Rep. Deborah K. Ross

Maddy summaryHR 882, the American Teacher Act, requires states to ensure full-time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools earn at least $60,000 annually (adjusted for inflation), with part-time teachers receiving proportional pay. It provides federal grants to states to fund these salary increases, mandating sustainability plans beyond the 4-year grant period and prioritizing schools in high-poverty areas. The bill also includes cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index and funds a national campaign to promote teaching as a career. It explicitly states grant funds must supplement existing education budgets without reducing current teacher pay or state loan forgiveness programs.

This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents. The resolution also expresses support for the people of Iran who are legitimately defending their rights for freedom against repression and condemns the killing of Iranian protesters by the Iranian regime.

Maddy summaryHR 302 establishes the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program under the Department of Energy to support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers studying cybersecurity within energy infrastructure. The program provides competitive grants for scholarships, fellowships, and research projects at colleges and universities, including required research traineeships at National Laboratories and utilities. It specifically prioritizes outreach to historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges, and minority-serving institutions. The Secretary must report on the program's implementation within one year of enactment.

Restoring Communities Left Behind Act This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a competitive grant program for local partnerships to carry out neighborhood revitalization support activities in economically distressed areas. Eligible activities include weatherization and energy efficiency improvements; housing accessibility improvements for seniors and persons with disabilities; purchasing delinquent mortgages; pre-purchase counseling and down payment assistance for prospective homebuyers; purchasing and developing vacant or distressed properties to create affordable rental housing and for other purposes; and improving parks, sidewalks, and street lighting.

Maddy summaryHR 765, the African American History Act, authorizes $2 million annually for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop educational resources and programs about African American history. The bill directs the museum to create accessible teaching materials, support teacher professional development, and expand digital content for schools and the public, focusing on contributions, civil rights, and historical contexts. It requires annual reports to Congress and expires in 2028. The program directly supports educators, students, and families in learning about African American history through museums, schools, and online platforms.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HRES 88) is a symbolic recognition of the Greensboro Four sit-in, which occurred on February 1, 1960, at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. It commemorates the 63rd anniversary of this event during Black History Month, honoring the students' role in sparking nationwide civil rights protests. The resolution encourages schools to include the Greensboro Four's history and contributions in their educational curricula. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or affect specific policies or individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 715, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023, requires background checks for all firearm transfers between private individuals, not just those through licensed dealers. It mandates that unlicensed sellers must involve a licensed dealer to conduct a background check before transferring a firearm, with exceptions for family transfers (like spouses or parents/children), law enforcement, temporary safety transfers, and certain hunting or range activities. The bill also requires licensed dealers to provide a notice and certification form in both English and Spanish to buyers. It explicitly states it won't create a national gun registry or override state laws on the same topic. The law would take effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill helps new car dealers affected by pandemic-era supply chain disruptions by changing tax rules for inventory sales. It allows dealers using LIFO accounting to treat certain sales of unsold vehicles (liquidations) between March 2020 and December 2021 as "qualified" for tax purposes. Dealers can defer recognizing income from these sales and have until 2026 to replace the sold vehicles before potential tax adjustments apply. The provision specifically targets dealers who couldn't replenish inventory during the supply chain crisis.

Maddy summaryHR 694, the Job Protection Act, expands access to family and medical leave under the FMLA by reducing eligibility requirements. It lowers the required employment period from 12 months to 90 days for most workers and removes the 50-employee threshold, requiring all employers (including small businesses with one or more employees) to provide leave. Federal, presidential, and congressional employees also see their eligibility thresholds reduced to 90 days. The bill directly affects millions of private-sector workers and small businesses nationwide by making existing leave protections more widely available. It makes no changes to leave duration or pay, only to who qualifies and which employers must comply.

Veterans Census-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement for Mental Health Act of 2023 or the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that there is a minimum number of Vet Centers located in each state. Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers that provide social and psychological services to eligible veterans, service members, and their families. The minimum number of Vet Centers required in each state is generally based on the state's geographic size or the number of veterans located in the state. The VA must establish additional Vet Centers as necessary to meet the minimum required number for each state. The VA may establish the additional Vet Centers at facilities made available by a state, local government, or recognized Indian tribe. If a state needs more than one additional Vet Center to meet its minimum requirement, the VA must establish at least one additional Vet Center and may establish Vet Center outstations to cover the difference.