Rep. Susie Lee

Maddy summaryHRES 772 is a symbolic House resolution expressing support for National Public Lands Day (observed September 27, 2025). It encourages U.S. citizens to visit public lands on this fee-free day, recognizing their cultural, spiritual, and economic value. The resolution cites existing statistics on public lands' economic contributions (e.g., $252 billion in economic output from Bureau of Land Management lands in 2024) but does not create new policies or alter fees. As a procedural resolution, it has no binding effect and serves only to promote awareness of existing public land access.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents federal agencies from terminating employees during a government shutdown caused by a lapse in discretionary funding. It prohibits removals of civil service employees at any agency affected by a funding gap, and if an employee is wrongfully removed, they can return to their job with back pay once funding resumes. The law directly protects all federal employees covered by the civil service system during shutdowns. It applies automatically to any funding lapse, requiring automatic reinstatement without needing separate legal action.

Maddy summaryThe SAVES Act (HR 2605) creates a 5-year pilot program where the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awards competitive grants to nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to veterans with specific disabilities. It directly affects veterans with covered conditions like blindness, mobility impairments, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or other disabilities deemed appropriate for service dog assistance by the VA. Key provisions include: grants capped at $2 million per nonprofit (with $10 million annually authorized), no fees charged to veterans, VA-provided lifetime veterinary insurance for the dogs, and requirements for nonprofits to train veterans and maintain humane animal standards. The program aims to expand access to service dogs as a support tool for veterans managing qualifying disabilities.

Maddy summaryThe HEAL Act (HR 5277) updates transportation benefits for veterans receiving care at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. It sets mileage reimbursement rates to match General Services Administration rates for private vehicles (replacing the fixed 41.5 cents per mile), prohibits deductibles for travel to medical appointments, and expands eligible transportation providers to include veterans service organizations and local government agencies. This directly affects veterans needing VA medical transportation and the organizations providing that service. The bill amends Title 38, U.S. Code, sections 111 and 111A to implement these changes.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 49 is a non-binding resolution expressing Congress's view that future U.S. trade agreements should include provisions for reasonable access and collaboration with partner nations to aid in locating and recovering U.S. military personnel still missing from past conflicts. It directly affects countries negotiating new trade deals with the U.S., requiring them to facilitate search and recovery efforts for service members unaccounted for since wars like Vietnam, WWII, and the Korean War. The key mechanism is mandating that trade agreements incorporate these recovery access provisions as a standard requirement. This resolution does not create new legal obligations but urges future trade negotiations to prioritize this humanitarian effort.

Maddy summaryHR 5520, the Portal for Appraisal Licensing Act of 2025, creates a central online portal for appraisers and appraisal management companies (AMCs) to submit and renew licenses, certifications, and registrations. The portal will connect state licensing agencies, handle background checks through the FBI, process fees, and store education records, while allowing states to maintain final authority over licensing decisions. It requires appraisers and AMCs to use the portal for applications, background checks, and payments, with states retaining control over their own licensing standards. The bill also establishes an advisory committee and allows user fees to cover portal costs, ensuring no additional burden on states.

Maddy summaryThe MAP Roads Act establishes a federal pilot program to fund states in digitizing county road records and creating publicly accessible digital maps. It directly affects rural counties and state transportation departments by providing grants to convert paper maps into standardized digital formats, ensuring datasets distinguish public vs. private roads and work with mapping platforms. States must use funds for digitization, training, and building centralized repositories updated annually, with $20 million authorized yearly from 2026-2031. The program aims to improve rural commerce, safety, and navigation without altering road jurisdiction or ownership under existing law.

Maddy summaryThe Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025 requires U.S. colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid programs to create and distribute clear anti-harassment policies covering harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, or religion. These policies must explicitly prohibit harassment in all settings - including online, on campus, off-campus housing, and during school-sponsored activities - and outline reporting procedures and support services for victims. The bill also establishes a $50 million annual grant program to fund schools developing prevention programs, victim support services, or staff/student training on recognizing and addressing harassment. Grants are competitive, require annual reporting on effectiveness, and must be used to improve existing efforts without replacing existing civil rights laws like Title IX.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create an electronic system allowing veterans and eligible individuals to send and receive official communications about their educational benefits. It directly affects veterans using VA educational assistance programs by offering a digital alternative to paper mail. The key provision mandates that veterans must actively opt in to use this electronic system (rather than it being automatic), and the VA must notify enrolled students about this option. The VA will now be required to provide this electronic communication mechanism as part of managing educational benefit correspondence.

Maddy summaryHJRES 122 proposes a constitutional amendment that would grant Congress and states explicit authority to regulate campaign contributions and spending intended to influence elections. It would allow for reasonable, viewpoint-neutral limits on how much money candidates and others can raise or spend, as well as enable public financing systems to reduce private wealth's influence in campaigns. The amendment would permit distinguishing between individuals and corporations in campaign finance rules, potentially banning corporate spending to influence elections. It explicitly states this amendment would not affect the freedom of the press.