Rep. David Kustoff

Maddy summaryHRES 771 is a non-binding resolution expressing the U.S. House of Representatives' support for Israel following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. It condemns Hamas' actions, affirms Israel's right to self-defense, and calls for the immediate release of hostages. The resolution also urges enforcement of existing laws restricting aid to terrorists and sanctions against Iran for supporting Hamas. It does not create new policies or allocate funds, as it is a symbolic statement of congressional support.

Maddy summaryHRES 768 is a symbolic House Resolution expressing congressional support for Israel following Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks. It condemns Hamas' actions, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, and calls for the immediate release of hostages. The resolution references the U.S. commitment to Israel's security through existing military aid programs, including the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, and emphasizes enforcement of laws like the Taylor Force Act to prevent U.S. aid from reaching terrorist groups. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new policy but serves as a statement of congressional support for Israel.

Maddy summaryThe Student Empowerment Act expands tax-advantaged 529 college savings accounts to cover K-12 education expenses. It allows families to use 529 funds for tuition, curriculum materials, books, online learning resources, licensed tutoring (with specific teacher qualifications), standardized test fees, dual enrollment programs, and licensed educational therapies for students with disabilities. This directly affects students attending public, private, religious schools, or homeschools (treated as private schools under state law) and their families. The change applies to 529 distributions made after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $13.1 billion in emergency funding to support Israel's defense and security needs following the situation in Israel. It allocates $4 billion for purchasing Iron Dome and David's Sling missile defense systems, $1.2 billion for developing the Iron Beam system, and $3.5 billion for foreign military aid (including grants for advanced weapons systems) to the Government of Israel. The funds cover military equipment, training, security operations, and diplomatic efforts related to the situation in Israel, with specific provisions allowing transfers between defense accounts and requiring emergency designation by Congress and the President. The funding directly affects Israel's military capabilities and U.S. diplomatic operations in the region.

Maddy summaryHR 5996, the "Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act," restricts all U.S. federal funding in Gaza until the President certifies two conditions to Congress: (1) funds won't benefit Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or designated terrorist groups, and (2) all hostages taken by these groups have been freed. The bill also prohibits U.S. funding through UN entities in Gaza if they promote anti-Israel or anti-Semitic content. It applies to all U.S. government spending in Gaza, including aid delivered via international organizations. The law directly affects federal budget allocations for Gaza operations and requires specific congressional oversight before any funds can be used.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the release of Iranian assets blocked by the U.S. Treasury until the President certifies two conditions: (1) hostilities between Israel and Hamas/Iran-backed groups have ended, and (2) Israel has received full compensation for harms or Iran is participating in a verified international compensation mechanism. It requires the President to notify Congress 30 days before releasing any such asset and allows Congress to block the release via a joint resolution within 30 days. The bill also authorizes the President to confiscate Iranian assets held in the U.S., deposit the funds into a special account, and use those funds to procure defense articles/services for Israel. These provisions aim to leverage frozen Iranian assets to support Israel's defense needs while establishing specific procedural safeguards for asset management.

'Operation Swords of Iron' Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act This bill provides $2 billion in appropriations for the Department of Defense to provide to the government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats. The funds must be provided to address emergent requirements in support of Operation Swords of Iron.

Maddy summaryHR 5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to clarify that federal education funds cannot be used for certain weapons - but this restriction does not apply to archery, hunting, or other shooting sports training programs. The bill directly affects schools and educational programs seeking to use federal funds for these specific activities, such as archery clubs or hunting safety education. It adds an explicit exception to the existing prohibition, allowing funds to support "educational instruction or enrichment activities" in these sports under authorized programs. This change removes ambiguity about funding eligibility for such educational initiatives in K-12 schools.

Maddy summaryThe Depositor Protection Act of 2023 increases federal deposit insurance coverage for noninterest-bearing transaction accounts (such as business checking accounts) from $250,000 to $100 million. Smaller banks with less than $250 billion in assets can choose to opt out of this increased coverage without paying additional fees. The bill also increases the threshold for reciprocal deposits from $5 billion to $10 billion and creates a temporary 90-day window for acquiring "distressed banks" (banks whose stock price has dropped at least 20% since March 2023) without standard regulatory approvals, subject to certain capital and rating conditions. The higher insurance limits would revert to $250,000 after two years.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Opportunity Zones program by requiring designated census tracts to meet specific poverty and income criteria, with a process to replace tracts that no longer qualify. It establishes mandatory annual reporting for Opportunity Zone funds and investors, collecting data on investments, employment, and community impact. The bill extends the tax deferral period for capital gains invested in Opportunity Zones from 2026 to 2028. Additionally, it creates a $1 billion State and Community Dynamism Fund to support investments in underserved communities, with specific requirements for how these funds can be used for affordable housing, small businesses, and community capacity building.