Rep. Nicholas J. Begich III

Maddy summaryHR 4676, the Modern Firearm Safety Act, preempts state and local laws that require specific handgun design features not mandated by federal law. It directly affects handgun manufacturers, sellers, and consumers in jurisdictions with such requirements, such as those mandating loaded indicators, magazine safety mechanisms, or identification systems. The bill prohibits any state or local government from enforcing or creating regulations that require handguns to include features like cartridge identification, magazine insertion sensors, or other mechanisms not required by federal statute. This law establishes federal standards as the sole requirement for handgun design, overriding conflicting state or local regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill lowers the minimum age for participating in employer retirement plans like 401(k)s from 21 to 18 for certain young workers. It directly affects 18- to 20-year-olds who work at least 500 hours over two consecutive 12-month periods. The key provision amends ERISA and tax code rules to replace "21" with "18" in eligibility requirements for these plans. The changes apply to plan years starting one year after the bill becomes law.

Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act of 2025 or the Veterans' ACCESS Act of 2025 This bill addresses the administration of the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and other Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care matters. Among other provisions regarding the VCCP, the bill establishes in statute access standards that determine when a veteran is eligible to receive non-VA care through the VCCP, requires the VA to notify veterans regarding their eligibility for care within two business days after the VA is aware the veteran is seeking care, and extends the deadline for the submittal of claims under the VCCP by health care entities and providers. The VA must address its mental health treatment programs by establishing a standardized screening process to determine whether a veteran satisfies criteria for priority or routine admission to a mental health residential rehabilitation treatment program or a program for residential care for mental health and substance abuse disorders, tracking the performance of medical facilities and Veterans Integrated Service Networks in meeting the requirements for mental health treatment screenings and timely admission to treatment programs under such screenings, and establishing an appeal process for when a veteran is denied admission to a covered treatment program or is accepted into a program but not offered bed placement in a timely manner. Additionally, the VA must establish an online self-service module for veterans to request and manage appointments, track referrals, and appeal and track decisions related to requests for care.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Department of Transportation from providing any federal grants or funds to local governments (including cities, counties, or other state subdivisions) that are classified as "sanctuary cities." A sanctuary city is defined as any local government that restricts sharing immigration status information with federal authorities or refuses to comply with certain immigration detainer requests from Homeland Security. The Secretary of Transportation may grant a limited waiver for specific projects if they certify it serves national interest and notify Congress 15 days in advance. The law directly affects jurisdictions with policies limiting cooperation on immigration enforcement, withholding all DOT funding for transportation projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill, officially titled the Make American Guns Again Act of 2025, requires the Secretary of Defense to study the use of foreign-made or foreign-owned U.S.-manufactured small arms and light weapons by the military. The study must identify weapons and parts made outside the U.S. or by foreign-owned U.S. subsidiaries, and the Secretary must submit a report with procurement recommendations within 180 days of the bill's enactment. The bill directly affects military procurement practices by mandating a review focused on increasing U.S.-made weapons, without altering current regulations or imposing immediate spending changes.

Maddy summaryHR 1919, the "Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act," prohibits the Federal Reserve from developing, testing, or issuing any central bank digital currency (CBDC) or similar digital assets. It specifically bans the Fed from offering direct financial products to individuals, maintaining individual accounts, or issuing CBDCs directly or indirectly through intermediaries like banks. The bill also blocks the Fed from using any digital asset for monetary policy and clarifies that physical currency's privacy protections remain intact. This policy directly affects the Federal Reserve System's ability to create or manage digital monetary tools.

Maddy summaryHR 4382 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics/Paralympics and 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics/Paralympics. It specifies gold, silver, and half-dollar coin designs with defined mintage limits (e.g., up to 100,000 $5 gold coins for each event), all bearing inscriptions like "2028" or "2034" and standard coin features. A surcharge ($5-$50 per coin) is added to sales, with all funds directed to the respective Olympic committees to support event hosting and legacy programs like youth sports. The bill ensures no net cost to the government by requiring surcharge revenues to cover all design, production, and marketing expenses before funds are disbursed.

Alaska Native Settlement Trust Eligibility Act This act excludes certain settlement trust payments to an Alaska Native or descendant of an Alaska Native who is aged, blind, or disabled for purposes of determining the individual's eligibility for certain need-based federal programs (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

Alaska Native Village Municipal Lands Restoration Act of 2025 This act removes the requirement that Alaska Native village corporations must convey lands to Alaska to be held in trust for future municipal governments.  The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) requires all Alaska Native village corporations that receive land under the ANCSA to convey certain lands to the existing municipality in the village or, if no municipality exists, to Alaska in trust for any municipality that may be established in the future. This act removes the requirement for conveyance. Additionally, the act allows village corporations to regain title to the lands held in trust by dissolving the trust through formal resolution by the village corporation and the residents of the Native village.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires online contact lens sellers to provide a secure electronic method for customers to transmit their contact lens prescriptions, directly affecting online retailers. It mandates that such electronic transmissions comply with HIPAA privacy rules and that any protected health information sent via email must be encrypted. The law updates existing rules to modernize prescription verification for online sales while maintaining privacy protections.