Rep. Elise M. Stefanik

Maddy summaryHR 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, amends the Clean Air Act to restrict states from implementing vehicle emissions rules that limit the sale or use of new gasoline-powered cars. It directly affects states with stricter emissions standards (like California) by adding a new definition that blocks state rules "directly or indirectly" limiting internal combustion engine vehicles as defined in federal regulations as of January 1, 2023. The bill requires the EPA to revoke existing state emissions waivers granted between January 2022 and the bill’s enactment if they don’t comply with this new definition. This creates a concrete federal standard preventing states from advancing policies that could reduce demand for conventional vehicles.

This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of PCOS Awareness Month. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormone imbalance. Symptoms can include infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and acne.

Maddy summaryHR 5495, the Political BIAS Emails Act of 2023, prohibits email providers from automatically labeling political campaign emails as spam without a user’s explicit action. It requires email providers to publish quarterly transparency reports showing spam rates for Republican and Democratic campaign emails separately, including how often algorithms flagged them without user input. Political campaigns can request detailed reports about their own email delivery rates and best practices for reaching inboxes, with limits on how frequently they can request this data. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce these rules as unfair or deceptive practices under existing law. The bill directly affects major email services and political campaigns, aiming to increase transparency in how political communications are filtered.

Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act of 2023 This bill requires the share of federal funds for cancer research that is allocated to pediatric cancer research to equal the percentage of the U.S. population that is under the age of 18.

Maddy summaryHR 5513 clarifies how to determine if a worker is an employee or independent contractor under federal labor law. It adds specific criteria: a worker is an independent contractor if the company doesn’t control *how* work is done (only the result) and the worker has entrepreneurial risks like business decision-making. The bill explicitly prohibits using factors like requiring safety standards, insurance, or meeting deadlines to classify someone as an employee. This affects workers and companies across industries who currently use independent contractor arrangements, particularly impacting minimum wage protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act and union representation rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Maddy summaryHR 3152, the "Fight CRIME Act," aims to maintain international restrictions on Iran's missile-related activities by requiring diplomatic efforts to extend these restrictions before they expire in October 2023. The bill mandates annual reports detailing U.S. diplomatic strategies, potential impacts of expiration, and measures to deter missile technology transfers to Iran. It establishes sanctions against foreign individuals or entities that knowingly support Iran's missile or drone programs, including asset freezes and visa restrictions. These sanctions apply regardless of whether UN restrictions remain in effect after their expiration, directly affecting foreign entities involved in these activities.

Maddy summaryHR 5383, the GIVE MILK Act, amends the Child Nutrition Act to allow WIC participants with young children to choose their preferred milk type (whole, low-fat, or nonfat) instead of receiving a default option. This change directly affects WIC participants caring for children aged 12 months to 4 years, aligning with dietary guidelines for that age group. The key provision requires the Secretary of Agriculture to issue the milk type elected by the participant or their guardian, updating WIC program regulations under Section 17(f) of the Child Nutrition Act. The bill focuses on enabling participant choice based on established nutritional recommendations for childhood development.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Bureau of Prisons to develop and implement a strategy for scanning all incoming mail at federal prisons to stop fentanyl and other synthetic drugs from entering facilities. It directs the Bureau to evaluate existing scanning technology within 180 days and submit a detailed plan to Congress within 90 days, including how to provide digital copies of mail to inmates within 24 hours and physical copies within 30 days (if safe). The strategy must achieve 100% mail scanning capacity at all federal prisons, prioritize high-security facilities, and include a budget proposal for fiscal years 2024-2026. This directly affects federal prisons, inmates, and Bureau employees by changing mail processing procedures to enhance safety and reduce staffing burdens from manual mail checks.

Maddy summaryHR 4944, the Military Families and Surviving Spouses Benefits Enhancement Act, expands benefits for military families by removing barriers for remarried surviving spouses of service members who died on active duty. It allows these spouses to access federal job preferences, VA non-monetary benefits (like healthcare and education), and commissary/exchange privileges without being disqualified due to remarriage. The bill also creates a 180-day student loan deferment for spouses of active-duty service members who lose jobs due to permanent military relocations, with interest not accruing on certain federal loans during this period. Documentation of military orders and job loss is required for the student loan provision, and all changes apply to specific federal benefit programs.

This bill requires various changes to the passport application process and addresses related issues. The bill requires all U.S. regular passports to contain a written notice advising travelers (1) to check travel.state.gov for updated travel warnings, (2) to register with the Department of State prior to overseas travel, (3) that many countries deny entry to travelers whose passport expires within six months, and (4) to renew their passports within at least one year of the expiration date.  Further, the bill makes permanent existing State Department authority to assess a surcharge on the passport application fee to cover the costs of increased demand prompted by certain legal requirements. This authority currently expires on September 30, 2026.  For three years starting from this bill's enactment, the State Department may use direct hire authority to expedite the hiring of individuals into Passport and Visa Examining positions (Series 0967). Finally, the bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress about passport processing wait times, agency plans for a public outreach campaign, and related information.