Rep. Pete Sessions

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all federal agencies administering benefits (like retirement, health, housing, or food assistance) to provide public communications in accessible formats - such as Braille, large print, audio, or accessible PDFs - to blind or visually impaired recipients. Agencies must distribute these accessible versions via mail or secure electronic systems, coordinated with standard formats. It also protects agencies from liability under disability laws if they comply with these requirements. The law directly affects how government agencies deliver information to a specific group of citizens with visual impairments.

Maddy summaryHR 3392, the STOP Screwworms Act, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build modular facilities for rearing sterile New World screwworm flies within 180 days of enactment. These facilities will disperse sterile flies into at-risk agricultural areas - identified based on migratory patterns and suitability for dispersal - to prevent infestations that threaten livestock. The bill authorizes $300 million in funding for construction, operation, and annual reporting to Congress on threat assessments and effectiveness. It directly affects livestock producers and agricultural regions vulnerable to screwworm fly migration, using sterile insect technique as a preventive measure.

Maddy summaryHR 3417, the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act of 2025, requires websites and applications used by covered entities - including businesses, government agencies, and public accommodations - to be accessible to people with disabilities. The bill mandates the Department of Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to establish accessibility standards within 24 months, with different compliance timelines for small businesses (2-3 years) versus larger entities (30 days). It includes provisions for technical assistance, grants to help small entities remediate inaccessible websites, and enforcement mechanisms to address violations. The law aims to ensure people with disabilities can access the same information, services, and transactions online as people without disabilities. Commercial providers who develop websites or applications for covered entities must also ensure their products meet accessibility standards.

Maddy summaryHR 976, the "1071 Repeal to Protect Small Business Lending Act," would repeal data collection and reporting requirements for small business loans under Section 704B of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This specifically removes the mandate for financial institutions - especially community banks and credit unions - to track and submit loan data by business characteristics like race or gender. The bill aims to reduce compliance costs for lenders, which its findings argue limit small business access to credit. The repeal would eliminate these reporting obligations and remove references to the requirement from related federal laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a 3-year transition period for newly insured banks to meet federal capital requirements, easing compliance for institutions that recently became federally insured. It allows these banks to request temporary deviations from approved business plans, with regulators required to respond within 30 days (or the request is automatically approved). Small rural banks with less than $10 billion in assets located in rural areas receive a lower 8% leverage ratio requirement during this transition. Additionally, the bill expands lending authority for certain banks to include agricultural loans and requires a federal study on increasing new bank formations in underserved areas.

Maddy summaryHR 3178, the Save Healthcare Workers Act, creates a new federal crime for assaulting hospital staff while they are performing their duties, with penalties including fines and up to 10 years in prison (up to 20 years for aggravated cases involving weapons or injuries). The bill directly affects hospital employees - including nurses, doctors, and support staff - across all covered facilities (such as emergency rooms, long-term care centers, and children’s hospitals) by criminalizing violence that disrupts patient care. It also establishes a $25 million annual grant program (2025-2034) to help hospitals implement safety measures like staff de-escalation training, security technology, and coordination with local law enforcement. These provisions aim to address workplace violence in healthcare settings, which the bill cites as a growing problem affecting service delivery and staff retention.

Maddy summaryHR 3141, the CFPB Budget Integrity Act, limits the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) leftover funds. It requires the CFPB to keep unobligated balances below 5% of its annual appropriation, transferring any excess to the Treasury general fund. The bill also adds a reporting requirement for the CFPB to describe how it uses any unobligated balances. This bill directly affects the CFPB's budget management practices, not consumer financial protections. It is a procedural budget rule change with no direct impact on consumers or financial institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare to only cover nerve conduction studies and needle electromyography tests at facilities meeting specific quality standards. To qualify, facilities must be accredited by an organization that verifies they have a quality program, use approved equipment, ensure staff have proper training, and interpret results on-site during procedures. Starting 3-4 years after enactment, Medicare will not pay for these services at non-compliant facilities. The bill also establishes an advisory committee to help develop and update these standards, aiming to improve care quality and reduce fraud.

Maddy summaryThe Health Care Fairness for All Act repeals the individual and employer health insurance mandates from the Affordable Care Act. It creates a new tax credit to help people afford health insurance and modifies health savings accounts to make them more accessible. The bill maintains certain consumer protections like no lifetime coverage limits and coverage for dependents up to age 26, while giving states more flexibility to regulate health insurance outside of the ACA marketplace. It also includes changes to Medicare and Medicaid payment systems to improve cost transparency and quality of care.

Maddy summaryHR 3033, the "Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act," repeals a federal law (18 U.S.C. §1715) that previously prohibited mailing firearms and related items. This bill directly affects firearm sellers, buyers, and the U.S. Postal Service by removing the ban on mailing firearms, ammunition, and components. It also prohibits the Postmaster General from creating rules that would block firearm mailings or require disclosure of sales receipts, transaction records, or firearm serial numbers. The law takes effect immediately for pending cases and prevents new restrictions on firearm shipping through the postal system.