Rep. Dwight Evans

Maddy summaryThe Keep Americans Safe Act (HR 1674) restricts the sale, transfer, and possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCFDs) - defined as magazines or similar devices holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition - for most individuals. Exceptions allow law enforcement officers (including campus law enforcement), retired officers, and nuclear security personnel to possess LCFDs under specific conditions. The bill requires new LCFDs to have serial numbers and manufacturing dates, permits federal seizure of violative devices, and authorizes federal grant programs to fund buy-back initiatives for LCFDs. It directly affects gun owners and manufacturers while preserving access for covered law enforcement and security personnel.

Maddy summaryThe BEST Act establishes a federal grant program to help states create or improve Seal of Biliteracy programs for K-12 students. It provides $10 million annually (2025-2029) for states to develop programs recognizing students who demonstrate speaking and writing proficiency in both English and a second language, including Native American languages and American Sign Language. States must ensure equitable access for English learners, students with disabilities, and heritage language learners, and provide free testing for low-income students. The program requires states to award permanent seals or documentation on diplomas/transcripts for qualifying students.

Maddy summaryHR 1657, the Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025, prohibits cosmetic companies from conducting or contracting animal testing for products sold in the U.S. beginning one year after the law takes effect. It also bans the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using such testing after that date, with limited exemptions (e.g., for foreign regulatory requirements or when no non-animal safety alternatives exist). The bill directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and distributors by requiring them to shift to non-animal testing methods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will enforce the law, including reviewing records and imposing civil penalties for violations.

Maddy summaryThe PAST Act of 2025 amends the Horse Protection Act to ban harmful practices known as "soring," which deliberately cause pain to horses to exaggerate their gait for shows. It specifically prohibits devices like action devices (e.g., boots causing friction) and weighted shoes on Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses at events. The bill increases penalties, including escalating disqualifications for repeat offenses (180 days → 1 year → 3 years) and raises fines for violations to $5,000 per offense. It also requires stricter licensing for inspectors and mandates public posting of violation records to help event organizers enforce rules.

Maddy summaryThe American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 would create pathways to permanent residency for certain immigrant youth who entered the U.S. as children (Dream Act component) and for individuals from countries with Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure (American Promise Act component). To qualify, applicants must meet continuous physical presence requirements (since January 1, 2021 for Dream Act applicants, and for 3+ years for American Promise applicants), pass background checks, and satisfy educational or employment criteria. Conditional permanent resident status would be granted initially, with the option to convert to full permanent residency after meeting additional requirements like earning a degree, serving in the military for two years, or demonstrating three years of earned income. The bill includes fee exemptions for low-income applicants, establishes a grant program to assist applicants with legal help, and creates specific procedures for background checks and appeals.

Maddy summaryHR 469, the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act, directs the Architect of the Capitol to create and bury a time capsule on the Capitol's West Lawn by July 4, 2026. The capsule will contain representative historical materials about the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary), copies of key congressional milestones, a message from current Congress to future lawmakers, and other approved items determined by congressional leadership. It will remain sealed until July 4, 2276, when the Speaker of the House will present it to the next Congress for preservation or use. This procedural bill has no direct effect on citizens or policy, focusing solely on preserving historical materials for future Congress.

Maddy summaryHR 250 requires the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin by December 31, 2025, and place it in a permanent, public-accessible location within the U.S. Capitol by December 31, 2026. The statue must be positioned to be viewable during guided Capitol tours offered by the Capitol Visitor Center. This is a procedural bill focused solely on the acquisition and placement of the statue, with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on constituents or laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the 761st Tank Battalion (known as the "Black Panthers"), the first predominantly Black armored unit in World War II's European Theater. It recognizes their combat service from 1944-1946, including key roles in the Battle of the Bulge and breaking the Siegfried Line, despite facing racial prejudice during and after the war. The medal will be displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, with bronze duplicates available for sale to cover costs. The bill commemorates the battalion's 130,000 enemy casualties inflicted, 50% casualty rate, and their 1978 Presidential Unit Citation. It does not create new laws or affect current policies.

Maddy summaryHR 1638, the CROWN Act of 2025, prohibits discrimination based on hair texture or hairstyle that is commonly associated with race or national origin, particularly affecting Black individuals who wear natural or protective styles like braids, locs, cornrows, twists, or Afros. The bill explicitly expands protections under existing federal civil rights laws (including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act) to cover hair-based discrimination in federally funded programs, housing, public accommodations, employment, and equal rights. It requires schools, employers, and other entities receiving federal funds to eliminate grooming policies that disproportionately target these hairstyles. The law clarifies that such discrimination violates federal law and provides enforcement through existing civil rights mechanisms.

Maddy summaryEthan's Law requires gun owners to store firearms securely in homes where minors live or where residents are legally prohibited from owning guns. It makes it unlawful to leave firearms unsecured if a minor or ineligible person could access them, with fines of $500 per violation and harsher penalties if injury or death occurs. The bill creates a federal grant program to help states implement similar secure storage laws and treats unsafe storage as negligence in legal cases. It directly affects households with children or residents who cannot legally possess firearms, aiming to reduce accidental shootings and unauthorized access.