Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi

Maddy summaryThis bill extends a tax incentive allowing businesses to immediately deduct costs for cleaning up contaminated properties (brownfields). It modifies the tax code to permit these deductions for expenses paid between 2012-2022 and starting in 2027. The change directly affects developers and property owners involved in brownfields redevelopment projects, enabling them to reduce taxable income for cleanup costs. The policy update avoids requiring capitalization of remediation expenses over time, providing immediate tax relief during specified periods.

Maddy summaryHR 6406, the "Last Servicemember Standing Medal Act," creates a new military service medal to honor specific service members. It authorizes the Secretary of Defense to award the medal to active-duty members who were the last surviving member of their unit after combat during a war or overseas operation, demonstrated extraordinary heroism in defense of the U.S., and received recommendations from their commanding officer and at least two peers. The medal is limited to one award per person, and if a recipient dies, the medal may be issued to their next-of-kin. The bill amends Title 10 of the U.S. Code to establish this recognition, with implementation to be expedited by Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a competitive grant program to improve recycling access in underserved communities - defined as areas lacking full recycling services due to cost, distance, or insufficient processing capacity. It allocates $30 million annually (2023-2027) for grants to eligible entities like states, local governments, tribes, or public-private partnerships to fund projects such as expanding transfer stations, adding curbside collection, or creating hub-and-spoke infrastructure networks. Grants range from $500,000 to $15 million per project, with 70% of funds reserved for single or multiple underserved communities, and require 90% federal cost coverage (with possible waivers for financial hardship). The program prohibits grant use for education and mandates a congressional report on implementation and outcomes within two years.

Maddy summaryHRES 861 is a non-binding resolution calling on Azerbaijan to immediately release all detained Armenian prisoners of war, hostages, and civilians. It demands Azerbaijan provide information on missing persons, allow independent monitoring of detainees' conditions, and comply with international law. The resolution also urges the U.S. President to impose sanctions on Azerbaijani officials responsible for abuses and suspend military aid under existing law. This resolution directly addresses Azerbaijan’s government, targeting its actions regarding Armenians detained since the 2020 conflict and the 2023 Artsakh offensive.

Maddy summaryThis bill would authorize the U.S. government to confiscate Russian sovereign assets held in U.S. jurisdiction and use those funds to support Ukraine's reconstruction and humanitarian needs following Russia's invasion. It prohibits releasing these blocked assets until Russia fully compensates Ukraine or agrees to an international compensation mechanism. The bill establishes a "Ukraine Support Fund" to hold confiscated assets and requires regular congressional reporting on how these funds are allocated for Ukraine's recovery. It also includes provisions for international coordination with allies on sanctions and asset management related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Maddy summaryHR 6201, the Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023, creates the Iran Sanctions Enforcement Fund to cover costs related to seizing and forfeiting property from Iran or its designated proxies (like Hezbollah or the Revolutionary Guard Corps) that violate U.S. sanctions. The fund, initially $150 million, pays for investigative costs, property management, informant rewards, and equipment for federal, state, and local agencies involved in enforcement. It also establishes an Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security to improve interagency cooperation on enforcing export controls targeting Iran. The bill requires annual reports on fund usage and mandates repayment of the initial $150 million by 2034, unless waived for national security reasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a one-time $40,000 payment to former Air America employees who served at least five years during 1950-1976, or to their survivors (widows/widowers, dependents, or children). Additional $8,000 payments are provided for each full year of service beyond five years. The total funding is capped at $60 million, with claims due within two years of regulations being finalized. It does not create ongoing benefits or change Air America’s legal status, and payments are issued as a single lump sum.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a previous exclusion that prevented temporary federal employees (including U.S. Postal Service staff and Members of Congress) from counting service after January 1, 1988, toward their retirement benefits. It allows these workers to have their post-1988 temporary service counted toward retirement eligibility if they pay a deposit to the retirement system. The change applies to anyone employed by the federal government on or after the bill's enactment date. The Office of Personnel Management must notify affected employees and create rules to implement this change.

Maddy summarySammy's Law of 2023 requires large social media platforms (defined as those with over 100 million monthly users or $1 billion in annual revenue) to create and maintain application programming interfaces that allow parents or legal guardians to delegate account management for children aged 13 or older to third-party safety software providers. These providers must register with the Federal Trade Commission, agree to use data solely for child safety, and follow strict rules about data disclosure. The law establishes a national standard that prevents states from creating their own requirements for this feature while including FTC enforcement mechanisms and data security provisions. The legislation aims to give parents more tools to monitor and protect children from specific online harms like cyberbullying, trafficking, and violence on major social media platforms.

This resolution requests the Department of State to transmit to Congress a statement on human rights practices in Azerbaijan, including the steps the United States has taken to promote human rights in the region and an assessment of whether circumstances exist that necessitate a continuation of security assistance for Azerbaijan.