Maddy summaryThe Inclusive Democracy Act of 2023 protects voting rights for people with criminal convictions in federal elections, ensuring they can register and vote while incarcerated, on probation, or on parole. It requires states to notify individuals about their voting rights at key points (during conviction, on probation/parole, and in carceral settings), and mandates carceral settings to provide voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, and voting information. The bill establishes procedures for transmitting registration and ballot applications with expedited processing near election deadlines, requires states to accept applications and ballots postmarked within 2 days of deadlines, and prohibits prosecution for voting in non-federal elections when registered for federal elections. The law applies to federal elections starting with the 2024 general election.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Workers POWER Act (HR 6634) strengthens federal labor enforcement by expanding staffing and resources for the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It creates new paid student positions (5 in Washington, DC, plus 2 per regional office), establishes child labor fellowships (5 per agency), and increases student loan repayment benefits for eligible employees. The bill also authorizes performance-based bonuses, retention incentives, and $250 million annually in grants to states to improve their labor enforcement capacity. These changes directly affect Department of Labor enforcement staff and state/local labor agencies working to address wage theft, child labor, and workplace safety violations.
Maddy summaryThis bill would impose a tax on hedge funds and large real estate investors who own more single-family homes than a gradually decreasing threshold (starting at 90% of their previous year's holdings and phasing down to 0% after 9 years). The tax would be $50,000 per excess property for each year they exceed their limit. Revenue from the tax would fund a down payment assistance program that prioritizes families buying homes from these investors. The bill aims to limit large-scale investment in single-family homes by these entities while providing financial assistance to homebuyers.
Maddy summaryHR 6592, the Fight Book Bans Act, provides federal grants to reimburse public school districts for legal costs when they choose to keep instructional or library materials after parental objections. It directly affects school districts (covered local educational agencies) that select materials for students and handle challenges to their removal. The bill authorizes up to $100,000 per case in grants to cover attorney fees and court costs, provided the district didn’t remove the materials and wasn’t reimbursed by the state. Funding of $15 million is authorized for fiscal years 2024-2028. The grants are strictly for legal challenges to decisions not to remove materials, not for the content of the materials themselves.
Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act This bill imposes a minimum tax on individual taxpayers whose net worth for the taxable year exceeds $100 million. The tax is equal to 25% of the sum of a taxpayer's taxable income, plus net unrealized gains for the taxable year. The tax may not exceed 40% of the amount by which the taxpayer's net worth exceeds $100 million.
Maddy summaryHRES 893 designates November 2023 as "National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month" to highlight the issue of homelessness among children and youth in the U.S. The resolution does not create new programs or funding but encourages businesses, governments, schools, and organizations to raise awareness about the causes and solutions to child and youth homelessness. It cites statistics showing high rates of homelessness among students (e.g., 68% high school graduation rate for homeless youth vs. 85.5% overall) and links homelessness to health, education, and mental health challenges. The bill formally supports existing efforts to address homelessness through awareness and prevention, urging continued collaboration to support affected youth. This is a symbolic resolution with no direct policy changes or affected individuals beyond raising public attention.
Maddy summaryHRES 793 is a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives calling on Hamas to immediately release all 199 hostages taken during Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The resolution condemns Hamas for the attack, the taking of hostages, and threats against hostages, while stating that holding hostages violates international humanitarian law under the Geneva Conventions. It demands the immediate release of all hostages and expresses sympathy for victims and their families. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create legal obligations but formally expresses the House's position.
Maddy summaryHRES 114 is a resolution proposing to expel Representative George Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives, citing constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, Clause 2. It directly targets Santos, who was a sitting member of the House at the time of introduction. The resolution follows the House's constitutional power to expel members for misconduct, though it does not specify the alleged violations. This procedural resolution was referred to the Committee on Ethics for review.
Maddy summaryHR 6451, the Mental Health Justice Act of 2023, provides $250 million in federal grants to states, tribes, and localities to hire mental health professionals as first responders for specific emergencies. It directs these professionals to replace police in situations involving mental health crises, substance use, or intellectual/developmental disabilities - such as when a 911 caller describes a mental health emergency or a first responder identifies someone needing mental health support. The bill requires grantees to train responders in de-escalation techniques, link individuals to community-based services (not incarceration), and report on outcomes like reduced arrests or use of force. It also mandates data collection on demographics and prevents funneling people into institutional settings, with annual reports to Congress on program effectiveness.
Maddy summaryThis symbolic resolution (HRES 879) expresses the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating November 20-December 20, 2023, as "National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month." It aims to raise public awareness about the needs of individuals who have lost loved ones to homicide, particularly highlighting impacts on Black and Latinx communities and survivors of intimate partner violence. The resolution calls for supporting survivors through services, research, and community-based responses, while encouraging the public to promote healing and address gun violence. It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but serves as a formal recognition of survivors' experiences.