Rep. James Comer

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 163) is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule finalized on May 9, 2024. The EPA rule established new emissions standards for greenhouse gases from fossil fuel power plants (both new and existing) and repealed a previous rule called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule. The resolution would block this EPA rule from taking effect by invoking the Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code). If passed, it would prevent the EPA rule from being enforced, directly affecting fossil fuel power plant operators and the EPA’s regulatory authority over emissions.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the tax credit for railroad track maintenance from $3,500 to $6,100 per mile of track. It adds an inflation adjustment starting in 2026, linking future credit amounts to the cost-of-living index. The bill also extends the qualifying period for maintenance expenditures from January 1, 2015, to January 1, 2024. These changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, directly affecting railroad companies that maintain tracks.

This resolution supports the designation of National FFA Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America) in developing the next generation of globally conscious leaders who will change the world; and (2) celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Give the Gift of Blue program, which has donated more than 17,000 FFA blue jackets to FFA members in need.

Maddy summaryHRES 1394 is a non-binding resolution celebrating the U.S.-India partnership based on shared democratic values, religious pluralism, and human rights, while highlighting the contributions of the Indian diaspora in the United States. It specifically recognizes the 50th anniversary of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha's community work, including its spiritual centers (mandirs) and volunteer efforts across the country. The resolution does not create legal obligations but formally acknowledges these ties and achievements.

Maddy summaryThe GOOD Act requires all federal agencies to publish their non-binding policy guidance documents (like memos, letters, or blog posts) on a single, centralized online repository within 180 days of enactment. It directly affects every federal agency by mandating that all such documents - excluding those already exempt under the Freedom of Information Act - be organized into clear categories on agency websites. Key provisions include designating a central website by the Office of Management Budget Director, maintaining rescinded guidance with clear disclaimers, and ensuring public access to all published guidance. The bill focuses solely on improving transparency in how agencies share interpretive guidance, not on changing policy substance.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1293) recommends that the House of Representatives find Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. It directs the Speaker to certify the committee's report detailing the Attorney General's non-compliance to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, enabling potential legal action under federal law. The resolution does not create new law but formally addresses the Department of Justice's failure to provide requested documents. It directly affects the Attorney General and the Department of Justice's compliance with congressional subpoenas.

Maddy summaryHR 8489, the Presidential Ethics Reform Act, requires Presidents and Vice Presidents to submit detailed financial disclosures at key career points: within 30 days of taking office, annually by May 15, and after leaving office with ongoing annual reports for two years. It directly affects the President/Vice President and their defined relatives (including spouses, parents, children, and siblings), mandating disclosures of gifts over $10,000, loans, foreign payments, full tax returns (with identity theft redactions), conflicts of interest involving relatives, and details about relatives accompanying them on official travel. Reports must be submitted to congressional committees and the Office of Government Ethics, then made publicly searchable online within 30 days. The bill aims to increase transparency around financial ties and potential conflicts by expanding existing ethics reporting requirements with specific, time-bound obligations.

Maddy summaryHR 7109, the Equal Representation Act, requires the U.S. Census Bureau to add a citizenship status checkbox to the 2030 and future decennial censuses, asking respondents to identify if they are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful residents, or unlawful residents. It then mandates excluding noncitizens (both lawful and unlawful residents) from the population count used to determine each state's number of congressional seats and electoral votes starting with the 2030 census. This bill directly affects how states are apportioned representation in Congress and presidential electoral votes, based solely on the citizen population. The key change is shifting the apportionment base from total population to citizen population alone, using the new census data.

Maddy summaryHJRES 98 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that defined how businesses are considered "joint employers" for labor law purposes. The bill targets the NLRB's October 2023 rule (88 Fed. Reg. 73946), which would have changed how companies like franchisors or staffing agencies are held responsible for workers' rights. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, directly affecting businesses managing multiple employer relationships and labor organizations enforcing workplace standards. The measure uses a standard process under federal law to disapprove an agency rule, not creating new policy but reversing an existing regulation.

Maddy summaryHR 7527, the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act of 2024, requires the U.S. Postal Service to create rules for reporting traffic crashes involving mail-delivery vehicles that cause injury or death. It mandates that Postal Service employees and contractors report such crashes within three days, including details like location, injuries, and contributing factors, using a standard form. The Postal Service must maintain an internal database of these reports and publish an annual public report with aggregated statistics on crashes, while protecting individual privacy. Contractors who fail to report on time face penalties like fines or contract termination. The law directly affects Postal Service workers and mail transportation contractors, aiming to improve transparency around mail-related traffic safety incidents.