Rep. Andrew Ogles

Maddy summaryHR 957, the Public Safety Retirees Healthcare Protection Act of 2023, increases a tax exclusion for public safety retirees. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to raise the amount excluded from taxable income for health and long-term care insurance premiums paid from retirement distributions - from $3,000 to $6,000 annually. This change directly affects public safety officers (like police and firefighters) who have retired and receive government retirement benefits. The provision applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023, providing greater tax relief for these retirees' healthcare costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Social Security Act to exclude wages earned and self-employment income derived from unauthorized employment in the United States from being counted toward Social Security credits. It directly affects undocumented immigrants who work without authorization, preventing those earnings from contributing to their future Social Security benefits. The law changes existing Social Security rules by adding specific exclusions for "service performed by an alien while employed... not authorized to be so employed" and similar self-employment activities. These changes apply to all wages and income earned before, during, or after the bill's enactment, with Social Security recompiling existing benefit calculations to reflect the new rules.

Maddy summaryHR 638, the China Trade Relations Act of 2023, withdraws automatic duty-free trade access (normal trade relations) for Chinese goods and requires the President to submit annual reports to Congress proving China complies with specific human rights and trade standards. The bill lists nine conditions China must meet to regain trade benefits, including ending forced labor, respecting religious freedom in Tibet, stopping economic espionage, and improving prison treatment. If China fails to meet these conditions, U.S. trade benefits, government credit programs, and commercial agreements with China would be suspended until the President certifies compliance. The President may grant limited 12-month waivers with congressional oversight, but these require annual re-certification and can be blocked by a joint resolution of disapproval. This bill directly affects U.S.-China trade relations, imposing new compliance requirements on China to maintain access to U.S. markets.

Maddy summaryHR 497, the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, eliminates a federal requirement for healthcare workers in Medicare and Medicaid programs to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The bill directly affects healthcare providers who treat patients under these federally funded programs by preventing the enforcement of the November 2021 HHS rule mandating staff vaccinations. Its key provision prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from implementing, enforcing, or creating a similar rule regarding vaccination for these workers. This bill changes the policy by removing a specific vaccine mandate for providers in Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Maddy summaryHR 407, the "Protect the UNBORN Act," prohibits federal agencies from implementing or enforcing two specific executive orders issued by President Biden in 2022 (Executive Orders 14076 and 14079), which aimed to protect access to reproductive healthcare services. The bill bans the use of federal funds, including those from the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, to carry out, administer, or enforce these executive orders. It directly affects federal agencies and programs that would otherwise comply with the Biden administration's policies on reproductive healthcare access. The bill does not create new healthcare rules but blocks the implementation of existing executive actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans federal funding for abortions in most cases, prohibiting the use of taxpayer money for abortion services or health insurance plans covering abortion. Exceptions allow funding for abortions resulting from rape, incest, or when a pregnancy endangers a woman's life. It requires health insurance plans sold through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces to clearly disclose any separate costs for abortion coverage and prohibits ACA subsidies from being used for plans that cover abortion (except in the specified exceptions). The law directly affects federal programs like Medicaid, ACA marketplace plans, and insurers offering health coverage to individuals using federal subsidies.

Maddy summaryHJRES 181 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a Department of Labor rule that defined "Employer-Association Health Plans." The bill would prevent this specific rule - published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2024 - from taking effect. It directly affects employers and health plan administrators who use these association-based health coverage models. If passed, the rule would have no legal force, reversing the Labor Department's regulatory definition.

Maddy summaryHJRES 142 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a Department of Labor rule issued on April 25, 2024. It seeks to block the "Retirement Security Rule: Definition of an Investment Advice Fiduciary" (89 Fed. Reg. 32122), which defined standards for financial advisors handling retirement accounts. If passed, this resolution would make the Labor Department's rule ineffective, directly affecting retirement plan advisors and financial institutions subject to the regulation. The bill uses a specific procedural mechanism under Title 5, U.S. Code, to nullify the rule without creating new law.

Maddy summaryThe Consumer Product Sanity Act (HR 10434) requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to base mandatory safety standards for consumer products on existing voluntary industry standards. Specifically, if the CPSC determines that a voluntary standard would address a safety risk but widespread compliance is unlikely, it can only create a mandatory standard that is identical to the voluntary standard or includes at least one compliance method matching it. This bill directly affects the CPSC’s rulemaking process and manufacturers of consumer products who must meet these safety standards. It ensures that mandatory standards do not diverge from established voluntary practices, promoting consistency without creating new regulatory requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill declares U.S. policy that Somalia's territorial claims over Somaliland are invalid. It authorizes the President to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent country. The bill directly affects U.S. foreign policy by enabling the executive branch to extend diplomatic recognition to Somaliland, though it does not require the President to do so. It does not alter Somaliland's status or create new obligations for the U.S. government beyond this recognition authority.