Rep. David Rouzer

Maddy summaryThis bill expands employee ownership in S corporations by extending tax deferral for selling company stock to employee ownership plans (ESOPs), creating a Treasury Department office to provide education and technical assistance for ESOPs, and amending small business rules to maintain eligibility for government programs after ESOP ownership exceeds 49%. It establishes a new Labor Department "Advocate for Employee Ownership" to coordinate federal efforts, educate stakeholders, and recommend policy improvements. The bill directly affects S corporations using ESOPs, their employees who become owners, and small businesses that might lose government program access due to ESOP acquisitions. Key provisions include tax incentive extensions, new support offices, and updated small business classification rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. President to sell up to two nuclear-powered attack submarines (Virginia-class) from the U.S. Navy inventory to Australia over a 15-year period to support the AUKUS security partnership. It requires Australia to cover all costs, including repairs performed at U.S. shipyards, and mandates detailed certifications to Congress on national security impacts, U.S. industrial capacity, and Australia's ability to operate the submarines. The bill also requires annual reports for 15 years on submarine transfers, defense service exports, and production schedules. This directly affects Australia's naval capabilities and U.S.-Australia defense cooperation under the AUKUS framework.

Maddy summaryHR 4517, the Ensuring Voluntary Actions are Compensated Act of 2023 (EVAC Act), requires the Secretary of State to create a plan within 120 days to reimburse U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and eligible Afghan allies for personal expenses paid to evacuate during August 1-November 1, 2021. The plan must detail eligibility, reimbursement limits, claim processes, required documentation, and processing timelines for those who used personal funds to evacuate. It mandates consultation with the Defense Secretary and relevant NGOs/veteran groups, and includes cost estimates and a list of consulted organizations. The bill directly affects individuals and entities who covered evacuation costs during this specific period, aiming to provide financial compensation for voluntary evacuation efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins marking the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. It authorizes three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 respectively. The surcharge proceeds will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with no net cost to taxpayers as the Treasury must recover all minting costs through the surcharges. The coins can only be issued during 2025, and the Treasury must ensure all costs are covered before distributing funds to the Heritage Foundation.

Maddy summaryHR 984, the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, authorizes $50 million annually (2024-2028) for grants to states and tribes to improve outreach to veterans and their families. The bill provides funding to hire more county/Tribal veterans service officers, expand existing outreach programs, and ensure equitable access to benefits for vulnerable groups like American Indian veterans, elderly veterans, and women veterans. States and tribes must submit detailed plans, track how quickly veterans receive benefits, and report annually on progress toward outcome measures set by the Veterans Affairs Secretary. Grants must supplement, not replace, existing state/local funding and prioritize areas with critical officer shortages or high veteran suicide rates.

Strategy To Oppose Purposeful CCP Aggression at the United Nations Act of 2023 or the STOP CCP at UN Act of 2023 This bill requires actions to address efforts by China to expand its influence on the United Nations. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of State to establish the Office of Multilateral Strategy, which must implement a strategy to counter China at the United Nations. The office must report on its work to Congress. The State Department must also increase the number of U.S.-sponsored junior professional officers at the United Nations to match or exceed the number of such officers sponsored by China. Furthermore, the State Department and the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations must report to Congress annually about China's actions to expand its influence on the United Nations, including through coercion, intimidation, and other illegitimate means.

Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today Act or the STUDENT Act This bill revises the federal charter for the National Education Association. The bill specifies that the corporation and its state and local affiliates may only accept payment of membership dues or fees from a state or local government employee if the employee (1) has been notified of the employee's right under the First Amendment to refrain from membership and payment of associated dues or fees, (2) has clearly and affirmatively consented to membership and payment of associated dues or fees, and (3) has authorized the transmittal of membership dues or fees without the use of payroll deduction. Further, the corporation and its state or local affiliates must process and honor cancellation requests for membership or payment of dues as soon as practicable following receipt of the request. The bill also outlines requirements for the corporation, such as  prohibiting the corporation or its directors or officers from contributing to, supporting, or participating in political activities; requiring each officer of the corporation to be a U.S. citizen;  requiring the corporation to submit annual reports to Congress; prohibiting the corporation and its affiliates from requiring staff, officers, affiliates, or members to affirm, adopt, or adhere to certain principles related to race or sex; and prohibiting the corporation and its affiliates from calling or participating in a strike, work stoppage, or slowdown affecting a state or local government. The bill repeals the corporation's exemption from District of Columbia property taxes.

Maddy summaryHR 4721, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes a permanent the 20% tax deduction for eligible small business owners under Section 199A of the tax code. This provision directly affects pass-through business owners (like S-corps, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) who qualify for the deduction. The bill achieves this by removing the temporary expiration language (subsection (i)) from the existing tax code provision. The key change is ending the need for annual congressional extensions of this deduction, providing long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Veteran Care Improvement Act of 2023, establishes new standards for when veterans can receive care from private providers instead of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It requires the VA to allow veterans to seek community care if they cannot get an in-person appointment within 30 days for primary care or 60 days for specialty care at a VA facility within a 30 or 60-minute drive, respectively. The legislation also mandates that the VA notify veterans of their eligibility for community care within two business days, provide information about telehealth options, and explain reasons for denied care requests along with appeal instructions. Additional provisions include requiring the VA to conduct outreach to inform veterans about community care options, mandate the use of value-based reimbursement models for community care, and establish a pilot program to improve care administration through scheduling improvements and provider incentives. The bill also extends the deadline for health care entities to submit claims under the prompt payment standard from 180 days to one year, and requires the VA Inspector General to assess VA medical center performance in implementing community care programs within three years of enactment.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that research and promotion boards support efforts to develop new markets and strengthen existing markets via research, education, and promotion.