Rep. Jared Huffman

Maddy summaryThe Keep It in the Ground Act of 2023 prohibits the U.S. government from issuing new leases or renewing/reinstating nonproducing leases for fossil fuels (including oil, gas, coal, tar sands, and oil shale) on federal lands and waters. It specifically bans new offshore leasing in the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico oceans, as well as onshore leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act. The bill directly affects fossil fuel companies seeking federal leases by blocking new development and preventing extensions of inactive leases. Key provisions require the Secretary of the Interior to cancel certain existing offshore leases in the Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, and Chukchi Sea within 60 days of enactment. Exceptions only apply for imminent national security threats or to avoid breaching existing lease contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows electrical utilities operating on National Forest System land to clear trees and vegetation near power lines without needing a separate timber sale, as long as the work follows existing land management plans and environmental laws. It directly affects utilities managing power infrastructure on federal forest land by streamlining vegetation management to reduce wildfire risks. Utilities must share any money earned from selling cleared vegetation (minus transportation costs) with the Forest Service, though they aren’t required to sell the material. The law focuses on improving safety through routine maintenance while ensuring revenue from vegetation removal benefits federal land management.

Maddy summaryHR 3396, the Fire Department Repayment Act of 2023, requires the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense to establish standard procedures for federal fire suppression cost share agreements within one year. It mandates reviewing existing agreements to align them with local cooperative fire protection agreements and conducting second-level reviews after wildfires, involving state and local fire organizations. The bill directly affects fire departments and agencies participating in these cost-sharing arrangements under the Reciprocal Fire Protection Act. Key changes include standardized procedures for agreement management and post-wildfire reviews to ensure cost-sharing compliance.

Maddy summaryThe International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2024 requires operators of large cargo vessels (10,000+ gross tons) to report detailed emissions and voyage data starting January 1, 2025. It establishes fees for carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions ($150 per metric ton, adjusted for inflation) and for criteria air pollutants like nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. The fees collected fund specific programs including modernizing U.S. shipping vessels to use low-carbon fuels, developing clean maritime technologies, workforce training, and port air monitoring. The bill targets emissions from the marine shipping industry, which accounts for nearly 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions and contributes to poor air quality near port communities. The law includes provisions to recognize foreign pollution fees and sunset provisions when international standards meet or exceed U.S. requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 8796, the "Stop Comstock Act," removes outdated restrictions from federal law that previously banned the distribution of materials related to contraception and abortion as "obscene" or "indecent." The bill amends Title 18 and the Tariff Act by deleting references to "indecent," "immoral," "unlawful abortion," and "procuring abortion" from provisions governing obscene materials. It clarifies that the law only prohibits "obscene materials" in commerce, eliminating broad restrictions on reproductive health information. This directly affects internet platforms, healthcare providers, and individuals sharing reproductive health resources by removing legal barriers to their distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Fisheries and Ecological Resilience Program within NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to help fisheries adapt to climate change and shifting ocean conditions. It requires the program to conduct research on changing ecosystems, develop science-based tools for fishery managers, coordinate across agencies, and engage with fishing communities - funded with $30 million annually from 2025-2030. The bill also directs a report analyzing U.S. seafood competitiveness in global markets, including trade barriers and recommendations for improving domestic producer support. It affects federal fishery managers, coastal communities, and seafood producers by mandating climate-informed management practices under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Maddy summaryHR 8207, the Choose Medicare Act, would create a new Medicare Part E public health plan available in individual, small group, and large group markets. The plan must provide gold-level coverage including all essential health benefits and reproductive services, with premiums set to cover both health benefits and administrative costs. It establishes a $6,700 annual out-of-pocket limit for 2026 (increasing annually with inflation) and changes premium assistance to use gold-level plans as the benchmark. The bill also expands protections against excessive insurance rates and requires employers without affordable coverage to refer employees to health insurance navigators.

Maddy summaryHR 6780 establishes a 4-year Medicare demonstration program testing whether hospitals providing medically tailored home-delivered meals to specific patients improves health outcomes and reduces hospital readmissions. The program targets Medicare beneficiaries with diet-sensitive chronic conditions (like diabetes or heart failure) who are at high risk of readmission and meet specific discharge criteria, such as limited daily living activities. Selected hospitals must screen patients, provide at least two tailored meals daily for 12 weeks, and offer medical nutrition therapy, all without patient cost-sharing. The program requires hospitals to submit data for evaluation, with the goal of assessing impacts on hospital admissions, care costs, and patient satisfaction before reporting to Congress in 2027 and 2030.

Maddy summaryThe FOREST Act of 2023 prohibits U.S. imports of products made from commodities (palm oil, soybeans, cocoa, cattle, and rubber) produced on land where illegal deforestation occurred after the law's enactment. Importers must file declarations demonstrating they've assessed supply chain risks of illegal deforestation, with stricter requirements for products from countries identified in action plans. The law establishes a process to identify countries without adequate deforestation protections and requires them to develop action plans with specific benchmarks for compliance. It creates a fund using import penalty revenue to provide foreign assistance to help countries eliminate illegal deforestation and includes procurement preferences for federal contracts with suppliers demonstrating deforestation-free supply chains.

Maddy summaryHR 6447, the Saving NEMO Act, prohibits the taking, importing, exporting, or trading of specific marine reef species designated as "covered coral reef species" by the Secretary of the Interior. It directly affects businesses in the aquarium and curio trade, importers, exporters, and others involved in harvesting or selling these species. The bill designates species based on CITES Appendix II listings or joint determinations by the Interior and Commerce Secretaries that their trade threatens sustainability, with exceptions for scientific research, certified breeding programs, and sustainable aquaculture facilities. Enforcement includes civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation, criminal fines, and allows citizens to file lawsuits to stop violations.