Rep. Betty McCollum

Maddy summaryHR 3255, the Freight Rail Workforce Health and Safety Act, requires major freight railroads (Class I carriers) to provide employees with at least 7 days of paid sick leave annually. This includes leave for personal illness, family care, preventive medical visits, and situations related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Employees can carry over unused days to the next year, and railroads cannot require workers to find replacements before taking leave or penalize them for using it. The law prohibits retaliation, such as termination or demotion, for requesting or using sick leave, and ensures paid sick leave is separate from existing vacation or holiday time.

Maddy summaryThe PAST Act of 2023 amends the Horse Protection Act to ban specific devices used to cause pain (soring) in horses at shows, particularly affecting Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. It defines prohibited "action devices" (like boots or chains causing friction) and requires licensed, conflict-free inspectors at events to enforce rules. The bill increases penalties for violations to up to $5,000 fines or 3 years in jail, and mandates longer disqualifications for repeat offenses (180 days → 1 year → 3 years). Horse show organizers, exhibitors, and participants must comply with these new inspection and penalty requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Nonprofit Stakeholders Engaging and Advancing Together Act of 2023 creates a White House Office on Nonprofit Sector Partnership led by a Nonprofit Advisor to coordinate federal efforts with the nonprofit sector. The bill establishes an Interagency Council and an Advisory Board to improve data collection on nonprofits, requiring agencies to gather more detailed information about nonprofit economic impact, volunteerism, and charitable giving. It includes provisions to streamline grant processes, reduce administrative burdens for nonprofits, and improve data on volunteerism and charitable giving through updated surveys and reporting requirements. The legislation directly affects the 1.8 million nonprofit organizations in the United States, which contributed $1.5 trillion to the economy in 2022 and employed over 12.5 million people.

Maddy summaryThe RAISE Act of 2023 creates a new refundable tax credit for teachers and early childhood educators working in schools with high student poverty rates. The credit starts at $1,000, with additional amounts up to $14,000 (or $9,000 for early childhood educators without bachelor's degrees) based on the school's poverty ratio. The bill also increases the educator expense deduction from $250 to $500 and establishes mandatory funding for local schools that maintain or increase teacher salaries. These provisions directly affect K-12 teachers, early childhood educators, and their schools, with specific eligibility requirements and protections against employer retaliation regarding the credit.

Maddy summaryHR 3238, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023, updates the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to increase the availability of affordable housing across the United States. The bill makes several key changes including increasing state funding formulas, modifying tenant eligibility rules to better serve vulnerable populations (such as domestic violence victims and students), and expanding credit eligibility for projects in rural and Native American communities. Specific provisions raise the credit for properties serving extremely low-income households, clarify rules around tenant income increases, and require housing providers to protect victims of domestic violence. The bill also updates terminology from "low-income" to "affordable" throughout the tax code and enhances program transparency through data sharing requirements. These changes aim to make the LIHTC program more effective at creating and preserving affordable housing units for low-income households nationwide.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that it is the policy of the United States to recognize the Palestinian Nakba and support Palestinian refugees' rights. It also states that it is the policy of the United States to denounce threats and condemn certain actions by Israel against the Palestinian people.

Maddy summaryHR 3179, the Supporting Apprenticeship Colleges Act of 2023, provides federal grants to colleges offering construction and manufacturing apprenticeship programs. It funds two key initiatives: (1) Community Outreach Grants to help colleges recruit students and partner with employers, especially in rural areas and for underrepresented groups like first-generation, minority, and nontraditional students; and (2) Student Support Grants to improve retention through services like career advising, mental health resources, and childcare. The bill allocates $5 million annually (2024-2028) for these programs, with each college receiving up to $500,000 per grant. It directly affects apprenticeship colleges, their students, and local employers by expanding access to skilled trades careers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires U.S. public schools to include Asian Pacific American history in all K-12 American history and civics education. It amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to mandate that curriculum standards, teacher training, and national assessments explicitly cover this history as part of American history. The policy directly affects students and teachers nationwide by changing how history is taught in public schools. The key mechanism is requiring specific curriculum updates to address gaps in current Eurocentric teaching, ensuring students learn about APA contributions, experiences, and challenges as integral to U.S. history.

Maddy summaryHR 676, the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2023, amends the 2009 Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act to improve collaboration on ocean acidification efforts. It requires the federal Advisory Board to establish ongoing input mechanisms with coastal stakeholders, fishery councils, indigenous knowledge groups, and non-Federal experts, and mandates two Indian Tribe representatives on the Board. The bill also updates definitions to specifically include "Indian Tribe" and strengthens coordination with Tribal organizations for vulnerability assessments and research planning. These changes directly affect coastal communities, fisheries, Tribal nations, and local governments managing ocean acidification impacts. The law focuses on integrating diverse stakeholder input into federal research and monitoring activities.

Maddy summaryThe Transit to Trails Act establishes a federal grant program to fund transportation projects connecting critically underserved communities - defined as areas lacking adequate park access, low-income, communities of color, or environmental justice areas - to public lands and recreational spaces. Eligible entities, including states, local governments, tribal organizations, and park districts, can apply for grants to develop transportation connectors (like bus routes) and culturally appropriate education materials, with priority for projects using low-emission vehicles and offering discounted fares for low-income riders. Grants range from $25,000 to $500,000, with federal funding covering up to 80% of costs, and recipients must report on demographics served and project outcomes. The program is funded at $40 million annually in its fifth year, aiming to improve mobility to parks and recreation in communities historically excluded from such access.