Rep. Pat Harrigan

Maddy summaryThe CLEAN Act makes permanent a 2017 House resolution that establishes stricter rules for the House Office of Congressional Ethics. It limits board members to four two-year terms, requires vacancies to be filled within 60 days, and ensures members facing investigations have the right to legal representation. The bill also mandates that the ethics board cannot take actions that would violate constitutional rights. These changes directly affect the structure and operations of the House ethics oversight body.

Maddy summaryThe Equal Treatment for Farmers Act removes references to 'socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers' from multiple federal agricultural laws and programs. This bill amends various statutes including the Federal Crop Insurance Act, Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, and other agricultural legislation to eliminate special preferences or categories based on social disadvantage status. The legislation also prohibits the USDA from providing any preference, priority consideration, or enhanced benefits based on race or gender in its programs. These changes affect how federal agricultural assistance, loans, and benefits are categorized and distributed to farmers and ranchers.

Maddy summaryThe Every Dollar Counts Act of 2026 requires health insurance plans and issuers to count money spent by individuals on prescription drugs purchased directly, without applying their insurance benefits, towards their annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums. This means that if an individual pays cash for a drug or uses a discount card instead of their insurance benefits, those expenditures will still contribute to reaching their yearly healthcare spending limits. This change directly affects individuals enrolled in group or individual health insurance coverage. The new rules will take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury Department to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, which would block all U.S. assets belonging to CAIR and its affiliates and prohibit Americans from engaging in any financial transactions with the organization. The legislation also requires the Treasury Secretary to suspend CAIR's tax-exempt status under federal law. These actions are based on provisions in Executive Order 13224 that allow the government to restrict support for designated terrorist organizations. The bill includes a requirement for federal agencies to submit a detailed report to Congress within 30 days explaining the legal criteria used to justify the designation.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that protections against sex discrimination do not extend to gender identity. It directly affects employers, employees, and individuals involved in workplace discrimination claims by explicitly excluding gender identity from the definition of sex-based discrimination. The key provision is a rule of construction that interprets existing federal law in a specific way, rather than creating new protections or restrictions. This change would limit the scope of federal sex discrimination claims to biological sex rather than including gender identity as a protected category.

Maddy summaryThe EQUALS Act of 2025 extends the probation period for most federal employees in the competitive service from one year to two years, while setting a one-year probation for preference-eligible employees (such as veterans). It also establishes a two-year "trial period" for employees in the excepted service (e.g., certain security roles), with a one-year period for preference eligibles. The bill requires federal agencies to formally evaluate employees during this period and certify in writing whether continued employment serves the public interest before the probation ends, with specific notice deadlines for employees and supervisors. Exceptions include supervisors, the U.S. Postal Service, and Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Taiwan Critical Undersea Infrastructure Resilience Initiative to protect submarine cables and energy pipelines near Taiwan from sabotage, particularly by the People's Republic of China. It directs the State Department to create a program that includes advanced monitoring systems, rapid response protocols, enhanced maritime surveillance, and international cooperation to detect and mitigate threats to these critical communication and energy assets. The legislation authorizes $20 million annually through 2032 for these activities and mandates the hardening of undersea infrastructure to reduce vulnerability to damage. Additionally, the bill authorizes the President to impose sanctions on foreign entities that sabotage or facilitate attacks on undersea infrastructure critical to Taiwan or U.S. allies, and requires the creation of a Cross-Strait Contingency Planning Group to coordinate U.S. government responses to potential crises involving Taiwan.

Maddy summaryThe Strengthen Taxpayer Rights Act of 2026 limits which IRS employees can participate in appeals conferences without taxpayer permission. Specifically, it prohibits IRS staff from attending these conferences unless the taxpayer explicitly agrees to their presence. This change directly affects individuals requesting appeals through the IRS Independent Office of Appeals. The provision aims to give taxpayers more control over who represents the government during their appeal hearings. It applies to all conferences held after the law is enacted.

Maddy summaryThe SHARE Act introduces a new tax provision that excludes certain income from shared appreciation mortgages from gross income for qualifying borrowers. This bill directly affects low-to-moderate income homeowners who use these alternative financing products, which allow lenders to receive a share of the property's future value increase instead of requiring monthly interest payments. The key mechanism requires borrowers to meet income limits of 140 percent of the area median income and use the home as their primary residence, while the mortgage must be a second lien subordinate to a qualified first mortgage and cannot exceed 49 percent of the purchase price. The tax exclusion applies only to amounts received after December 31, 2025, and does not change the fundamental structure of these loans but rather provides specific tax treatment for their repayment and disposition.

Maddy summaryHR 3447, the Chip Security Act, requires manufacturers to equip specific advanced integrated circuits (classified under export control numbers like 3A090) with security mechanisms before exporting them. These mechanisms must verify location and prevent unauthorized access, diversion, or tampering. The law mandates this for covered chips within 180 days of enactment, with a follow-up assessment within one year to develop additional security requirements. It directly affects U.S. chip exporters and importers of these high-tech products, aiming to strengthen export control compliance and national security.