Rep. Anthony D’Esposito

Maddy summaryHR 4787, the Volunteer First Responder Housing Act, provides housing benefits for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders who meet specific service requirements. It allows qualified volunteers to receive an $18,000 annual income deduction when applying for USDA single-family home loans, and qualifies them for discounted home purchases under HUD’s Good Neighbor Next Door program (normally for certified firefighters/EMTs). To qualify, volunteers must have served continuously for two years (meeting minimum hour requirements or active membership) and hold state certification, with employer verification confirming their eligibility. This directly affects volunteer first responders in communities served by eligible fire departments or emergency services organizations.

Maddy summaryHR 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act, prohibits public schools and colleges receiving federal funds from using their facilities to house non-admitted immigrants. This applies to all K-12 public schools and institutions of higher education that accept federal financial assistance. The rule is a condition for receiving such funding, with exceptions for emergency shelter during specified disasters (like fires or floods). The bill does not restrict schools from using facilities for educational purposes or other non-immigrant-related housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates two tax credits to support local media and small businesses. It provides a credit for small businesses (under 50 full-time employees) that advertise in qualifying local newspapers or broadcast stations, covering 80% of first-year ad costs up to $5,000 and 50% of subsequent-year costs up to $2,500. It also establishes a payroll tax credit for employers hiring local news journalists, covering 50% of wages for the first four quarters (capped at $12,500 per journalist) and 30% thereafter, with a maximum of 1,500 journalists per employer. Both credits expire after five years and require strict definitions of "local media" (e.g., publishers with local journalists and community focus) to prevent misuse.

Maddy summaryHR 4709, the U.S.-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act of 2023, amends a reporting requirement in the National Defense Authorization Act to enhance U.S.-Israel cooperation on countering Iranian drone threats. The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report within 180 days detailing the status of joint efforts to develop and deploy counter-drone technologies, including assessments of current capabilities and proposed policy changes. It also increases funding for this cooperation from $40 million to $55 million annually. The bill directly affects U.S. and Israeli military operations by mandating formal coordination to address Iran’s growing arsenal of armed drones, which have been used against U.S. allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia. This is a procedural bill focused on improving existing coordination, not on new weapons or sanctions.

Maddy summaryHR 2768, the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act, establishes a VA grant program to fund peer-to-peer mental health support for veterans. It provides up to $250,000 per grant to eligible nonprofits, veteran service organizations, or state/local Tribal agencies to create programs where veterans serve as peer specialists offering 24/7 nonclinical support. The program requires adherence to VA-developed standards for volunteer training and service delivery, while prohibiting the collection of veterans' personally identifying information. The bill authorizes $25 million over three years to implement this initiative, directly benefiting veterans seeking accessible mental health assistance through peer networks.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 1282 (Major Richard Star Act), expands benefits for certain military retirees by allowing them to receive both veterans' disability compensation and military retirement pay simultaneously. It specifically affects combat-related disabled retirees under Chapter 61 of the military retirement system who have fewer than 20 years of service. The key change removes the automatic reduction of military retirement pay when these retirees also receive disability compensation, as amended in Section 1413a(b)(3) of Title 10. Technical updates to the law’s structure and effective date (starting after enactment) complete the provisions.

Child Care Investment Act of 2023 This bill increases the employer-provided child care tax credit, the amount excludable from gross income for dependent care flexible spending accounts, and makes the household and dependent care tax credit refundable. Among other provisions, the bill increases the rate of the employer-provided child care tax credit from 25% to 50% and increases the maximum credit amount from $150,000 to $500,000. It also increases (1) the pre-tax deduction for dependent care flexible spending accounts from $5,000 to $10,000, plus an additional $2,000 for each eligible dependent; and (2) the rate of the household and dependent care tax credit and makes such credit refundable.

Maddy summaryThe Mink VIRUS Act prohibits U.S. mink farming starting one year after enactment, directly affecting fur farm owners who raise mink for their fur. It requires all mink termination to use humane methods meeting federal and AVMA standards, beginning 90 days after enactment, with civil penalties for noncompliance. The bill establishes a $350 million payment program to compensate affected farmers for transition costs and the market value of their mink farming operations, contingent on using funds only for relocation and securing permanent easements banning future fur farming. This legislation responds to documented risks of SARS-CoV-2 transmission between humans and mink, including mutated virus cases in multiple countries.

Maddy summaryThe Promising Pathway Act creates a new FDA review pathway for drugs treating serious or life-threatening conditions, allowing provisional approval within 90 days if they show substantial safety evidence and early efficacy comparable to existing treatments. It directly affects drug manufacturers (sponsors), patients with urgent medical needs, and insurers, requiring mandatory patient registries tracking outcomes and side effects with a 90% participation goal. The bill mandates that insurers cover these provisionally approved drugs as if fully approved (without denying coverage as "experimental") and requires sponsors to submit annual reports to Congress on registry data and approval progress. Provisional approval lasts up to 8 years (2 years initially, renewable up to three times) but requires market launch within 180 days and allows FDA withdrawal if safety concerns arise or efficacy falls below standard treatments.

This resolution recognizes that allowing illegal immigrants and noncitizens the right to vote devalues the franchise and diminishes the voting power of U.S. citizens.