Rep. Lois Frankel

Maddy summaryThe FORTIFY Act allows defense equipment and services to move freely between Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania without needing special permission from the U.S. President. This change removes previous legal barriers that required U.S. approval whenever one Baltic nation shared military supplies with another. Additionally, the bill directs the U.S. Department of Defense to set up a shared digital system so these countries can easily coordinate and share ammunition for training and operations. The legislation aims to strengthen regional security by making it easier for Baltic allies to support each other militarily.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a national resource center to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault who belong to faith-based communities. It authorizes $2 million annually from 2027 to 2031 to fund grants for groups that provide training and technical assistance to religious leaders, service providers, and law enforcement. The program focuses on helping these stakeholders recognize spiritual abuse, respect cultural and religious needs like dietary accommodations, and address barriers such as religious divorce denial. To ensure accountability, the bill requires that all funded organizations prioritize victim safety over family privacy or religious doctrines that might otherwise restrict a survivor's exit from an abusive marriage.

This resolution calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil society leaders to condemn and counter acts of anti-Semitism. The resolution also honors the contributions of Jewish-American servicemembers and commits to ensuring all Americans, including Jewish Americans, can worship without fear of violence or persecution.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend federal law to strengthen penalties for organized retail crime by expanding definitions of theft to include digital goods, gift cards, and setting a $5,000 aggregate value threshold for charges over a 12-month period. It would establish a new "Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center" under Homeland Security to coordinate Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement efforts against cross-jurisdictional theft groups. The Center would share information with retailers, transportation companies, and law enforcement agencies, track crime trends, and produce annual reports on organized retail crime. This legislation directly affects retailers, supply chain businesses, and law enforcement agencies, while targeting organized crime groups responsible for a 93% increase in larceny incidents and rising safety concerns for retail employees. The bill aims to address significant financial losses and supply chain disruptions noted in the National Retail Federation's 2023 data.

Maddy summaryThe Vote by Mail Protection Act of 2026 directly affects the federal government by nullifying Executive Order 14399, which previously required citizenship verification in federal elections. This legislation prohibits any federal agency from enforcing the order or using taxpayer funds to carry out its activities. By repealing the executive order, the bill removes the mandate for agencies to verify citizenship as a condition for voting in federal elections.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that antisemitic rhetoric from specific online personalities, including Hasan Piker and Candace Owens, is dangerous and contributes to hatred. It urges social media platforms to enforce their policies against hate speech and calls on public officials to condemn such conduct without exception. The bill does not impose new laws or penalties but instead highlights specific instances of alleged hate speech to emphasize the need for responsibility among influencers and technology companies.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Protecting Human Rights and Public Health in Foreign Assistance Act, aims to cancel specific regulations issued by the Department of State. It directly affects the federal government by prohibiting any department or agency from enforcing, implementing, or proposing rules related to protecting life, combating discriminatory equity ideology, and combating gender ideology in foreign aid programs. The legislation treats these cancelled rules as if they never existed, effectively nullifying their impact on future foreign assistance policies.

Maddy summaryHR 5543, the Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025, requires the U.S. State and Defense Departments to submit a report within 180 days of enactment. The report will assess emerging military, cyber, hybrid, and political threats to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including the roles of Russia, Belarus, China, Iran, and other actors. It will also evaluate U.S. and NATO military presence in the region, opportunities for defense cooperation, and recommendations to strengthen deterrence, cybersecurity, and democratic resilience in the Baltic countries. This bill directly affects U.S. foreign policy and defense planning regarding the Baltics, but does not create new programs or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Post-Disaster Protection Act, extends the time limit for appealing federal disaster assistance decisions from 60 to 90 days. It directly affects individuals and communities seeking aid after natural disasters by amending the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The change provides applicants with additional time to contest decisions regarding their eligibility or the amount of assistance they receive. This adjustment aims to give affected parties more time to review and challenge assistance determinations without rushing the appeals process.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security grant temporary protected status (TPS) to Haitian nationals already residing in the United States. It requires the designation to begin on August 3, 2025, and last for 18 months, allowing eligible individuals to legally stay and work during that period. The bill directly affects Haitian nationals in the U.S. who qualify under TPS criteria, providing them temporary relief from deportation. The key provision is the mandatory 18-month TPS period with a specific start date, overriding other legal provisions that might otherwise prevent such a designation.