Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor to Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh). The resolution calls on the U.S. government to work with international partners to deploy observers to explore opportunities for security and peaceful development. The resolution also calls on the President to (1) suspend military and security assistance from the United States to Azerbaijan, and (2) fully enforce a U.S. law prohibiting certain bilateral assistance to Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan takes demonstrable steps to cease all offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Maddy summaryHR 882, the American Teacher Act, requires states to ensure full-time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools earn at least $60,000 annually (adjusted for inflation), with part-time teachers receiving proportional pay. It provides federal grants to states to fund these salary increases, mandating sustainability plans beyond the 4-year grant period and prioritizing schools in high-poverty areas. The bill also includes cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index and funds a national campaign to promote teaching as a career. It explicitly states grant funds must supplement existing education budgets without reducing current teacher pay or state loan forgiveness programs.

First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations or the FRIENDS Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report that describes select state and local programs and policies related to the preparedness and protection of first responders, which may include information on the degree to which such programs and policies include consideration of the presence of a first responder's family in an area impacted by a terrorist attack, the availability of personal protective equipment for first responders, and the availability of home Medkits for first responders and their families for biological incident response. The GAO may provide information (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban areas from rural communities; and (2) on the degree to which the selected state and local programs and policies were developed or are being executed with funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including grants from the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative. DHS shall consider the report's findings and assess its applicability for federal first responders.

Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to take certain actions with the goal of countering cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency must report on its activities to coordinate disclosures of cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The report must address, among other topics, relevant policies and procedures; the degree to which disclosed information is acted upon by industry and other stakeholders; and the preservation of privacy and civil liberties when collecting, using, and sharing vulnerability disclosures. The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center may disseminate protocols to counter cybersecurity vulnerabilities to information systems and industrial control systems, including in circumstances in which such vulnerabilities exist because software or hardware is no longer supported by a vendor. The Science and Technology Directorate may establish a competition to develop remedies for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Cyber Vulnerability Disclosure Reporting Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit a report describing the policies and procedures developed to coordinate the disclosure of cyber vulnerabilities. The report shall describe instances when these policies and procedures were used to disclose cyber vulnerabilities in the previous year. Further, the report shall mention the degree to which the disclosed information was acted upon by stakeholders.

DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training and Employment Apprentice Program Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training and Employment Apprentice Program to identify and train DHS employees for cybersecurity work. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within DHS must lead the program. Among other things, the agency must (1) track the status of cybersecurity positions at DHS, (2) develop a program curriculum, and (3) recruit DHS employees for the program.

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week per year as Battle Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.

Maddy summaryHR 58, the FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement Act of 2023, requires the Department of Homeland Security's Office for State and Local Law Enforcement to submit annual reports to specific congressional committees from 2023 through 2027. These reports must detail efforts to coordinate with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement; improve information sharing via the Homeland Security Information Network; track performance metrics; gather agency feedback; and fulfill other office responsibilities. The bill does not change funding or operational policies but mandates transparency about coordination activities. It directly affects the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement and the congressional committees receiving the reports. The focus is on requiring structured reporting, not implementing new program changes.

This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents. The resolution also expresses support for the people of Iran who are legitimately defending their rights for freedom against repression and condemns the killing of Iranian protesters by the Iranian regime.

Cyber Defense National Guard Act This bill requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress regarding the feasibility of establishing a Cyber Defense National Guard. The report shall address topics including (1) the cost of creating a Cyber Defense National Guard, (2) the number of persons needed to defend critical U.S. infrastructure from a cyberattack, (3) the sources of potential members of the Cyber Defense National Guard, and (4) which federal government elements would be best equipped to train and manage the Cyber Defense National Guard.