Rep. Burgess Owens

Maddy summaryThe Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 establishes a limited pilot program allowing non-responsible parties (called "Good Samaritans") to remediate pollution at abandoned hardrock mine sites. The bill creates a permit process requiring applicants to demonstrate they're not liable for the pollution, can safely complete the remediation, and will protect the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency would issue up to 15 permits for these projects, providing liability protection for permitted activities while requiring public notice and environmental review. The pilot program would expire after 7 years, with the EPA required to report on its effectiveness to Congress.

Maddy summaryThe Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2024 enables victims of human trafficking to seek to vacate certain convictions or expunge arrests related to offenses they committed as a direct result of being trafficked. It establishes a court process where victims can file motions showing their criminal activity was trafficking-related, with courts required to find by preponderance of evidence that the offense was directly tied to trafficking. If granted, the court must expunge all related records, return any fines paid, and treat the individual as if the offense never occurred. The bill also adds a "human trafficking defense" that creates a presumption of duress for trafficking victims in prosecutions. It requires reports on implementation and training for U.S. attorneys on trafficking indicators.

Maddy summaryHR 5799, the James R. Dominguez Memorial Act of 2023, designates a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on U.S. Highway 90 West in Uvalde County, Texas, as the "James R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint" to honor Agent James R. Dominguez, who died in 2012 while clearing road debris. The bill updates all federal references - such as laws, maps, and documents - to use this new name for the checkpoint. It does not change border patrol operations or policies, only the official designation of the location. This memorial act directly affects the checkpoint's identity and all federal records referencing it.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal to Daniel Penny for his actions on May 1, 2023, when he restrained a man with 42 prior arrests on a New York City subway, protecting passengers. The medal, to be struck by the U.S. Mint, will be presented posthumously to Penny, a Marine Corps veteran. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. As a commemorative act, it has no policy impact beyond honoring Penny's actions.

Maddy summaryHR 5349, the "Crucial Communism Teaching Act," requires the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to develop a high school curriculum and oral history resources about communism. The bill directs this foundation to create materials for social studies, history, and government classes that teach students: (1) communism caused over 100 million deaths worldwide, (2) communism and similar ideologies pose dangers to democracy, and (3) 1.5 billion people still live under communist systems. The curriculum must include comparative discussions of political ideologies and feature personal stories from individuals who experienced communist regimes. This bill directly affects high school students and educators in public schools by mandating specific content for civic education.

Maddy summaryHR 10299, the Medicaid Funds Integrity Act of 2024, amends federal Medicaid law to prohibit using federal funds for gun violence prevention or intervention programs. Specifically, it adds a new provision (paragraph 28) to Section 1903(i) of the Social Security Act, blocking federal financial participation for such programs under Medicaid. This directly affects state Medicaid programs that might have sought federal funding for initiatives addressing gun violence. The bill creates a concrete funding restriction, ensuring Medicaid dollars cannot be spent on these specific types of programs.

Maddy summaryHR 10300, the Chevron Re-Review Act, establishes a new process for Congress to review and disapprove federal agency rules that relied on Chevron deference (the legal doctrine where courts defer to agency interpretations of ambiguous laws). The bill requires agencies to provide Congress with specific information about such rules - including cost-benefit analyses and litigation history - within 30 days of a disapproval resolution's introduction. If Congress passes a joint resolution disapproving a rule, the rule is treated as if it never took effect. This procedural bill directly affects agencies and Congress, applying only to rules explicitly based on Chevron deference or upheld by courts using that doctrine.

Maddy summaryHR 6751 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Roberto Clemente, a Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian, including 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins. The coins must feature Clemente's image and inscriptions like "Roberto Clemente" and "2027," with all sales including a surcharge ($5-$35 per coin) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation. The foundation, which supports youth sports, education, and disaster relief programs, will use these funds for its mission, while the U.S. Treasury must recover all production costs. The coins will be sold exclusively in 2027, with no net cost to the government.

Maddy summaryHR 10012 amends the Veterans Community Care Program to include eyeglass lens fittings as an authorized medical service for veterans. This directly affects veterans enrolled in the program who need eyeglass fittings through non-VA providers. The bill requires the VA Secretary to establish regulations ensuring veterans can schedule these fittings at nearby community providers. The VA must also submit a report to Congress within 180 days detailing implementation progress, challenges, and veteran benefits. This changes the scope of covered services without altering eligibility or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires colleges receiving federal student aid (Title IV funds) to annually certify they won't engage in "nonexpressive commercial boycotts of Israel" - defined as commercial actions limiting business with Israel or entities there, excluding certain exceptions under existing law. Non-compliant institutions must be publicly listed by the Education Department within 7 business days after July 31 each year, and they lose eligibility for federal aid. The law directly affects any institution participating in federal student aid programs that fails to submit the required certification. It establishes a clear mechanism for tracking compliance through annual certifications and public transparency, without altering other federal aid rules.