Rep. Gabe Evans

Maddy summaryThe COMPASS Act expands protections for military families under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to ensure uninterrupted schooling during permanent relocations. It allows a dependent child of a servicemember to be considered compliant with a new state's homeschooling laws if they were already following the rules of their previous state or their legal residence. This change aims to reduce administrative burdens and prevent conflicting state requirements from penalizing military families who move frequently. By aligning these rules with existing federal protections, the bill seeks to support family stability and the readiness of servicemembers during transitions.

Maddy summaryThe Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026 modernizes the H-2A visa program by transferring administrative authority to the Department of Homeland Security and introducing a unified online platform to streamline applications for employers and workers. Key provisions include establishing new housing standards with mandatory inspections, creating a system for staggered worker entry and exit, and allowing workers to transfer between employers without losing their status. The bill also defines specific job classifications for wage calculations, expands the scope of covered agricultural activities, and provides legal protections for employers who document the employment of workers seeking visa status. Additionally, it requires agencies to develop a heat illness prevention plan and allows for contract termination due to natural disasters.

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 summaryThe Local Foods for Healthy Schools Act of 2026 creates a new program to help state and local governments purchase and distribute food grown within 400 miles of schools. This initiative provides $200 million annually to eligible state agencies, which can either buy local produce directly or give funds to school districts for that purpose. The bill defines local foods as minimally processed agricultural products and requires recipients to submit reports on their purchases while ensuring funds supplement rather than replace existing state support.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the presentation of Congressional Gold Medals to the four crew members of the Artemis II mission to recognize their historic achievement in advancing human space exploration. The legislation directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the medals, which will feature the faces of the astronauts and be struck by the Secretary of the Treasury. In addition to the gold medals, the bill permits the minting and sale of duplicate bronze versions to help cover production costs, with any proceeds returned to the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

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 summaryThe SAFE VISITS Act requires DHS to annually analyze threats from foreign visitors seeking access to state/local government officials, information, facilities, or systems, and provide security guidance to affected governments. It mandates DHS to identify high-risk targets, offer tailored vetting assistance, and request debriefings after visits involving foreign nationals. The bill directly affects state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments by formalizing DHS support to mitigate security risks from foreign visitors. DHS must also research improved methods for sharing threat information with these governments. This policy change focuses on enhancing security awareness without restricting legitimate visits.

Maddy summaryHR 2978, the GUARD Act, allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to use existing federal grant funds for investigating elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" investment scams, and general financial fraud. The bill directs these funds toward hiring specialized staff, training on blockchain tools and transnational fraud, purchasing investigative software, improving data collection, and creating financial sector liaisons to coordinate with banks. It requires annual reports from law enforcement on fund usage and outcomes, and mandates federal agencies to submit comprehensive reports to Congress on scam statistics, enforcement actions, and funding allocation. The legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies and aims to strengthen efforts against fraud targeting vulnerable populations, particularly elderly individuals.

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.