Rep. Cliff Bentz

Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act This bill creates and expands federal grant programs within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase capacity to provide emergency obstetric health services in rural areas or areas without practitioners or facilities specializing in obstetric services.  Specifically, HRSA must establish a program for providing grants to certain hospitals or consortiums that include hospitals in rural areas or areas with maternal health care professional shortages for training, developing a workforce, and purchasing equipment relating to obstetric emergencies. In addition, the bill requires HRSA’s Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Capacity program to provide grants for training on emergency obstetric services for practitioners in rural health care facilities without dedicated obstetric units. HRSA must also establish a pilot program to provide grants to government entities for developing or improving telehealth access programs to support urgent maternal health care in rural facilities without a dedicated obstetric unit.

Maddy summaryHR 1206, the WEST Act of 2025, cancels a specific Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule titled "Conservation and Landscape Health" (published in the Federal Register on April 3, 2023). The bill directly affects the BLM and anyone subject to the rule, which governed land management practices on public lands. Its key mechanism is a straightforward provision declaring the rule "shall have no force or effect," effectively removing it from federal regulations without creating new policies. This is a procedural action targeting a specific existing regulation, not a broader policy change.

Maddy summaryHR 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, requires medical staff at abortion facilities to provide the same immediate care and hospital admission to any infant born alive during an abortion as they would for any newborn. It mandates reporting failures to provide this care to law enforcement and imposes penalties of up to 5 years in prison for violations, with harsher penalties for intentional killing. The bill also allows women who undergo abortions to sue for civil damages, including triple the abortion cost, and provides for attorney fees. It defines "abortion" to exclude procedures performed after viability to preserve a live birth. This law directly affects healthcare providers at abortion facilities and creates new federal legal obligations for them.

Maddy summaryHR 626, the Northwest Energy Security Act, requires federal agencies managing the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) to operate dams according to the 2020 environmental review (Supplemental Opinion). It allows limited amendments to this operating plan only if agencies determine changes are needed for public safety, grid reliability, or if outdated requirements are no longer valid. The bill explicitly prohibits any new restrictions on hydroelectric generation or navigation on the Snake River without specific new federal law. This directly affects the Secretaries of the Interior, Energy, and Army (through their agencies) in managing FCRPS operations.

Maddy summaryHR 632 prohibits federal funding (directly or indirectly) for colleges and universities that host or are affiliated with campus health clinics providing abortion drugs or abortions to students or employees. Institutions must annually certify to federal education and health agencies that no such services are offered at their campus sites. The bill defines "abortion drugs" broadly as any medication intended to terminate pregnancy (excluding cases for live birth, miscarriage management, or ectopic pregnancy treatment). This policy directly affects institutions receiving federal funds, requiring them to ensure campus health services comply with the prohibition to maintain eligibility.

Maddy summaryHR 7 prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions or health insurance plans covering abortion, with exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape, incest, or when a woman's life is endangered. It blocks federal premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for health plans covering abortion (except in specified cases) and requires clear disclosure of abortion coverage and related surcharges in plan materials. The bill allows individuals or employers to purchase separate abortion coverage using non-federal funds, such as out-of-pocket payments, without affecting federal subsidies. It directly affects federal health programs, ACA marketplace plans, and health insurance issuers offering coverage that includes abortion services.

Healthcare Freedom and Choice Act This bill nullifies a rule regarding short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans. The rule was promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and Department of Health and Human Services; is titled  Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance and Independent, Noncoordinated Excepted Benefits Coverage ; and was published April 3, 2024. Short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans are plans that may only offer coverage for a limited amount of time and are exempt from the market requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (e.g., coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions). The rule limits the length of the initial contract period for such a plan to no more than three months and, taking into account any renewals or extensions, the maximum coverage period to no more than four months. The rule also includes within the maximum renewal period limitation a new plan sold by the same issuer, or any issuer that is a member of the same controlled group, to the same policyholder within a 12-month period. Regulations in effect prior to the rule this bill nullifies permitted short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans with an initial contract period of fewer than 12 months and a maximum coverage period of up to 36 months, including renewals and extensions.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the United States Postal Service facility at 125 South 1st Avenue in Hillsboro, Oregon, as the "Elizabeth Furse Post Office Building." It updates all federal references - such as in laws, maps, and documents - to use this new name for the location. The bill does not change any postal services, operations, or policies; it only modifies the building's official designation.

Maddy summaryHR 7938, the Klamath Basin Water Agreement Support Act of 2024, amends the 2000 Klamath Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act to give the Secretary of the Interior new authority to manage water projects in the Klamath Basin watershed. The bill allows the Secretary to plan and fund projects that reduce harm to fish (like preventing fish from being sucked into water systems), restore habitats, and address irrigation impacts, including reimbursing the Tulelake Irrigation District for 69% of Pumping Plant D operational costs. It requires collaboration with tribes, states, and local agencies through agreements and mandates compliance with environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act. The bill directly affects tribal fishery resources (particularly Klamath River tribes), irrigation districts, and federal water management in Oregon and California. It does not create new water rights or alter existing tribal trust obligations.

Maddy summaryThe America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act creates new funding mechanisms to support wildlife habitat conservation across the United States. It establishes a $300 million annual subaccount for states, territories, and the District of Columbia to restore habitat for species listed as threatened or endangered under federal or state law, and to prevent species from needing such listings, with at least 15% of funds dedicated to endangered species recovery. The bill also creates a $20 million annual account specifically for tribal wildlife conservation programs. Funds must be used for habitat restoration, species conservation, invasive species management, and must be tracked through annual reporting requirements to demonstrate effectiveness.