Rep. Byron Donalds

Maddy summaryHR 5363, the Robert Cleckler (Bobby) Bowden Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Bobby Bowden, the late Florida State University football coach, for his 377 career wins, two national championships, and humanitarian work. The medal, designed by the U.S. Mint, will be given to Bowden’s next of kin, with bronze duplicates available for sale to cover production costs. This bill is purely commemorative and does not create new laws or policies.

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 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 5244, the Fusion Energy Act, creates a new regulatory framework specifically for fusion energy machines - defined as particle accelerators that fuse atomic nuclei for commercial or industrial use. It amends the Atomic Energy Act to include fusion machines under existing byproduct material rules and establishes a "technology-inclusive" licensing process for their development. The bill requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to report within one year on risk-based licensing frameworks for mass-produced fusion machines, potentially modeling them after FAA aircraft certification. This legislation directly affects fusion technology developers and the NRC, streamlining future regulatory pathways without providing new funding.

Maddy summaryHR 5239, the Gulf of Mexico Commerce Protection Act, prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from creating a vessel slowdown zone in the Gulf of Mexico until the Commerce Secretary completes and reports on a study. The study must prove that any proposed whale protection measures (specifically for Rice’s whales) would not harm supply chains or maritime commerce. The bill requires the Commerce Secretary to develop and report findings within 60 days to specific congressional committees, and explicitly bans nighttime transit bans or fixed slowdown zones in the required mitigation protocols. This bill directly affects NOAA’s regulatory authority and the Commerce Department’s study process, delaying potential environmental rules pending congressional review.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act to clarify that households must meet existing income and asset limits to qualify for food assistance benefits (like SNAP). It directly affects individuals and families applying for or receiving federal food aid by requiring strict adherence to current eligibility criteria under the law. The key provision explicitly states that households failing to meet these income and resource standards - already part of the program - cannot receive benefits. The amendment takes effect one year after enactment, with existing certification periods unaffected. This change enforces current rules without creating new restrictions.

This bill requires various changes to the passport application process and addresses related issues. The bill requires all U.S. regular passports to contain a written notice advising travelers (1) to check travel.state.gov for updated travel warnings, (2) to register with the Department of State prior to overseas travel, (3) that many countries deny entry to travelers whose passport expires within six months, and (4) to renew their passports within at least one year of the expiration date.  Further, the bill makes permanent existing State Department authority to assess a surcharge on the passport application fee to cover the costs of increased demand prompted by certain legal requirements. This authority currently expires on September 30, 2026.  For three years starting from this bill's enactment, the State Department may use direct hire authority to expedite the hiring of individuals into Passport and Visa Examining positions (Series 0967). Finally, the bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress about passport processing wait times, agency plans for a public outreach campaign, and related information.

Maddy summaryHR 5194, the "YOU'RE FIRED Act," blocks federal funding for the salary of John Luman Smith, who serves as Special Counsel for the Department of Justice. The bill directly affects only this individual by prohibiting the use of taxpayer money to pay his position. It contains no broader policy changes or mechanisms, as it is a targeted procedural measure restricting funding for one specific federal employee. The bill's title uses an acronym for emphasis but does not alter any substantive law or affect other individuals or programs.

Maddy summaryHR 5195, the Seat of Government Act, repeals the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. This repeal would eliminate the District of Columbia's authority to govern itself on local matters, ending the system of elected mayors and city councils. Residents of Washington, D.C. would directly lose their current local government structure and self-governance powers. The bill removes the foundational law enabling D.C.'s home rule without specifying alternative governance mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThe Child Online Safety Modernization Act of 2023 updates federal law to replace "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" across numerous statutes and legal definitions. It modernizes the CyberTipline reporting system to better identify and locate minors involved in cases of child sexual abuse material. The bill makes technical amendments to ensure consistent terminology in legal proceedings related to online child exploitation. These changes aim to improve law enforcement effectiveness in addressing online child sexual exploitation while maintaining legal clarity.