Maddy summaryHR 2918, the Fair Housing for Survivors Act of 2023, amends the Fair Housing Act to explicitly protect survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking from housing discrimination. It adds "survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or severe forms of trafficking" as a protected class under the law, prohibiting landlords and housing providers from refusing to rent, evicting, or charging more based on this status. The bill also clarifies that discrimination based on survivor status - including denial of housing due to protective orders, shelter stays, or prior incidents - is illegal. This directly affects survivors who face barriers like denied rentals, evictions, or higher costs when seeking safe housing, addressing documented discrimination reported by 67% of survivors in New York studies. The law preserves survivors' ability to pursue other discrimination claims under the Fair Housing Act.
Rep. Wiley Nickel
Sponsored bills
Raise the Age Act of 2023 This bill establishes new restrictions on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age. Specifically, this bill makes it unlawful for a licensed gun dealer, importer, manufacturer, or collector to sell or deliver a semiautomatic center-fire rifle or semiautomatic center-fire shotgun that has (or has the capacity to accept) an ammunition feeding device with a capacity of more than five rounds to an individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under age 21. The prohibition does not apply if the individual under age 21 is a full-time law enforcement officer or active-duty member of the Armed Forces. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.
Maddy summaryHR 2835, the Multilingual Financial Literacy Act, requires the Financial Literacy and Education Commission to study how language barriers affect financial health - including access to education, credit scores, and homebuying for people with limited English proficiency. The bill mandates that the Commission’s website and toll-free phone line provide resources and assistance in the 8 most commonly spoken U.S. languages (per Census data), with the Treasury Department covering translation costs. Within 12 months, the Commission must issue a report with policy recommendations to improve language access in financial services and detail costs for implementing these changes. The law also requires annual reports analyzing financial literacy needs and disparities across demographics like language preference, race, and income.
Community Finance Language Inclusion Act of 2023 This bill allows the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund to provide outreach and resources for non-English speaking individuals or individuals with limited English proficiency. The fund provides monetary awards and technical assistance to qualifying financial institutions to increase access to capital in underserved communities.
Maddy summaryThe Young Americans Financial Literacy Act would create federal grants to fund centers of excellence that develop and deliver research-based financial education programs for young people aged 8-24. These programs would teach essential money management skills like budgeting, saving, debt management, and financial decision-making, with a focus on accessibility through digital and traditional methods. The bill authorizes $27.5 million to $55 million annually (through 2025) for these centers, prioritizing programs serving at-risk youth, families, and communities facing financial challenges. Centers must use evidence-based approaches, address unique needs (e.g., student loans, predatory lending), and report annually to Congress on their outcomes.
Maddy summaryHR 2800, the Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds for his actions during World War II. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to strike a gold medal commemorating Edmonds' bravery, specifically his defiance of Nazi orders to separate Jewish-American prisoners at Stalag IX-A, which saved approximately 200 lives. The medal will be presented to Edmonds' son, Pastor Christopher Waring Edmonds, or his next of kin, with bronze duplicates available for sale to cover costs. This is a commemorative measure recognizing Edmonds' service, not a policy change affecting current legislation or programs.
Maddy summaryThe Armenian Genocide Education Act (HR 2803) establishes a Library of Congress program to support U.S. schools in teaching about the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. The program will develop educational resources, provide teacher training, and maintain an online resource center to help schools incorporate accurate historical information into curricula. It prioritizes schools without existing Armenian Genocide education programs, with $2 million authorized annually for five years. The Librarian of Congress will report yearly on the program’s activities to Congress.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Rural and Remote Hiring and Retention Strategy Act of 2023 This bill requires the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to issue a strategy and implementation plan to improve CBP's hiring and retention of individuals in rural or remote areas. Until the strategy and implementation plan are issued, DHS must periodically brief Congress and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on its progress. After receiving each DHS report, the GAO must submit to Congress an assessment of the effectiveness of the actions described in the DHS report.
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that (1) medication abortion is appropriately approved and regulated under federal law, and (2) federal law preempts any in-person dispensing requirements or telehealth restrictions with respect to medication abortion under state law.
Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act This bill revises the requirements for the verification of prescriptions related to the purchase of contact lenses. Specifically, online sellers of prescription contact lenses must provide consumers with a method to transmit a digital copy of their prescriptions to such sellers. Online sellers also must encrypt protected health information they send by email. Additionally, the bill prohibits any seller of prescription contact lenses from using telephone calls with an artificial or prerecorded voice (i.e., robocalls) to verify a consumer's prescription.