Rep. Rick Larsen

Maddy summaryHR 5566, the *Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization Act of 2023*, establishes an 18-year term limit for all Supreme Court justices. It requires the President to nominate one new justice every two years (during first and third years after presidential elections), with Senate confirmation within 90 days, and prohibits lifetime appointments. Current justices are automatically retired in order of service length as new justices are appointed, while retired justices may temporarily fill vacancies through a randomized process. The bill directly affects all sitting and future Supreme Court justices by restructuring appointments and retirement timelines.

Maddy summaryHR 5492, the Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2023, provides fertility treatment, counseling, and adoption assistance to military members and veterans with infertility conditions. The bill requires the Department of Defense to offer fertility preservation services like cryopreservation before deployment or hazardous assignments, and to cover fertility treatments including in vitro fertilization for current service members. For veterans, it adds fertility treatment and counseling to VA medical services, allows adoption assistance up to the cost of three adoptions, and mandates coordination between military and VA health systems. These provisions apply regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status, and are designed to support military families affected by service-related infertility.

Maddy summaryThe Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 amends the Animal Welfare Act to strengthen enforcement of animal welfare standards. It gives the Attorney General authority to bring civil cases for violations, including seeking penalties up to $10,000 per day per violation and injunctions to remove or relocate animals. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and Attorney General to coordinate through a new Memorandum of Understanding, focusing on repeat violators. These changes directly affect dealers, exhibitors, and enforcement agencies by expanding civil enforcement tools and clarifying jurisdiction over rule violations.

Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 would strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by updating the criteria for which states and localities must obtain federal preclearance before changing voting practices. It would establish new standards for proving vote dilution and vote denial by requiring courts to consider historical discrimination, racial polarization in voting, and whether voting practices disproportionately burden minority voters. The bill would also require states and localities to provide public notice of voting changes and share demographic data about polling locations. These changes would primarily affect jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations, aiming to prevent discriminatory voting practices before they take effect.

Maddy summaryThe Humane Cosmetics Act of 2023 bans cosmetic animal testing in the United States, prohibiting companies from conducting or contracting such testing after its enactment (effective 1 year later). It also bans selling or transporting cosmetics developed using animal testing conducted after that date within U.S. interstate commerce. The law directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers operating in the U.S. market, requiring them to use non-animal testing methods for safety evaluations. Exceptions exist for foreign regulatory requirements or when no alternative testing methods are available for specific ingredients.

Maddy summaryHJRES 89 requires the President to obtain Senate approval (with a two-thirds vote) or new congressional legislation to suspend, terminate, or withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). It prohibits using federal funds for such actions until Congress passes a two-thirds resolution or enacts a law authorizing withdrawal. The bill mandates 180-day written notification to relevant congressional committees (Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations) before any withdrawal action and authorizes Congress to sue to block unilateral executive moves. This directly affects the executive branch's ability to act unilaterally on NATO membership, reinforcing congressional oversight of treaty obligations.

Maddy summaryHRES 688 is a non-binding House resolution expressing support for designating September 16-23, 2023, as "National Estuaries Week." It highlights estuaries' critical role in the U.S. economy, noting they support 39% of jobs, 47% of economic output, and 68% of commercial fish by value. The resolution aims to raise public awareness about estuaries' ecological importance - such as providing habitat for fish, flood control, and carbon sequestration - and encourages efforts to protect and restore them. It does not create new laws or funding but symbolically acknowledges ongoing conservation work by federal, state, and community partners.

Maddy summaryThe No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act would deny tax deductions for employers who attempt to influence employees' decisions about union activities, including unfair labor practices like firing workers for organizing or using captive audience meetings. It targets expenses related to union-busting tactics, such as consulting fees and other costs used to sway workers' opinions about collective bargaining. Employers would need to report these expenses on tax returns and would no longer be able to deduct them from taxable income. The bill aims to prevent employers from using tax-deductible expenses to influence union elections, aligning with existing rules that deny tax deductions for political spending. It would apply to expenses incurred in taxable years beginning 240 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 5428, the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act, prevents employers from deducting certain expenses related to influencing workers' decisions about union representation. It targets spending on tactics like anti-union meetings, workplace surveillance, or consultants during organizing campaigns, making these costs non-deductible for tax purposes. Employers must report such expenses on their tax returns, including details about the activities and amounts spent. The bill aims to remove tax incentives for employer interference in union elections, aligning with federal labor law protections for workers' collective bargaining rights.

Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program within the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the bill, USDA must establish and maintain (directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement) a program to help eligible hospital facilities in rural areas with a population of 50,000 inhabitants or less.  The program must provide tailored technical assistance and training to hospital facilities to identify development needs for maintaining essential health care services and support action plans for financial, operational, and quality improvement projects to meet these needs. Development needs include (1) constructing, expanding, and modernizing health care facilities; (2) increasing telehealth capabilities; and (3) acquiring or upgrading health care information systems (e.g., electronic health records). The program must also provide technical assistance and training to help hospital facilities to better manage their financial and business strategies and identify, and apply for assistance from, USDA loan and grant programs. In selecting eligible hospital facilities to participate in the program, USDA must give priority to borrowers and grantees of certain USDA rural assistance programs.   USDA must also submit an annual report to Congress on the progress and results of the program.