Rep. Lance Gooden

Maddy summaryHR 4119 requires the U.S. State Department to submit a detailed report within 180 days of enactment on the Polisario Front’s leadership, military activities, and ties to Iran, Russia, Hezbollah, the IRGC, and the PKK. It also mandates that the State Department and Treasury submit within 90 days whether the Polisario Front meets criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization or for sanctions under existing laws. The bill establishes a process for potential sanctions but includes a waiver if the Polisario Front engages in good-faith negotiations toward Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan for Western Sahara. This legislation focuses on gathering evidence for future designations rather than immediately imposing sanctions. It directly affects U.S. foreign policy decisions regarding the Polisario Front and Western Sahara.

Maddy summaryHR 4072, the Pro Codes Act, requires standards development organizations (like ASTM or IEEE) to make technical standards publicly accessible online at no cost when those standards are incorporated by reference into federal, state, or local laws or regulations. This applies to over 23,000 standards currently referenced in the Code of Federal Regulations, ensuring the public can read them freely while allowing organizations to maintain revenue through paid subscriptions. The bill amends copyright law to mandate this free online access - including searchable features - within a reasonable timeframe after an organization learns a standard is referenced, without disrupting their business model. It balances public access with copyright protection, placing the burden of proof on anyone claiming an organization failed to comply. The law directly affects standards organizations, government agencies, and the public who rely on these referenced standards for safety, innovation, and compliance.

Maddy summaryHRES 520 is a House resolution honoring former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush on the occasion of her 100th birthday, recognizing her life, achievements, and public service. It specifically highlights her advocacy for literacy - including establishing the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and supporting the National Literacy Act - and her roles as Second Lady and First Lady during her husband George H.W. Bush's presidency. This commemorative resolution does not create new laws or policies; it serves only to formally acknowledge her legacy. The resolution was introduced by House members on June 17, 2025.

Maddy summaryH.J.Res. 88 disapproves an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have allowed California to enforce its "Advanced Clean Cars II" vehicle emission standards. This rule, submitted by the EPA on January 6, 2025, sought to grant California a waiver to override federal preemption for its stricter vehicle pollution controls. The resolution, passed by Congress and signed into law on June 12, 2025, formally nullifies the EPA rule, preventing California from implementing its Advanced Clean Cars II program under this specific waiver. The bill directly affects California's ability to set its own vehicle emission standards for passenger cars and light trucks.

Maddy summaryHR 3966 requires certain tax-exempt organizations, including think tanks and cultural nonprofits, to annually disclose foreign contributions exceeding $10,000 from foreign governments, political parties, or entities controlled by them. The bill mandates that these organizations report the name of the foreign source and the total amount received, with this information made publicly available in a searchable IRS database. It directly affects nonprofits receiving significant foreign funding, aiming to increase transparency about potential foreign influence operations. The legislation targets funding from sources like foreign governments or entities linked to the Chinese Communist Party, as highlighted in congressional findings about influence campaigns. The policy change creates a new reporting requirement under the Internal Revenue Code, effective for tax years after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 3946, the FIGHT Act of 2025, amends the Animal Welfare Act to specifically prohibit gambling on animal fighting events and restrict the interstate transport of roosters used in such ventures. It defines "rooster" as male chickens over six months old and makes it unlawful to sponsor, exhibit, attend (for those under 16), or gamble on animal fighting events - whether in-person or broadcast. The bill creates a civil enforcement mechanism allowing any person to file a lawsuit to stop violations after providing 60 days' notice to authorities, with potential fines up to $5,000 per violation. It also establishes seizure of property used to facilitate violations and clarifies that state laws on animal fighting remain in effect unless directly conflicting with federal provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill blocks the U.S. Defense Department from signing new contracts for software source code with companies having specific ties to China. It prohibits contracts with entities that own or fund AI facilities in China, share source code allowing Chinese reverse engineering, or operate data centers in China for such software. The Secretary of Defense may waive the ban for national security reasons, but the rule only applies to contracts entered into within three years of the law's enactment. It directly affects defense contractors and tech firms seeking to provide sensitive software source code to the Pentagon.

Maddy summaryHR 3787, the Emergency Spending Accountability Act, requires the Office of Management and Budget to implement mandatory spending cuts equal to 20% of all emergency spending approved in a fiscal year. These cuts would occur over five years (starting October 1 of the next fiscal year) and apply to most federal programs, though they exempt Social Security benefits, national defense (budget function 050), Department of Veterans Affairs programs, and Medicare. The bill also mandates that any congressional measure containing emergency spending must include a detailed justification explaining why the spending qualifies as "emergency" under existing budget laws. This aims to create accountability for spending that bypasses standard budget limits.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 503) is a non-binding expression of support for designating June 11, 2025, as "World Franchise Day." It does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or businesses; instead, it symbolically recognizes franchising's economic role. The resolution cites franchising's history (tracing to Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Singer), its current scale (830,876 U.S. establishments supporting 8.8 million jobs), and its contribution to the economy (nearly 3% of GDP). It is a procedural resolution, not a policy change, meant to acknowledge franchising's significance as a business model.

Maddy summaryHR 3867, the Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025, increases compensation for chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees from $60 to $120 per case, directly affecting these trustees who administer consumer bankruptcy cases. The bill adjusts fee distributions to fund this increase, ensuring the bankruptcy system remains self-supporting without taxpayer costs. It also extends terms for certain bankruptcy judge positions from 5 to 10 years to address caseload demands. The bill does not change filing fees or alter courts' authority to waive fees for indigent filers.