Rep. Byron Donalds

Maddy summaryThe BOP Release Card ID Act of 2024 requires the Bureau of Prisons to issue a photo identification card meeting federal standards to U.S. citizen prisoners released from federal custody. The card must be valid for at least 18 months and accepted by federal programs like Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, as well as for entry into federal buildings. The bill also directs the Attorney General to provide guidance to states on issuing similar cards for state prisoners, with annual reports to Congress on progress.

Maddy summaryHR 6744, the "No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act," prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from providing health care or processing health care claims for individuals unlawfully present in the United States who are not already eligible for VA health care under existing law. This bill directly affects undocumented immigrants who do not qualify for VA benefits through standard veteran eligibility criteria. The key provision explicitly bars VA resources from being used for any care or claims processing for such individuals. The bill does not alter VA eligibility rules for veterans but prevents the use of VA funds for non-eligible non-citizens unlawfully present in the U.S.

Maddy summaryHR 6940, the Mass Immigration Reduction Act of 2024, establishes a 5-year moratorium on most immigration by setting strict annual limits. It directly affects immigrants seeking family reunification (capping family-sponsored visas at zero), employment-based visas (capping at 5,000 annually), and refugees (limiting admissions to 25,000 per year). Key provisions include banning diversity visas, requiring citizenship renunciation for naturalization, and restricting birthright citizenship to children of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The bill requires the President to submit a report to Congress after 5 years confirming reduced illegal immigration and no negative impacts on wages or public services before ending the moratorium.

Maddy summaryThe REMAIN in Mexico Act of 2024 would require the U.S. government to reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), a policy that forces certain asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their U.S. immigration cases are processed. It directly affects asylum seekers from Mexico and Central America who are seeking entry to the United States and would be subject to the MPP under this law. The bill mandates implementation of the MPP as described in a 2019 policy memo by former Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen. This would reverse the current administration's decision to end the program, requiring asylum seekers to remain in Mexico during their immigration proceedings.

Maddy summaryThe Count Only Citizens Act requires the U.S. Census Bureau to include a citizenship or lawful presence question on the 2030 and future decennial census forms. It mandates that the Secretary of Commerce adjust population counts for congressional apportionment to exclude non-citizens and individuals not lawfully present in the U.S. This change directly affects how congressional seats are allocated among states, potentially reducing representation for states with large non-citizen populations. The bill does not alter census counts used for other purposes, such as federal funding distribution.

Maddy summaryHR 6934, the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, protects parents' fundamental right to direct their child's upbringing, education, and health care without government interference. It prohibits government actions that substantially burden these parental rights - including withholding benefits, imposing penalties, or excluding families from programs - unless the government proves a "compelling interest" and uses the "least restrictive means." The bill explicitly applies to all federal laws and requires courts to consider parental rights as a fundamental right under the Constitution, with exceptions only for actions causing serious child injury or death. It also adds parental rights to existing legal frameworks for recovering attorney fees in court cases involving these protections.

Maddy summaryHR 6926, the Safe and Open Streets Act, makes it a federal crime to intentionally block public roads or highways to disrupt the movement of goods or commerce. The bill adds a specific offense under federal law for purposefully obstructing, delaying, or affecting commerce by blocking roads, with penalties including fines or up to five years in prison. It directly affects individuals who block roads to interfere with transportation or delivery of goods, such as during protests or demonstrations. The law updates existing statutes to clarify and strengthen penalties for this specific type of obstruction, without changing broader traffic or protest laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill permanently cancels unused funds from the Department of Commerce's Nonrecurring Expenses Fund, which were set aside under the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act. It specifies that this cancellation won't count toward federal budget caps or allocation rules under existing budget laws. The bill directly affects how leftover government funds are handled within the Commerce Department's budget, eliminating a specific account for nonrecurring expenses.

Maddy summaryHRES 941 is a non-binding House resolution condemning the final agreement from the December 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, which includes language urging a "transitioning away from fossil fuels." The resolution states that Congress believes the U.S. should not promote policies discouraging fossil fuels and urges the Biden administration not to implement policies aligned with the UN agreement. It references U.S. energy exports and economic benefits from fossil fuel production as context for its position. This resolution has no legal effect and serves only as a symbolic expression of congressional sentiment.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend federal law to require the rejection of a state's electoral votes for president if a candidate nominated by a major political party did not appear on that state's ballot. It defines "major political party" using the IRS's criteria for "major party" status under the Internal Revenue Code. The change directly affects states' ability to certify presidential election results, as electoral votes from any state failing to include a major party candidate would be disqualified from counting. The bill does not alter voting procedures or ballot access but modifies the federal process for certifying electoral votes.