Rep. Michael Lawler

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a federally chartered National Center for the Advancement of Aviation to develop the U.S. aviation and aerospace workforce. The Center will provide grants for education and training programs, including scholarships, internships, and curriculum development for middle schools, high schools, and colleges focused on aviation careers. It will specifically support underrepresented groups and veterans transitioning to aviation careers while coordinating with government agencies to avoid duplicating existing programs. The Center must operate as a non-profit entity, maintain tax-exempt status, and submit annual reports to Congress on its activities.

Maddy summaryHRES 332 is a symbolic House resolution expressing congressional support for Ukraine's victory in its war against Russia. It affirms that U.S. policy should aim for Ukraine to prevail and return to its internationally recognized 1991 borders, with the House declaring that Ukraine's victory must be secured through NATO integration. The resolution also calls for the Russian Federation to pay reparations, global support for Ukraine's rebuilding, accountability for Russian leaders, and justice for victims of wartime crimes. As a non-binding "sense of Congress" resolution (not a law), it does not change U.S. policy but reflects the House's stance on supporting Ukraine.

Maddy summaryThe Apprenticeship Hubs Across America Act of 2023 creates a federal grant program to fund organizations (called "workforce intermediaries") that help employers establish registered apprenticeship programs in high-growth industries like health care, technology, and advanced manufacturing. These intermediaries receive competitive grants of up to $6 million each (with a 20% non-federal matching requirement) to provide employer outreach, program design support, and apprentice services, prioritizing sectors with low current apprenticeship participation. The program requires grantees to focus on expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups (such as women, minorities, and veterans) and tracks outcomes like program completion rates and post-apprenticeship earnings. Authorized at $25 million annually from 2024-2028, the bill mandates performance evaluations to determine future funding based on results in creating accessible, high-quality apprenticeships.

Maddy summaryThe Ukraine Human Rights Policy Act of 2023 requires the President to report to Congress within 60 days on whether a person meets criteria for sanctions related to human rights abuses in Ukraine and whether sanctions are imposed. It mandates the Secretary of State to include specific details in an annual report about human rights abuses by Russian forces in Ukraine and against forcibly relocated Ukrainians, including conditions in detention camps and the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. The report must cover assessments of abuse methods, forced adoptions of Ukrainian children, efforts to renounce faith, and U.S. diplomatic efforts to address violations through sanctions. This bill establishes reporting requirements and congressional oversight for existing sanctions processes without creating new sanctions.

Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2023 This bill modifies the above-the-line tax deduction for the expenses of performing artists (including commissions paid to managers or agents) to provide for a phaseout of such deduction for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($200,000 for joint return filers). The $100,000 phaseout threshold is adjusted for inflation annually for taxable years beginning after 2023.

This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing their January 2023-announced changes to the single-family pricing framework for fees on purchase, rate-term refinance, and cash-out refinance loans. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other factors.

Maddy summaryHR 2370, the Access to AEDs Act, authorizes $25 million in federal funding (2024-2028) to help public elementary and secondary schools improve access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to school districts and partners for developing AED programs, training staff and students, purchasing and maintaining AEDs, and creating cardiac emergency response plans. It specifically targets schools to address sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is a leading cause of death among student athletes and youth, with 90% of SCA victims dying without immediate CPR and defibrillation. The law requires grantees to report on their activities and establishes a clearinghouse to collect data on school AED access and costs.

This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor final rule entitled Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States and published on February 28, 2023. This rule makes changes to the methodology used to set adverse effect wage rates for H-2A workers (temporary agricultural workers), including by using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage surveys in certain instances. (Generally, the minimum wage for an H-2A worker is the highest of the adverse effect wage rate, the applicable minimum wage, the prevailing wage for that occupation in that area, or any agreed-upon collective bargaining wage.)

This resolution affirms that it is U.S. policy to see Ukraine prevail against the Russian invasion and restored to its internationally recognized 1991 borders. The resolution also states that the peace brought by Ukraine's victory must be secured by integrating Ukraine into NATO and other Euroatlantic institutions.

Maddy summaryHRES 311 is a non-binding House resolution encouraging the expansion of the Abraham Accords to promote normalization of relations between Israel and additional countries. It urges the U.S. government to support these agreements while ensuring tangible security and economic benefits for citizens in participating nations. The resolution expresses support for U.S.-Israel security cooperation and existing financial commitments under the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding. As a symbolic measure, it does not create new legal requirements but formally advocates for deeper regional diplomatic engagement.