Rep. Dusty Johnson

Maddy summaryThe SHIP IT Act (HR 471) aims to improve commercial trucking safety and efficiency through several key provisions. It allows states to temporarily permit overweight trucks during emergencies, provides tax credits for truck drivers (up to $10,000), and allocates $175-$200 million annually for grants to build commercial truck parking facilities. The bill also simplifies driver licensing processes, removes seasonal restrictions on agricultural transportation, and creates a pilot program for 6-axle vehicles with safety data collection requirements. These changes directly affect truck drivers, trucking companies, and state transportation agencies, with the goal of enhancing highway safety, reducing congestion, and supporting the trucking workforce.

Maddy summaryHR 683 (PASS Act of 2023) expands the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review process to cover foreign investments in U.S. agriculture businesses, agricultural biotechnology, and private farmland. It mandates that the President block transactions involving foreign entities from China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea that would give them control over U.S. agricultural operations or land used for farming. The bill allows limited presidential waivers for national security reasons but requires a 30-day review period before any waiver. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit biannual reports to Congress on risks posed by foreign ownership in U.S. agriculture.

Maddy summaryThe HEAL Act (HR 603) requires the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Director to study how public elementary and secondary schools teach about the Holocaust and related antisemitism. The study will examine curriculum requirements, teaching methods (like project-based learning), instructional materials, and assessment approaches across states and school districts. It specifically analyzes whether Holocaust education is mandatory, optional, or integrated across subjects, and how schools address antisemitism and genocide prevention. The resulting report, due within 180 days of the study or three years after enactment, will inform Congress but does not change current school policies. This is a data-gathering measure, not a policy mandate.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 7 is a symbolic resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that commends Iranian protesters - particularly women - who have risked safety to demonstrate against the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, including the mandatory hijab law and violent crackdowns following Mahsa Amini's death. It condemns the regime's use of violence (reportedly killing over 450 protesters) and detention of activists, while urging the Biden Administration to impose additional human rights sanctions on officials involved in repression and support internet freedom tools to bypass Iranian censorship. The resolution makes no binding policy changes but formally expresses congressional support for protesters' demands for freedom, justice, and an end to discriminatory laws targeting women. It does not directly affect any U.S. laws or policies but serves as a statement of U.S. position.

Maddy summaryThe Educational Choice for Children Act creates tax credits for individuals and corporations that contribute to scholarship granting organizations providing education scholarships. Individuals can claim a credit up to $5,000 or 10% of their income, while corporations can claim up to 5% of taxable income. The scholarships are available to students from households with income up to 300% of the area median income, and can be used for private school tuition, tutoring, and other educational expenses at elementary and secondary schools. The bill includes strict requirements for scholarship organizations to verify income, conduct audits, and prevent misuse of funds, while also prohibiting government control over these organizations and protecting private and religious schools from discrimination in the program. It establishes a $10 billion annual cap on the total tax credits available.

ATF Accountability Act of 2023 This bill establishes a federal statutory process for licensed gun dealers, importers, or manufacturers to appeal a ruling or determination by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands foreign investment review to cover U.S. agriculture by requiring transactions involving foreign control of agricultural businesses to undergo scrutiny by the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS). It classifies agricultural supply chains as both critical infrastructure and critical technologies, directly affecting foreign entities seeking to acquire or influence U.S. farms, food production, and supply chains. The bill mandates annual reports from the Secretary of Agriculture and the Government Accountability Office on foreign investments in agriculture, including risks to food security and intellectual property. These provisions aim to mitigate potential threats to U.S. food supply chains from foreign adversaries through enhanced oversight.

Maddy summaryHR 23, the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act, rescinds unobligated funds previously allocated to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Specifically, it cancels unused balances from certain IRS funding provisions (sections 10301(1)(A)(ii), (iii), (B), (2), (3), (4), and (5)) of the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill does not change tax laws or directly affect taxpayers; it only redirects unspent IRS budget authority. The provision applies solely to funds that were not obligated by the IRS as of the bill’s enactment date.

Maddy summaryHR 175, the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2023, prohibits physicians from performing abortions without first checking for a detectable fetal heartbeat using standard medical practice and informing the patient of the results. It allows exceptions only for abortions necessary to save a mother’s life due to physical conditions (not psychological ones), or for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest against an adult or minor, which require specific documentation like counseling records or police reports. Physicians violating the law face up to five years in prison, while patients cannot be prosecuted. The bill defines "unborn child" as beginning at fertilization and mandates detailed medical documentation for all exceptions. It explicitly excludes psychological conditions from life-threatening exceptions and requires physicians to retain records per federal health privacy rules.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 3 is a non-binding congressional resolution expressing support for pro-life facilities, groups, and churches targeted by vandalism and threats following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. It condemns specific incidents like graffiti, window-smashing, and arson at pregnancy centers and churches (e.g., in Frederick, MD, and Portland, OR), while recognizing the role of these organizations in supporting pregnant women. The resolution calls on the Biden Administration to use law enforcement to protect these facilities but does not create new laws or policies. As a symbolic measure, it has no legal effect on the incidents described.