Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino

Protecting UACs Through Enhanced Sponsor Vetting Act of 2023 This bill requires the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services to take additional actions when placing an unaccompanied alien child in the custody of a sponsor. (Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.) Before placing such a child with a sponsor and again when a placement decision has been made, the office must notify the governments of the state and the locality in which the prospective or selected sponsor resides. When making determinations concerning the placement of such a child with a sponsor, the office must (1) consult the Federal Bureau of Investigation and appropriate state and local law enforcement, (2) ensure that the child is protected from designated transnational criminal organizations, (3) conduct a thorough background check of each prospective sponsor using the Next Generation Identification System, and (4) share with the Terrorist Screening Center any information establishing the child's or sponsor's affiliation with a designated transnational criminal organization.

Maddy summaryHRES 272 is a non-binding resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives calling on Russia to immediately release Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen and Michigan resident imprisoned since 2018 on espionage charges without evidence. It demands Russia provide Whelan with consular access, ensure due process rights, and release him from his 16-year labor camp sentence. The resolution also thanks Canada, Ireland, and the U.K. for their efforts to secure his freedom and expresses sympathy to his family. As a formal statement of congressional position, it does not compel action but underscores the House's stance on Whelan's case.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases per diem payments for homeless veterans receiving VA services. It raises the daily payment rate from $115 to $200 for certain housing-related services, including emergency responses. The change directly affects homeless veterans who qualify for these VA-funded housing supports. The key provision adjusts the payment rate in Section 2012(a)(2)(B) of the U.S. Code to provide higher funding for services assisting homeless veterans.

Maddy summaryHJRES 42 is a congressional resolution disapproving the District of Columbia Council's approval of the *Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022* (D.C. Act 24-781), which the Council enacted on January 19, 2023. This resolution, introduced by 18 House members on March 9, 2023, formally expresses Congress's objection to the DC law but does not alter the law itself or its implementation in the District. The resolution targets the DC Council’s action under the Home Rule Act, requiring Congress to formally disapprove such local legislation before it takes effect. It affects DC’s local policing policies but does not directly change federal law or impact residents beyond this procedural disapproval.

Maddy summaryThis bill reclassifies military working dogs as "canine members of the Armed Forces" instead of equipment under U.S. Code, directly affecting all military working dogs serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and other agencies like the Secret Service. It requires military departments to establish retirement and adoption procedures for these dogs - transferring them to the 341st Training Squadron or approved adoption programs if no facility placement is available - and amends travel policy to include facilitating adoptions. The bill also mandates the creation of a new recognition (like a medal) for dogs killed in action or performing exceptionally courageous acts. These changes aim to improve post-service care and honor the dogs' service, impacting how the military manages and acknowledges their roles.

Maddy summaryHR 4021, the Fair and Open Skies Act, amends U.S. aviation law to require that the Department of Transportation consider labor standards when reviewing international air transport agreements. Specifically, it adds "preventing the undermining of labor standards" as a mandatory factor in the public interest test for approving such agreements under 49 U.S.C. § 40101. This change directly affects international airlines seeking to operate flights to or from the U.S. and the DOT, which must now evaluate whether proposed agreements could weaken U.S. labor protections. The bill updates existing provisions by replacing outdated language about "agreements with the United States Government" and explicitly including labor standards in the evaluation criteria.

Airline Employee Assault Prevention Act This bill modifies the requirements for the Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plans that must be submitted by air carriers. Specifically, the bill requires that, within 90 days of enactment, commercial air carriers submit an Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plan to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for review and acceptance. Currently, air carriers must submit the plan only to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (These plans must include certain protocols for reporting verbal or physical assaults and for the notification of law enforcement.) The FAA, in consultation with the TSA, must submit a report to Congress on all of the Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plans submitted by commercial air carriers. The plans must be listed by each air carrier. The bill also specifies that current protections against interference with federal, airport, or air carrier employees who have airport security duties include employees performing ticketing, check-in or baggage claim, or boarding functions.

Maddy summaryHR 4035, the Protecting Small Business Information Act of 2023, requires the Treasury Secretary to coordinate the effective dates of all rules under the Corporate Transparency Act. It mandates that all final rules related to beneficial ownership reporting must take effect on the same date, delaying implementation until the Secretary certifies to Congress that all rules are issued and will align on a single effective date. This directly affects small businesses required to report beneficial ownership information under the Corporate Transparency Act. The bill’s key mechanism is creating a unified implementation timeline, preventing staggered rule deadlines that could complicate compliance for small entities. It does not change reporting requirements but ensures a synchronized rollout of the regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 4036, the Accountability through Confirmation Act, changes the appointment process for the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). It requires the President to appoint the Director with Senate confirmation (instead of the Treasury Secretary), sets the Director's pay at Executive Schedule Level IV, and provides a transition period for the current Director until the new appointee is confirmed. This bill directly affects FinCEN leadership by shifting appointment authority to the President and Senate. The key change is the requirement for Senate confirmation of the FinCEN Director, altering the current process.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the tax treatment of unused commuter benefit funds. It requires employees to include one-time distributions from transportation fringe benefit accounts (used for commuting costs) in their taxable income for the year they receive the payment. The distribution must occur within six months of the bill's enactment and cannot exceed the highest account balance since March 2020 or the current balance. This directly affects employees who had unused funds in these pre-tax commuter accounts, making those distributions taxable income instead of tax-exempt.