Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax credit for expenses related to "qualified access technology for the blind" under the Internal Revenue Code. It allows taxpayers to claim a credit of up to $2,000 per year (adjusted for inflation) for costs paid for hardware, software, or IT that converts visual information into formats usable by blind individuals, covering the taxpayer, their spouse, or a dependent who is blind. The credit is limited to $2,000 over any three consecutive tax years per blind individual and expires after 2028. It directly affects blind individuals and their families who purchase qualifying assistive technology. The credit cannot be claimed for expenses already covered by other tax deductions or credits.

Financing Our Energy Future Act This bill expands the types of partnerships that qualify for treatment as publicly traded partnerships instead of as corporations for tax purposes. Under current law, partnerships that meet certain gross income requirements (i.e., at least 90% of the partnership's gross income in a taxable year consists of qualifying income) are excepted from being treated as a corporation for tax purposes. This bill expands the sources of income that are considered qualifying income and make a partnership eligible for such an exception. Specifically, the bill provides that income derived from the generation of specified alternative energy, alternative fuel projects, or the associated property, storage, or transportation for such projects (e.g., the conversion of renewable biomass into renewable fuel or the storage or transportation of such fuel) is considered qualifying income.

Maddy summaryHJRES 39 is a joint resolution disapproving a specific rule issued by the Department of Commerce. The rule (87 Fed. Reg. 56868) outlined procedures for suspending import duties and estimated duties under Presidential Proclamation 10414, which related to certain imported goods. This resolution blocks the rule from taking effect, meaning the Department of Commerce’s procedures for suspending duties under that proclamation will not be enforced. The action directly affects importers and customs operations that would have relied on the suspended duty procedures. As a disapproval resolution, it does not create new policy but formally rejects an existing agency rule.

Maddy summaryHRES 439 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' support for keeping the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as an independent federal agency, not subject to privatization. It highlights USPS's constitutional role, self-sustaining nature (relying on service revenue, not taxpayer funds), and its importance to rural communities, e-commerce, and over 600,000 employees. The resolution urges Congress to take action to preserve USPS's independence, emphasizing that privatization could raise prices, reduce services, and harm the nation's mail infrastructure. As a procedural resolution, it does not change law but formally states the House's position.

Maddy summaryThis bill would designate approximately 1.7 million acres of public land in Utah's Colorado Plateau and Great Basin regions as wilderness areas, protecting them from development while preserving traditional uses by Indigenous communities. It establishes specific wilderness areas across Utah's red rock canyons, including the Great Basin Wilderness Areas, Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas, and others, with detailed acreage for each designated zone. The bill includes administrative provisions for managing these areas, such as maintaining existing livestock grazing rights, setting road setbacks to protect wilderness character, and reserving water rights for the wilderness areas. This legislation directly affects how the Bureau of Land Management administers public lands in Utah and defines the boundaries for public use of these designated wilderness areas.

Maddy summaryHRES 425 is a non-binding House resolution designating July 19, 2023, as "Glioblastoma Awareness Day" to increase public recognition of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. It directly supports patients, caregivers, and families affected by the disease, which has a low 5-year survival rate (6.9%) and no effective screening methods. The resolution encourages greater public awareness, honors those impacted by the disease, and urges continued research investments, including through the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network. It does not create new laws or alter funding but serves as a symbolic statement to advance understanding and support for glioblastoma research.

Maddy summaryThis bill would withhold 50% of federal highway funds from states implementing congestion pricing systems similar to New York City's Manhattan Central Business District Tolling Program (referenced in a 2023 environmental assessment). It directly affects states like New York that have adopted or plan to adopt such tolling systems, targeting specific programs rather than all congestion pricing. The mechanism requires the Secretary of Transportation to withhold these funds annually starting October 1, 2023, from apportionments under specific highway funding formulas. The bill does not create new tolling policies but adds a federal funding penalty for states using the targeted congestion pricing model.

Maddy summaryHR 3523, the Perinatal Workforce Act, provides $15 million annually from 2024 to 2028 to expand and diversify maternity care providers. It directs HHS to issue guidance for states on recruiting diverse providers (including midwives, nurses, and community health workers) and requires grant recipients to prioritize students from racial/ethnic minority groups, implement bias training, and target health professional shortage areas. The bill also mandates annual reporting on workforce diversity and outcomes, and requires a GAO report assessing barriers to equitable access in maternal healthcare. This legislation directly affects hospitals, nursing schools, midwifery programs, and insurers by funding targeted workforce development to address racial disparities in maternal care.

Maddy summaryThe Maternal Vaccination Act amends public health law to specifically target vaccination outreach for pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children, directly affecting public health campaigns and health agencies. It updates existing provisions to include these groups in awareness efforts, requires new activities to increase vaccination rates - particularly among racial and ethnic minority communities - and increases annual funding from $15 million to $17 million for fiscal years 2024-2028. Key mechanisms include revising language in the Public Health Service Act to explicitly cover pregnant/postpartum individuals in campaign descriptions and adding a new requirement (Section 317(k)(1)(E)(vii)) to address vaccination equity. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to expand access and awareness, not on predicting outcomes.

Maddy summaryThe Kira Johnson Act (HR 3310) provides $100 million annually from 2024-2028 to fund community-based organizations working to improve maternal health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and health disparities. It requires hospitals to establish respectful maternity care compliance programs allowing patients to report racism or bias, and mandates training for all maternity care employees to address bias, racism, and discrimination. The bill also requires annual reports on program effectiveness and studies to evaluate strategies for reducing bias in maternity care settings. These provisions directly affect hospitals, maternity care providers, community-based organizations, and pregnant and postpartum individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups.