Rep. Paul A. Gosar

Maddy summaryHR 5446, the Justice for Angel Families Act, expands victim compensation under the Victims of Crime Act to include "angel families" - immediate family members of homicide victims killed by unlawfully present immigrants or members of international drug cartels. It adds new provisions allowing these families to receive compensation for medical expenses (including mental health care), lost wages due to emotional distress, and funeral costs related to the crime. The bill also establishes a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within the Department of Homeland Security to provide hotlines, referrals to support services, and case studies on assisting victims and families. This office must submit annual reports to Congress detailing crime demographics, locations, types, and whether offenders have multiple convictions.

This resolution urges the House of Representatives to recognize Robert Aitken's Bible (the first known English-language Bible to be printed in North America) as a historical document of Congress.

Maddy summaryThis resolution supports designating September 22 as "National Military and Veterans Suicide Awareness Day" to raise public awareness about suicide prevention among active-duty service members and veterans. It does not create new policies or funding but aims to highlight mental health challenges like PTSD and depression that contribute to higher suicide rates in these communities. The resolution emphasizes reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (September). It directly affects military personnel, veterans, and the public by promoting national attention to this issue through a designated awareness day.

Maddy summaryHR 5319, the Ban Offshore Abortion Tourism Act, prohibits performing abortions that result in fetal death within U.S. maritime jurisdiction (e.g., international waters under U.S. authority). It targets abortion providers in these zones, with exceptions for life-threatening medical conditions, pregnancies from rape (requiring 48 hours of counseling or treatment first), or pregnancies from rape/incest involving minors (requiring prior reporting to authorities). The bill allows civil lawsuits against providers for violations, awarding triple damages, medical costs, and attorney fees, but explicitly protects women from prosecution or financial liability. It does not restrict abortion access in foreign countries or U.S. territorial waters.

Maddy summaryHR 5285, the Staff Safety Act, amends federal law to clarify that congressional staff (including Members' employees and committee staff) are exempt from Capitol Grounds firearm regulations under the same constitutional protections as Members of Congress. The bill requires the Capitol Police Board to revise its regulations within 90 days to align with this exemption, removing current restrictions preventing staff from carrying firearms on Capitol grounds. This directly affects congressional staff who are currently barred from carrying firearms under existing Capitol Police regulations. The bill bases its changes on Supreme Court rulings (Heller and Bruen) that affirm the Second Amendment applies to public carry outside the home. It focuses on legal clarification, not new safety measures or policy changes for staff.

Maddy summaryHR 4416, the "No Funds for Armed Regulators Act of 2023," prohibits using federal funds to hire or keep armed enforcement officers within three specific agencies: the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill defines "armed Federal regulatory enforcement officers" as individuals who enforce laws using tactical means, including weapons or force. It directly affects these agencies' enforcement personnel by blocking funding for armed roles in their regulatory work. The key mechanism is a funding restriction embedded in federal budget allocations, not a new law governing enforcement tactics. This bill focuses solely on restricting financial support for armed enforcement, without altering agency authority or duties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Bureau of Prisons to develop and implement a strategy for scanning all incoming mail at federal prisons to stop fentanyl and other synthetic drugs from entering facilities. It directs the Bureau to evaluate existing scanning technology within 180 days and submit a detailed plan to Congress within 90 days, including how to provide digital copies of mail to inmates within 24 hours and physical copies within 30 days (if safe). The strategy must achieve 100% mail scanning capacity at all federal prisons, prioritize high-security facilities, and include a budget proposal for fiscal years 2024-2026. This directly affects federal prisons, inmates, and Bureau employees by changing mail processing procedures to enhance safety and reduce staffing burdens from manual mail checks.

Maddy summaryHR 5167, the Protecting Girls with Turner Syndrome Act of 2023, prohibits abortions performed specifically because of a prenatal diagnosis of Turner syndrome - a chromosomal condition affecting females (missing or partially missing X chromosome). It requires medical providers to ask pregnant patients about Turner syndrome diagnoses and inform them of the prohibition before performing an abortion based on that diagnosis. Violations could result in criminal penalties (up to 5 years imprisonment) or civil lawsuits allowing victims (including women, fathers, or grandparents) to seek damages and injunctions. The bill also mandates privacy protections for women involved in such cases and bars federal funding for violations.

Maddy summaryHR 5130, the "Finish It Act," requires the Department of Defense to use stored border wall construction materials (valued at approximately $300 million) for building permanent barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border within 30 days of the bill's enactment. It mandates that states receiving materials certify they will use them exclusively for border barriers, with penalties for unused materials (requiring repayment of the original cost) and imposes a 1% budget cut for every two days of delay in implementation. The bill also demands a detailed report from the Department of Defense within 90 days, including internal communications about storage costs and contracts with private landowners. This legislation directly affects the Department of Defense and border states, focusing on redirecting existing resources rather than creating new funding or construction.

Maddy summaryThis bill would abolish the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by prohibiting all federal funding for its operations after enactment and requiring the transfer of its remaining assets to the Secretary of State. It directly affects USAID's programs, including its global grants for foreign aid, gender equity initiatives, and support for LGBTQ+ rights organizations in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Armenia. The bill mandates rescinding unobligated funds and ending USAID's role in administering foreign assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. This is a structural change to U.S. foreign aid policy, not a procedural measure.