Rep. Derek Kilmer

Maddy summaryHR 4076 establishes a joint U.S.-Israel program to fund health technology development, authorizing $4 million annually (2024-2026) through the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. It requires Israel to match U.S. funding and focuses on collaborative projects in artificial intelligence, vaccines, telemedicine, diagnostic tests, and data-driven personalized medicine for emerging infectious diseases. The program can either build on an existing U.S.-Israel agreement or create a new one under a 2008 science cooperation framework. This bill directly affects U.S. federal health agencies and the Israeli government, with funds restricted to joint projects meeting specific technological and health priorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases annual funding for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Workforce Loan Repayment Program from $25 million to $40 million per year, covering fiscal years 2024 through 2028. It directly affects healthcare professionals working in substance use disorder treatment who have federal student loans, helping them repay those loans through federal reimbursement. The key provision is the funding increase, extending the program's support for this workforce without altering eligibility or new requirements. This change provides more consistent financial support for treatment providers, aiming to address staffing needs in a critical healthcare area.

Maddy summaryHR 4040, the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act, requires federal agencies and states to collect and report detailed data on recycling and composting practices. It mandates the EPA to create reports on composting infrastructure capabilities, federal agency recycling/composting rates, and end-market sales of recyclables, while also developing a national inventory of materials recovery facilities. The bill directly affects federal agencies, state and local governments, and Indian Tribes by requiring standardized reporting on recycling rates, facility capabilities, and contamination rates. Key mechanisms include biannual facility inventories, standardized reporting metrics for recyclable diversion rates, and voluntary guidelines to improve labeling and public education on proper sorting. The goal is to strengthen data collection to address contamination issues and support infrastructure improvements, without imposing new regulatory requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates federal grant programs to include all FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal agents (like naloxone), not just specific products. It requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to revise existing grant program materials by December 2023 to ensure references cover any approved agent. The change directly affects states and tribes receiving State Opioid Response Grants and Tribal Opioid Response Grants under the 21st Century Cures Act, as well as regional/national prevention grants under the Public Health Service Act. This allows grantees greater flexibility to use the most effective, currently available reversal agents in their opioid response efforts.

Maddy summaryThe Senior Legal Hotline Act of 2023 creates a federal grant program to fund statewide legal assistance hotlines for older adults. It authorizes $10 million annually (2024-2028) for competitive grants to nonprofit organizations or partnerships that establish free legal hotlines providing telephone-based counseling, referrals, and advocacy to seniors. These hotlines must prioritize older individuals with the greatest economic and social need, coordinate with state agencies and other legal aid providers, and ensure trained staff/volunteers serve all areas of the state. The bill directly affects seniors across all 50 states through expanded access to no-cost legal help for civil issues like housing, benefits, and elder abuse.

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.

Maddy summaryHR 4166, the Support UNFPA Funding Act, authorizes annual U.S. funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) over five years. It directly supports UNFPA’s global programs serving women and girls in over 150 countries, particularly focusing on reducing preventable maternal deaths, expanding access to contraception, ending gender-based violence, and addressing harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage. The bill specifically directs funding toward UNFPA’s core work in developing nations, humanitarian crises (such as in Ukraine and Yemen), and rebuilding health systems post-pandemic, without altering UNFPA’s existing operations or policies.

Maddy summaryThe American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 would create two pathways to permanent residency for certain immigrants. The "Dream Act" portion would provide conditional permanent resident status to individuals who entered the U.S. as children, have lived continuously in the U.S. since January 1, 2021, and meet educational requirements (such as completing high school, earning a degree, or enrolling in education programs). The "American Promise Act" portion would provide permanent residency to individuals eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) as of specific dates (January 1, 2017, or January 20, 2021). The bill includes provisions for background checks, fee exemptions for low-income applicants, and processes for removing conditional status after meeting specific criteria like completing higher education or earning income.

Maddy summaryHJRES 72 proposes a constitutional amendment to remove the exception in the Thirteenth Amendment that allows slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. If ratified, this amendment would ban the use of forced labor in prisons as a criminal penalty, directly affecting how the U.S. criminal justice system handles sentencing. The resolution clarifies it does not interfere with voluntary work programs in correctional facilities, existing employment protections for incarcerated people, or community service alternatives. This change aims to eliminate a historical loophole that has disproportionately impacted Black Americans since the 1860s.