Rep. Jamaal Bowman

Maddy summaryHR 4900, the Fair College Admissions for Students Act, bans colleges receiving federal financial aid from favoring applicants based on family connections to donors or alumni. Specifically, it amends the Higher Education Act to prohibit institutions from giving preferential treatment in admissions to students whose parents or relatives donated money to the school or are alumni. This applies to all colleges participating in federal student aid programs under the Higher Education Act. The rule takes effect for the second award year starting after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill would impose a progressive wealth tax on high-net-worth individuals and certain trusts, targeting those with substantial assets above a defined threshold. The tax would be calculated on the net value of taxable assets exceeding a threshold amount (1,000 times the greater of $50,000 or median household wealth), with rates increasing from 2% to 8% as asset value rises. The bill includes specific provisions for trusts, deceased individuals, non-residents, and expatriates, and would require new information reporting from financial institutions to enforce the tax. It would apply to calendar years beginning after the bill's enactment date. The legislation defines "taxable assets" as all property minus debts, with certain exclusions for assets under $50,000.

Maddy summaryHR 4889, the Raise the Wage Act of 2023, would gradually increase the federal minimum wage for most workers to $15.50 per hour by 2027, with specific annual targets: $9.50 starting in 2023, rising to $11.00 after one year, $12.50 after two years, and $15.50 after four years. It would also phase out the separate lower minimum wage for tipped employees (starting at $6.00/hour) by aligning their pay with the regular minimum wage by 2028, while requiring employers to let workers keep all tips. The bill includes similar phased increases for workers under 20 and transitions toward fairer wages for workers with disabilities under special certificates, which would sunset after 2028. Future annual increases after 2028 would tie the minimum wage to the median hourly wage of all workers.

Maddy summaryHR 4769, the PFAS Alternatives Act, funds research and training to develop PFAS-free turnout gear for firefighters. It authorizes $25 million annually (2024-2028) for grants to eligible organizations to research, develop, and test next-generation gear without per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are linked to firefighter cancer risks. The bill requires partnerships with firefighting organizations to ensure research translates into practical training and gear care guidance, including decontamination protocols. It also allocates $2 million yearly for training programs on proper gear use and maintenance, aiming to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals during fire operations.

Maddy summaryThe People's Response Act establishes a new Division on Community Safety within the Department of Health and Human Services to fund community-based approaches to safety that are disconnected from traditional law enforcement and criminal justice systems. It creates four grant programs totaling $13 billion over five years: one for community-led organizations serving disproportionately impacted communities (especially Black and Indigenous communities), one for local governments to conduct safety needs assessments, one for states to support statewide implementation, and one for hiring and training first responders who provide non-carceral crisis response. These grants require recipients to use "qualified approaches to community safety" that avoid collaboration with carceral institutions and prioritize organizations led by or serving communities most affected by the criminal legal system. Recipients must report on outcomes including racial disparities in arrests, incarceration, and how funds are used to address safety needs through community-led initiatives.

Maddy summaryHR 4812, the Food for Thought Act of 2023, provides federal grants to eligible colleges and universities to offer free on-campus meals to low-income students. The bill targets institutions with high Pell Grant enrollment (at least 30% of undergrads), prioritizing community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and those in areas with high need. Participating schools must provide 1-10 free meals weekly to students facing food insecurity, with priority given to those with greatest financial need, and must report on student outcomes like retention and graduation rates. Grants cover meal costs, campus food pantries, and SNAP enrollment support, with funds allocated for 5 years and requiring detailed reporting on program impact.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates August 11, 2023 as "Hip Hop Celebration Day," August 2023 as "Hip Hop Recognition Month," and November 2023 as "Hip Hop History Month." It commemorates hip hop's 50th anniversary, honoring its 1973 origins at the Bronx Back To School Jam. Federal, state, and local governments are encouraged to observe these designations through appropriate activities celebrating hip hop's cultural impact. The resolution is procedural and does not create new laws or affect specific groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates two tax credits to support local media and small businesses. It provides a credit for small businesses (under 50 full-time employees) that advertise in qualifying local newspapers or broadcast stations, covering 80% of first-year ad costs up to $5,000 and 50% of subsequent-year costs up to $2,500. It also establishes a payroll tax credit for employers hiring local news journalists, covering 50% of wages for the first four quarters (capped at $12,500 per journalist) and 30% thereafter, with a maximum of 1,500 journalists per employer. Both credits expire after five years and require strict definitions of "local media" (e.g., publishers with local journalists and community focus) to prevent misuse.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Child Nutrition Act to extend liability protections for food and pet supply donations. It adds definitions for "pet," "emotional support animal," and "pet supply" to the Act, clarifying that donations of pet food or supplies for pets, service animals, or emotional support animals are covered. The key provision (Section 22(c)(4)) shields donors and nonprofits from civil/criminal liability when donating such items in good faith for direct distribution to animals. It directly affects pet food donors, animal welfare nonprofits, and local governments distributing pet supplies. The bill does not create new programs but modifies existing donation rules to include pet-related items.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 25 would remove the 1979 deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was originally proposed in 1972. This bill directly affects states that ratified the ERA after the deadline (such as Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia in 2017-2018) by making their ratifications legally valid. The key provision states that the ERA is valid as part of the Constitution if ratified by three-fourths of states, regardless of the original deadline. The bill does not create new rights but aims to finalize the constitutional amendment process by eliminating the time limit.