Rep. John R. Moolenaar

Maddy summaryHJRES 123 is a resolution seeking congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule published on March 11, 2024, which would have required chemical facilities to implement new safety measures under the Clean Air Act to prevent accidental releases. The rule, titled "Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act; Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention," aimed to strengthen existing risk management programs at chemical plants. If passed, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect by invoking a federal process for disapproving agency regulations. It directly affects the EPA's regulatory authority and the chemical industry's compliance obligations under the Clean Air Act.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1117) is a formal statement by the U.S. House of Representatives opposing efforts to pressure Israel regarding Gaza. It specifically criticizes calls for an immediate ceasefire, including President Biden's April 4, 2024, statement and UN Security Council Resolution 2728, which the resolution claims was adopted due to the U.S. not vetoing it. The resolution affirms Israel’s right to self-defense following the October 7 Hamas attacks and emphasizes the U.S.-Israel relationship as a major strategic partnership. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change laws or policies but expresses the House’s position on diplomatic pressure related to Gaza.

Maddy summaryHR 7921, the Countering Antisemitism Act, establishes a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism within the Executive Office of the President and creates an Interagency Task Force to coordinate federal efforts against antisemitism across multiple agencies. The bill requires federal agencies to report on implementing the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, mandates annual threat assessments of antisemitic violent extremism from the FBI, DHS, and National Counterterrorism Center, and addresses antisemitic discrimination in higher education through a designated Office for Civil Rights Designee. It also includes provisions for a study on Holocaust education by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, a study on online antisemitism with recommendations for Congress, and amendments to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to require public reporting on grant applications and awards.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 116 seeks to block a Department of Labor rule finalized on January 10, 2024, which aimed to clarify how businesses classify workers as employees or independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If passed, this resolution would prevent the rule from taking effect, directly affecting businesses that use independent contractors and their workers, who rely on FLSA protections for minimum wage and overtime pay. The bill uses a specific congressional process (under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code) to disapprove the rule, rather than creating new policy. This action would maintain the existing classification standards until a new rule is established.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to publicly post proposed settlement agreements and consent decrees 60 days before court submission, including explanations of their legal basis and terms (like attorney fees). It affects agencies, companies, and governments involved in regulatory disputes by mandating transparency in settlements that change agency rules or commit unappropriated funds. Key mechanisms include online publication, 60-day public comment periods, mandatory agency responses to feedback, and court review of terms that limit agency discretion or budget authority. Agencies must also submit annual reports to Congress detailing all such settlements and related attorney fee awards. The law applies to cases filed or agreements proposed after its enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires certain federal employees and members of specific health-related advisory committees (like those on vaccines or bioterrorism) to disclose royalties they receive from government-developed inventions. It mandates that agencies report the source and amount of these royalties online within 180 days, making this information publicly accessible. The law applies to employees who file confidential financial disclosures and expires after 5 years. Agencies must also submit annual reports to Congress on how many employees filed such disclosures and the number of royalty-related conflicts identified.

Maddy summaryThe TERRA Act (Tribal Environmental Resiliency Resources Act) allows Indian Tribes to integrate funding from multiple Federal environmental and disaster-related programs into a single comprehensive plan to address threats like flooding, erosion, wildfires, and sea level rise. It streamlines processes by reducing administrative burdens through consolidated reporting requirements, enabling Tribes to create one annual report instead of multiple reports for individual programs, and allowing reallocation of funds for community-driven relocation or environmental remediation without additional approvals. The Act establishes the Department of the Interior as the lead agency with sole authority to approve these plans and integrate Federal programs, while providing mechanisms for Tribes to request waivers of certain statutory requirements and expedite land trust acquisitions for relocation purposes. Tribes can use integrated funds for infrastructure development, environmental remediation, and community-driven relocation, with reduced requirements for separate recordkeeping and reporting for each Federal program.

Maddy summaryHR 7817, the Michigan SPEAR Act, amends the federal Endangered Species Act to prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from listing Michigan's lake sturgeon populations as threatened or endangered. This directly affects federal regulatory authority over sturgeon conservation in Michigan, ensuring state and tribal management efforts - like Michigan's successful population recovery (doubling in Black Lake over 20 years) and tribal co-management agreements - remain the primary framework. The bill cites cultural significance, including tribal treaty rights and the Black Lake Sturgeon Shivaree event, as reasons federal intervention is unnecessary given current conservation success. It does not alter Michigan's state conservation programs but removes federal ESA application for these specific sturgeon populations.

Maddy summaryHRES 987 is a symbolic resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 31, 2024, by multiple Republican members. It formally denounces the Biden administration’s energy policies as "harmful" and "anti-American," citing specific actions like canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, restricting federal land leasing for oil and gas, blocking LNG exports, and implementing mineral extraction rules. The resolution does not create new laws or affect any group directly; it serves only as a formal expression of disapproval by the House. It has no legal effect and is intended to convey political opposition to the administration’s approach to energy development.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1086) is a symbolic gesture expressing the House's support for designating March 19, 2024, as "National Agriculture Day." It does not create new laws or policies, but instead formally recognizes agriculture as a vital industry in the U.S. economy. The resolution celebrates agriculture's broad economic impact without imposing any requirements or changes on farmers, consumers, or government programs. It is a commemorative statement, not a substantive legislative action.