Maddy summaryThe AFIDA Improvements Act of 2024 updates the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to require foreign individuals or entities owning at least 1% of U.S. agricultural land (directly or through multiple ownership tiers) to report their holdings. It creates new enforcement duties for the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center (FPAC-BC) to validate data, ensure compliance, and identify violators. The bill mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to share foreign ownership reports with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and update agency handbooks using recommendations from a 2024 Government Accountability Office report. These changes apply directly to foreign landowners and agricultural agencies like the Farm Service Agency, aiming to improve transparency around foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHRES 983 is a non-binding resolution recognizing January 2024 as "National Mentoring Month" to highlight the value of mentoring relationships. It acknowledges mentors (including program staff and volunteers) and emphasizes mentoring's benefits for youth development, such as improved academic performance, career readiness, and mental well-being. The resolution promotes expanding quality mentoring programs nationwide but does not create new laws or allocate funding.
Maddy summaryHR 7107, the Human Trafficking Awareness Training Act, requires the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) to create a mandatory training program for state, local, tribal, territorial, and educational institution law enforcement officers. The training covers recognizing human trafficking indicators, understanding victim-centered responses, reporting protocols, relevant federal and state laws, and high-risk locations. The bill authorizes $2.3 million annually from 2024 through 2029 to fund this program and mandates coordination with the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign. It also requires integrating this training into existing FLETC programs. The law defines human trafficking per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
Maddy summaryHR 7087, the MOMS Act, establishes a pilot program to provide evidence-based mental health support for pregnant and postpartum members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their beneficiaries (including family members). It requires the Defense Health Agency to integrate these prevention programs into existing maternal or pediatric care at military medical facilities, prioritizing diverse locations and removing barriers like childcare access. The bill mandates an advisory committee with military members, experts, and service organizations to guide implementation, along with annual reports tracking participation by demographics and a study on the program’s effectiveness. Funded at $5 million annually from 2025-2029, the pilot aims to reduce perinatal mental health conditions and improve military readiness.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends SNAP (food stamp) program rules to prevent misuse. It requires states to suspend SNAP benefits for households making exclusively out-of-state purchases via EBT cards for over 60 days unless they prove they still reside in the state. It also prohibits households with members who own approved retail food stores or wholesale food businesses from using SNAP benefits at those locations (except for publicly owned stores or government entities). The changes take effect one year after enactment.
Maddy summaryThe Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2024 requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct biennial studies assessing cyber threats and vulnerabilities across the entire food supply chain - including farmers, processors, distributors, and retailers - and submit reports to Congress detailing risks to food safety, public health, and national security. It also mandates annual cross-sector simulations with agencies like Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to test emergency responses to food-related cyber incidents, involving government and private sector stakeholders. The bill authorizes $1 million annually (2024-2028) to fund these studies and simulations, aiming to identify gaps and improve coordination. These requirements directly affect federal agencies, state/local governments, and food industry entities responsible for food production, distribution, and security.
Maddy summaryThe Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2023 requires states to develop annual "family partnership plans" to improve recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive families. These plans must include input from foster/adoptive families, youth with foster care experience, and community providers, and detail how states will use data to address racial disparities, reduce group care placements, and match families to children’s needs. States must annually report on foster family demographics, underutilized placements, challenges faced by caregivers, and progress toward increasing kinship and culturally matched placements. The bill applies to all states receiving federal foster care funding under the Social Security Act, mandating these updates in their annual federal child welfare reports to Congress starting in 2025.
Maddy summaryHRES 976 is a resolution recognizing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) for their 150+ year contributions to healthcare. It highlights CRNAs as essential providers of anesthesia and pain management, especially in rural areas and military/veterans' healthcare settings, where they administer over 50 million anesthetics annually. The resolution encourages public and professional recognition of CRNAs during National CRNA Week (January 21-27, 2024) and urges stakeholders to utilize CRNAs' full potential. As a non-binding commemorative resolution, it does not create new policies or directly affect healthcare delivery.
Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating October 1-7, 2023, as "National 4-H Week." It recognizes 4-H as the nation's largest youth development organization, serving nearly 6 million young people through programs in health, science, agriculture, and civic engagement, delivered by land-grant universities and over 600,000 volunteers. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges 4-H's role in empowering youth leadership and encourages public recognition of its impact. It directly affects 4-H members, volunteers, and the broader network of land-grant institutions and the USDA's Cooperative Extension System.
Maddy summaryThe Death Tax Repeal Act would eliminate the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of people who die on or after the bill's enactment date, and for generation-skipping transfers made after that date. It would also establish a new $10 million lifetime gift tax exemption (adjusted annually for inflation) and replace the existing gift tax rate schedule with a revised structure. These changes would primarily affect high-net-worth individuals and their heirs, as the estate tax and gift tax typically apply to large estates or gifts exceeding the new exemption threshold. The bill's provisions would take effect on the date of enactment, with transitional rules for the year the bill is signed into law.