Rep. Seth Moulton

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.

Correcting Guam's History in the PACT Act This bill expands eligibility for a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. Under the bill, service performed in Guam or its territorial waters between August 15, 1958, and July 31, 1980, provides a veteran who has a specified disease that is associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents with eligibility for a presumption of service-connection. (Under current law, the eligible time frame for service in Guam is between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980.)

Maddy summaryHCONRES 23 is a non-binding resolution expressing Congress's support for recognizing March 10, 2023, as "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day." It honors abortion providers and clinic staff for delivering essential reproductive healthcare amid increased restrictions following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. The resolution condemns the Dobbs ruling, affirms Congress's commitment to protecting providers' safety, and emphasizes ensuring access to abortion care. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or change existing policies.

Maddy summaryThe New Deal for New Americans Act of 2023 establishes a National Office of New Americans within the Executive Office of the President to coordinate federal efforts supporting immigrant and refugee integration. It creates several grant programs to provide legal assistance, English language training, and workforce development for immigrants, with specific provisions to reduce financial barriers to citizenship through fee waivers and modifications to English language requirements for seniors. The bill also establishes a "Proud to Be a United States Citizen Program" to promote naturalization and creates automatic voter registration for newly naturalized citizens. These provisions directly affect immigrants and refugees seeking citizenship and integration support, as well as federal agencies responsible for immigration services. The bill aims to improve access to citizenship, enhance integration into American society, and support refugees through comprehensive federal coordination.

Stabilizing Vulnerable Banks Act This bill increases the oversight of certain nonbank financial companies and bank holding companies by repealing Title IV of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 115-174). (A nonbank financial company is a financial institution without a banking license that may be subject to supervision due to the company's size or risk profile. A bank holding company owns a controlling interest in one or more banks.) Specifically, the bill decreases from $250 billion to $50 billion the asset threshold at which enhanced prudential standards become mandatory, thereby requiring more companies to comply with these standards. These standards include stress testing, leverage limits, liquidity requirements, and resolution plan requirements (i.e., living will requirements). Under current law, the Federal Reserve has the discretion to determine the applicability of these standards to bank holding companies with assets between $100 billion and $250 billion. The bill also expands stress testing by increasing the number of board-run stress test scenarios from two to three; decreasing the asset threshold at which company-run stress tests are required from $250 billion to $10 billion; and requiring company-run stress tests to be performed annually or semiannually, depending on the amount of assets held. The bill also decreases from $50 billion to $10 billion the asset threshold for mandatory risk committees.

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.

Maddy summaryThe PHIT Act of 2023 allows individuals and families to deduct certain fitness expenses as medical costs on their federal taxes. It covers gym memberships, fitness classes, and specific equipment used exclusively for exercise (like home workout gear), with a yearly limit of $1,000 ($2,000 for joint returns). Expenses for activities like golf, hunting, or non-exercise-focused facilities (e.g., private clubs) are excluded, and equipment must be used solely for physical activity. This directly affects taxpayers who pay for qualifying fitness programs, making these costs partially tax-deductible under revised IRS rules.

Maddy summaryThe SVB Act (HR 1602) repeals Title IV of the 2018 Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which had relaxed banking regulations. It directly affects banks previously subject to those relaxed rules, particularly smaller institutions that benefited from the 2018 changes. The bill’s key mechanism is restoring the pre-2018 regulatory framework, reversing the specific provisions that eased oversight. This returns banking oversight to the structure that existed before the 2018 law took effect, without creating new rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to study how cannabis affects veterans with chronic pain or PTSD. It mandates an observational study using VA health records and interviews with enrolled veterans (those using VA healthcare) to measure outcomes like pain levels, opioid use, mental health symptoms, and hospital visits. If the study shows promise, the VA may later conduct clinical trials on cannabis for these conditions. The bill does not change veterans' access to cannabis or VA benefits - it only authorizes research to understand potential effects.

Mental Health in International Development and Humanitarian Settings Act or the MINDS Act This bill authorizes and requires certain actions by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to integrate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) activities across U.S. development and humanitarian assistance programs. The bill authorizes USAID to designate an MHPSS coordinator. The coordinator's duties include (1) guiding, overseeing, and directing MHPSS programming and integration across U.S. development and humanitarian assistance programs; and (2) promoting best practices, coordination, and reporting in MHPSS across such programs. Focus populations for the coordinator include adult caretakers, children separated from a family unit, and displaced populations. In addition, the bill establishes a working group comprised of representatives from relevant USAID bureaus, the Department of State, and other federal agencies. The purpose of the working group is to ensure continuity and integration of MHPSS across U.S. development and humanitarian assistance programs. The provisions of the bill expire five years after enactment.