Rep. Michael K. Simpson

Maddy summaryHR 9950, the "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act," authorizes three gold medals to be awarded to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team for their historic victory over the Soviet Union during the Winter Olympics. The medals, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be presented by Congress to honor the team's achievement, which revitalized American morale during the Cold War. One medal will be displayed at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, one at the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, and one at the U.S. Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs. This is a ceremonial honor, not a policy change, directly recognizing the team members and their legacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Clean Air Act to modify ethanol waiver processes and fuel volatility standards. It adds a new provision allowing fuel to enter commerce if it meets Reid Vapor Pressure requirements through similarity to certified vehicles or existing waivers, and adjusts vapor pressure limits from 10% to 10-15% in several sections. Small refineries that retired credits for 2016-2018 compliance years may now have those credits returned or applied to future years if their petitions remained pending as of December 1, 2022. The changes directly affect fuel retailers, ethanol producers, and small refineries by altering compliance pathways for fuel standards and credit management under the renewable fuel program.

Maddy summaryHJRES 136 is a resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have set new emissions standards for light and medium-duty vehicles sold in 2027 and later model years. The EPA rule, published in April 2024, aimed to require vehicle manufacturers to meet stricter pollution limits for these vehicles. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, preventing the EPA from enforcing the new standards. It uses a congressional process that allows Congress to reject agency rules with a simple majority vote.

Maddy summaryHR 6319 (the 911 SAVES Act of 2023) requires the Office of Management and Budget to reclassify public safety telecommunicators as "Protective Service Occupations" within 30 days of enactment. This change corrects their current misclassification in the federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, which is used for statistical data on jobs. The bill directly affects how these professionals - critical in emergency calls involving missing children, active threats, and officer safety - are officially categorized in government workforce data. It does not create new benefits or funding but aims to better recognize their lifesaving role through accurate federal job classification.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 163) is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule finalized on May 9, 2024. The EPA rule established new emissions standards for greenhouse gases from fossil fuel power plants (both new and existing) and repealed a previous rule called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule. The resolution would block this EPA rule from taking effect by invoking the Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code). If passed, it would prevent the EPA rule from being enforced, directly affecting fossil fuel power plant operators and the EPA’s regulatory authority over emissions.

Maddy summaryThe JUDGES Act of 2024 authorizes new federal district court judgeships across multiple states to address rising case backlogs in the federal judiciary. It specifies new permanent judgeships for districts including California (multiple districts), Florida, Texas, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, and New York, with implementation phased through 2035, and creates temporary judgeships for Oklahoma districts with specific vacancy rules. The bill authorizes funding for these positions and requires reports on judicial caseloads and detention space needs, while mandating public access to the Judicial Conference's judgeship recommendations. The bill directly affects federal district courts in the specified locations by increasing judicial staffing to handle growing case volumes.

Maddy summaryHR 9609 modifies deadlines and communication rules for disaster assistance under the Small Business Act, directly affecting small businesses and individuals applying for aid after major disasters. It adds a mandatory 60-day deadline extension for applications, allows late submissions with "good cause," and requires the Administrator to improve public communication about these changes. The bill also mandates notifying local congressional offices about deadlines to ensure broader awareness. These changes aim to streamline access to disaster relief by reducing administrative barriers.

Maddy summary# Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 - Summary This document is a comprehensive appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies for fiscal year 2025. It contains numerous specific funding allocations, restrictions, and prohibitions on how federal funds may be used. ## Key Restrictions and Prohibitions The bill contains extensive prohibitions on using funds for specific environmental regulations, policies, and executive orders: - **Climate Change Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for implementing numerous climate-related regulations and executive orders, including: - The Clean Power Plan (Section 472) - Executive Orders related to climate change (Sections 449) - The "Good Neighbor" rule for ozone standards (Section 470) - The "NEPA Phase 1" and "NEPA Phase 2" regulations (Sections 479-480) - The "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants" rule (Section 491) - **Regulatory Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for numerous EPA regulations, including: - Clean Water Act Section 401 rule (Section 476) - Greenhouse gas reporting rule (Section 483) - Methane fee regulations (Section 490) - Disposal of coal combustion residuals (Section 485) - Risk Management Programs (Section 482) - The "Steam Rule" (Section 468) - Ethylene oxide regulations (Section 473) - **Policy Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for: - Using "social cost of carbon" in regulatory analysis (Section 454) - Developing guidance on valuation of ecosystem services (Section 450) - Implementing the "Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases" (Section 477) - Promoting or advancing "Critical Race Theory" (Section 445) - The Climate Justice Alliance (Section 460) - The "American Climate Corps" (Section 448) - **Specific Program Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for: - Certain EPA guidance on "Waters of the United States" (Section 466) - Implementing pesticide labeling changes (Section 467) - The "Small Off-Road Engine Waiver" (Section 469) - The "Meat and Poultry Products" rule (Section 484) ## Key Funding Provisions - **Wildfire Management**: Includes significant funding for wildland firefighting with specific provisions: - Special pay rates for wildland firefighters (Section 456) - Incident response premium pay (Section 457) - **Land Management**: Funds for: - National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (Section 429) - Land and Water Conservation Fund (Section 429) - Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund (Section 428) - **Water Management**: Specific provisions for water rights (Section 458), but restrictions on certain regulations. ## Other Notable Provisions - **Firefighter Pay**: Specific provisions for special base rates and incident response premium pay for wildland firefighters (Sections 456-457) - **State Permit Programs**: Approval of Florida's permit program for dredged or fill material (Section 492) - **Land Conveyance**: Provisions for conveyance of National Forest System land in Riverside County, California (Section 459) - **Prohibition on Certain Regulations**: Includes prohibitions on implementing specific regulations like the "FAST-41" rule (Section 463) This bill represents a highly restrictive approach to federal environmental regulation, with numerous specific prohibitions on using funds for climate change policies, environmental regulations, and certain types of policy development. It emphasizes limiting the regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection Agency while providing specific funding for land management and wildfire response programs.

Maddy summaryHR 3507, the "Yes In My Backyard Act," requires local governments receiving certain federal Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to report on their progress toward adopting specific housing-friendly land use policies. It directly affects cities and counties that administer CDBG funds by mandating they submit plans tracking 22+ policy changes, such as allowing duplexes in single-family zones, reducing parking requirements, or streamlining permits. The bill does not require local governments to adopt these policies but requires them to document their current status and plans for implementation. This reporting mechanism aims to identify barriers to affordable housing without binding local governments to specific actions. The requirement applies to CDBG recipients starting one year after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (HRES 1369) honoring Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter, U.S. Army Reserves veteran, and community leader from Sarver, Pennsylvania, who died on July 13, 2024. The resolution formally mourns his passing and celebrates his life, noting he left behind his wife, Helen, and two daughters, Allyson and Kaylee. It recognizes his service to the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department, his military service, and his role as a devoted member of Cabot Methodist Church. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on legislation or constituents beyond this formal acknowledgment.