Rep. Suzanne Bonamici

Maddy summaryThe Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023 authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work with partners to protect and restore coastal habitats that support Federal trust species like migratory birds, endangered species, and marine mammals. The bill establishes a Coastal Program that provides technical assistance and financial support for coastal habitat planning, assessment, protection, restoration, and enhancement projects on public and private lands. It requires annual reporting on program progress, including quantitative data on protected, restored, and enhanced coastal landscapes, and authorizes $16.957 million annually for fiscal years 2024-2028. This legislation affects coastal states and territories along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, and U.S. territories.

Maddy summaryThe CASC Act establishes a National Climate Adaptation Science Center and nine Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers to provide scientific expertise for managing natural resources, cultural resources, and ecosystem services in response to climate change. These centers will conduct research, provide education and training, and offer advisory services to Federal agencies, States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other partners. The National Center will coordinate with regional centers, develop research priorities, and conduct five-year merit reviews to ensure high-quality climate adaptation science. The bill requires centers to work with diverse partners including Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and minority-serving institutions to ensure inclusive climate adaptation science.

Maddy summaryHR 7671, the Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act, allows local governments and organizations receiving federal disaster funds to redirect unused management costs toward disaster preparedness and mitigation. It defines "excess funds" as the difference between authorized management costs and actual spending, making these funds available for activities like building disaster recovery capacity or managing ongoing disaster operations. These redirected funds must be used within five years of availability and cannot create new spending, as the bill specifies "no additional funds" are authorized. The act also requires a GAO study to assess historical management costs for future funding decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to improve federal coordination and research on harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. It requires the Interagency Working Group to develop a comprehensive Action Strategy every five years examining both marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms, their causes, ecological impacts, and potential solutions. The bill establishes a National Harmful Algal Bloom Observing Network to leverage existing systems and new technologies for better monitoring and forecasting, and creates a new "Event of Significance" fund to support assessments and mitigation for particularly severe events. These changes directly affect federal agencies like NOAA and EPA, state and local governments, Tribal communities, and industries like fisheries that rely on healthy water resources.

Maddy summaryHR 10303, the DAMS for Beavers Act, creates a federal grant program to fund nonlethal projects that reduce property damage caused by beavers while maintaining their habitat. The program awards competitive grants to eligible entities like tribes, state agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and property owners, requiring all funded projects to use only nonlethal methods (such as fencing, flow devices, or tree protection) for beaver damage mitigation. Grantees must maintain nonlethal approaches for the project duration, with limited exceptions for health/safety or flood control needs, and the federal government covers up to 75% of project costs. The bill authorizes $3 million annually from 2025-2029 and mandates annual reports to Congress on funded projects and program effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHR 6751 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Roberto Clemente, a Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian, including 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins. The coins must feature Clemente's image and inscriptions like "Roberto Clemente" and "2027," with all sales including a surcharge ($5-$35 per coin) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation. The foundation, which supports youth sports, education, and disaster relief programs, will use these funds for its mission, while the U.S. Treasury must recover all production costs. The coins will be sold exclusively in 2027, with no net cost to the government.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates November 2024 as "National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month" to highlight the issue of homelessness among children and youth. It does not create new programs or funding but encourages businesses, governments, and organizations to raise public awareness about the causes and solutions to child and youth homelessness. The resolution supports existing efforts to address homelessness, referencing statistics on homelessness rates, educational impacts, and health risks faced by this population. It is a symbolic, awareness-focused measure with no direct policy changes or new obligations.

Maddy summaryHRES 1601 is a symbolic resolution designating November 8, 2024, as "National First-Generation College Celebration Day." It urges all Americans to celebrate this day, recognize first-generation college students' contributions to the workforce, and honor the 1965 Higher Education Act and its programs (like Pell Grants and TRIO) that support these students. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but highlights the challenges faced by first-generation students - such as higher employment rates during studies and household responsibilities - while acknowledging their growing presence in U.S. higher education (54% of undergrads identify as first-generation). This is a non-binding gesture of recognition, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryThe Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act (HR 807) directs the U.S. Treasury to mint three types of commemorative coins honoring working dogs' service: $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins with specific weight and composition requirements. Each coin will carry a surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) that will be paid directly to America's VetDogs to support their programs providing service dogs for veterans, the disabled, and others. The coins will be issued in 2027 with designs reflecting working dogs' roles in military, detection, therapy, and assistance work. The legislation specifies that all surcharge revenue must fund America's VetDogs' operations without creating new government programs. This is a commemorative measure focused on honoring working dogs' contributions through coin sales, with all surcharge funds going to a specific nonprofit organization.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Truth and Healing Commission to investigate the history and impacts of U.S. Indian Boarding School policies on Native American communities, including cultural, emotional, and physical effects on survivors, descendants, and tribal communities. The Commission will document these impacts through research, public meetings, and testimony, working with two advisory committees focused on Native American perspectives and Federal agency coordination. The Commission will operate for six years, with annual reports to Congress and a final report containing recommendations for Federal action. The bill also includes provisions for managing burial sites related to boarding schools and ensures the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act applies to remains found on Federal lands related to these schools.