Rep. Dan Newhouse

Maddy summaryHR 5239, the Gulf of Mexico Commerce Protection Act, prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from creating a vessel slowdown zone in the Gulf of Mexico until the Commerce Secretary completes and reports on a study. The study must prove that any proposed whale protection measures (specifically for Rice’s whales) would not harm supply chains or maritime commerce. The bill requires the Commerce Secretary to develop and report findings within 60 days to specific congressional committees, and explicitly bans nighttime transit bans or fixed slowdown zones in the required mitigation protocols. This bill directly affects NOAA’s regulatory authority and the Commerce Department’s study process, delaying potential environmental rules pending congressional review.

Maddy summaryThe CARE Act of 2023 amends the program for family caregivers of veterans to improve transparency and accessibility. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include relevant medical specialists in caregiver evaluations, provide detailed annual reports to Congress on application outcomes (broken down by race, gender, and service details), and clarify how eligibility decisions are made. The bill also creates a fee-free process for recognizing organizations and individuals who help veterans, family members, and caregivers navigate VA services without charging users. These changes directly affect veterans' family caregivers and VA administrative processes, focusing on clearer eligibility standards and data-driven accountability.

Maddy summaryHR 5167, the Protecting Girls with Turner Syndrome Act of 2023, prohibits abortions performed specifically because of a prenatal diagnosis of Turner syndrome - a chromosomal condition affecting females (missing or partially missing X chromosome). It requires medical providers to ask pregnant patients about Turner syndrome diagnoses and inform them of the prohibition before performing an abortion based on that diagnosis. Violations could result in criminal penalties (up to 5 years imprisonment) or civil lawsuits allowing victims (including women, fathers, or grandparents) to seek damages and injunctions. The bill also mandates privacy protections for women involved in such cases and bars federal funding for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the National Dam Safety Program through 2028 by updating the expiration date in existing law from 2023 to 2028 across all program provisions. It extends the federal program that funds dam safety inspections, risk assessments, and emergency planning efforts. The program directly affects dam owners (including state agencies and private operators) and communities living near dams by maintaining current safety oversight standards. No new requirements or funding levels are added; it simply continues the existing program structure.

Maddy summaryHR 5073, titled the "Promoting Domestic Energy Production Act," is a tax code amendment affecting oil and gas companies. It changes how businesses calculate adjusted financial statement income by removing specific deductions related to intangible drilling and development costs from their financial reports. The bill requires companies to disregard depreciation and depletion expenses taken into account on their financial statements for these costs when computing taxable income. This applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2022, directly impacting oil and gas producers who use these accounting methods. The bill does not create new energy policies but alters tax accounting rules for the industry.

Smoke Exposure Crop Insurance Act of 2023 This bill requires the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) to provide for the research and development of a policy to insure wine grapes (including wine grapes produced in California, Oregon, and Washington) against losses due to wildfire smoke exposure. (The term policy means an insurance policy, plan of insurance, provision of a policy or plan of insurance, and related materials.) The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, the agency that finances FCIP operations, must make any resulting policy available that meets specified FCIP requirements. The FCIP must also submit a report to Congress on the research and any resulting policy. The report must include the feasibility of a policy that allows producers to claim an indemnity through post-harvest, post-vinification testing if such testing demonstrates smoke damage that was not detectable prior to harvest.

This resolution condemns Iran for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. It also urges the Biden Administration and U.S. allies to publicly condemn the massacre and to pressure Iran to provide information to the families of the victims.

Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any amount received after 2019 and before 2026 by an individual taxpayer as a qualified wildfire relief payment. The bill defines such payment as compensation for expenses or losses incurred as a result of a federally declared forest or range fire disaster.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins marking the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. It authorizes three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 respectively. The surcharge proceeds will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with no net cost to taxpayers as the Treasury must recover all minting costs through the surcharges. The coins can only be issued during 2025, and the Treasury must ensure all costs are covered before distributing funds to the Heritage Foundation.

Maddy summaryHR 984, the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, authorizes $50 million annually (2024-2028) for grants to states and tribes to improve outreach to veterans and their families. The bill provides funding to hire more county/Tribal veterans service officers, expand existing outreach programs, and ensure equitable access to benefits for vulnerable groups like American Indian veterans, elderly veterans, and women veterans. States and tribes must submit detailed plans, track how quickly veterans receive benefits, and report annually on progress toward outcome measures set by the Veterans Affairs Secretary. Grants must supplement, not replace, existing state/local funding and prioritize areas with critical officer shortages or high veteran suicide rates.