Rep. Derek Kilmer

Maddy summaryHR 9568, the SAW Act, makes it illegal to intentionally use a motor vehicle to run over, strike, or kill wolves or coyotes on U.S. public lands (excluding tribal trust lands). The law prohibits this action except when avoiding personal injury, protecting property, or conducting authorized wildlife management. Violators face fines up to $5,000, up to one year in prison, or both. The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for investigating violations and can collaborate with state and local law enforcement. This bill specifically targets motor vehicle use against wolves and coyotes on federal lands, with no broader wildlife protections.

Maddy summaryThe PSA Act (HR 9569) modernizes AmeriCorps programs by creating a 1,500-hour service option (shorter than the current 1,700-hour program), expanding age eligibility for the National Civilian Community Corps from 24 to 26, and establishing a stipend option in lieu of educational awards for some participants. The bill increases administrative cost allowances from 5% to 10% of funds, creates an Office of Alumni Engagement to support former members, and expands how educational awards can be used for career training programs. It also establishes a new non-competitive hiring process for AmeriCorps alumni to transition into federal careers through a certification system. These changes directly affect AmeriCorps participants, alumni, and the Corporation for National and Community Service that administers the program.

Maddy summaryHR 9578, the Ranked Choice Voting Act, would require all states to use ranked choice voting for elections of U.S. Senators and Representatives (including primaries and general elections) starting with the 2027 elections. The bill specifies that voters would rank candidates in order of preference, with ballots tabulated by eliminating the lowest-ranked candidate in each round until a winner emerges with a majority. States would receive federal funds based on registered voters to implement the system, and the bill prohibits separate runoff elections for these federal offices. This legislation would fundamentally change how federal congressional elections are conducted across all states, while not affecting state or local elections.

Maddy summaryHR 6242, the VOTES Act of 2023, expands voting rights for military service members overseas by updating the definition of eligible voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). The bill replaces "active duty" with "active duty, active service, or inactive duty-training" throughout UOCAVA, ensuring service members in reserve training (inactive duty) qualify for absentee voting just like those on active duty. This change directly affects U.S. military personnel serving overseas in any duty status under Title 10 of the U.S. Code. The law takes effect for elections after January 1, 2025, making absentee voting procedures more inclusive for all uniformed service members.

Maddy summaryThe CREATE AI Act of 2023 establishes a National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) to improve access to AI research tools, computational resources, data, and educational materials for researchers and students across the United States. The NAIRR will provide computational resources, curated datasets, educational tools, and access to AI testbeds, with special emphasis on supporting groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields. Governed by a Steering Subcommittee chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and managed by a Program Management Office within the National Science Foundation, the NAIRR includes specific requirements for ethical AI development, privacy protections, and security measures. The resource will be accessible to researchers at U.S. institutions of higher education, nonprofits, government agencies, and certain businesses, with priority given to projects addressing privacy, ethics, civil rights, and AI safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 7593, grants the Congressional Research Service (CRS) direct authority to request and receive necessary government data from executive branch agencies, including departments, regulatory commissions, and agencies. It requires these agencies to provide the requested information in a timely manner while maintaining the same confidentiality standards as the source agency. CRS staff must follow identical confidentiality rules and face the same penalties for unauthorized disclosure as the agencies they obtain data from. This change streamlines CRS’s access to government information for its research and analysis, directly affecting how Congress receives nonpartisan policy support.

Maddy summaryThis bill replaces the physical hardbound versions of the Constitution Annotated and its pocket-part supplements with digital formats. It directs the Librarian of Congress to publish digital decennial editions (every 10 years, starting after 2031) and digital cumulative pocket parts (annually after 2023), making them available on the Library of Congress website. The change eliminates all future printing of physical copies, affecting how Congress and the public access these legal reference materials.

Maddy summaryHRES 1423 expresses the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating the week of September 21-28, 2024, as "National Estuaries Week." The resolution highlights estuaries' economic and ecological importance, noting they support over 3.5 million jobs, contribute $476 billion to the U.S. GDP, and provide critical services like flood control and water filtration. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise public awareness about protecting estuaries, which face threats like pollution and habitat loss. The resolution acknowledges ongoing restoration efforts by federal, state, tribal, and community partners.

Maddy summaryHR 3507, the "Yes In My Backyard Act," requires local governments receiving certain federal Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to report on their progress toward adopting specific housing-friendly land use policies. It directly affects cities and counties that administer CDBG funds by mandating they submit plans tracking 22+ policy changes, such as allowing duplexes in single-family zones, reducing parking requirements, or streamlining permits. The bill does not require local governments to adopt these policies but requires them to document their current status and plans for implementation. This reporting mechanism aims to identify barriers to affordable housing without binding local governments to specific actions. The requirement applies to CDBG recipients starting one year after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 3161, the CDFI Fund Transparency Act, requires the Treasury Secretary (or their designee) to annually testify before the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee about the operations of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund. This testimony would cover the Fund's activities from the previous year and is requested at the discretion of the committee chairs. The bill does not change how the CDFI Fund provides funding but mandates regular reporting to Congress on its operations. It directly affects the Treasury Department's reporting obligations and the congressional committees overseeing the Fund. This is a procedural transparency measure, not a substantive policy change.