Rep. Scott Franklin

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to join the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for reviews of certain transactions involving foreign adversaries. It specifically targets acquisitions of U.S. agricultural land, biotechnology, or agriculture-related infrastructure (like transportation, storage, or processing) by entities from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran. The USDA must notify CFIUS about reportable transactions, prompting the committee to determine if a full review is needed. The provisions expire for any country removed from the official list of foreign adversaries in federal regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 1551, the Protect and Serve Act of 2025, creates a new federal criminal offense for intentionally harming law enforcement officers under specific circumstances. It imposes harsher penalties, including up to 10 years in prison for serious injury or life imprisonment if death occurs, kidnapping is involved, or a firearm is used. The law applies when the crime crosses state lines, involves interstate weapons, occurs on federal property, or targets federal officers. Prosecutions require the Attorney General’s written certification, considering factors like prior state convictions and public safety impact. The bill directly affects law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors by expanding federal jurisdiction for certain violent crimes against them.

Maddy summaryHR 1575, the "No American Land for Communist China Act," prohibits the People's Republic of China government and businesses with 25% or more Chinese government ownership from purchasing real estate adjacent to specific federal lands. The bill directly affects Chinese government agents and Chinese-affiliated businesses seeking to buy property near lands managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. Key provisions require the President to take necessary actions to block such purchases, defining "covered Federal lands" broadly to include national parks, military bases, and tribal lands. The law aims to prevent foreign government influence over land near sensitive U.S. properties through a clear purchase restriction.

Maddy summaryThe PAR Act removes restrictions that previously prevented private golf courses and country clubs from using certain tax-advantaged funds for recreational purposes. It amends a specific tax code section by deleting the phrases "private or commercial golf course, country club" wherever they appear. This change directly allows those facilities to access funds they were previously barred from using under existing tax rules. The law applies to new tax obligations after enactment, with limited transitional rules for existing programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1502 authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the volunteers and communities (primarily from Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas) who supported the North Platte Canteen during World War II. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, which will be presented to the individuals who contributed to the canteen’s operations and then permanently displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure recognizing historical service, not a policy change affecting current laws or programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1466, the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2025, creates uniform federal liability protection for individuals and entities involved with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) used in cardiac emergencies. It directly affects businesses, public venues, and organizations that own, manage, or use AEDs - especially those operating across multiple states where inconsistent state laws previously discouraged AED deployment. The bill shields users, property owners/managers, and AED owners from civil lawsuits for harm caused during emergency AED use, unless the harm resulted from gross negligence or willful misconduct. This preempts conflicting state laws, removing legal barriers to wider AED placement without requiring any new AED installations.

Maddy summaryHR 1438, the *Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025*, prohibits foreign governments of Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia (and entities they control) from purchasing or leasing U.S. agricultural land, including both public land managed by federal agencies and private land. It also bans such entities from participating in most U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs if they own or lease agricultural land, with limited exceptions for food safety and health programs. The bill expands disclosure requirements under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to include leases and security interests, and mandates public data sets showing foreign ownership details and land values. These changes aim to increase transparency around foreign ownership of U.S. farmland while targeting specific foreign governments deemed national security concerns.

Maddy summaryThe No IRIS Act of 2025 (HR 1415) prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using scientific assessments generated by its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program to develop environmental regulations, enforce laws, issue permits, or inform air toxics mapping tools. This bill directly restricts the EPA’s regulatory process by banning IRIS data from key decision-making steps in environmental rulemaking. The law requires the EPA to rely on alternative scientific data for these purposes, without altering the IRIS program itself. It does not change existing EPA authority but limits how specific assessments may be applied in regulatory actions.

This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.

Maddy summaryHRES 133 is a symbolic House resolution supporting the designation of February 15-22, 2025, as "National FFA Week." It recognizes the National FFA Organization’s role in developing student leadership through agricultural education and celebrates two milestones: the 90th anniversary of the New Farmers of America (which served Black students until merging with FFA in 1965) and the 75th anniversary of FFA’s federal charter (granted by Congress in 1950). The resolution has no policy impact or funding provisions - it simply expresses congressional support for these observances. It directly affects no individuals or entities, as it is a non-binding gesture honoring an educational organization.