Rep. Josh Gottheimer

Maddy summaryHRES 1543 is a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives condemning Tucker Carlson for hosting Holocaust revisionist Darryl Cooper on his show, where Cooper promoted false claims about the Holocaust. The resolution states this platforming spreads harmful falsehoods, fosters antisemitism, and undermines efforts to combat hate and bigotry. It commits the House to raising awareness against antisemitism and honoring Holocaust survivors, while specifically rejecting Cooper's distortion of historical facts like the Nazi Hunger Plan. This symbolic resolution has no legal effect but expresses the House's stance against Holocaust denial.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal task force to address "coerced debt" - a form of financial abuse where abusers force victims to take on debt using their names, often through threats, identity theft, or fraud. The task force, co-led by the Treasury Secretary and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director, will study how this issue affects domestic violence survivors, coordinate responses across agencies (including Health, Housing, Justice, and financial regulators), and gather input from advocates and industry representatives. It will define coerced debt, assess its financial and legal impacts on survivors, and develop recommendations for legislative or regulatory changes. The task force must submit its findings and proposals to Congress within one year, but does not directly change existing laws or protections.

Maddy summaryHR 9968, the Election Worker and Polling Place Protection Act, makes it a federal crime to interfere with or intimidate election workers, poll watchers, or voters. It imposes fines up to $2,500 or up to 6 months in prison for threats, force, or property damage targeting polling places or election infrastructure (like voting machines or voter registration systems). Penalties increase to $5,000 or 1 year in prison if bodily injury occurs or dangerous weapons are used. The law explicitly excludes minor property damage ("de minimus") and requires federal prosecution only with the Attorney General's certification. It directly affects election workers, voters, and election infrastructure operators nationwide.

Maddy summaryHR 9967, the POL Act, amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to allow states to use federal election security funds for the physical security of polling places and poll workers. This change directly affects states receiving HAVA funding by expanding the permitted uses of those funds to include security measures for election offices, polling locations, and the staff working there. The key mechanism is adding a specific authorization to the existing HAVA funding rules, permitting these security expenses without requiring new legislation. The bill applies to all HAVA funds available before or after its enactment.

Maddy summaryHRES 1537 is a non-binding House resolution condemning Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, including 7 Americans still held captive. It calls on Hamas to immediately surrender, cease attacks, and release all hostages unconditionally, while reaffirming Israel's right to self-defense. The resolution also urges international organizations to condemn Hamas' actions and address the global surge in antisemitism following the attacks. As a symbolic statement, it does not create new laws or alter policy but expresses congressional position. The bill specifically references the ongoing captivity of seven U.S. citizens: Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Gadi Haggai, Judith Weinstein Haggai, Omer Neutra, and Keith Siegel.

Maddy summaryHR 9950, the "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act," authorizes three gold medals to be awarded to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team for their historic victory over the Soviet Union during the Winter Olympics. The medals, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be presented by Congress to honor the team's achievement, which revitalized American morale during the Cold War. One medal will be displayed at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, one at the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, and one at the U.S. Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs. This is a ceremonial honor, not a policy change, directly recognizing the team members and their legacy.

Maddy summaryHR 9928, the U.S. Park Police Modernization Act, adjusts salary structures for U.S. Park Police officers by updating pay scales and step progression timelines. It sets specific pay rates for each rank (from Private to Chief) relative to Executive Schedule level V, with Private positions capped at 95% of that rate and higher ranks at full Executive Schedule level V. The bill modifies step progression times (e.g., 52 weeks between steps for lower ranks) and clarifies that prior salary adjustments before January 3, 2021, are disregarded. This bill directly affects all U.S. Park Police officers by standardizing their compensation structure under the District of Columbia Police and Firemen’s Salary Act. It is a procedural salary adjustment, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1528) expresses the U.S. House of Representatives' support for recognizing September 29, 2024, as "International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste." It does not create new laws or policies but acknowledges the significance of addressing food waste through existing efforts. The resolution highlights that food waste causes massive economic losses ($1 trillion annually), contributes to climate change (8-10% of global GHG emissions), and worsens global hunger - impacting billions. It aligns with the U.S. government's 2024 National Strategy to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030. The resolution solely aims to raise public awareness on this issue without imposing new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Secret Service to use identical standards for determining protection levels for Presidents, Vice Presidents, and major presidential/vice presidential candidates. It requires the Secret Service Director to conduct a review within 180 days of enactment, reporting findings and recommendations to Congress on protection protocols for current and former leaders. The bill standardizes existing practices without increasing security resources, applying the same criteria currently used for sitting officials to candidates. It references the definition of "major candidates" from existing law (18 U.S.C. § 3056), ensuring consistency with current Secret Service procedures.

Maddy summaryHR 9836, the Pacific Ready Coast Guard Act, creates a new Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance within the Coast Guard to train partner nations on maritime governance best practices, including building regional capacity. It requires the Coast Guard to submit annual plans and budget displays detailing Pacific operations, projected needs, and resource requirements to specific congressional committees. The bill also mandates reports on establishing forward operating bases, Coast Guard attachés in embassies, and the feasibility of a standing Indo-Pacific maritime group for humanitarian and law enforcement missions. These provisions directly affect the Coast Guard (which must implement them), partner countries in the Indo-Pacific (which receive training and engagement), and Congress (which gains oversight through reports and briefings).