Rep. Michelle Fischbach

Maddy summaryHR 1286, the Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to simplify forms sent to veterans filing claims. Within 30 days of enactment, the VA must hire an independent research center (FFRDC) to assess these forms, working with veterans' groups, legal experts, and the VA itself. The VA must then report the assessment to Congress within 90 days and implement approved changes - like clearer language or better organization - within two years. This directly affects veterans navigating VA claims by aiming to reduce confusion in the application process.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Law Enforcement Education Grant Program, providing $4,000 annual grants to students pursuing associate or bachelor's degrees in law enforcement or criminal justice. To qualify, students must be enrolled at approved institutions, complete required coursework, and agree to serve as full-time law enforcement officers for four years within eight years of graduation. Failure to fulfill this service obligation requires repayment of the grants as federal loans, with repayment terms mirroring unsubsidized Stafford Loans. The program is funded separately from Pell Grants and Direct Loans, with a lifetime cap of $16,000 per recipient.

Maddy summaryHR 2243, the LEOSA Reform Act, updates the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act to clarify and expand firearm carry rights for qualified current and retired law enforcement officers. It modifies training requirements to allow officers to meet standards set by their former agency, their state, any local agency in their state, or a certified instructor within the state. The bill also adds exceptions for transportation property and public spaces when applying state laws, and permits qualified officers to carry concealed firearms in certain federal facilities (Security Level I/II civilian public access facilities). These changes aim to provide clearer, more flexible standards for firearm carry while maintaining existing safety frameworks.

Maddy summaryHR 3392, the STOP Screwworms Act, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build modular facilities for rearing sterile New World screwworm flies within 180 days of enactment. These facilities will disperse sterile flies into at-risk agricultural areas - identified based on migratory patterns and suitability for dispersal - to prevent infestations that threaten livestock. The bill authorizes $300 million in funding for construction, operation, and annual reporting to Congress on threat assessments and effectiveness. It directly affects livestock producers and agricultural regions vulnerable to screwworm fly migration, using sterile insect technique as a preventive measure.

Maddy summaryThis resolution blocks a Department of Energy rule that would have set new energy efficiency standards for gas-fired instant water heaters. It prevents the rule from taking effect, meaning appliance manufacturers would not have to meet the proposed efficiency requirements. The rule, submitted in December 2024, directly affected manufacturers of these water heaters and consumers purchasing them. Congress approved this disapproval through a joint resolution passed on May 9, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 3283, the FARMER Act, directly affects farmers who purchase crop insurance under enterprise or whole farm units by increasing federal premium subsidies. It raises the government subsidy rate to 77% for higher coverage levels and 68% for lower coverage levels under specific revenue or yield protection plans. The bill also lowers the required coverage level from 14% to 10% and increases the premium subsidy rate from 65% to 80% for supplemental coverage. Additionally, it mandates a study on expanding supplemental coverage to larger counties, requiring a report to Congress within one year.

Maddy summaryThe Pregnancy.Gov Act requires the creation of a federal website, pregnancy.gov, to help pregnant and postpartum women find local resources. The website must allow users to search by ZIP code, filter services by distance (1-100 miles), and provide feedback on usability. It prohibits listing organizations that provide or support abortions (including abortion counseling, referrals, or financial support) and excludes such entities from receiving federal grants for resource aggregation. Within 180 days of launch, the government must report to Congress on website traffic, user experience, and gaps in available services, with multilingual access required.

More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed Act or the MOMS Act This bill establishes requirements to enable the collection of certain child support during pregnancy, establishes grants for supportive services for women that promote alternatives to abortions, and requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a website with pregnancy resources other than those about abortions. Specifically, the bill requires states to apply child support obligations to the time period during pregnancy under the Child Support Enforcement program. (The program enables states to receive federal matching funds for expenses related to child support enforcement activities and related services.) Such child support applies at the request of the mother and may be applied retroactively. Also, HHS must award grants to nonprofits to provide pregnant and postpartum women, and women parenting young children, with services or information on topics including health care (excluding abortions), child care, and employment assistance. It also requires HHS to provide grants to health care providers in rural or medically underserved areas, as well as tribal areas, to purchase equipment enabling telehealth visits for prenatal and postnatal care (e.g., monitoring devices). Additionally, the bill requires HHS to establish a public website to inform pregnant and postpartum women, and women parenting young children, of nearby services and resources on topics including health care, material or legal support, and alternatives to abortion. States must, as a condition of receiving certain federal funds, provide lists of nonprofit child placement agencies for potential inclusion on the site.

Maddy summaryHR 3231, the American Energy Act, streamlines oil and gas drilling permit processing by requiring the government to approve applications even during pending lawsuits (unless a court has already canceled the lease), and limits court challenges to lease sales. It sets a four-year expiration for drilling permits and bars courts from halting development or lease awards based on environmental lawsuits (like those under NEPA) after bids are opened, unless imminent environmental harm is proven with no other remedy. This directly affects oil and gas companies seeking permits, federal agencies managing leases, and courts handling related litigation. The bill changes procedural rules for permits and lease sales without altering environmental standards.

Maddy summaryThe Parity in Engineering Act (HR 3258) amends a federal highway law to remove Minnesota from a list of states eligible for a specific contracting process for engineering and design services. It changes the provision from applying to "West Virginia or Minnesota" to applying only to "West Virginia," directly affecting Minnesota's eligibility for this contracting method in federal highway projects. The bill makes a technical correction to the law without altering funding levels, program requirements, or creating new policies. This adjustment streamlines the eligibility criteria for federal highway engineering contracts.