Rep. George Whitesides

Maddy summaryThe Wildfire Response Modernization Act directs the Secretary of the Air Force to purchase commercial satellite data to help the Department of Defense and Northern Command support wildfire management efforts. This data will be used to protect military installations and provide emergency assistance to state, local, and Tribal governments during fire events. Additionally, the bill allows the government to share this purchased data directly with local authorities to aid their firefighting operations. The funding for these purchases depends on the availability of future appropriations.

Maddy summaryThe AI Incident Reporting Act requires artificial intelligence developers to report specific high-risk incidents to the Secretary of Commerce within seven days of discovery. These reportable events include attempts to evade oversight, unauthorized theft of model weights, capabilities that could accelerate cyberattacks or weapon development, and any incidents posing serious risks to national security or public safety. To encourage transparency, the bill provides legal protections that prevent reported information from being used against developers in lawsuits or regulatory enforcement actions, while also mandating that sensitive data be kept confidential. Developers must submit detailed descriptions of these incidents, and the government must notify key congressional leaders immediately if a report indicates an imminent threat. The Act also establishes a framework for the Secretary to define which AI models are covered and to enforce compliance through civil penalties of up to $2 million for violations.

Maddy summaryThe READ AI Models Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a free, flexible template for documenting artificial intelligence (AI) models. The template would require basic details like developer information, training data cutoff dates, supported languages, and terms of service for both public and private sector AI models. NIST must gather public input through a 60-day comment period before finalizing the template and technical guidelines. If the pilot program proves effective, NIST would publish the template publicly and report to Congress within one year.

Maddy summaryHR 5351, the NSF AI Education Act of 2025, creates new funding mechanisms to expand artificial intelligence education. It authorizes scholarships and fellowships covering tuition, fees, and stipends for undergraduate and graduate students in AI-related fields, with priority for programs teaching AI in K-12 schools, advanced manufacturing, and agriculture. The bill also establishes up to eight regional "Centers of AI Excellence" at community colleges and career schools to develop AI curricula, build industry partnerships, and create student job pathways. Additionally, it funds research grants to develop K-12 AI teaching materials and supports professional development for educators and industry professionals to integrate AI into classrooms.

Maddy summaryThe Global Climate Resilience Act of 2026 establishes a program to reduce the debt owed by vulnerable countries to the United States, directing those savings toward climate adaptation and disaster recovery efforts. To qualify for these benefits, nations must be classified as low or middle-income or small island developing states, have democratically elected governments that respect human rights, and submit plans involving local communities to build resilience against extreme weather and slow-onset climate disasters. The bill authorizes the President to cancel or exchange existing U.S. loans for new obligations tied to resilience projects and directs U.S. representatives at international financial institutions to advocate for similar debt relief and a new parametric climate insurance program at the World Bank.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the presentation of Congressional Gold Medals to the four crew members of the Artemis II mission to recognize their historic achievement in advancing human space exploration. The legislation directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the medals, which will feature the faces of the astronauts and be struck by the Secretary of the Treasury. In addition to the gold medals, the bill permits the minting and sale of duplicate bronze versions to help cover production costs, with any proceeds returned to the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Maddy summaryThe Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026 aims to increase financial aid for college students by raising the maximum Pell Grant amount to $15,000 by the 2031-2032 award year and ensuring the program is fully funded through mandatory spending rather than annual appropriations. The bill also expands eligibility for students who receive means-tested government benefits by automatically assigning them a lower financial need score, while simultaneously allowing Dreamer students - undocumented immigrants who meet specific criteria such as graduating high school or serving in the military - to qualify for federal aid. Additional provisions restore the total number of semesters a student can receive Pell Grants from 12 to 18 and adjust the rules for satisfactory academic progress to reduce penalties for students who struggle to meet grade requirements. Finally, the legislation restores Pell Grant eligibility for some students who previously received outside scholarships and sets the law's effective date for July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Veteran Scam Victims Foundation, a private nonprofit corporation designed to help prevent veterans and their families from falling victim to scams. The foundation will operate independently of the federal government but will work in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept private donations and run educational programs or support services for affected individuals. A governing board will be formed with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as chairman and six additional members appointed by various federal agency heads to oversee the organization's activities. The legislation explicitly states that the foundation cannot provide direct monetary compensation for financial losses and will not be liable for any debts or actions taken by the foundation.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the government auditor (Comptroller General) to study how wildfire prevention programs operate across different land ownerships - including federal, state, tribal, and private lands. The study will examine current federal rules, funding access, and specific wildfire mitigation activities from the 2003 Healthy Forests Restoration Act. It will identify barriers and opportunities to improve cross-boundary collaboration, with a report due to Congress within two years. The bill itself does not create new programs or funding, only requiring this analysis.

Maddy summaryThe Disaster Ready Infrastructure Act of 2026 requires federal transportation planning documents to identify infrastructure vulnerable to frequent natural disasters. Specifically, it mandates that both metropolitan and statewide plans list which facilities are at risk, which are critical for maintaining operations during or after a disaster, and what improvements are needed to keep them running. This change directly affects transportation planners and agencies responsible for creating these regional and state-level plans. By adding these specific identification steps to existing laws, the bill aims to ensure that disaster resilience is a formal part of transportation planning.