Rep. Val T. Hoyle

Maddy summaryHR 932 repeals two key congressional authorizations for military force in Iraq: the 1991 resolution (Public Law 102-1) and the 2002 resolution (Public Law 107-243). This bill removes the legal foundation that has permitted U.S. military operations in Iraq for over two decades. It directly affects the executive branch’s authority to conduct military actions under these specific resolutions, requiring future operations to seek new congressional approval. The repeal is a procedural change that would end the statutory basis for ongoing military engagement in Iraq without altering other laws or policies.

Maddy summaryHRES 110 is a non-binding resolution supporting the designation of "Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month" to recognize CTE's role in preparing students for high-demand careers. It encourages educators, school counselors, and parents to promote CTE as a respected pathway for students seeking credentials in fields like healthcare, technology, and skilled trades. The resolution highlights CTE's benefits, including reducing high school dropout rates and aligning education with workforce needs, without creating new funding or policy changes. It directly affects schools, educators, and students by affirming CTE's value in workforce development.

Maddy summaryHR 866, the Equal COLA Act, changes how cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated for federal retirees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). It requires that each year's COLA be based on the exact percent change in the price index from the previous year's base quarter, rounded to the nearest 0.1%, effective December 1. This applies to all FERS annuities starting before, on, or after the bill's enactment date, ensuring a standardized calculation method for retirees' annual adjustments.

Maddy summaryHR 882, the American Teacher Act, requires states to ensure full-time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools earn at least $60,000 annually (adjusted for inflation), with part-time teachers receiving proportional pay. It provides federal grants to states to fund these salary increases, mandating sustainability plans beyond the 4-year grant period and prioritizing schools in high-poverty areas. The bill also includes cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index and funds a national campaign to promote teaching as a career. It explicitly states grant funds must supplement existing education budgets without reducing current teacher pay or state loan forgiveness programs.

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week per year as Battle Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.

Freight Rail Assistance and Investment to Launch Coronavirus-Era Activity and Recovery Act of 2023 or the Freight RAILCAR Act of 2023 This bill provides a new tax credit through 2025 for 10% of freight railcar fleet modernization expenses (i.e., railcar replacement and modernization expenses for meeting fuel efficiency and performance standards). The bill provides that no more than 2,000 freight railcars per taxpayer may be taken into account for purposes of determining the credit in a taxable year. The Department of the Treasury must report to Congress on the credit to provide information on the number of times the credit was claimed and the number of railcars scrapped or built as a result of the credit.

Maddy summaryThe Better Care Better Jobs Act (HR 547) aims to improve access to home and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid beneficiaries by providing states with planning grants and enhanced federal funding. States that develop approved HCBS infrastructure improvement plans will receive a 10 percentage point increase in federal Medicaid funding for HCBS services, with additional incentives for self-directed care programs. The bill requires states to address barriers to access, expand workforce development, improve payment rates for direct care workers, and track demographic data on service utilization. It also establishes quality measurement requirements and mandates regular reporting on progress toward improving HCBS access and quality.

Maddy summaryHR 827, the Home Internet Accessibility Act, requires a study of broadband access in federally assisted housing (like public housing and HUD-subsidized units) and a plan to improve it. The Comptroller General must report within one year on where broadband access exists or is lacking, including demographic breakdowns by location, and analyze retrofitting costs and challenges. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must then develop and submit a specific plan to retrofit housing for broadband service within 18 months of the bill's enactment. This bill directly affects residents of federally assisted housing nationwide by focusing on infrastructure gaps, not by providing immediate internet service.

Maddy summaryHR 715, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023, requires background checks for all firearm transfers between private individuals, not just those through licensed dealers. It mandates that unlicensed sellers must involve a licensed dealer to conduct a background check before transferring a firearm, with exceptions for family transfers (like spouses or parents/children), law enforcement, temporary safety transfers, and certain hunting or range activities. The bill also requires licensed dealers to provide a notice and certification form in both English and Spanish to buyers. It explicitly states it won't create a national gun registry or override state laws on the same topic. The law would take effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 694, the Job Protection Act, expands access to family and medical leave under the FMLA by reducing eligibility requirements. It lowers the required employment period from 12 months to 90 days for most workers and removes the 50-employee threshold, requiring all employers (including small businesses with one or more employees) to provide leave. Federal, presidential, and congressional employees also see their eligibility thresholds reduced to 90 days. The bill directly affects millions of private-sector workers and small businesses nationwide by making existing leave protections more widely available. It makes no changes to leave duration or pay, only to who qualifies and which employers must comply.