Rep. Brian Higgins

This bill nullifies a requirement for certain foreign travelers to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before being admitted into the United States. Specifically, this bill nullifies a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rule that imposed this requirement for each traveler who is neither a U.S. national nor a lawful permanent resident arriving at land port of entry or ferry on the U.S.-Canada border. The bill also nullifies another CBP rule that applied this restriction to the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill also nullifies any subsequent decision by CBP or the Department of Homeland Security that imposes such a requirement.

Maddy summaryHR 2904, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023, establishes a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC. The center will declare racism a public health crisis, conduct research on how structural racism affects health outcomes, and develop data systems to track health disparities across race, ethnicity, gender, and other factors. It will fund regional centers in minority communities, create public health interventions, and require CDC to report annually on antiracist efforts. This bill directly affects public health agencies, researchers, and communities of color by mandating systemic analysis of racial inequities in healthcare and public health policy.

Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2023 or the FAIR Act of 2023 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.

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.

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.

Raise the Age Act of 2023 This bill establishes new restrictions on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age. Specifically, this bill makes it unlawful for a licensed gun dealer, importer, manufacturer, or collector to sell or deliver a semiautomatic center-fire rifle or semiautomatic center-fire shotgun that has (or has the capacity to accept) an ammunition feeding device with a capacity of more than five rounds to an individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under age 21. The prohibition does not apply if the individual under age 21 is a full-time law enforcement officer or active-duty member of the Armed Forces. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.

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.

Maddy summaryHRES 324 is a non-binding House resolution expressing support for library staff across public, school, academic, and special libraries. It recognizes these workers as essential community resources providing access to information, internet services, and social support - especially for underserved populations - and highlights their expanded roles during crises like the opioid epidemic and pandemic. The resolution calls for adequate funding, protects staff from threats while performing their duties, supports their right to unionize, and upholds the public’s right to free access to library resources. It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges these priorities during National Library Week.

American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to review and approve drugs pursuant to its own expertise, and that recent court decisions blocking the FDA's approval of mifepristone (which is used in medication abortion) violate congressional intent with respect to the FDA's authority.