Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez

Maddy summaryHR 1190, the "Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act," amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require lobbyists to disclose the name and address of any foreign government or political party (other than the client) that directs, plans, supervises, or controls their lobbying activities. This change directly affects registered lobbyists who work with foreign entities, mandating them to report these foreign influences in their filings. The key provision adds a new requirement to disclosure forms, specifying that foreign governments or political parties involved in controlling lobbying efforts must be named, even if they are not the direct client. This focuses on transparency about foreign involvement in U.S. lobbying, without altering the core lobbying registration framework.

Maddy summaryHR 970 imposes a 12-year moratorium (through June 2032) on energy development leases for oil, gas, and wind projects in specific Gulf of Mexico areas critical to military operations. It directly affects energy developers seeking permits in zones east of the Military Mission Line or areas identified in Defense reports as threatening military readiness. The bill prohibits leasing in these zones but allows exceptions for environmental conservation projects like wetlands restoration. It also requires the Department of Defense to submit reports by 2024 and 2031 detailing how energy development impacts military capabilities in designated Gulf planning areas. This policy change aims to protect military testing ranges by restricting commercial energy activities in sensitive waters.

Maddy summaryHR 726, the Veterans for Mustangs Act, amends the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to prioritize recruiting military veterans for training in on-range fertility control methods for wild horse and burro populations. The bill mandates that veterans complete a certification program (like the PZP applicator course) and receive appropriate compensation, with the Bureau of Land Management allowed to contract these veterans for management activities without classifying them as federal employees. This directly affects military veterans seeking employment opportunities and the Bureau of Land Management’s approach to managing wild horse populations. The key change is embedding veteran recruitment into the standard process for implementing fertility controls, replacing previous management language with specific veteran-focused provisions.

Maddy summaryHR 583, the American Shores Protection Act of 2023, extends a moratorium on new offshore oil and gas leasing along the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina until June 30, 2032. It specifically adds two new coastal planning areas (the South Atlantic and Straits of Florida) to the existing ban. The bill clarifies that existing leases remain unaffected and allows the Secretary to issue leases for environmental conservation purposes, including shore protection, beach restoration, wetlands restoration, and habitat protection. This directly affects energy companies seeking new offshore drilling permits in those coastal regions.

Maddy summaryHR 1088, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968) and the first Black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image, which will be presented by Congress and then permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This bill commemorates Chisholm's legacy and achievements without creating new laws or affecting any current policies.

Maddy summaryHR 873, the Water Quality and Environmental Innovation Act, establishes a new federal fund to support projects using emerging technologies for water quality protection. The fund, financed by annual EPA fee transfers from 2024-2028, awards grants to U.S. universities, nonprofits, and private companies to implement solutions like AI monitoring, robotics, seaweed farming, or plastic removal systems addressing threats including algal blooms, microplastics, and sea-level rise. All project data must be publicly accessible, and the EPA must report annually to Congress on funded projects and their effectiveness. The bill directly affects water quality initiatives by prioritizing technology-driven approaches over traditional methods.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor all U.S. Army Dustoff crews who served during the Vietnam War (1962-1973). It recognizes their critical role in evacuating nearly 900,000 wounded personnel, including U.S., South Vietnamese, and allied forces, under extreme combat conditions. The medal, designed with input from the Secretary of Defense, will be presented to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum for permanent display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, but the primary action is the commemorative recognition of these crews' service.

Maddy summaryHR 987 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Golda Meir, Israel's first female Prime Minister, and the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar clad coins (max 750,000), with detailed weight and composition requirements. All coins will include Golda Meir's image, her name, and commemorative inscriptions, and will be sold during 2026. A surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) will be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc. to support its hospital operations.

Maddy summaryHR 976, the TCJA Permanency Act, makes permanent many tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that were scheduled to expire after 2025. The bill affects individual taxpayers by keeping lower tax rates, higher standard deductions, increased child tax credits, and other key changes permanently. Key provisions include permanent modifications to income tax brackets, repeal of personal exemptions, limits on state and local tax deductions, and increased estate and gift tax exemptions. These changes would prevent the tax code from reverting to pre-TCJA rates and rules for millions of taxpayers.

Maddy summaryHR 979 extends three existing restrictions on federal funding related to Guantanamo Bay detainees through December 31, 2024. It prolongs the ban on using funds to transfer detainees from Guantanamo to the U.S. mainland, to build or modify U.S. facilities for such detainees, and to close Guantanamo Bay itself. These provisions directly affect Department of Defense funding decisions and the handling of detainees currently held at Guantanamo Bay. The bill makes no new policy changes but extends current restrictions that were set to expire at the end of 2023.