Rep. Val T. Hoyle

Maddy summaryHR 3255, the Freight Rail Workforce Health and Safety Act, requires major freight railroads (Class I carriers) to provide employees with at least 7 days of paid sick leave annually. This includes leave for personal illness, family care, preventive medical visits, and situations related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Employees can carry over unused days to the next year, and railroads cannot require workers to find replacements before taking leave or penalize them for using it. The law prohibits retaliation, such as termination or demotion, for requesting or using sick leave, and ensures paid sick leave is separate from existing vacation or holiday time.

Maddy summaryThe PAST Act of 2023 amends the Horse Protection Act to ban specific devices used to cause pain (soring) in horses at shows, particularly affecting Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. It defines prohibited "action devices" (like boots or chains causing friction) and requires licensed, conflict-free inspectors at events to enforce rules. The bill increases penalties for violations to up to $5,000 fines or 3 years in jail, and mandates longer disqualifications for repeat offenses (180 days → 1 year → 3 years). Horse show organizers, exhibitors, and participants must comply with these new inspection and penalty requirements.

Affordable Pricing for Taxpayer-Funded Prescription Drugs Act of 202 3 This bill requires companies that receive federal funding for research (or a license of the rights to a patent or regulatory test data) for a biomedical product or service to agree to set reasonable prices for the resulting biomedical product or service. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must determine a reasonable price based on a formula that ensures the U.S. price for the product or service is not more than the median price for the product or service in Canada and six other reference countries with, based on specified criteria, large economies and high incomes. Companies entering these agreements also must report to HHS certain financial information related to the biomedical product or service involved.

This resolution reaffirms the central role of local frontline health workforces in achieving global health objectives. The resolution also urges greater global attention and support for local frontline health workers.

Maddy summaryHR 3238, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023, updates the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to increase the availability of affordable housing across the United States. The bill makes several key changes including increasing state funding formulas, modifying tenant eligibility rules to better serve vulnerable populations (such as domestic violence victims and students), and expanding credit eligibility for projects in rural and Native American communities. Specific provisions raise the credit for properties serving extremely low-income households, clarify rules around tenant income increases, and require housing providers to protect victims of domestic violence. The bill also updates terminology from "low-income" to "affordable" throughout the tax code and enhances program transparency through data sharing requirements. These changes aim to make the LIHTC program more effective at creating and preserving affordable housing units for low-income households nationwide.

Maddy summaryThe Invest to Protect Act of 2023 establishes a federal grant program for local law enforcement agencies with fewer than 200 officers (including counties, municipalities, and tribal governments) to fund training and support services. Grants cover de-escalation training, mental health resources, evidence-based safety training (such as handling domestic violence or mental health crises), and recruitment/retention incentives like signing bonuses, retention bonuses (up to 20% of salary), and stipends for graduate education in mental health or social work. The bill requires a streamlined grant application process (under two hours), public disclosure of bonus amounts, and annual audits to prevent misuse of funds.

Maddy summaryThe HELPER Act of 2023 creates a new FHA mortgage insurance program specifically for first responders and K-12 teachers. It allows eligible first-time homebuyers in these professions to secure mortgages with 100% financing (no down payment required) for purchasing or repairing a primary residence. To qualify, applicants must be employed as law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, or K-12 teachers, have completed housing counseling, and meet specific employment history requirements (e.g., 4 years in the role or disability-related release). The program authorizes $660,000 for fiscal year 2024 and $160,000 annually through 2030, with authority expiring after 5 years.

Maddy summaryHRES 376 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' view that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) must maintain door-to-door delivery for all residential and business customers. It cites concerns that ending this service would disproportionately affect elderly and disabled individuals who rely on secure, convenient mail access for essential items like medications. The resolution notes that voluntary shifts to centralized pickup in 2013 affected only 0.8% of businesses, highlighting dependence on in-person delivery for security and revenue. It urges USPS to avoid reducing door delivery or requiring customers to pay for it.

Maddy summaryHR 2757, the Puerto Rico Status Act, establishes a process for Puerto Rico to determine its political status through a plebiscite on November 2, 2025, offering three options: independence, sovereignty in free association with the United States, or statehood. If no option receives a majority in the initial vote, a runoff plebiscite would be held on March 8, 2026. The bill outlines transition processes for each option, including constitutional conventions, implementation steps, and provisions for citizenship, immigration, and economic benefits. It mandates bilingual voter education materials and requires oversight by the Elections Commission and the Attorney General to ensure fair representation of all options. This legislation directly affects Puerto Rico's residents by providing a structured process to choose their permanent political relationship with the United States.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 37 is a non-binding congressional resolution expressing that Congress views climate change as an emergency requiring a massive national mobilization. It states that human-caused climate change severely impacts U.S. economic well-being, health, safety, and national security, and urges the President to use existing authorities to accelerate climate action. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but emphasizes the need for urgent, equitable efforts to reduce emissions, address environmental injustice, and support vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by climate impacts. It cites rising global temperatures, extreme weather costs ($165 billion in U.S. disasters in 2022), and the Inflation Reduction Act as context, while clarifying it does not declare an actual national emergency.