Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia

Maddy summaryThis symbolic House Resolution (HRES 526) reaffirms U.S. commitment to refugee safety and well-being, introduced around World Refugee Day (June 20, 2023). It cites UNHCR data showing over 108 million displaced people globally and highlights historically low U.S. refugee admissions (11,411 in FY2021, 25,465 in FY2022). The resolution calls on U.S. officials to restore asylum protections, meet robust refugee admissions goals, support host countries, and advance refugee rights through international partnerships. It does not create new law but expresses bipartisan support for strengthening U.S. leadership in refugee protection.

Maddy summaryHR 4209, the Incentivizing Safe and Sound Banking Act, prohibits senior executives at large banks from selling securities they received as compensation if the bank faces regulatory issues. It directly affects senior executives at bank holding companies, bank subsidiaries, or banks with over $50 billion in assets that receive a poor regulatory rating (3-5) or fail to resolve issues noted by regulators within a deadline. The bill automatically blocks such stock sales until the bank fixes the problem to the regulator's satisfaction. This provision aims to align executive compensation with bank stability by preventing sales during periods of regulatory concern. The law amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to implement these restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires large standalone banks (those without a parent bank holding company) to follow the same enhanced supervision and prudential standards as bank holding companies with similar asset sizes. It amends the Financial Stability Act of 2010 to close a regulatory gap where these standalone banks previously faced fewer oversight requirements. The key mechanism mandates that banks with total consolidated assets comparable to covered bank holding companies must undergo identical stress testing, capital planning, and risk management processes. This directly affects large, independent banks that operate without a parent financial holding company but have significant assets.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires financial regulators to reclaim compensation from bank executives and directors whose negligence caused a bank's failure. It allows the FDIC to claw back salaries, bonuses, and other compensation received in the two years before the bank failed (with no time limit for fraud), and imposes fines of up to $25,000 per day for negligent conduct. Executives found responsible for a bank's failure may also face orders prohibiting them from working in any insured bank. The law directly affects executives and directors of failed institutions like Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank. It amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Dodd-Frank Act to strengthen accountability mechanisms without limiting existing regulatory powers.

Multiple Firearm Sales Reporting Modernization Act of 2023 This bill expands reporting requirements with respect to sales or dispositions of multiple firearms. Currently, a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a gun dealer) must report multiple sales or dispositions of pistols or revolvers to the same person within five business days. This bill requires a federal firearms licensee to report multiple sales or dispositions of any firearms to the same person within five business days.

Maddy summaryHR 4121, the Right to Contraception Act, establishes a federal statutory right for individuals to access contraceptives and contraception services without government restriction or coercion, directly affecting all people seeking reproductive care and health care providers. The bill prohibits state or federal laws that limit access to contraceptives (defined broadly to include devices, drugs, and fertility methods), prevent individuals from obtaining or using them, or allow providers to refuse services based on personal beliefs. It preempts conflicting state laws, requires any restrictions to be justified by "clear and convincing evidence" of advancing access with no less restrictive alternative, and allows private lawsuits to challenge violations. The Act applies nationwide to all health care providers and individuals, protecting access regardless of factors like race, income, or location.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands funding eligibility for graduate programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) under the Higher Education Act. It adds new criteria allowing HBCUs and PBIs offering qualified master's degree programs (that weren't previously covered) to access existing funding streams. Specifically, it modifies funding formulas to direct unused funds toward these institutions after other allocations, adjusting the wording for how leftover funds are distributed. The change directly affects qualifying HBCUs and PBIs seeking to strengthen their graduate education programs.

Lady Liberty Act of 2023 This bill sets a floor of 125,000 for the maximum number of refugees who may be admitted into the United States each fiscal year. Under current law, the President sets the annual cap on refugee admissions at the beginning of each fiscal year. (The cap for FY2023 was 125,000, but in some years it had been lower. For example, the cap for FY2021 was 15,000.)

Maddy summaryHR 4172, the Hate Crimes Commission Act of 2023, establishes a 12-member United States Commission on Hate Crimes to investigate trends and improve responses to hate crimes. The commission, appointed by Senate and House leaders plus the Attorney General and Secretary of Health and Human Services, will examine hate crime increases since 2015, factors driving them, and strategies to reduce underreporting to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System. It will also assess successful bias prevention efforts and online hate crime prevalence. Within one year of its formation, the commission must submit a report to Congress and the President with recommendations for federal agencies and community-based prevention programs. This bill directly affects local law enforcement agencies through reporting requirements and federal agencies through proposed policy changes.

Maddy summaryHR 4184 repeals legal protections for gun manufacturers and sellers under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. It allows victims of gun violence to use gun trace data from the ATF's Firearms Trace System in civil court cases. This data, previously protected from discovery, can now be subpoenaed, admitted as evidence, and relied upon in lawsuits against gun sellers or manufacturers. The bill directly affects victims seeking legal recourse and gun industry defendants in civil litigation.