Rep. Greg Casar

Maddy summaryHR 2181, the Protect Our Watchdogs Act of 2025, strengthens protections for federal Inspectors General (IGs) by requiring the President to have specific, documented reasons to remove them. The bill amends federal law to specify nine grounds for removal, including documented felony convictions, gross mismanagement, waste of funds, abuse of authority, or neglect of duty - each requiring written justification. This directly affects IGs who oversee federal agency accountability and investigations, as it prevents arbitrary removals and mandates transparency in the process. The law applies to all federal Inspectors General across agencies, ensuring their independence is maintained through clear, enforceable standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from owning or trading certain investments, including stocks, commodities, and derivatives (referred to as "covered investments"). It requires affected individuals to divest these investments within 90-180 days, with specific exemptions for Treasury bonds, diversified mutual funds, small business interests, and family trusts meeting strict conditions. Violations incur penalties of 10% of the investment's value plus disgorgement of profits, paid directly to the U.S. Treasury. The law applies to all covered individuals during federal service, with exceptions for investments acquired through inheritance or occupational trading (e.g., a spouse’s finance job).

Maddy summaryHR 5048, the "Don’t STEAL Act," amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure workers receive the highest wage promised in their contracts or collective bargaining agreements, whichever exceeds federal or state minimum wage requirements. It directly affects employees engaged in commerce or working for businesses involved in commerce, requiring employers to pay at least the higher of their agreed-upon wage or the legal minimum. The bill establishes criminal penalties for willful wage theft exceeding $1,000 (up to 5 years in prison) and civil penalties for all unpaid wages, with fines funding the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforcement efforts. These changes apply to violations occurring 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 4992, the FEMA Critical Staffing Act, requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reinstate employees who were involuntarily separated between January 20, 2025, and the bill’s enactment date, within 30 days of passage. It directly affects FEMA staff who lost their positions during that period and ensures continued support for communities relying on FEMA programs. The bill mandates reinstating two key programs: the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program (for state/local disaster preparedness) and the flood mitigation assistance program (for flood risk reduction projects), while prohibiting cuts to existing disaster resource access. These provisions aim to maintain FEMA’s workforce and program continuity amid increasing climate-driven disasters.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to restore full staffing levels within 30 days of enactment, including reinstating employees terminated between January 20, 2025, and the bill's passage. It mandates the immediate reinstatement of specific NOAA programs, including the discontinued "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters" product and two environmental databases tracking ocean currents and marine buoys. The bill allocates $6.756 billion in funding for NOAA's operations through fiscal year 2026 to support these staffing and program restorations. It directly affects NOAA employees, state/local emergency response efforts, and the public relying on NOAA's weather forecasting and disaster data for safety planning.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 115) terminates a presidential emergency declaration made on August 11, 2025, which claimed a "crime emergency" in Washington, D.C. It directly affects the District of Columbia by ending federal restrictions that prevented D.C. from using $1 billion in locally-raised funds for public safety, law enforcement, fire services, and schools. The resolution cites that the emergency declaration was legally flawed - section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act does not permit federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department - and notes that D.C. violent crime has reached a 30-year low. The bill formally ends the emergency under the DC Home Rule Act, restoring D.C.'s authority over its own budget and public safety resources.

Maddy summaryHR 4966 prohibits grocery stores from selling items at "grossly excessive prices," defined as 120% or more above the average market price over the previous six months (with exceptions for unavoidable cost increases like supply chain issues). It bans using facial recognition or personal data to set different prices for individual customers (e.g., adjusting prices based on shopping history) and requires clear signage if facial recognition is used. Stores over 10,000 square feet must replace electronic shelf labels with physical price tags. The Federal Trade Commission enforces these rules, allowing consumers to seek $3,000 per violation or actual damages, with penalties for willful violations.

Maddy summaryThe Ending Homelessness Act of 2025 would expand housing assistance to reduce homelessness through several key provisions. It would allocate 500,000 additional housing choice vouchers in 2025, increasing to 1 million annually by 2028 for extremely low-income families and individuals receiving supplemental security income. The bill prohibits housing discrimination based on source of income (including housing vouchers and Social Security benefits), provides $1 billion annually for emergency relief grants targeting high-need areas, and establishes a permanent entitlement program for housing vouchers starting in 2029. It also repeals certain ineligibility criteria for housing assistance and makes faith-based and private nonprofit organizations eligible for funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a barrier preventing most low-income students from accessing SNAP benefits. It amends the Food and Nutrition Act to explicitly allow students enrolled at least half-time in recognized higher education programs to qualify for SNAP, reversing a prior exclusion. The key change eliminates the previous requirement that students meet specific exceptions (now deleted) and adds a new eligibility category under Section 3(m)(5). This directly affects low-income undergraduate and graduate students at colleges and training programs who were previously ineligible. The changes take effect January 2, 2026.

Maddy summaryHR 4763, the PTO Act, requires most employers to provide employees with at least 1 hour of paid annual leave for every 25 hours worked, with a maximum of 80 hours per year. It applies to private-sector workers and certain government employees, protecting their right to use paid leave for any purpose without disclosing the reason. The bill mandates employers to maintain health benefits during leave, allow carryover of up to 40 hours of unused leave, and pay out unused leave upon separation. It also prohibits employers from discriminating against employees for using paid leave or requiring them to find replacements while on leave. The law includes enforcement mechanisms, allowing employees to file complaints with the Department of Labor or pursue private lawsuits.