Rep. Angie Craig

Maddy summaryHR 6047 requires the U.S. Postal Service to implement specific recommendations from its Inspector General (IG) regarding undelivered and partially delivered mail routes. The bill directs the Postal Service to review and adopt the IG's 2022 report (Report No. 21-262-R23) on improving identification and notification processes for such mail within one year of the bill's enactment. This affects the Postal Service's operational procedures for handling mail delivery issues. The key provision mandates the Postal Service to act on these IG recommendations, aiming to enhance mail delivery reliability. The bill focuses on procedural changes to the Postal Service's internal operations, not new funding or broader policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a one-time $40,000 payment to former Air America employees who served at least five years during 1950-1976, or to their survivors (widows/widowers, dependents, or children). Additional $8,000 payments are provided for each full year of service beyond five years. The total funding is capped at $60 million, with claims due within two years of regulations being finalized. It does not create ongoing benefits or change Air America’s legal status, and payments are issued as a single lump sum.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Schools Improvement Act (HR 6031) requires public elementary and secondary schools to implement comprehensive anti-bullying policies that specifically prohibit harassment based on protected characteristics like race, gender identity, disability, religion, and sexual orientation. It mandates schools to collect and publicly report annual data on bullying incidents while establishing clear grievance procedures for students and parents. The bill also requires states to submit biennial reports on school compliance and supports evidence-based interventions, such as restorative practices, to reduce exclusionary discipline. This legislation directly affects all public K-12 schools and students in the U.S., aiming to create safer learning environments through standardized policy requirements and data transparency.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a previous exclusion that prevented temporary federal employees (including U.S. Postal Service staff and Members of Congress) from counting service after January 1, 1988, toward their retirement benefits. It allows these workers to have their post-1988 temporary service counted toward retirement eligibility if they pay a deposit to the retirement system. The change applies to anyone employed by the federal government on or after the bill's enactment date. The Office of Personnel Management must notify affected employees and create rules to implement this change.

Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2023 This bill allows the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award grants for eligible entities to implement school-community partnerships for preventing and reducing substance use and misuse among youth. Eligible entity refers to a coalition that (1) is a Drug-Free Communities funded coalition on or before the date on which the coalition submits a grant application, and (2) has a memorandum of understanding in effect with not less than one local school to establish a school-community partnership.

Maddy summaryHR 5960, the Opportunity to Compete Act, limits how employers use educational requirements in hiring. It requires employers using computerized hiring systems to disclose the median experience needed for a job (including military service or community college) and to accept equivalent work experience instead of a bachelor's degree. Employers seeking a waiver to require a bachelor's degree must prove the skill can't be gained without it and disclose this requirement to applicants, with the Labor Secretary processing waiver requests within 14 days. Small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are exempt from these rules. The law aims to expand hiring opportunities by reducing unnecessary degree barriers.

Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions Act of 2023 or the SEED Act of 2023 This bill expands the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to include early childhood educators.

'Operation Swords of Iron' Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act This bill provides $2 billion in appropriations for the Department of Defense to provide to the government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats. The funds must be provided to address emergent requirements in support of Operation Swords of Iron.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents health insurance plans from charging extra out-of-pocket costs for prenatal services when a pregnancy ends in miscarriage or stillbirth before delivery. Specifically, if a plan covers prenatal care as part of a bundled childbirth payment and a loss occurs, the plan cannot require additional deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments for those prenatal services beyond what would have been charged for a full birth. It applies to group and individual health plans covering such bundled payments, effective January 1, 2025. The law directly affects pregnant individuals experiencing pregnancy loss and their health insurance providers.

Maddy summaryHR 5884 establishes a reimbursement program for eligible Cabinet members to cover costs of security equipment (like cameras, door locks, and motion sensors) and monthly security services at their personal residences. It caps initial equipment installation at $10,000 per member and ongoing monthly costs at $150. The allowance applies to 18 specific officials, including all Cabinet Secretaries and agency heads (e.g., Secretary of Defense, Attorney General), and requires applicants to submit requests to the U.S. Secret Service. Reimbursements under this program are excluded from federal income tax.