Rep. Suzanne Bonamici

Maddy summaryThe HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2024 reauthorizes and updates the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which provides federal funds to states and local governments to develop affordable housing. The bill increases annual funding from $5 billion in 2024 to $6.08 billion in 2028, modifies eligibility requirements for participating jurisdictions, and eliminates a deadline for committing funds. It reforms homeownership resale restrictions, establishes a home loan guarantee program with $2 billion in initial funding (increasing with inflation), and enhances protections for tenants in small-scale affordable housing (defined as housing with no more than 4 rental units). These changes aim to make the program more flexible and effective in creating and preserving affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income households.

Maddy summary# Summary of the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act of 2023 This comprehensive legislation establishes significant reforms across environmental policy, energy infrastructure, and community engagement frameworks. Key provisions include: 1. **Environmental Justice Framework**: - Creates an Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights at EPA - Establishes a White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council - Prohibits disparate impact discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act - Requires community impact reports for Federal actions affecting environmental justice communities 2. **NEPA Reforms**: - Mandates 90-day public comment periods for environmental justice communities - Requires translation of documents into languages spoken by 5%+ of affected communities - Requires assessment of cumulative impacts, including historical pollution - Requires climate change impact assessments using social cost of carbon - Establishes searchable digital archives of NEPA documents 3. **Community Engagement Requirements**: - Creates "Senior Community Engagement Officers" and "Tribal Community Engagement Officers" at all federal agencies - Requires community benefits agreements for major projects - Establishes grants for capacity building in environmental justice communities - Creates an E-NEPA permitting portal for public access to documents 4. **Energy Policy Provisions**: - Includes reforms for FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) environmental justice liaison - Establishes requirements for intervenor funding at FERC - Contains provisions for transmission planning and infrastructure 5. **Tribal Consultation**: - Strengthens tribal consultation requirements for projects affecting tribal lands - Requires government-to-government relationships with tribal nations The legislation represents a significant shift toward integrating environmental justice considerations throughout the federal permitting and review process, with specific requirements for meaningful community engagement, transparency, and consideration of cumulative impacts on vulnerable populations. It also establishes new funding mechanisms and administrative structures to support these environmental justice goals.

Maddy summaryHR 5763 establishes the Organic Market Development Grant Program as a permanent initiative under the USDA. It provides grants to eligible entities - including organic farmers, cooperatives, nonprofits, tribal governments, and processors - to expand market access, improve infrastructure (like cold storage and processing), and support organic certification. The program allocates $75 million annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation and authorizes an additional $25 million, with grants capped at $3 million per project (or $100,000 for equipment-only projects) and requiring a 50% non-Federal matching share for most projects. The goal is to strengthen the domestic organic supply chain, reduce barriers for underserved producers, and fund market development and technical assistance activities.

Maddy summaryHRES 977 is a symbolic resolution recognizing National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), with over 137,000 educators holding this credential nationwide. It supports designating National Board Certified Teacher Week, acknowledges NBCTs' role in improving student achievement (especially in high-need schools), and encourages schools and states to promote NBCT growth and provide support. The resolution highlights that NBCTs are linked to higher student learning gains, greater teacher retention, and increased earnings for students - though it does not create new policies or funding. It is a non-binding statement of appreciation, not a legislative change.

Maddy summaryHRES 976 is a resolution recognizing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) for their 150+ year contributions to healthcare. It highlights CRNAs as essential providers of anesthesia and pain management, especially in rural areas and military/veterans' healthcare settings, where they administer over 50 million anesthetics annually. The resolution encourages public and professional recognition of CRNAs during National CRNA Week (January 21-27, 2024) and urges stakeholders to utilize CRNAs' full potential. As a non-binding commemorative resolution, it does not create new policies or directly affect healthcare delivery.

Maddy summaryHR 7056, the Access to Family Building Act, establishes federal rights for individuals to access assisted reproductive technology (ART) like IVF without unreasonable restrictions, directly affecting patients seeking fertility treatments and health care providers offering ART services. The bill prohibits states from imposing limitations on ART that are more burdensome than those for comparable medical procedures, fail to advance safety, or unduly restrict access, while allowing health and safety regulations that are necessary and least restrictive. It creates federal enforcement mechanisms, including lawsuits by the Attorney General or affected individuals to challenge violating state laws, and preempts conflicting state regulations. The bill explicitly preserves state authority over health/safety regulations and does not alter existing state insurance coverage laws for ART.

Maddy summaryThe Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act of 2024 creates a new federal grant program to address nursing faculty shortages. It authorizes $28.5 million annually (2024-2028) to help nursing schools supplement faculty salaries, covering the gap between clinical nurse pay and teaching salaries. Schools must submit detailed salary data and plans to sustain higher pay after the 3-year grant period. The program prioritizes schools in high-need areas, serving vulnerable populations, or recruiting underrepresented faculty, with a report required to Congress after 3 years.

Maddy summaryHR 7029, the Bubble Tax Modernization Act of 2024, simplifies tax rules for certain alcoholic beverages by removing a separate tax classification for mead (honey wine). It defines "low alcohol by volume wine" to include all still wines (non-sparkling) with less than 8.5% alcohol and under 0.64g carbon dioxide per 100ml, treating them the same as mead for tax purposes. This change directly affects winemakers and beverage producers who previously faced different tax treatments for mead versus low-alcohol wine. The bill takes effect for wine produced after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summary# Summary of "Protecting Communities from Plastics Act" (Title II) This comprehensive legislation addresses the environmental, health, and environmental justice impacts of plastics production and use. Key provisions include: ## Environmental Justice Protections - Requires environmental justice assessments for permits of "covered facilities" (plastics manufacturing facilities) - Mandates consultation with "fenceline communities" (communities near facilities) including: * Prompt notification in multiple languages * Public hearings with translation services * Community benefit agreements - Establishes a 45-day waiting period before approving permits after public hearings ## Regulatory Requirements - Amends Clean Air Act to establish new source performance standards for plastics facilities - Requires continuous monitoring of air emissions (benzene, nitrogen oxides, etc.) - Amends Clean Water Act to prohibit discharge of plastic pellets in wastewater - Requires financial assurance for facility closure and emergency response - Prohibits new facility permits within 5 miles of community buildings (schools, hospitals, etc.) ## Research and Monitoring - Requires study of microplastics in food (including fish, meat, fruits, vegetables) - Mandates research on microplastics in human bodies (urine, breastmilk, stool) - Establishes a pilot program to test technologies for microplastic removal - Requires inventory of plastics manufacturing and distribution ## Additional Provisions - Temporary permitting moratorium on new plastics facilities (during "temporary pause period") - Requires listing of discarded polyvinyl chloride as hazardous waste - Limits National Recycling Strategy to exclude chemical recycling technologies - Creates grants to reduce single-use plastics in agricultural packaging - Requires biodegradable alternatives to plastic weed barriers The legislation aims to address the disproportionate environmental and health impacts of plastics production on vulnerable communities while establishing comprehensive regulatory frameworks for plastics manufacturing and disposal.

Maddy summaryHR 5973, the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act (CIAO Act), requires the USDA to regularly review and update organic standards. It mandates that the Secretary publish a public request for input every 5 years (starting 180 days after enactment) on which regulations should be prioritized for revision. Based on this input and recommendations from the National Organic Standards Board, the USDA must propose specific changes, seek public comment, and finalize updates within 5 years. This process directly affects organic farmers, processors, and the USDA, ensuring organic standards evolve using the latest environmental, market, and scientific data.