Rep. Derek Kilmer

Maddy summaryHR 4422 (Global Respect Act) requires the President to publicly identify foreign officials responsible for violence, torture, or arbitrary detention against LGBTQI individuals and block their entry to the U.S., including revoking visas for them and their immediate families. It mandates annual reporting to Congress on the list of sanctioned individuals, the reasons for additions/removals, and efforts to coordinate with other countries on similar sanctions. The bill also updates U.S. human rights reporting requirements to explicitly include data on violence and discrimination against LGBTQI people worldwide. These measures aim to increase accountability for human rights violations against LGBTQI individuals without advocating for specific policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 4340, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2023, prohibits paid providers from offering conversion therapy - defined as any commercial service attempting to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity - and bans advertising that claims such therapy is effective or harmless. It directly affects therapists, counselors, or organizations offering paid conversion therapy services, including those advertising such services. Key provisions make it unlawful to provide, advertise, or facilitate paid conversion therapy, with enforcement led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under consumer protection laws and allowing states to pursue civil actions. The bill explicitly excludes supportive care for gender transition or identity exploration from its definition of prohibited therapy.

Maddy summaryHRES 535 is a symbolic resolution designating November 12, 2023, as "National Warrior Call Day" to raise awareness about veterans' mental health and connection to support systems. It does not create new programs or funding but encourages Americans to call veterans or military members for meaningful conversation and to connect them with resources. The resolution cites rising veteran suicide rates (6,261 in 2019) and aims to address isolation through public engagement. It directly affects veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders by promoting community support. This is a non-binding awareness measure with no concrete policy changes.

This resolution expresses support for (1) equal rights and protections for all people, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics; and (2) the designation of LGBTQI+ Equality Day to commemorate Supreme Court decisions handed down on June 26 in 2003, 2013, and 2015. The resolution also acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure that people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an Office for Gender Equity within the Department of Education to support schools and institutions in fully implementing Title IX. It provides training, technical assistance, and grants to help educational entities address gender discrimination, with specific focus on students facing multiple forms of discrimination including race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation. The bill authorizes $160 million annually for fiscal years 2024-2028, with at least $140 million dedicated to grant programs for schools to improve gender equity in athletics, academics, and campus safety. The Department must collect data on Title IX coordinators and develop best practices for reducing sex discrimination across all educational levels. The bill does not modify Title IX itself but aims to strengthen its implementation through coordinated support and resources.

Maddy summaryThe Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2023 updates the Internal Revenue Code to use gender-neutral language regarding married couples. It replaces terms like "husband and wife" with "married couple" and "his spouse" with "the individual's spouse" throughout tax code provisions. The bill makes these language changes to ensure the tax code applies equally to all married couples regardless of gender, without altering tax rates, deductions, or other substantive tax policies. This affects all married taxpayers and tax professionals who apply the tax code. The bill is a language update rather than a policy change, making the tax code more inclusive while maintaining existing tax treatment.

Maddy summaryHR 4335, the VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2023, requires mortgage lenders to include specific information about VA home loan programs in standard mortgage disclosures. The bill amends the National Housing Act to mandate that lenders provide details on VA loans (guaranteed under Title 38) alongside other loan options, including assumptions about prevailing interest rates. This change directly affects lenders processing VA-guaranteed mortgages, ensuring borrowers receive clearer comparisons between VA loans and other financing. The law does not require lenders to verify borrower eligibility for VA loans, only to include the specified disclosure language.

Maddy summaryThe HERO Act establishes a national data system to track suicides among public safety officers, including firefighters, EMTs, police, and telecommunicators, collecting detailed statistics by age, gender, occupation, and employment status (career, volunteer, or retired). It mandates annual reports to Congress and public availability of findings to identify suicide trends and effective interventions. The bill also funds peer-support wellness programs for fire/EMS departments, behavioral health programs for healthcare providers, and resources to train mental health professionals on treating public safety personnel. All data collection and program provisions include strict privacy safeguards to protect confidentiality and prohibit using suicide data to deny survivor benefits.

Maddy summaryHR 4241, the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2023, prohibits transporting horses between states or territories in multi-level motor vehicles (like certain livestock trailers with stacked levels). This directly affects commercial horse transporters moving animals across state lines. The bill adds a civil penalty of $100-$500 per horse per violation for knowingly violating this rule, with separate penalties for each horse transported. It amends the Horse Protection Act to address safety concerns related to transporting horses in vehicles not designed for such travel.

Maddy summaryHR 4268, the Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2023, would provide $350 million annually (2024-2028) in federal grants to nonprofit organizations that help individuals cover travel and logistical costs for accessing abortion care across state lines. The bill directly supports people living in states with abortion bans or severe restrictions who must travel for care, including expenses like transportation, lodging, childcare, meals, and lost wages. Grants may not fund abortion procedures themselves but cover related logistical barriers identified in the bill’s findings, such as increased travel times and costs post-Dobbs. Eligible organizations must provide unbiased, medically accurate assistance, with priority given to those serving individuals traveling to access abortion services.