Rep. Eric Sorensen

This resolution expresses U.S. support for Israel and its efforts to defend its right to existence. The resolution also declares that the United States and international community must prevent Iran from acquiring or building nuclear weapons.

Maddy summaryThe Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 updates federal law to explicitly include "Postal Service police officers" alongside Postal Inspectors as authorized personnel for enforcing regulations on U.S. Postal Service property. It clarifies that the Postmaster General can establish and post rules for protecting postal property, with violations punishable by fines or up to 30 days in jail. This change directly affects USPS police officers (by formalizing their role), the Postmaster General (by expanding regulatory authority), and anyone on postal property who must follow posted rules. The bill makes existing enforcement procedures more explicit without altering penalties or creating new requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 3024, the Life Saving Leave Act, amends the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide eligible employees with up to 40 hours of additional unpaid leave per year for bone marrow or blood stem cell donation activities. This leave covers predonation, donation, and postdonation medical care, and can be taken intermittently. Employees may substitute accrued paid leave (like vacation or sick days) for this time, but employers cannot require it. The bill requires employees to give employers at least 30 days' notice (or as soon as practicable if urgent) and to schedule the leave to minimize disruption.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects living organ donors from insurance discrimination by prohibiting life, disability, and long-term care insurers from denying coverage, raising premiums, or altering policy terms solely because someone donated an organ while alive. It also updates the Family and Medical Leave Act to include recovery from organ donation surgery as a qualifying health condition, allowing donors to take protected leave for this purpose. Additionally, the bill requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to update public educational materials about living donation benefits, risks, and insurance protections within six months of enactment. These changes directly affect living organ donors, insurers, employers, and healthcare systems by ensuring fair access to insurance and workplace leave.

Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2023 or the FAIR Act of 2023 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.

Maddy summaryThe Student Empowerment and Financial Literacy Act (HR 2943) creates a federal grant program to fund innovative financial literacy education in elementary and secondary schools. It provides competitive grants to eligible entities - like schools, community groups, or financial institutions - to develop programs teaching personal finance topics (e.g., budgeting, credit, student loans, saving) that improve student awareness and teacher training. Grants last up to 3 years, with renewal possible for successful programs, and prioritize projects serving underbanked communities, diverse geographic areas, and students with varying needs. The program aims to expand voluntary financial literacy resources for K-12 students nationwide.

Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2023 This bill modifies the above-the-line tax deduction for the expenses of performing artists (including commissions paid to managers or agents) to provide for a phaseout of such deduction for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($200,000 for joint return filers). The $100,000 phaseout threshold is adjusted for inflation annually for taxable years beginning after 2023.

Maddy summaryThe Flight Education Access Act increases federal student loan limits for students enrolled in eligible flight education programs, which prepare students for commercial pilot certification. It sets specific annual and aggregate loan limits based on a student's year of study (e.g., dependent students can borrow up to $111,000 total), and requires programs to meet a 70% completion rate after three years to maintain eligibility. The bill also creates a new $40 million annual grant program to support partnerships between educational institutions and aviation industry partners to diversify the pilot workforce and increase interest in aviation careers. It requires data collection on program completion rates and demographic information, with reports to Congress on the program's effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHRES 311 is a non-binding House resolution encouraging the expansion of the Abraham Accords to promote normalization of relations between Israel and additional countries. It urges the U.S. government to support these agreements while ensuring tangible security and economic benefits for citizens in participating nations. The resolution expresses support for U.S.-Israel security cooperation and existing financial commitments under the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding. As a symbolic measure, it does not create new legal requirements but formally advocates for deeper regional diplomatic engagement.

Maddy summaryThe Family Building FEHB Fairness Act (HR 2828) amends the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program to add assisted reproductive treatment as a covered benefit for federal employees and their families. It specifically defines these treatments to include procedures like in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, and the preservation of eggs, sperm, or embryos. The bill requires the Office of Personnel Management to include these services under FEHB coverage, expanding access to reproductive care for eligible federal workers. The change would take effect one year after the bill's enactment, directly affecting federal employees enrolled in the FEHB program seeking fertility-related medical services.