Rep. Byron Donalds

Maddy summaryThe Main Street Capital Access Act reduces regulatory burdens for smaller banks, particularly those with less than $10 billion in assets. Key provisions include a 3-year phase-in period for new banks to meet capital requirements, lower leverage ratio requirements for rural banks (7.5% for the first 2 years), and a 30-day review process for business plan deviations. The bill also establishes an Office of Independent Examination Review, sets specific timelines for examinations (270 days) and reports (90 days), and creates a "least cost exception" for bank resolutions to prevent excessive concentration of the banking system. These changes aim to promote new bank formation, improve regulatory efficiency, and support community banking while maintaining financial stability.

Maddy summaryHR 1118, the Value Over Cost Act of 2025, amends federal procurement rules to allow government agencies to select contracts based on "best value" rather than solely the lowest price. It updates sections of the U.S. Code (41 U.S.C. §152 and 10 U.S.C. §3012) to require that contracts first consider the "lowest overall cost," but also permit agencies to choose "best value" when the General Services Administration Administrator determines it serves the government's best interests. This change directly affects federal agencies purchasing goods or services through the Multiple Award Schedule program and defense-related contracts. The bill formalizes an existing practice under federal procurement regulations (FAR §15.101) without altering the underlying definition of "best value."

Maddy summaryHR 6213, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the U.S. Department of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing OSHA's proposed "Heat Injury and Illness Prevention" standard (published August 30, 2024). This bill directly blocks the specific regulatory proposal targeting heat safety in both outdoor and indoor work settings. It does not create new requirements or affect workers; it solely prevents the implementation of the existing OSHA proposal. The bill is procedural, focusing on halting a regulatory action rather than establishing new policy.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Ratepayers Act requires private companies planning to build or operate large data centers to disconnect from public utility grids for both electricity and water. Starting 180 days after the law takes effect, these facilities must generate all their power and water on-site or from sources separate from the public system. Additionally, the bill gives legal force to a 2026 presidential proclamation known as the Ratepayer Protection Pledge. This legislation directly affects private data center operators by mandating self-sufficiency in utilities to prevent reliance on public infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHR 7651, the Chloe Cole Act of 2026, prohibits healthcare providers from performing certain medical interventions on minors under 18 aimed at altering physical development to align with gender identity. These "covered interventions" include puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and specific surgeries, but exclude medically necessary care for conditions like disorders of sexual development or traumatic injuries. The bill creates a federal civil lawsuit right for affected minors or their parents against providers who perform such interventions, allowing claims for damages including emotional distress and punitive awards, with strict liability for providers after the law's enactment. It explicitly allows exceptions for legitimate medical treatments and requires providers to prove such exceptions apply if challenged.

Maddy summaryHR 3978, the Nuclear REFUEL Act, amends the Atomic Energy Act to exclude certain nuclear fuel reprocessing methods from the definition of a "production facility." Specifically, it exempts facilities that reprocess spent nuclear fuel without separating plutonium from other elements, or continue uranium enrichment. This change would directly affect nuclear fuel recycling companies and facilities seeking to process spent reactor fuel under streamlined regulations. The bill focuses on altering regulatory classification to potentially simplify licensing for specific recycling processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act, aims to strengthen border security and reform immigration enforcement by directing the Department of Homeland Security to resume and complete the construction of a physical border wall, expand the use of surveillance technology, and increase staffing levels for Border Patrol agents. It also imposes stricter rules on asylum eligibility and employment authorization for applicants, mandates the reopening of specific immigration detention facilities, and requires the return of individuals arriving from contiguous foreign countries to those nations while their claims are processed. Additionally, the legislation expands penalties for visa overstays, limits the use of certain digital tools like the CBP One app, and includes provisions to reduce funding for organizations that facilitate illegal entry or provide services to inadmissible aliens.

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 summaryThis bill redesignates the existing National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund as the America's Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance on federal lands. It directs revenue from recreation fees and a portion of energy development income into the fund, which must be used primarily for repairing critical infrastructure like roads, trails, and buildings managed by agencies such as the National Park Service and the Forest Service. The legislation establishes strict rules requiring that most funds go toward non-transportation projects, mandates transparency through public dashboards tracking project status, and sets aside a small percentage for matching private donations. Additionally, the bill increases entrance fees for foreign visitors to ensure they contribute to the fund, while prohibiting the use of these specific funds for land acquisition or employee bonuses.