Rep. Lance Gooden

Maddy summaryHR 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, requires medical staff at abortion facilities to provide the same immediate care and hospital admission to any infant born alive during an abortion as they would for any newborn. It mandates reporting failures to provide this care to law enforcement and imposes penalties of up to 5 years in prison for violations, with harsher penalties for intentional killing. The bill also allows women who undergo abortions to sue for civil damages, including triple the abortion cost, and provides for attorney fees. It defines "abortion" to exclude procedures performed after viability to preserve a live birth. This law directly affects healthcare providers at abortion facilities and creates new federal legal obligations for them.

Maddy summaryHR 645, the National Constitutional Carry Act, would prevent all U.S. states and localities from requiring permits or imposing penalties for carrying firearms in public. It directly affects eligible U.S. citizens (including non-residents) who legally possess firearms under state and federal law, removing current permit requirements for public carry. The bill’s key provision amends federal law to invalidate any state or local law that criminalizes or discourages public firearm carry, except where private property owners clearly prohibit firearms or security screening occurs. This would override existing state permit laws, making permitless carry legal across all states and territories for qualified individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 703, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes a key tax deduction permanent for small business owners. It removes the temporary sunset provision (subsection (i)) from Section 199A of the tax code, ensuring the qualified business income deduction remains available for eligible small businesses. This change directly affects pass-through business owners (like S-corps, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) who currently qualify for this deduction. The permanent change takes effect for tax years starting after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 650, the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, protects parents’ fundamental right to direct their child’s education, moral or religious upbringing, and health care decisions. It prohibits government (including agencies and officials) from substantially interfering with these parental choices without proving a "compelling governmental interest" using strict scrutiny. The bill applies to all federal laws and programs, allowing parents to challenge government actions in court and seek remedies if their rights are violated. It specifically exempts cases involving serious child safety risks but aims to prevent government overreach in parenting decisions based on disagreement with parental choices. This bill directly affects parents of children under 18 and sets a legal standard for how government can interact with family decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the legal definition of "firearm silencer" and "firearm muffler" under federal law. It clarifies that these terms include any device designed to reduce firearm noise, as well as the outer tube or primary housing component that serves as the main structure for noise-reduction parts. The definition specifically covers devices intended to attach to a firearm (directly or via mounts) and excludes other firearms. This change affects how silencers are legally categorized under federal regulations, not who can own them. It does not create new restrictions but refines the scope of existing definitions.

Maddy summaryHR 563 requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to destroy all firearm transaction records from discontinued businesses within 90 days of the law's enactment. It also amends a federal law to prevent future registration of such transactions by removing language that required these records to be delivered to the Attorney General. The bill mandates that the ATF submit a report to Congress detailing how many records were destroyed. This legislation directly affects ATF record-keeping procedures, not individual gun owners or firearm ownership rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. immigration law to deny entry to noncitizens convicted of or admitting to certain violent crimes, and to make them deportable. It directly affects noncitizens who have been convicted of or admitted to sex offenses, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse/neglect, or violating protection orders involving threats of violence. Key provisions add these offenses as grounds for denying entry (inadmissibility) under Section 212(a)(2) and as grounds for deportation (deportability) under Section 237(a)(2). The law specifies that domestic violence and protection order violations are included regardless of whether the jurisdiction received specific federal grant funding.

Maddy summaryHRES 50 is a symbolic resolution, not a bill with policy changes. It declares that states bordering Mexico have the constitutional right under Article I, Section 10 to defend against "paramilitary, narco-terrorist cartels" and criminal actors at the southern border. The resolution states that states like Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California were "invaded" or faced "imminent danger" from these groups from 2021-2024, and that the federal government failed to protect them. It makes no new laws or allocate funds - only asserts a constitutional interpretation for states to act unilaterally. (Note: This is a procedural resolution; no concrete policy change is enacted.)

Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2025 This bill expands Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to include all services provided by chiropractors, rather than only subluxation corrections through manual manipulation of the spine.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates special tax rules for certain Taiwanese residents with income from U.S. sources, primarily addressing double taxation concerns. It reduces withholding tax rates on interest, dividends, and royalties from 30% to 10% (or 15% for certain dividends) for qualified Taiwanese residents, and eliminates tax on certain wages paid to Taiwanese workers in the U.S. It also sets a $30,000 annual limit on tax-free income from entertainment or athletic activities. To qualify, individuals must meet specific residency and ownership criteria, and the bill requires reciprocal tax benefits from Taiwan before taking effect. This legislation is designed to facilitate economic activity between the U.S. and Taiwan without requiring a formal tax treaty.