Rep. Keith Self

CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act This bill limits the ability of the Federal Reserve to (1) provide direct services to individuals, and (2) use a central bank digital currency. A central bank digital currency is a digital currency (e.g., Bitcoin or Ether) issued by a government-backed central bank. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Federal Reserve and the Federal Open Market Committee from using any central bank digital currency to implement monetary policy. In addition, a Federal Reserve bank is prohibited from offering products or services directly to an individual, maintaining an account on behalf of an individual, or issuing a central bank digital currency directly to an individual. The Federal Reserve must (1) consult with each Federal Reserve bank with respect to any central bank digital currency study or pilot program, and (2) issue quarterly reports on the findings and determinations of any such study or program.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require the U.S. to withhold funding for the UNRWA (United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians) unless the State Department certifies UNRWA staff, materials, and facilities comply with specific conditions. Key conditions include confirming no ties to terrorism or anti-Israel rhetoric (like denying Israel's right to exist or promoting BDS), no misuse of UNRWA resources for terrorist activities, and adherence to international financial audits. It also caps U.S. contributions to UNRWA at levels comparable to Arab League countries and mandates annual reports to Congress on phasing out UNRWA support. These changes directly affect U.S. foreign aid decisions for Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and the West Bank.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor all U.S. Army Dustoff crews who served during the Vietnam War (1962-1973). It recognizes their critical role in evacuating nearly 900,000 wounded personnel, including U.S., South Vietnamese, and allied forces, under extreme combat conditions. The medal, designed with input from the Secretary of Defense, will be presented to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum for permanent display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, but the primary action is the commemorative recognition of these crews' service.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to audit unspent funds from major pandemic relief packages - including the CARES Act, American Rescue Plan, and related bills - within 30 days of enactment. It mandates a report listing all unobligated funds remaining under these laws. The unspent amounts would then be automatically returned to the Treasury’s general fund for deficit reduction, with no further congressional action needed. The bill directly affects how the federal government handles leftover pandemic relief funds, focusing on accounting and fiscal responsibility rather than new program benefits.

Maddy summaryHR 987 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Golda Meir, Israel's first female Prime Minister, and the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar clad coins (max 750,000), with detailed weight and composition requirements. All coins will include Golda Meir's image, her name, and commemorative inscriptions, and will be sold during 2026. A surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) will be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc. to support its hospital operations.

Maddy summaryHR 976, the TCJA Permanency Act, makes permanent many tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that were scheduled to expire after 2025. The bill affects individual taxpayers by keeping lower tax rates, higher standard deductions, increased child tax credits, and other key changes permanently. Key provisions include permanent modifications to income tax brackets, repeal of personal exemptions, limits on state and local tax deductions, and increased estate and gift tax exemptions. These changes would prevent the tax code from reverting to pre-TCJA rates and rules for millions of taxpayers.

Maddy summaryHR 899 would end the U.S. Department of Education by requiring its termination on December 31, 2023. This bill directly affects the Department of Education itself, eliminating its federal structure and operations. The key provision is a specific termination date, ending the agency's existence as a standalone cabinet-level department. No other mechanisms or affected groups are specified in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHR 938 would abolish the U.S. Department of Education 30 days after enactment, terminating all its programs except the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan programs (which transfer to the Treasury Secretary). It would replace federal education funding with block grants to states, distributing funds based on each state’s share of national individual income tax revenue. States receiving these grants must use the funds exclusively for K-12 education, with no federal restrictions on how they allocate the money. The bill aims to shift control over K-12 education funding directly to states, removing the federal department’s administrative role.

Border Security Investment Act This bill imposes a fee on remittances sent to certain countries and provides funding for border security activities from the collected amounts. Specifically, the fee shall apply to remittances sent to one of the five countries that had the most citizens or nationals unlawfully enter the United States in the previous fiscal year, as determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The fee must be 37% of the amount sent. Half of the money collected by the fee must be placed in a trust fund for reimbursing border states for expenses incurred for border security enforcement measures. The other half must be placed in another trust fund for (1) deploying technology and installing physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, and (2) paying the wages and salaries of U.S. Border Patrol agents. If the amount in the trust funds exceeds a certain threshold, the excess money must be used only for deficit reduction.

Maddy summaryHR 29, the Border Safety and Security Act of 2023, grants the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to restrict entry at U.S. land or maritime borders for certain immigrants deemed "covered aliens" (those inadmissible under immigration law due to lack of proper documentation). The bill requires the Secretary to suspend entry if they cannot detain or process these individuals as required by existing immigration law. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the Secretary in federal court if they believe border policies harm their state's residents. The law defines "operational control" using terms from the Secure Fence Act of 2006. This bill directly affects immigrants seeking entry who fall under the specified inadmissibility category.