Rep. Roger Williams

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Education to publish clear, updated information about career and technical education (CTE) programs - such as program costs ($3,000-$6,000 annually), completion times (6 months-2 years), and job placement rates - on its public website and the FAFSA application. It directly affects students applying for federal financial aid by adding a one-page summary of CTE options and a signature acknowledgment to the FAFSA form, highlighting them as a low-cost alternative to 4-year degrees. The key mechanism is mandating this disclosure to ensure students learn about CTE pathways early in the aid application process. The bill does not fund programs but makes information about existing CTE opportunities more accessible.

Stop China’s Continuous Purchase of Land Act or the Stop CCP Land Act This bill requires states that receive certain federal program funds to restrict the purchase of agricultural land by a covered foreign country.  Covered foreign country means a country included in Department of State regulations as subject to certain prohibitions (i.e., Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela), as well as Russia. Specifically, a state may not receive funds for certain programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (e.g., certain energy efficiency and conservation programs) unless that state has a law prohibiting a covered foreign country (or persons acting on behalf of the country) from purchasing agricultural land in the state. Further, a state must require that a person from a covered foreign country that holds agricultural land in the state prior to the state law's enactment submit an annual report to the state on the agricultural holdings. The Department of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress on how the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 should be updated to ensure accurate documentation and monitoring of foreign investment in agricultural land. The Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress that includes (1) an assessment of this bill's impact on national security, and (2) any measures that can be taken to better secure U.S. real estate from foreign manipulation.

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 summaryThis bill, HR 1282 (Major Richard Star Act), expands benefits for certain military retirees by allowing them to receive both veterans' disability compensation and military retirement pay simultaneously. It specifically affects combat-related disabled retirees under Chapter 61 of the military retirement system who have fewer than 20 years of service. The key change removes the automatic reduction of military retirement pay when these retirees also receive disability compensation, as amended in Section 1413a(b)(3) of Title 10. Technical updates to the law’s structure and effective date (starting after enactment) complete the provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits entities controlled by Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States, including both public land managed by federal agencies and private land. It also bars such entities from participating in most U.S. Department of Agriculture programs (with exceptions for food safety, health, and labor safety initiatives). The bill expands reporting requirements to include leases and security interests in foreign land ownership, mandates public online disclosure of foreign ownership data with specific details, and imposes penalties like liens on land for violations. Additionally, it requires annual reports to Congress on risks of foreign ownership, enforcement effectiveness, and foreign investment motives.

Maddy summaryHR 3358, the Mission not Emissions Act, prohibits federal contractors from being required to report greenhouse gas emissions or climate-related financial risks. The bill blocks compliance with the proposed Federal Acquisition Regulation rule that would have mandated contractors to disclose Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions, create emissions inventories, or set emissions reduction targets for validation. It directly affects businesses holding federal contracts by removing these specific reporting obligations. The law focuses solely on eliminating disclosure requirements, not on changing emissions standards or reduction efforts.

Maddy summaryHR 4346, the Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act of 2023, requires the Federal Reserve to raise the asset threshold for small bank holding companies from its current level to $10 billion. This change would exempt smaller banks (with consolidated assets under $10 billion) from certain regulatory requirements they currently face. The policy update must be implemented within 180 days of the bill’s enactment.

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 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.