Rep. Daniel S. Goldman

Maddy summaryHR 6056, the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025, establishes a permanent Special Envoy at the State Department to lead U.S. foreign policy efforts addressing discrimination and violence against LGBTQI+ people globally. The bill requires the U.S. government to develop and update a biannual global strategy to prevent criminalization and violence against LGBTQI+ individuals, mandate detailed reporting on such abuses in annual country reports, and ensure all U.S. foreign assistance programs include inclusive nondiscrimination policies. This legislation directly affects U.S. foreign policy implementation, federal agencies receiving funding, and LGBTQI+ communities facing persecution worldwide. The bill aims to coordinate U.S. government efforts across departments and with international partners to advance LGBTQI+ rights globally through concrete policy mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHR 6030, the Puerto Rico Substance Use and Health Data Collection Act, requires the federal government to include Puerto Rico in the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health starting fiscal year 2026. This amendment to the Public Health Service Act ensures Puerto Rico residents' substance use and health data will be collected alongside data from states and territories. The key mechanism is adding Puerto Rico to the survey's geographic scope, which has been excluded since the survey's inception. This provides a more comprehensive dataset for federal health programs serving Puerto Rico.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a National Resilience and Recovery Fund financed by specific taxes on crude oil and natural gas production. The fund will be supported by taxes from Gulf of Mexico offshore oil production, environmental taxes on crude oil, and a new windfall profits tax on large crude oil producers exceeding 300,000 barrels per day in 2023. The money will directly support four existing federal disaster resilience programs: Hazard Mitigation Grants, Building Resilient Infrastructure, Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loans, and Flood Mitigation Assistance. The bill also clarifies that certain oil types (including oil from tar sands and oil shale) will be subject to these taxes, with the windfall tax applying to producers exceeding specified production thresholds.

Maddy summaryHRES 865, the "Opening the People’s House Resolution," would amend House rules to allow any member to end a "district work period" (a time when members work in their districts instead of in Washington) by submitting a letter to the Clerk. If a majority of House members submit such letters, the current district work period would end within two days, and the Speaker could not schedule a new one for three weeks after the House reconvenes. The Clerk would publicly list all signers in the Congressional Record and online daily. This resolution directly affects House members and the Speaker by changing how district work periods are terminated.

Maddy summaryHR 5934, the Major Thomas D. Howie Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Major Thomas D. Howie for his bravery and service during the Battle of Normandy in World War II. The medal, to be struck by the U.S. Mint, will be presented to his nephew, Tom Howie, or his next of kin, and then displayed at The Citadel Museum. This bill is purely commemorative and does not create new legal requirements or funding obligations. It honors Major Howie’s leadership in capturing St. Lo, France - a pivotal moment in liberating Western Europe from Nazi occupation - based on his documented sacrifice during the 1944 campaign.

Maddy summaryHR 5941, the Restoring Access for Detainees Act, requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide immigration detainees in DHS custody with specific communication access. It mandates 200 free monthly minutes for general outgoing calls, unlimited free minutes for contacting legal counsel, courts, consulates, or oversight offices, and special initial contact provisions during arrival or transfer. Detention facilities must allow uninterrupted legal communication time, cannot restrict minutes for legal calls, and must provide private spaces for confidential legal discussions. The bill also requires facilities to establish clear, publicly available communication policies that comply with these requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 5940, the Seniors Deserve SMARTER Care Act of 2025, prohibits the implementation of the Medicare WISeR model (described in a July 2025 federal notice). The bill specifically blocks the Secretary of Health and Human Services from using the WISeR model, which would have required prior authorization for certain medical services under Medicare. This directly affects Medicare beneficiaries and healthcare providers who would have been subject to the model's requirements. The key provision is a clear ban on implementing WISeR or any substantially similar payment model, preventing changes to Medicare's service authorization process. The bill does not create new programs but stops a specific proposed Medicare policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures continuous funding for SNAP (food assistance) and WIC (nutrition program for mothers/children) during government funding gaps. It authorizes emergency Treasury funds to cover SNAP/WIC benefits and reimburse states for costs if Congress fails to pass regular appropriations for the Department of Agriculture by September 30, 2025. The funding covers missed payments retroactively from September 30, 2025, through the bill’s enactment date, and continues until either regular appropriations pass or September 30, 2026. It directly affects low-income households relying on these programs and state agencies administering them during funding lapses.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 5973, requires federal immigration enforcement personnel to follow strict limits on force use, including proportional application, mandatory de-escalation efforts, and prohibitions on equipment like flash bangs or rubber bullets except for specific public safety threats. It mandates body-worn and vehicle cameras for all operations, with footage retained for one year (three years for force incidents or complaints), and grants affected individuals the right to inspect recordings. The law also requires annual training on force policies, First Amendment compliance, and racial bias avoidance, while demanding detailed quarterly reports to Congress on force usage, assaults on agents, and equipment approvals. These provisions directly affect all federal immigration agents conducting enforcement actions, aiming to increase transparency and accountability during operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the annual open enrollment period for health insurance marketplaces (Exchanges) to cover the 2026 plan year. It requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to adjust the enrollment window to begin November 1, 2025, and end May 1, 2026 - significantly lengthening the typical enrollment period. This change directly affects individuals and families purchasing health insurance through federal or state-based marketplaces who rely on the annual enrollment period to select or change coverage. The key provision modifies the existing enrollment timeline under the Affordable Care Act, providing a longer window for enrollment decisions.