Rep. Pramila Jayapal

Maddy summaryHR 1134, the People Over Pentagon Act of 2023, would reduce the U.S. Department of Defense's 2024 budget by $100 billion. It directly affects the Pentagon's funding, though it specifically preserves spending for the Defense Health Program, military personnel, and civil service pay and benefits. The bill mandates this cut while directing the Secretary of Defense to consider a 2021 Congressional Budget Office report on managing a smaller defense budget. It does not specify where the savings would be redirected, only requiring reallocation to address non-military national security priorities.

Maddy summaryThe PREP Civics and Government Act (HR 1133) amends the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 to explicitly include "civics and government" as a subject within the humanities. This change allows the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities to fund educational programs focused on civics and government through existing grant programs. The bill directly affects the Foundation’s funding priorities and organizations applying for humanities grants, such as schools, museums, and community groups offering civics education. It does not create new funding but expands eligibility for current humanities grants to cover civics and government content.

Maddy summaryThe Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2023 would establish a new Cabinet-level Department of Peacebuilding within the executive branch of the U.S. government. The department would include multiple offices focused on domestic and international peacebuilding, violence prevention, peace education, and conflict resolution, with specific offices dedicated to areas like peace education, domestic activities, international activities, technology, arms control, and human rights. It would create a Secretary of Peacebuilding position and require the department to develop policies addressing root causes of violence, promote nonviolent conflict resolution, and collaborate with existing federal agencies. The bill would mandate annual reports on progress toward peace in the United States and require consultation with other departments on matters related to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Maddy summaryHR 724, the Arctic Refuge Protection Act, repeals the existing oil and gas program for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and designates approximately 1.56 million acres of the refuge's coastal plain as federal wilderness. This bill directly affects the Arctic Refuge by permanently prohibiting oil and gas leasing and development in that specific area. The key mechanism is adding the designated land to the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act, requiring it to be managed for its natural conditions. This change legally protects the area from future fossil fuel extraction activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the federal government from issuing oil and gas leases for exploration, development, or production on the outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. It amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to specifically block the Secretary of the Interior from authorizing such leasing in those coastal areas. The direct effect is on the Department of the Interior, which would no longer be permitted to conduct lease sales in these regions. The bill does not create new programs or funding but changes existing leasing authority.

Maddy summaryHR 1088, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968) and the first Black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image, which will be presented by Congress and then permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This bill commemorates Chisholm's legacy and achievements without creating new laws or affecting any current policies.

Maddy summaryThe Energy Resilient Communities Act creates a federal grant program to fund clean energy microgrids that keep critical community services running during climate disasters like wildfires or floods. Eligible entities - including local governments, nonprofits, and Tribal agencies - can apply for grants covering up to 90% of costs in environmental justice communities (defined as areas with high populations of people of color, low-income residents, or Tribal communities) to build microgrids supporting hospitals, schools, or medical baseline customers (e.g., those relying on life-saving medical devices). Priority is given to projects that reduce pollution, lower energy costs, create local jobs, and use U.S.-made materials, while requiring fair wages and community-focused hiring. The program mandates annual reports to Congress tracking grant use, environmental benefits, and job creation.

Maddy summaryHR 949, the Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act, removes federal funding caps on Medicaid for U.S. territories, directly affecting Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. The bill amends the Social Security Act to eliminate the existing limit on federal Medicaid funding for these territories, allowing them to receive full federal matching funds like states. This change takes effect for fiscal year 2023, ending the previous restriction that required territories to fund a portion of their Medicaid costs themselves. The policy change ensures these territories can access the same level of federal Medicaid support as states.

Maddy summaryThe Heating and Cooling Relief Act significantly expands the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income households with rising energy costs. It increases annual funding to $400 billion for fiscal years 2024-2033 (up from $2 billion), adds $1 billion yearly for cooling assistance during heat events, and expands eligibility to include households with a 3% energy burden. The bill requires states to provide protections against home energy shutoffs and late fees for program participants, and to prioritize energy-efficient, renewable energy solutions. It also creates new "just transition" grants to help communities move away from fossil fuels while reducing energy burdens for vulnerable households.

Aviation-Impacted Communities Act This bill addresses noise mitigation for aviation-impacted communities. ( Aviation-impacted community is defined as a community that is located not more than one mile from any point at which a commercial or cargo jet route is 3,000 feet or less above ground level.) Specifically, the bill expands Airport Improvement Program noise mitigation program funding for aviation-impacted communities that are not currently within the 65 day-night average sound level (DNL) standard; requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study that summarizes the relevant literature and studies done on aviation impacts worldwide and focuses on large hub commercial airports and surrounding communities, including communities currently outside of the 65 DNL contour; directs the FAA to conduct outreach to aviation-impacted communities to inform them of the opportunity to be a designated community; requires the FAA to devise an action plan that alleviates or addresses the concerns of a designated community; and provides grants for necessary noise mitigation in a designated community for residences, hospitals, nursing homes, adult or child day care centers, schools, and places of worship.