Rep. Eric Sorensen

Maddy summaryHR 724, the Arctic Refuge Protection Act, repeals the existing oil and gas program for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and designates approximately 1.56 million acres of the refuge's coastal plain as federal wilderness. This bill directly affects the Arctic Refuge by permanently prohibiting oil and gas leasing and development in that specific area. The key mechanism is adding the designated land to the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act, requiring it to be managed for its natural conditions. This change legally protects the area from future fossil fuel extraction activities.

Maddy summaryHR 1088, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968) and the first Black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image, which will be presented by Congress and then permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This bill commemorates Chisholm's legacy and achievements without creating new laws or affecting any current policies.

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 summaryHR 1002, the "Saving the Civil Service Act," restricts how federal government positions can be moved between competitive hiring (where most federal jobs are filled through merit-based exams) and non-competitive "excepted service" positions. The bill prevents agencies from moving positions out of the competitive service unless they fit specific schedules in place as of September 2020, requires Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approval for certain transfers, and mandates employee consent for any position transfer between service types. It also limits the number of employees that can be moved from competitive to excepted service during a presidential term - capping it at 1% of an agency's workforce or five employees, whichever is greater. The bill directly affects federal employees and agencies by making it harder to shift positions out of the competitive hiring system without strict oversight.

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 782 prohibits state officials from interfering with abortion services provided across state lines. It specifically blocks states from restricting: (1) out-of-state patients traveling for legal abortions, (2) providers offering such services, (3) assistance for travel or care, or (4) the interstate shipment of FDA-approved abortion drugs. The bill allows the federal Attorney General or affected individuals to sue violators for injunctions, damages, and attorney fees. It directly affects patients seeking care in other states, healthcare providers, transportation services, and pharmacies handling FDA-approved abortion medications. The law focuses on preventing state laws from blocking access to legally permitted abortion services.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs federal agencies to improve mental health support for educators and school staff, including teachers, administrators, and support personnel. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to share evidence-based practices for preventing suicide and promoting mental wellness, and to run a national awareness campaign reducing stigma around seeking care. The bill creates new grant programs for schools and colleges to fund mental health initiatives and training, with $35 million annually for 2024-2026. Additionally, it mandates a federal review of mental health challenges in the education workforce and a GAO report on existing federal grant programs addressing these issues.

Maddy summaryHR 621, the PART Act, requires catalytic converters on vehicles to be stamped with a visible vehicle identification number (VIN) using special high-visibility paint to deter theft. It creates a federal grant program to help auto dealers, repair shops, and law enforcement implement this stamping at no cost to vehicle owners. The bill also mandates that sellers of catalytic converters retain buyer identification and vehicle details for two years, and adds new federal criminal penalties for stealing or trafficking in catalytic converters.

Maddy summaryHRES 112 is a non-binding House resolution expressing condolences for five victims killed in a 2019 mass shooting at a Henry Pratt Company warehouse in Aurora, Illinois. It honors the memory of Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton Parks, Josh Pinkard, and Trevor Wehner, while also recognizing five Aurora Police officers wounded during the response. The resolution commends first responders and expresses support for the Aurora community, standing in solidarity with victims of gun violence nationwide. As a commemorative measure with no policy or funding changes, it serves solely to memorialize the tragedy and acknowledge community resilience.

Maddy summaryHR 889, the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act, excludes certain federal broadband grants from recipients' taxable income. It specifically applies to grants received under programs like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program and state digital equity grants. The bill prevents double tax benefits by disallowing deductions or credits for expenses covered by these excluded grants and reduces the adjusted basis of related property. This policy change directly affects broadband providers, local governments, and tribal entities receiving qualifying grants from federal or state sources for broadband infrastructure deployment.