Rep. James Comer

Maddy summaryHCONRES 13 is a concurrent resolution expressing Congress's support for maintaining the current policy that prohibits imposing new fees on local radio stations for playing music. It states that Congress should not impose any performance fee, tax, royalty, or charge on local radio stations for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on businesses like bars and restaurants that play music publicly. The resolution argues that such fees would harm local radio stations - critical sources for emergency information and community programming - and jeopardize the economic model that has supported both radio and the music industry for decades. This resolution does not create new law but formally opposes potential legislative changes to the existing fee structure.

Maddy summaryHR 139, the SHOW UP Act of 2023, requires U.S. federal executive agencies to revert to their pre-pandemic telework policies and levels by January 30, 2024 (30 days after enactment). Agencies must conduct a study on pandemic-era telework impacts - including effects on mission performance, costs from underused offices or incorrect pay classifications, and employee productivity - and submit a new plan to Congress if they seek to expand telework beyond 2019 levels. This plan requires certification from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director confirming it will improve mission performance, reduce real property costs, lower locality pay expenses, and ensure secure remote work tools without increasing overall costs. The bill directly affects all federal executive agencies and their telework policies, mandating a return to pre-2020 practices while creating a formal process for any future telework expansion.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates for one year unless they certify they won't perform or fund abortions (with exceptions for rape/incest or life-threatening conditions). It redirects $235 million in existing funding to community health centers for women's health services like contraception, cancer screenings, and prenatal care. The bill explicitly states that redirected funds will continue to support all women's health services previously provided by Planned Parenthood. It also requires repayment of funds if Planned Parenthood violates the certification, and clarifies that overall federal funding for women's health services remains unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to create a public database containing detailed information about settlement agreements they enter into, such as the nature of violations, payment amounts, and affected State/local governments. Agencies must submit categorized, searchable data - including settlement terms, penalties, and economic justifications - within 90 days of guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, with all information remaining public for at least 5 years after settlement ends. The database directly affects federal agencies (as data reporters) and indirectly informs State/local governments listed as impacted by settlement terms. It does not alter settlement processes but increases transparency around how federal agencies resolve legal cases involving alleged violations of civil or criminal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare providers to give the same medical care to infants born alive during abortions as they would to any newborn, and to immediately admit such infants to a hospital. It mandates reporting of non-compliance to law enforcement and imposes penalties including up to 5 years in prison for violations. Women who undergo abortions can file civil lawsuits seeking money damages for injuries, three times the abortion cost, and punitive damages if care standards are not met. The bill also clarifies that abortion includes intentionally killing an unborn child or terminating pregnancy without specific exceptions (e.g., after viability to preserve life or removing a dead fetus).

Maddy summaryThe Chance to Compete Act of 2023 reforms federal hiring practices for positions in the competitive service by establishing new standards for assessments used in the hiring process. It prohibits the use of automated self-assessments and certain résumé reviews after two years, requiring instead passing score assessments that directly demonstrate job-related skills. The bill mandates agencies to publicly post any waivers to these standards, limits waivers to 10% of positions, and requires OPM to create an online tool tracking hiring data including demographic information. This affects all federal agencies hiring through the competitive service and the applicants for those positions.

Life at Conception Act This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.

Standardizing Thresholds Of Penalties for Fentanyl Act or the STOP Fentanyl Act This bill reduces the drug quantity thresholds that trigger a mandatory minimum prison term for a defendant who manufactures, distributes, imports, exports, or possesses with intent to distribute fentanyl. The bill also creates enhanced criminal penalties for certain violations involving fentanyl that was imported along the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, the bill reduces from 400 to 5 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 100 to 0.05 grams the fentanyl analogue quantity that trigger a mandatory minimum prison term for high-level first-time or repeat offenders. It also reduces from 40 to 0.5 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 10 to 0.005 grams the fentanyl analogue quantity that trigger a mandatory minimum prison term for low-level first-time or repeat offenders. Additionally, the bill creates enhanced mandatory minimum prison terms for importing or exporting fentanyl that was imported along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Maddy summaryHJRES 17 is a congressional resolution disapproving the District of Columbia Council's approval of the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-640), which the Council enacted on October 18, 2022. If passed by Congress and signed into law, this resolution would block the local voting rights amendment from taking effect. The bill directly affects the District of Columbia government by preventing implementation of the amendment, which aimed to address voting rights for residents. This resolution follows the District of Columbia Home Rule Act's requirement for congressional disapproval of certain local laws.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 12 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to balance its budget annually, meaning spending cannot exceed revenue except under specific circumstances. It would directly affect Congress and the President by mandating that annual budgets must not exceed revenue, with exceptions requiring a 3/5 vote in both chambers of Congress or a military conflict waiver approved by a joint resolution. Key provisions include prohibiting increases to the national debt without a 3/5 congressional vote, requiring the President to submit a balanced budget proposal each year, and defining "receipts" to exclude borrowing. The amendment would take effect five years after ratification by 38 states (three-fourths of states) and includes limited waivers for declared wars or imminent national security threats. This is a procedural constitutional change, not a spending bill, and would fundamentally alter federal budgeting processes.