Rep. Laurel M. Lee

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in West Palm Beach, Florida, as the "Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center." The change updates all federal references - including laws, regulations, maps, and documents - to reflect the new name. It directly affects the facility's official identity and veteran services documentation. The bill is procedural and does not alter healthcare services or funding.

Maddy summaryThe Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act (HR 807) directs the U.S. Treasury to mint three types of commemorative coins honoring working dogs' service: $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins with specific weight and composition requirements. Each coin will carry a surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) that will be paid directly to America's VetDogs to support their programs providing service dogs for veterans, the disabled, and others. The coins will be issued in 2027 with designs reflecting working dogs' roles in military, detection, therapy, and assistance work. The legislation specifies that all surcharge revenue must fund America's VetDogs' operations without creating new government programs. This is a commemorative measure focused on honoring working dogs' contributions through coin sales, with all surcharge funds going to a specific nonprofit organization.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow individuals who have received a full, unconditional presidential pardon for their criminal offenses to have their official criminal records expunged (removed from public view). It specifically targets people like Weldon Angelos, who was pardoned after serving 13 years for nonviolent marijuana offenses with no prior criminal record. The law would require federal courts to review and expunge records for eligible individuals within two years of enactment, with specific procedures for notification and handling of records. It aims to help pardoned individuals overcome barriers to employment and other opportunities that persist due to their criminal records.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides tax relief for individuals who lived in areas affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton during September 28-November 2, 2024, and suffered economic losses. It allows taxpayers to use their previous year's income to calculate the Earned Income Credit, increases limits on charitable contributions for disaster relief, and permits penalty-free withdrawals up to $100,000 from retirement accounts with repayment options within three years. The bill also establishes special rules for claiming hurricane-related personal casualty losses. These provisions apply to residents of areas declared disaster zones by the President under the Stafford Act due to these hurricanes.

Maddy summaryHR 8706, the "Dismantle DEI Act of 2024," would prohibit federal agencies from maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices, programs, or training by requiring the closure of existing DEI offices within 90 days and banning federal funding for DEI-related activities. The bill defines "prohibited diversity, equity, and inclusion practices" as those that discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin, or require training that asserts a particular group is inherently superior or inferior. It would rescind several executive orders related to racial equity and gender inclusion, and prohibit the use of federal funds for DEI-related activities across all federal agencies, contractors, and grant recipients. The bill contains limited exceptions for Equal Employment Opportunity offices and disability rights enforcement offices as historically organized and operated.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to increase penalties for providing prohibited objects, specifically phones, to inmates. It adds up to 2 years in prison for knowingly supplying such phones, as defined in existing law. The bill also requires the Bureau of Prisons to review and update its policies within one year to better prevent inmates from obtaining prohibited items like phones, aiming to improve safety for both incarcerated people and staff. The policy review must focus on handling inmates who make, possess, or attempt to obtain these prohibited objects.

Maddy summaryHR 10160, the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act, requires the Department of Justice Inspector General to study sexual harassment and assault against Bureau of Prisons staff. Within one year of enactment, the IG must analyze historical data on such incidents and punishments in federal prisons, then submit a report to Congress and the Attorney General within 180 days. The Attorney General must then create national standards for preventing and punishing these offenses within one year of receiving the report. This bill directly affects Bureau of Prisons correctional officers and staff by initiating a process to develop new safety protocols, but does not implement immediate policy changes.

Maddy summaryThe Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 would end the practice of changing clocks twice a year for daylight saving time (DST) by making DST permanent nationwide, unless a state chooses to remain on standard time. It repeals the requirement to switch clocks back to standard time in the fall, directly affecting all U.S. states and territories that currently observe DST. The bill allows states that previously opted out of DST under the Uniform Time Act (like Arizona and Hawaii) to maintain their current time zone choices without further action. Key provisions include adjusting time zone offset language in existing law and granting states the authority to select either permanent DST or standard time based on their current arrangements. This change would eliminate seasonal time changes for most Americans, though states could still choose to stay on standard time if they prefer.

Maddy summaryHR 4587, the Red Snapper Act, prevents the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from implementing fishing area closures in the South Atlantic for red snapper until two data requirements are met. Specifically, NOAA cannot issue rules with area closures until the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is complete and its data is integrated into the official stock assessment. This bill directly affects NOAA’s rulemaking authority and recreational and commercial fishermen in the South Atlantic region who rely on red snapper fishing. The legislation aims to ensure management decisions are based on the latest scientific data before restricting fishing areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal agencies from using the social cost of carbon, methane, nitrous oxide, or greenhouse gases in regulatory decisions. It bans these climate impact estimates from cost-benefit analyses, rulemaking, and agency guidance documents. Agencies must report past use of these metrics since 2009 to Congress. The law removes specific climate cost calculations from energy regulations.