Rep. Josh Brecheen

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 30 seeks to block a Department of Labor rule that would have required retirement plan managers (like those handling 401(k)s) to follow strict "prudence and loyalty" standards when selecting investments and voting on company matters. The rule, published in December 2022, aimed to protect retirement savings by ensuring fiduciaries prioritize participants' interests. This resolution, if passed, would prevent the rule from taking effect, avoiding new compliance requirements for retirement plan managers and sponsors. It directly affects retirement plan administrators and the millions of participants in these plans.

Maddy summaryHR 1703, the SECURE Flights Act, prohibits the use of specific immigration forms (like I-94 arrival records or I-200 warrants) as valid ID at airport security checkpoints. If such a document is presented, TSA must notify U.S. immigration and law enforcement agencies, and the individual may be barred from entering secure airport areas unless traveling for deportation or presenting a valid "covered ID" (e.g., passport, Global Entry card, or driver’s license). The bill also requires TSA to collect biometric data (like fingerprints or facial scans) from travelers who cannot verify U.S. citizenship and lack a covered ID, submitting this to the Homeland Security IDENT system. It directly affects travelers using non-standard immigration documents at airports, aiming to enhance security coordination between TSA and immigration authorities.

Bipartisan Ban on Congressional Stock Ownership Act of 2023 This bill prohibits Members of Congress and their spouses from owning or trading stocks, bonds, commodities, futures, or any other form of security. Each current Member must divest within 180 days after the bill is enacted and each new Member must divest within 180 days after becoming a Member. However, Members and their spouses have 5 years to divest from specified complex investment vehicles. The bill does not apply to certain investments, such as investments in widely held investment funds that are diversified and do not present a conflict of interest and investments held in government employee retirement plans. A Member or spouse who violates the bill may be subject to a fine of up to $50,000 for each violation. The bill permits a Member or spouse who is required to divest property under the bill to avoid recognizing gain for income tax purposes from the sale of that property to the extent that the Member or spouse purchases permitted bonds or diversified investment funds within 60 days of the divestiture.

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 26 is a congressional disapproval resolution blocking the District of Columbia Council's approval of its Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-789). It directly affects the District of Columbia by preventing the new criminal code from taking effect, as Congress disapproved the Council's action under the Home Rule Act. The resolution formally rejects the Council's enactment of the code, which was transmitted to Congress on January 27, 2023. This procedural action stops the District from implementing the revised criminal code without further congressional action.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. State Department to officially designate four specific Mexican drug cartels (Gulf Cartel, Cartel Del Noreste, Cartel de Sinaloa, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion) as foreign terrorist organizations under existing law. It mandates a 30-day report explaining why these groups meet the legal criteria for such designation, including justification if they don't. The report must be submitted to specified congressional committees and may lead to additional cartels being designated based on the findings. The bill also clarifies that this designation won't affect asylum eligibility for individuals fleeing these groups.

Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act This bill permanently adds fentanyl-related substances to schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. (A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act.) Fentanyl-related substances are currently regulated under schedule I through a temporary order issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The temporary order expires December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHR 1492, the CBO Show Your Work Act, requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to publicly publish its fiscal models, data, and detailed methodologies used when estimating the costs and effects of legislation. Specifically, the bill mandates that the CBO make available all models, data preparation routines, and the specific assumptions and computations behind its cost estimates - enabling independent verification by non-CBO staff. This applies to all estimates prepared under the law, with limited exceptions for data protected by other statutes (requiring only descriptive statistics and access details for such data). The changes take effect six months after the bill becomes law. The bill directly affects the CBO’s internal processes and transparency practices, not the legislative content itself.

Maddy summaryHR 1524 (FAIR Act of 2023) prohibits federal agencies, contractors, and recipients of federal funds from intentionally discriminating against or granting preferences based on race, color, or national origin. It directly affects federal contractors, state/local entities receiving federal aid, and educational institutions using federal funds by banning preferential treatment (including quotas or set-asides) in contracts, employment, and admissions. Key provisions require federal agencies to review and update policies within six months of enactment to comply with the ban. The bill does not impact immigration laws or pending cases/contracts but allows civil lawsuits for violations with remedies like back pay and attorney fees.

Maddy summaryThe POWER Act of 2023 prevents the President from blocking or delaying new oil, gas, coal, or mineral leases on federal lands without explicit Congressional approval. It specifically stops executive actions that would delay or cancel permits for energy development on National Forests, public lands, the outer continental shelf, or energy-managed lands. The bill requires Congress to pass new laws if it wants to restrict energy leasing or withdraw land from development under existing federal land laws. This directly affects energy companies seeking to develop resources on federal property by limiting executive authority over lease approvals.

American Safety And Fairness through Expedited Removal Act of 2023 or the American SAFER Act of 202 3 This bill expands the classes of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who are subject to expedited removal (i.e., removal from the United States without further hearing or review). Specifically, the bill nullifies a 2004 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule  that generally limits expedited removal to certain situations, such as for non-U.S. nationals encountered within 14 days of entry into the United States without inspection and within 100 miles of a U.S. international land border. The bill also (1) prohibits DHS from implementing a rule that limits expedited removal based on how far a non-U.S. national was from the border when encountered or apprehended, and (2) modifies the relevant statute to state that expedited removal authority applies regardless of where the non-U.S. national was encountered or apprehended.