Rep. Jerry L. Carl

Maddy summaryThe ESA Flexibility Act (HR 6784) modifies the Endangered Species Act to give states more control over species protections. It allows the federal wildlife agency to choose whether to issue protective regulations for endangered species (previously required), and adds a key provision: federal regulations under this section only apply in states that have adopted them through cooperative agreements. This directly affects state governments and landowners in states with such agreements, as it limits federal regulation scope to areas where states have formally adopted the rules. The bill does not change core protections for listed species but shifts implementation flexibility to state-level decision-making.

Maddy summaryHJRES 114 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rule that would have required tracking greenhouse gas emissions as part of assessing performance for the National Highway System. The rule, published in the Federal Register in December 2023, aimed to establish specific metrics for evaluating highway system performance, including emissions data. If approved, this resolution would nullify the rule, preventing the FHWA from implementing the emissions tracking requirement. This action directly affects how the FHWA measures highway system performance, specifically regarding environmental metrics.

Maddy summaryHR 7303, the Preserve Geographic Names Act, abolishes the Board on Geographic Names established in 1947 and terminates all its functions. The bill updates the 1947 law by removing all references to the Board, including its name, duties, and authority, and revises related sections to reflect its elimination. This is a procedural change that affects no specific geographic names or people, as it only eliminates the federal board responsible for coordinating geographic naming. The bill does not alter how geographic names are approved or managed by federal agencies.

Abortion Funding Awareness Act of 2024 This bill establishes reporting requirements for states regarding certain Medicaid payments to abortion providers. Specifically, the bill requires states that make Medicaid payments using federal funds for any items or services furnished by an abortion provider to annually (1) submit a report to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on all such payments, and (2) publish the report on the state's website. The report must include specified information, including the number of abortions performed by the providers and the gestational age with respect to each such abortion. (Current law restricts the use of federal funds for abortions to cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment of the woman. States may use their own funds to cover abortions in other cases.)

Maddy summaryHR 7080, the "Earn Your Keep Act," requires all federal executive agencies to return to their pre-pandemic telework policies as of December 31, 2019, within 30 days of the bill's enactment. This directly affects federal employees who previously worked remotely during the pandemic, mandating they comply with in-office requirements or face removal from federal service and elimination of their position. Key mechanisms include reinstating 2019 telework rules, overriding conflicting agency policies, and requiring the GAO to study pandemic-era telework patterns, including locality pay rates and employee work locations. The bill applies exclusively to Executive agencies (e.g., departments like Defense or Health and Human Services) and does not affect state or local government workers.

Maddy summaryHR 7014, the Protect Medicaid Act, prohibits federal Medicaid funding for the administrative costs associated with providing health benefits to noncitizens who are not lawfully admitted permanent residents and are ineligible for Medicaid due to immigration status. It directly affects states that currently offer health benefits to such noncitizens, requiring them to cover administrative expenses through state funds instead of federal Medicaid dollars. The bill amends federal law to add a specific prohibition on using federal funds for these administrative costs, while leaving the provision of medical care itself unaffected. Additionally, it mandates an Inspector General report analyzing how states separate administrative costs, ensure compliance, and finance these programs, including impacts on drug pricing. The law focuses solely on administrative funding, not on restricting medical benefits for eligible individuals.

Maddy summaryThe Death Tax Repeal Act would eliminate the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of people who die on or after the bill's enactment date, and for generation-skipping transfers made after that date. It would also establish a new $10 million lifetime gift tax exemption (adjusted annually for inflation) and replace the existing gift tax rate schedule with a revised structure. These changes would primarily affect high-net-worth individuals and their heirs, as the estate tax and gift tax typically apply to large estates or gifts exceeding the new exemption threshold. The bill's provisions would take effect on the date of enactment, with transitional rules for the year the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryHR 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023, allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole milk as an option during lunch. It amends the school lunch law to explicitly permit schools to serve flavored and unflavored whole milk alongside reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk choices for students. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust meal regulations to account for saturated fat from whole milk, ensuring it doesn't count against meal fat limits. This change directly affects participating schools and the students who receive school lunches, expanding their milk beverage options.

Maddy summaryHR 6734 prohibits the use of federal funds to finalize, implement, or enforce the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' (ATF) proposed rule (2022R-17) defining "engaged in the business as a dealer in firearms." This bill directly affects the ATF by blocking funding for this specific regulatory rule, which was proposed in August 2023. The legislation does not create new requirements but prevents federal resources from being used to advance this particular ATF regulation.

Maddy summaryThis bill corrects a technical error affecting certain 9/11 victims' families who settled claims through the 2014 court case *In re 650 Fifth Avenue*. It ensures these families - designated as "Havlish Settling Judgment Creditors" - receive withheld funds from the Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund and can participate in future payments like other eligible claimants. The bill amends existing law to exempt these families from specific distribution rules and requires released funds to be paid directly to them. It does not create new payments but fixes a bureaucratic oversight preventing these families from accessing funds they were previously owed.