Rep. Gerald E. Connolly

Maddy summaryHR 9592, the Federal Register Modernization Act of 2024, updates outdated terminology and processes for publishing federal regulations. It replaces "printing" with "publishing" throughout title 44, U.S. Code, defines "publish" as circulating documents for public distribution, and requires the Administrative Committee to set modern publication rules. The bill affects federal agencies that submit rules to the Federal Register, the Government Publishing Office (which produces the Register), and the National Archives. Key provisions include adding electronic access for public updates to the Code of Federal Regulations and allowing alternative publication methods during government continuity events.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the U.S. Postal Service facility at 340 South Loudon Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland, as the "United States Representative Elijah E. Cummings Post Office Building." It updates all federal references in laws, documents, and records to reflect this new name. The bill honors former U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), who served from 2007 until his passing in 2019, and became law on January 4, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific United States Postal Service facility at 1285 Emancipation Highway in Fredericksburg, Virginia, as the "Gladys P. Todd Post Office." It directly affects the postal service location and all official references to it. The bill changes the facility's official name in all federal records and documents, with no policy changes or funding impacts. This is a ceremonial naming designation with no substantive legislative effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill renames the U.S. Postal Service facility at 29 Franklin Street in Petersburg, Virginia, as the "John Mercer Langston Post Office Building." It updates all official federal references (including laws, maps, and documents) to use this new name. The designation is ceremonial and affects only the building's official identification, with no changes to postal operations or services. This is a standard naming resolution with no substantive policy impact.

Maddy summaryHR 7365, the VETS Safe Travel Act, provides free TSA PreCheck access to veterans with specific service-connected disabilities. It applies to veterans enrolled in VA healthcare who have lost or lost use of an extremity, experience paralysis, or have permanent blindness, requiring mobility aids like wheelchairs or prosthetics. The bill requires TSA and the VA to coordinate implementation within one year, including outreach to veterans about this benefit and reporting to Congress on progress.

Maddy summaryThe Government Service Delivery Improvement Act (HR 5887) requires federal agencies to enhance public-facing services like benefits, permits, and digital interactions. It creates a new Federal Government Service Delivery Lead at OMB to set standards for ease, accessibility, efficiency, and transparency in service delivery, while mandating each agency appoint a senior official to implement these standards. Agencies must collect data on service quality, align with existing digital service laws (like the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act), and report progress using existing funding - no new money is authorized. The law directly affects all federal agencies, especially high-impact programs (e.g., Social Security, tax services), by requiring concrete improvements to public interactions with government.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends funding for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through 2028, replacing the previous 2014-2023 authorization. It directs NIH to administer pediatric research funds through its Division of Program Coordination (instead of the "Common Fund") and requires NIH to coordinate pediatric cancer and disease research while prioritizing projects that avoid duplicating existing NIH work. The bill also mandates a report to Congress within five years detailing funded pediatric research projects and their advancements. This directly affects NIH's pediatric research funding structure and oversight, focusing on cancer and other childhood diseases.

Maddy summaryHR 40 would establish a 15-member commission to study the legacy of slavery and systemic discrimination against African Americans in the United States, and develop proposals for reparations. The commission would examine historical and ongoing effects of slavery, discriminatory policies (including redlining and educational disparities), and recommend remedies through education and potential reparations. Composed of members appointed by the President, House Speaker, and Senate President pro tempore, the commission would have 18 months to submit a report to Congress, with $20 million authorized for its work. This legislation creates a study process but does not provide reparations directly.

Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the establishment of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, and its admission into the United States. The state is composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding a specified area that encompasses the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court building, federal monuments, and federal office buildings adjacent to the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. The excluded territory shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of the government of the United States, as provided for in Article I of the Constitution. The state may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. The bill provides for the DC Mayor to issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill eliminates the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives. The bill applies current DC laws to the state. DC judicial proceedings and contractual obligations shall continue under the state’s authority. The bill also provides for specified federal obligations to transfer to the state upon its certification that it has funds and laws in place to assume the obligations. These include maintaining a retirement fund for judges and operating public defender services.  The bill establishes a commission that is generally comprised of members who are appointed by DC and federal government officials to advise on an orderly transition to statehood.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific United States Postal Service building at 220 North Hatcher Avenue in Purcellville, Virginia, as the "Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Post Office Building." It changes the official name of this facility and updates all federal references to it to reflect the new name, honoring Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State. The bill has no policy or funding provisions - it is a ceremonial naming resolution.