Rep. Dan Crenshaw

Maddy summaryHR 1155, the Keeping America’s Refineries Act, exempts certain petroleum refineries from a specific requirement under the Clean Air Act. It directly affects refineries operating alkylation units that use hydrofluoric acid (HF), specifically those with valid Clean Air Act permits or that meet American Petroleum Institute safety standards. The bill prohibits the EPA from mandating that these refineries assess "safer technology" or alternative risk management measures for HF use in their hazard assessments. This change removes a regulatory step requiring refineries to evaluate safer alternatives for HF acid, focusing solely on their existing operational compliance.

Maddy summaryHR 1140 allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator to temporarily waive certain environmental requirements for facilities processing "critical energy resources" (like essential energy sources with vulnerable supply chains) during national or energy security emergencies. The waiver, valid for up to 90 days (renewable), permits increased processing or refining at designated facilities to meet urgent security needs, without violating other environmental laws during the waiver period. Facilities operating under this waiver are protected from legal penalties for actions that would otherwise conflict with other environmental regulations. The bill applies specifically to energy resources critical to U.S. energy systems, as defined by the Secretary of Energy.

Maddy summaryHR 1141, the Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act, repeals a specific provision (Section 136) of the Clean Air Act that established an incentive program for reducing methane emissions and waste in natural gas systems. This bill directly affects natural gas producers and operators who previously participated in or were subject to the methane emissions reduction program. The key mechanism is the removal of this incentive program, eliminating federal requirements and financial incentives related to methane waste reduction for the natural gas industry. The bill also rescinds unobligated funds allocated for this program. This is a policy change removing a regulatory incentive, not a tax repeal.

Maddy summaryThe Build the Wall Now Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to immediately resume construction of physical barriers (such as reinforced fencing and levee walls), tactical infrastructure (including access gates and lighting), and border surveillance technology along the US-Mexico border that was underway or planned before January 20, 2021. It prohibits canceling existing contracts for border barrier projects and mandates using funds appropriated for border construction since October 2016. The bill grants the Secretary of Homeland Security new authority to waive numerous environmental, historic preservation, and land management laws to expedite construction, including exemptions from the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Policy Act. It also prohibits using federal funds to implement or enforce Presidential Proclamation 10142 from January 2021.

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 26 is a congressional disapproval resolution blocking the District of Columbia Council's approval of its Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-789). It directly affects the District of Columbia by preventing the new criminal code from taking effect, as Congress disapproved the Council's action under the Home Rule Act. The resolution formally rejects the Council's enactment of the code, which was transmitted to Congress on January 27, 2023. This procedural action stops the District from implementing the revised criminal code without further congressional action.

Police Officers Protecting Children Act This bill specifies that certain active and retired law enforcement officers who are authorized to carry concealed firearms are not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing (or discharging) a firearm in a school zone.

Better Interoperability for Devices Act of 2023 or the BID Act of 2023 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration to report on the interoperability of medical devices, including associated standards, data, and costs.

Maddy summaryHR 1484, the Pipeline Sabotage and Accident Prevention Act, adds criminal penalties for intentionally damaging or disrupting pipeline infrastructure. It makes it a federal offense to knowingly cause defects in pipes, pumps, or valves (or disrupt operations) in pipelines regulated under existing law, punishable by fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both. The bill specifically protects First Amendment rights, stating its provisions don’t limit lawful protests or free speech. It directly affects individuals who intentionally target pipeline infrastructure, such as vandals or terrorists, by creating clear criminal consequences for such acts. The law focuses on preventing physical harm to critical energy infrastructure through deterrence.

Protecting an Alien child's Reasonable Expectation of No Trafficking Act of 2023 or the PARENT Act of 2023 This bill establishes that no later than 72 hours after determining that a child in federal custody is an unaccompanied alien minor, custody of that child may only be transferred to the child's verified parent or legal guardian or to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Currently, HHS may release such children to sponsors, who are not required to be a parent or legal guardian but must pass a background check.

Maddy summaryHR 1210, the "Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act," amends the Public Health Service Act to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services new authority to block border entries. It directly affects countries with substantial fentanyl smuggling, allowing the Secretary to suspend the introduction of people and property from those nations if they determine it poses a serious public health danger. The key provision permits the Secretary to prohibit border crossings for a set period when fentanyl smuggling creates an increased risk of drugs entering the U.S., based on regulations they establish. This is a procedural change to existing public health law, not a new program.