Rep. Derek Kilmer

Maddy summaryHR 1723, the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2023, amends the Foreign Assistance Act to remove restrictions on using U.S. foreign aid funds for abortion services. It explicitly allows U.S. foreign assistance programs to fund comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion services, training, and equipment. This change directly affects U.S. international health programs and recipient countries, enabling them to integrate safe abortion care into broader reproductive health services. The bill aims to align U.S. policy with global health guidelines by making abortion services a standard part of reproductive health care funded through foreign assistance.

Maddy summaryThe BADGES for Native Communities Act (HR 1292) creates a Tribal facilitator within the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System to improve tracking of missing persons, unclaimed remains, and unidentified remains cases involving Native Americans. It establishes a demonstration program to streamline background checks for Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers and creates a grant program to help tribes and states coordinate responses to missing and murdered Indigenous people cases. The bill also requires annual reports on law enforcement staffing needs in Indian country and mandates a study on evidence collection practices by federal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, it directs coordination between health and justice agencies to provide mental health resources for law enforcement officers serving Native communities. This legislation directly benefits Indian Tribes, Bureau of Indian Affairs personnel, and tribal law enforcement agencies by addressing systemic gaps in safety and response systems.

Maddy summaryThe Outdoors for All Act establishes a federal grant program to fund outdoor recreation projects in underserved communities. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award grants to eligible entities (like states, cities, tribal organizations, or nonprofits) for acquiring land, developing parks, or renovating outdoor facilities in qualifying urban areas (population 25,000+ or tribal lands) or low-income communities (where 30%+ of residents have incomes at or below 80% of local median income or 200% of the federal poverty line). Grants require a 100% cash or in-kind match (with limited waivers), prohibit funding for indoor facilities or maintenance, and prioritize projects enhancing park access, engaging youth, creating jobs, or improving environmental benefits like reducing urban heat islands. The program mandates annual reporting and focuses on concrete community outcomes rather than speculative results.

Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute a payment of $25,000 to U.S. merchant marines who engaged in qualified service during World War II. To be eligible, an individual must apply for the benefit and must not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. The bill sets forth what constitutes qualified service, including time frame of service and licensing requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes federal funding for opioid recovery centers through 2028, extending the current program's timeline. It directly affects existing opioid recovery centers and their partner organizations, such as mental health and substance use treatment providers. Key changes include allowing centers to use letters of intent from partners instead of full documentation to prove service coordination, and clarifying that centers may deliver services through third-party contracts or referrals while maintaining oversight. The bill streamlines administrative requirements without altering core service delivery standards.

Maddy summaryHRES 230 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing the service of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers across the U.S. It does not create new policies or funding but formally honors their contributions. The resolution highlights how these volunteers provide millions of service hours annually in areas like education, disaster response, and community support, while acknowledging their role in promoting volunteerism and national service. It specifically encourages public recognition during AmeriCorps Week and urges broader community involvement in service programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1591 amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to increase annual federal funding for impact aid programs that support school districts near military bases, national parks, and other federal properties. It authorizes specific, rising funding levels for four key areas: payments for federal land acquisitions ($90 million in 2024, growing to $150 million by 2029), basic payments to heavily impacted school districts ($1.6 billion in 2024, growing to $2.45 billion by 2029), payments for students with disabilities ($60 million in 2024, growing to $120 million by 2029), and school construction projects ($22.9 million in 2024, growing to $45.4 million by 2029). These appropriations represent incremental steps toward full federal funding for these aid programs, as specified in the bill's text. The bill directly affects school districts located near federal land, providing predictable annual funding increases for their operational and infrastructure needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - female telephone operators who served in the Army Signal Corps during World War I. They provided critical battlefield communications in France (connecting 26 million calls), wore military uniforms, and faced combat risks, but were denied veteran benefits for 60 years due to being classified as civilian contractors. The medal recognizes their pioneering service, devotion, and the decades-long struggle to gain military recognition. The award follows similar recognition for other WWII women veterans and aims to correct the historical injustice they faced.

Maddy summaryThe Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2023 provides targeted support for smaller meat and poultry processing businesses (defined as those with fewer than 50 employees under existing regulations). It creates a free, searchable database of validation studies and scale-appropriate model safety plans to help these businesses meet federal food safety requirements, while increasing federal funding for state inspection programs from 50% to 65%. The bill also establishes a $20 million annual grant program to help small processors improve safety, expand capacity, and access training, with priority given to businesses serving farmers within 200 miles and those owned by disadvantaged individuals. These changes directly benefit small meat and poultry processing establishments that often struggle with compliance costs and resources.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of Pi Day. (Pi is an irrational number that equals the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter; it is a fundamental mathematical constant and central in mathematics, science, and engineering.)