Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon

Maddy summaryThe PFAS Action Act of 2023 establishes federal regulations to address PFAS contamination across multiple environmental and health domains. It requires the EPA to designate specific PFAS (like PFOA and PFOS) as hazardous substances, set drinking water standards for PFAS, and mandate testing and reporting by manufacturers. The bill provides $500 million for community water systems to install PFAS treatment systems, $100 million for school water testing and filtration, and creates a website to help homeowners test well water. It also establishes labeling requirements for PFAS-free products and mandates better public communication about PFAS risks.

Maddy summaryHR 6724, the *Energizing American Shipbuilding Act of 2023*, requires natural gas and crude oil exporters to use US-registered vessels with specific domestic manufacturing components for a growing percentage of their vessel-based exports. For natural gas, exporters must use qualifying vessels for 2% of exports in year 1, rising to 15% by year 22; for crude oil, the target starts at 3% and reaches 10% by year 14. A qualifying vessel must be either built in the US with all major parts and specified components (like valves, propulsion systems, and electrical equipment) made domestically, or retrofitted in a US shipyard using US-made parts for those components. The bill also mandates exporters provide training opportunities for US mariners and requires the Energy Information Administration to track and publish export data.

Maddy summaryThe Restore Honor to Service Members Act of 2023 establishes a Department of Defense "Tiger Team" to improve outreach to veterans with certain discharge statuses (specifically those discharged under "former section 654" before 2011, often related to policies like the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era). The team will collaborate with the VA, veterans' groups, and other stakeholders to identify eligible veterans, share contact information, and guide them through the existing review process under Section 527 of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill requires the team to submit regular progress reports to Congress and a final report within three years, tracking how many veterans successfully changed their discharge status to "honorable" through the review process. This focuses on streamlining access to an existing review mechanism, not creating new benefits or altering discharge standards.

Maddy summaryThe Eviction Prevention Act of 2023 provides $125 million annually to states and local governments to fund legal counsel for eligible individuals (those with income below 125% of the federal poverty level) facing eviction. It establishes a national database requiring courts to collect detailed data on eviction cases, including tenant demographics, reasons for eviction, representation status, and case outcomes. The database will track court-ordered evictions, administrative evictions, and illegal evictions, with specific requirements for reporting by courts and law enforcement. This legislation authorizes $100 million annually for the database's operation through fiscal year 2028, aiming to improve understanding of eviction patterns and outcomes. The bill creates concrete mechanisms for increasing legal representation access and gathering comprehensive eviction data to inform policy decisions.

Maddy summaryHR 6713, the Corporate Crime Database Act of 2023, requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to create a public database tracking federal enforcement actions against corporate offenses. It mandates federal agencies to submit data on corporate violations (including alleged violations by businesses or employees acting in their roles), detailing entities involved, offenses, laws broken, agencies involved, and case outcomes. The database, to be published online within one year of enactment, will be searchable and updated regularly, including historical cases. Agencies must begin submitting data within 180 days, and the Bureau will issue annual reports analyzing trends and recommending improvements to corporate enforcement.

Maddy summaryHR 6654, the Farewell to Foam Act of 2023, bans the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene foam food containers, packaging peanuts ("loose fill"), and coolers starting January 1, 2026. It directly affects food service providers (like restaurants and schools), manufacturers, distributors, and retailers who sell these foam products. The bill prohibits selling these items, with enforcement starting with a written warning for first violations, followed by escalating civil penalties ($250 for a second violation, up to $1,000 for fourth+ violations), while exempting small businesses with low annual revenue from repeated penalties within a 7-day period.

Maddy summaryThe ARMAS Act of 2023 transfers regulatory control of certain firearm exports from the Department of Commerce to the Department of State. It designates Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, and other Caribbean nations as "covered countries" requiring special oversight for firearm exports. The bill requires the State Department to develop strategies to disrupt illegal firearm trafficking to these countries, implement tracking systems for firearms, and submit annual reports on exports. It establishes certification requirements for exports to covered countries, including detailed reporting to Congress about proposed exports. The law aims to improve tracking of firearms used in violence and reduce illegal trafficking that fuels crime and violence in the region.

Maddy summaryHRES 907 is a non-binding House resolution condemning rising antisemitism in the U.S., citing increased hate crimes (25% rise in 2022 per FBI data) and campus incidents (41% increase from 2021-2022 per ADL). It calls on all Americans, including campus leaders and government agencies, to combat antisemitism and urges implementation of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. The resolution specifically requests increased funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to strengthen safety protections for Jewish communities. It directly affects Jewish Americans, campus communities, and government agencies responsible for hate crime prevention and community safety.

Maddy summaryHRES 874 is a symbolic resolution expressing the House's support for designating November as "Prematurity Awareness Month." It does not create new laws or alter funding but urges the public, organizations, and communities to observe the month through events, promote awareness, and support preterm birth prevention programs. The resolution highlights statistics on preterm births (383,000 babies born preterm in 2021) and health disparities, but its sole action is endorsing the awareness designation. As a non-binding resolution, it has no direct impact on policy or affected individuals beyond raising public visibility.

Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act This bill imposes a minimum tax on individual taxpayers whose net worth for the taxable year exceeds $100 million. The tax is equal to 25% of the sum of a taxpayer's taxable income, plus net unrealized gains for the taxable year. The tax may not exceed 40% of the amount by which the taxpayer's net worth exceeds $100 million.