Rep. Bruce Westerman

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new system for recognizing and regulating individuals who help veterans file benefit claims. It requires the VA to provide veterans with information about free assistance options and maintain a public list of accredited representatives. The bill sets a maximum fee limit of $12,500 or 5 times the monthly benefit increase for representatives, and establishes penalties for unaccredited representatives who charge improper fees. The law aims to protect veterans from unscrupulous representatives while ensuring they have access to quality assistance with their benefit claims.

Maddy summaryHR 2953, the ALERT Act, requires federal agencies to submit monthly reports to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) detailing upcoming rules. Agencies must include summaries, cost estimates (categorized in $50 million increments), job impact assessments, and scientific information for rules expected to be finalized within 12 months. OIRA publishes this data monthly online and annually in the Federal Register, including a yearly analysis of agency rulemaking costs and job effects. Rules cannot take effect until 6 months after the required information is publicly available, with limited exceptions for emergencies or national security.

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship. Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship. Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources. Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters. The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses, including registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.

Maddy summaryHR 2666, the CBO Scoring Accountability Act, requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to annually analyze and publicly report on the actual costs and revenue impacts of major federal legislation for the first 10 years after it becomes law. It mandates that the CBO compare actual spending/revenue results against prior estimates, and if discrepancies exceed 10% for costs or revenue, the CBO must explain the causes in a report to Congress. This applies to bills projected to affect at least 0.25% of U.S. GDP in spending or revenue (defined as "major legislation"), and federal agencies must provide data to support these analyses. The bill aims to improve transparency around budget estimates without altering legislative processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes safety standards for poppy seeds by requiring the Health and Human Services Secretary to set maximum allowable levels of morphine, codeine, and other opioid contaminants. If poppy seeds exceed these levels, they would be deemed "adulterated" under food safety law and banned from interstate commerce. The rulemaking process must begin within one year of the bill's enactment and be finalized within two years. This directly affects poppy seed producers, food manufacturers, and distributors who must comply with the new contamination limits.

Maddy summaryHRES 289 is a symbolic resolution supporting the designation of April 2025 as "Second Chance Month" to raise awareness about barriers faced by people with criminal records. It does not create new laws or programs but encourages public awareness of "collateral consequences" like employment restrictions, housing barriers, and educational access issues that hinder reentry. The resolution calls for communities, employers, and organizations to promote second chances for individuals who have completed their sentences. It is a non-binding gesture aimed at fostering public dialogue, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Medicare payment model (the "Comprehensive Alternative Response for Emergencies Model") that allows Medicare Part B to cover ground ambulance services provided in response to emergency medical calls *without* a full transport. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries receiving emergency ambulance care and ambulance providers, ensuring they are paid for services like dispatch and initial response that don't include transport. The model requires payment rates to align with standard transport payments, mandates compliance with state protocols, and operates for a 5-year test period. A report by the Comptroller General will evaluate the model's impact on beneficiary access, outcomes, and regional differences after 4 years.

Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025   This bill imposes penalties on certain persons (individuals and entities) if the President determines that the Russian government or a person acting at Russia's direction is involved with (1) refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; (2) violating a negotiated peace agreement; (3) initiating another invasion of Ukraine; or (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.   If the President makes such a determination, the bill requires certain actions including the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides defense items to the Russian armed forces; the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services; the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services; the Department of the Treasury must impose property-blocking sanctions on any financial institution organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia, and any financial institution that engages in transactions with those entities; and the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any U.S.-produced energy or energy product.

Maddy summaryHR 1417 establishes a new program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide tailored technical assistance to rural health care facilities. The program directly supports facilities like hospitals, clinics, and health centers in rural areas by helping them identify operational needs, improve financial management, and access USDA loan and grant programs. Key provisions include prioritizing facilities in medically underserved areas or facing financial vulnerability, with a $2 million annual funding limit for fiscal years 2026-2030. The program requires annual reports on outcomes and effectiveness to Congress, focusing on preventing facility closures and strengthening rural health care delivery.

Maddy summaryHRES 262 establishes a House Select Committee focused solely on investigating Mexican drug cartels and their international networks, including U.S. and Mexican government efforts to address them. The committee has no legislative authority but may hold public hearings, conduct investigations, and issue policy recommendations by December 2025, with final reports due by December 2026. This procedural resolution affects only House committee structure and processes, not direct policy changes for the public or government agencies.