Rep. Kevin Hern

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins marking the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. It authorizes three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 respectively. The surcharge proceeds will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with no net cost to taxpayers as the Treasury must recover all minting costs through the surcharges. The coins can only be issued during 2025, and the Treasury must ensure all costs are covered before distributing funds to the Heritage Foundation.

Maddy summaryHR 4776, the Protecting Free Speech Act, ends a specific Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program called the Disinformation Governance Board and prevents federal funding for any similar entity. The bill directly affects DHS by terminating the board's operations and prohibiting the use of federal funds to create or support any replacement program with comparable functions. It does not create new free speech protections but formally removes this particular DHS initiative and blocks future funding for equivalent efforts. The bill focuses on eliminating an existing program rather than changing broader speech policies.

Maddy summaryHR 4721, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes a permanent the 20% tax deduction for eligible small business owners under Section 199A of the tax code. This provision directly affects pass-through business owners (like S-corps, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) who qualify for the deduction. The bill achieves this by removing the temporary expiration language (subsection (i)) from the existing tax code provision. The key change is ending the need for annual congressional extensions of this deduction, providing long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

Maddy summaryHR 4300, the Real Emergencies Act, prohibits the President from declaring national emergencies, major disasters, or public health emergencies under three specific federal laws *based on climate change*. It directly affects the President and federal agencies that manage emergency declarations under the National Emergencies Act, the Stafford Act, and the Public Health Service Act. The bill's key provision explicitly bans using climate change as a justification for these emergency declarations, without altering existing emergency powers for other reasons. This is a procedural restriction on executive authority, not a change to climate policy or emergency response mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHJRES 44 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a 2021 rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The rule classified firearms with stabilizing braces as "short-barreled rifles," which would have required additional licensing and regulation. This resolution uses a specific legal process (under Title 5, U.S. Code) to formally disapprove the ATF rule, meaning the rule would no longer be in effect. It directly affects firearm owners, manufacturers, and dealers who would have been subject to the rule’s requirements.

Maddy summaryHJRES 45 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a specific Department of Education rule about federal student loans. It seeks to block the rule implementing "One-Time Federal Student Loan Debt Relief" (including modifications to Perkins, FFEL, and Direct Loan programs) by invoking the Congressional Review Act. If passed, this resolution would nullify the rule, preventing the Department of Education from using it to modify or waive student loan obligations. The bill directly affects borrowers who might have qualified for debt relief under the targeted rule.

Maddy summaryHRES 521 is a formal resolution censuring Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA, 30th District) for conduct deemed "unbecoming" of a House member. The resolution alleges Schiff repeatedly made false claims about Trump-Russia collusion, including spreading Steele Dossier information and releasing a flawed FISA memo, and misled the public during impeachment proceedings. If passed, it would require Schiff to appear in the House chamber for a public reading of the censure resolution. The resolution also directs the House Ethics Committee to investigate Schiff's "falsehoods and misrepresentations." This is a symbolic procedural action, not a law changing policy or affecting constituents.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases criminal penalties for non-citizens who reenter the U.S. after being deported or excluded. It specifically targets individuals with prior convictions for drug offenses, violent crimes, or multiple prior removals, imposing stricter fines and longer prison terms. For example, those convicted of an aggravated felony or two prior illegal reentries face mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years in prison, up to 20 years. The law also expands penalties for those who reenter without Homeland Security's permission after being removed under certain provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows employers to offer "custom health option" arrangements (CHOICE) that pair with individual health insurance plans. It enables employers to fund these arrangements (with a fixed annual dollar limit) to reimburse employees for medical costs when they have individual coverage (like ACA marketplace plans or Medicare), rather than traditional group health plans. The arrangements must follow strict rules: they can't discriminate against employees in the same category (e.g., all full-time workers), require proof of individual coverage enrollment, and must provide clear written notices to employees. These changes apply to plan years starting after December 31, 2023.

Maddy summaryHR 277 would require Congress to approve major federal regulations before they take effect. Major rules are defined as those with significant economic impact ($100 million+ annually), major cost increases for consumers or industries, or significant adverse effects on competition, employment, or innovation. Agencies must submit detailed information about these rules to Congress, including cost-benefit analyses, before they can take effect. Congress would have 70 session days to approve the rule with a joint resolution; if they don't act within that timeframe, the rule would not take effect. This would increase congressional oversight of federal regulations and require more detailed information about proposed rules before they become law.