Rep. Elijah Crane

Maddy summaryHR 3611, the Kazakhstan Permanent Normal Trade Relations Act of 2023, makes Kazakhstan's existing "normal trade relations" (NTR) status permanent by removing the need for annual U.S. presidential reviews under the Trade Act of 1974. This bill directly affects U.S. trade policy with Kazakhstan, ending the requirement for the President to annually determine whether Kazakhstan meets emigration freedom standards (which it has satisfied since 1997). The key provision allows the President to formally extend permanent NTR treatment to Kazakhstan's products, eliminating the current annual review process. Once enacted, Kazakhstan would automatically receive the same most-favored-nation tariff rates as other NTR countries, streamlining trade without further congressional action.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding for gender transition procedures - including hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and surgeries like genital reassignment - across all federal programs and health plans. It exempts procedures for medical conditions (such as disorders of sex development) and treatment of complications arising from such procedures. The bill also blocks Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions for health plans covering these services, though individuals may purchase separate non-federal-funded coverage. State and private insurers can still offer such coverage using their own funds, but federal subsidies cannot be applied to it.

Maddy summaryThe Border Reinforcement Act of 2023 requires the immediate resumption of border wall construction along the US-Mexico border using previously allocated funds, with annual goals to complete 200 miles of wall until operational control is achieved. It mandates a comprehensive 5-year technology investment plan for border security systems, including surveillance and detection technology, and sets staffing requirements for U.S. Border Patrol, including a target of 22,000 full-time equivalent agents by 2025. The bill also requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to publish monthly operational statistics on border encounters, drug seizures, and other border security metrics. Additionally, it includes provisions for DNA collection at land borders, eradication of certain vegetation impeding border security, and a report on Mexican cartels as potential foreign terrorist organizations.

Maddy summaryHR 1399, the "Protect Children's Innocence Act," prohibits medical gender-affirming care for minors under 18 by making it a class C felony for providers to perform such care. The bill defines gender-affirming care broadly to include surgical procedures, hormone treatments, and certain cosmetic procedures, with exceptions for medical conditions like reproductive cancers or intersex conditions. It prohibits federal funding for gender-affirming care through programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act, and bans such care in federal health facilities. The bill also prevents institutions of higher education from teaching gender-affirming care and adds immigration consequences for individuals who provide such care to minors.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals specific provisions from the Affordable Care Act and its 2010 amendment that restricted certain physician referrals to hospitals under Medicare. It directly affects hospitals and physicians who previously faced limitations on referring Medicare patients to facilities they owned or had financial ties with. The key mechanism restores the original rules that allowed such referrals without the prior restrictions, effectively undoing the 2010 changes. This is a procedural change to existing law, not a new policy.

Maddy summaryHR 407, the "Protect the UNBORN Act," prohibits federal agencies from implementing or enforcing two specific executive orders issued by President Biden in 2022 (Executive Orders 14076 and 14079), which aimed to protect access to reproductive healthcare services. The bill bans the use of federal funds, including those from the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, to carry out, administer, or enforce these executive orders. It directly affects federal agencies and programs that would otherwise comply with the Biden administration's policies on reproductive healthcare access. The bill does not create new healthcare rules but blocks the implementation of existing executive actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans federal funding for abortions in most cases, prohibiting the use of taxpayer money for abortion services or health insurance plans covering abortion. Exceptions allow funding for abortions resulting from rape, incest, or when a pregnancy endangers a woman's life. It requires health insurance plans sold through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces to clearly disclose any separate costs for abortion coverage and prohibits ACA subsidies from being used for plans that cover abortion (except in the specified exceptions). The law directly affects federal programs like Medicaid, ACA marketplace plans, and insurers offering health coverage to individuals using federal subsidies.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers specific parcels of National Forest System land to Navajo County and Apache County in Arizona for cemetery and townsite purposes. Navajo County would receive two parcels totaling about 5 acres (2.5 acres for an existing cemetery and 2.5 acres for expansion), while Apache County would receive two parcels totaling about 10.6 acres (2.56 acres for an existing cemetery and 8.06 acres for a proposed townsite). The land would be conveyed via quitclaim deed without payment to the counties, but counties must cover all costs for surveys and environmental reviews. The transfer requires each county to submit a written request within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 establishes a limited pilot program allowing non-responsible parties (called "Good Samaritans") to remediate pollution at abandoned hardrock mine sites. The bill creates a permit process requiring applicants to demonstrate they're not liable for the pollution, can safely complete the remediation, and will protect the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency would issue up to 15 permits for these projects, providing liability protection for permitted activities while requiring public notice and environmental review. The pilot program would expire after 7 years, with the EPA required to report on its effectiveness to Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal to Daniel Penny for his actions on May 1, 2023, when he restrained a man with 42 prior arrests on a New York City subway, protecting passengers. The medal, to be struck by the U.S. Mint, will be presented posthumously to Penny, a Marine Corps veteran. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. As a commemorative act, it has no policy impact beyond honoring Penny's actions.