assault against Israeli civilians. The resolution calls for international condemnation of such acts as weapons of war, urges nations to criminalize sexual violence, and supports investigations into Hamas' actions. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals but formally expresses the House's position on the issue.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts how credit reporting companies share homebuyers' credit reports during mortgage applications. It prevents companies from sending these reports to third parties (like marketers) just because a lender requested them for a mortgage. Only specific entities can receive the reports: the mortgage lender who originated the loan, the company servicing the loan, or the bank holding the homebuyer's account. This directly protects homebuyers' privacy by limiting unauthorized sharing of their financial data.