Rep. Chuck Edwards

Maddy summaryHR 1548, the "Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act," amends U.S. trade laws to strengthen enforcement of antidumping and countervailing duty regulations. The bill creates new rules for handling multiple investigations on the same merchandise (successive investigations), addresses market distortions in foreign countries that affect production costs, and improves mechanisms to prevent companies from circumventing existing duties. It also establishes procedures for investigating currency undervaluation as a form of subsidy and strengthens requirements for importers to certify compliance with trade laws. These changes primarily affect U.S. importers of foreign goods, foreign exporters, and the Department of Commerce, which administers these trade enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThe Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025 creates a new tax credit for individuals who purchase technology designed to assist blind people, such as screen readers or braille displays. This credit covers up to $2,000 in expenses per three-year period for qualified access technology used by the taxpayer, their spouse, or a blind dependent. The credit adjusts for inflation after 2026 but does not apply to costs already covered by other tax benefits. The credit expires after 2030, with adjustments for cost-of-living changes starting in 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits marijuana businesses from deducting ordinary business expenses on their federal tax returns. It amends federal tax law to deny deductions or credits for any costs related to selling marijuana (which remains illegal under federal law), directly affecting state-legal marijuana businesses operating under state law but subject to federal prohibition. The key provision requires these businesses to pay taxes on their full gross income without subtracting standard business costs like rent or supplies. The rule applies to tax years beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryHR 1475, the SBA Disaster Transparency Act, requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to publish all disaster assistance reports on its website. This bill amends existing law by adding specific language mandating that the SBA "publish on the website of the Administration" reports related to disaster assistance, including those submitted by state and local officials. The key mechanism is a procedural update to existing reporting requirements, ensuring all required reports are publicly accessible online rather than only being submitted internally. This directly affects the SBA (by changing its reporting process) and the public (by providing greater transparency into how disaster aid is distributed). The bill does not alter disaster assistance eligibility or funding levels.

Maddy summaryHR 1388 requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to use "fair-value" accounting for federal loan and loan guarantee programs, replacing traditional budget estimates with market-based cost calculations. This means the CBO must provide fair-value cost estimates for new or modified loan programs, and the OMB must annually report these estimates starting in 2026. The bill directs Congress to use these fair-value estimates when enforcing budget rules, ensuring budgetary decisions reflect the true economic cost of credit programs. It directly affects the CBO, OMB, and Congress in how they measure and manage federal credit program costs.

Maddy summaryHR 1387, the COST Act, requires federal agencies and recipients of federal funds (including states, local governments, and research grantees) to publicly disclose the percentage and dollar amount of federal funding versus non-federal funding for any program, project, or activity. This disclosure must appear in all public communications describing the initiative (except short social media posts), detailing both the federal share and the non-federal share of costs. Recipients must also certify compliance in progress reports, and the Office of Management and Budget must annually review a sample of communications for adherence and publish findings. The bill establishes a public system for anonymously reporting non-compliant communications, with reports requiring specific details about the program and the noncompliant material.

This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.

Maddy summaryHR 1301, the Death Tax Repeal Act, would eliminate the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of individuals dying on or after its enactment date. It directly affects individuals inheriting significant assets, as it removes taxes on estates exceeding $10 million (adjusted for inflation) and repeals taxes on large transfers between generations. The bill modifies the gift tax by establishing a $10 million lifetime exemption with annual inflation adjustments, replacing previous tax brackets. It applies to estates, gifts, and transfers occurring on or after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates federal vehicle safety standards to permit pulsating light systems on high-mounted stop lamps, directly affecting vehicle manufacturers and safety regulators. It requires the Transportation Secretary to issue new regulations within 180 days establishing performance rules for these systems. The key provision defines a "pulsating light system" as one that emits rapid pulses (max 4 pulses within 1.2 seconds) when brakes are applied, then switches to steady light, with a mandatory 5-second lockout period before pulses can repeat after brake release. The bill amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 to formally allow this technology under specific technical parameters.

Maddy summaryHR 1333 designates a specific segment of U.S. Route 74 in North Carolina - from Columbus to Kings Mountain - as a future interstate highway under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. This bill updates existing transportation law to add this corridor to the list of high-priority routes and future interstate designations. The change directly affects communities along this North Carolina stretch by formally recognizing it for potential future interstate development, though it does not allocate funding or initiate construction. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on legislative designation within federal transportation planning.