Rep. Harriet M. Hageman

Maddy summaryThe FEES Act of 2026 modifies federal laws to limit the amount of legal fees and expenses that individuals can recover when winning lawsuits against the government. It caps these awards at $200,000 per case and restricts recipients to a maximum of three such awards in a single year, with exceptions for class-action lawsuits or cases involving the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill also requires that settlement agreements involving federal regulations or guidance documents cannot include payments for attorneys' fees or litigation costs. Additionally, the Act mandates an independent scientific review within five years to assess the ecological, social, and economic impacts of the legislation on federally managed lands.

Maddy summaryHR 4398, the Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act, requires Veterans Affairs (VA) physicians or nurse practitioners to certify the death of a veteran who dies of natural causes within 48 hours of learning of the death. This directly affects veterans' families, who previously faced delays of up to eight weeks in burial and access to survivor benefits due to slow death certifications. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress on VA compliance with the 48-hour rule, including statistics on delays and their causes. The key change is establishing a strict timeline for death certification to prevent unnecessary delays in honoring veterans' final arrangements.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Ban Abortion by Mail Act, aims to restrict how abortion medications like mifepristone are prescribed by requiring an in-person visit between the patient and the doctor. It directly affects health care providers who are currently certified by the FDA to dispense these drugs, threatening their certification status if they prescribe them without a physical examination or to patients living in states where the provider lacks a medical license. The legislation mandates that the FDA report annually to Congress on any providers who lose this certification due to violations or unsafe prescribing practices. By enforcing these specific conditions, the bill seeks to ensure that all prescriptions for abortion drugs are administered under strict supervision and within the legal boundaries of the patient's state.

Maddy summaryThis bill redesignates the existing National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund as the America's Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance on federal lands. It directs revenue from recreation fees and a portion of energy development income into the fund, which must be used primarily for repairing critical infrastructure like roads, trails, and buildings managed by agencies such as the National Park Service and the Forest Service. The legislation establishes strict rules requiring that most funds go toward non-transportation projects, mandates transparency through public dashboards tracking project status, and sets aside a small percentage for matching private donations. Additionally, the bill increases entrance fees for foreign visitors to ensure they contribute to the fund, while prohibiting the use of these specific funds for land acquisition or employee bonuses.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the House's sense that parents need clear and accurate information about video content to make informed decisions for their children. It calls on the Federal Communications Commission to modernize the existing ratings system to cover all video platforms, including streaming services, and to ensure content descriptions are neutral and specific. The bill also urges the creation of an oversight body that includes parents and child advocates alongside industry representatives to increase transparency in how ratings are assigned. Ultimately, it seeks to improve parental guidance tools and public awareness without mandating specific changes to current laws.

Maddy summaryThe GHOSTRUCK Act modifies federal regulations to allow motor carriers to add edits or annotations to electronic logging device records under specific conditions. This change permits employees or authorized agents to make these adjustments only if they are physically located in North America and the driver subsequently approves the changes. The bill directly affects trucking companies and drivers by establishing new rules for how digital driving logs can be modified after the fact.

Maddy summaryThe Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act amends the Federal Power Act to modify how federal licenses for hydropower projects are issued. Specifically, it requires that license conditions include measures to reasonably mitigate direct adverse effects on federal reservations and fish populations within applicable river systems. These changes aim to ensure that new or existing hydropower projects address environmental impacts on protected lands and aquatic species before a license is granted. The bill directly affects hydropower project developers and federal agencies responsible for licensing and environmental oversight.

Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act This bill repeals the Corporate Transparency Act. The act requires existing companies and newly created companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for purposes of addressing the financing of terrorism and money laundering.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a legal pathway for citizens to sue federal employees if they force artificial intelligence companies to censor content based on political views, religious beliefs, or other personal ideologies. It specifically prohibits government workers from directing AI providers to remove specific outputs, alter how the technology is trained, or deny access to services because of a user's viewpoint or identity. The law also bans federal officials from spying on or penalizing individuals for their lawful use of AI tools. While it allows victims to seek damages and legal fees, it does not permit lawsuits against the federal government itself for actions taken within the scope of official duties.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Administrative Procedure Act to require courts to conduct a new trial on the facts whenever an agency action involves imposing a sanction. Under current law, courts often defer to an agency's factual findings, but this change would mandate that judges independently evaluate the evidence rather than relying solely on the agency's determination. The amendment specifically applies to cases where agencies use rulemaking or adjudication procedures to issue penalties, ensuring that the factual basis for those sanctions is fully reviewed by a judge.