Rep. Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr.

Maddy summaryThis bill would increase the base pay for Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers by 35 percent, replacing their current base rate for all pay calculations (including retirement and locality adjustments). It applies to officers whose duties involve inmate custody, control, or direct custodial contact, including certain supervisory staff and lower-grade Bureau of Prisons employees with similar duties. The pay increase is capped at the Executive Schedule level V rate and would expire after five years unless a Department of Justice Inspector General review finds progress in reducing non-custodial staff use for custodial duties and excessive overtime. The review, required 180 days before expiration, would assess impacts on recruitment, retention, and institutional safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill standardizes voluntary date labels on food packaging by requiring "BEST If Used By" (or "BB" for short) for quality dates and "USE By" (or "UB" for short) for discard dates. Manufacturers may choose whether to use these labels, but if they do, they must follow specific formatting rules (e.g., prominent placement, month/year format) and avoid conflicting state requirements. It excludes infant formula from the labeling rules and prohibits states from imposing different labeling standards. The law also mandates consumer education on label meanings within two years of enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 4782, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act, establishes a USDA program to connect local farmers with food distribution networks. It requires eligible entities (like state agriculture agencies) to use funds to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed local foods from covered producers - including at least 25% from small-size, mid-size, beginning, or veteran farmers - while providing technical assistance for food safety and supply chains. The bill allocates $200 million annually (2026-2030) from the Commodity Credit Corporation, mandating 10% for Tribal governments and 1% per state before distributing remaining funds. This directly supports regional food security by boosting economic opportunities for local farmers and improving access to fresh, nutritious food through established distribution channels.

Maddy summaryHR 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025, modifies how funds from the False Claims Act are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. It specifies that from 2025 through 2029, certain False Claims Act proceeds (specifically those for qui tam plaintiff payments and government damage reimbursements) cannot be deposited into the fund. This change directly affects the composition of the Crime Victims Fund by excluding these specific revenue streams during the specified period. The bill does not create new benefits or alter victim services; it only adjusts fund allocation rules for existing False Claims Act revenues.

Maddy summaryHR 6997, the Community Passport Services Access Act, allows qualified public libraries to become official passport acceptance facilities and collect the standard execution fee for passport applications. It directly affects non-profit public libraries meeting U.S. State Department regulations, enabling them to serve as passport application sites - expanding access beyond current locations like post offices. Key provisions authorize new libraries to apply for this role and automatically authorize existing libraries that previously accepted passports. The bill also updates the Passport Act to formally include public libraries in the list of authorized acceptance locations. This creates a concrete policy change in where passport services are available to the public.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a FEMA program providing income-based discounts to make flood insurance more affordable for qualifying policyholders. It caps annual premiums at 1% of a household's area median income for primary residences, small businesses (under 100 employees), and non-profits meeting hardship criteria. The program is funded by $250 million annually (with 95% required spending), and requires FEMA to implement monthly premium payments within 180 days. It directly affects millions of flood insurance policyholders in high-risk areas who struggle with current costs.

Aviation Funding Solvency Act This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) if (1) an appropriations bill for the FAA has not been enacted before a fiscal year begins, or (2) a law making continuing appropriations for the FAA is not in effect. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations from the Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities that were funded in the preceding fiscal year. The FAA may use the balance of the fund, minus $1 billion. If the FAA determines that the amounts from the fund are insufficient to continue all programs, projects, or activities, then the FAA must prioritize compensation payments for employees of the Air Traffic Organization (e.g., air traffic controllers). The bill provides the appropriations until the date on which either (1) specified appropriations legislation for the fiscal year becomes law, or (2) a bill making continuing appropriations becomes law. Finally, the bill permanently extends the FAA Non-premium War Risk Insurance Program. This program provides aviation insurance without a premium to eligible air carriers at the request of the Department of Defense or another federal agency, provided that the agency agrees to indemnify the FAA from all losses covered under the insurance. Eligible air carriers include those whose operations are under a federal contract and are necessary for national security or to carry out U.S. foreign policy.

Maddy summaryThe Reliable Power Act requires the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to conduct annual assessments of the U.S. power grid's ability to maintain reliable electricity supply, including analyzing generation resources, transmission needs, and risks of shortages during extreme weather. If the ERO identifies a risk of insufficient generation, it notifies the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which then alerts federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) developing regulations affecting power generation. These agencies must submit proposed regulations for FERC review before finalizing them, and FERC can recommend changes to prevent reliability risks, with agencies required to respond to FERC’s comments. The bill directly affects federal agencies creating energy-related rules and aims to prevent power shortages by integrating grid reliability into the rulemaking process.

Maddy summaryHR 5778 requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to participate in federal interagency meetings about employee ownership and cooperatives. Specifically, the SBA Administrator (or a designee) must attend such meetings when invited or if there's a prior relationship with the host agency. The bill also updates outreach language for Small Business Investment Companies to include investors and mandates the SBA to implement existing outreach through its Employee Ownership Program within 180 days of enactment. This directly affects the SBA's operational procedures and indirectly supports employee-owned businesses by improving federal coordination on these models.

Maddy summaryHR 6718, the Professional Student Degree Act, amends the Higher Education Act to clarify the definition of a "professional degree" for federal education purposes. It replaces the previous definition with a new section listing specific degrees that meet the criteria, including Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Law (J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), and others like Nursing (D.N.P.) and Business Administration (M.B.A.). This definition requires degrees to signify both completion of academic requirements for professional practice (often requiring licensure) and skills beyond a bachelor's level. The bill directly affects students pursuing these designated degrees by formally recognizing them under federal education law, without creating new programs or changing funding.