Rep. Andy Biggs

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan increasing oil and gas leasing on federal lands (managed by Interior, Agriculture, and Defense) by the same percentage as any initial drawdown of petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The plan must not increase leased lands by more than 10% total. It mandates consultation between energy, agriculture, and defense secretaries to create this plan before any reserve drawdown occurs. The bill directly affects federal land management agencies and the process for accessing the national oil reserve.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by creating a new exemption for individuals living in counties with fewer than two health insurance issuers offering plans on the marketplace. It also changes health coverage rules for congressional staff, members of Congress, the President, Vice President, and certain political appointees: they can enroll in exchange plans but cannot receive government contributions for premiums, tax credits, or reduced cost-sharing benefits available to other enrollees. The bill clarifies that Congress is not considered a "small employer" for exchange coverage purposes. These provisions directly affect residents in limited-insurance areas and specific federal employees regarding their health coverage options under the ACA.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal court rules to prevent class action lawsuits claiming gig workers were wrongly classified as independent contractors. It adds a new requirement to Rule 23(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, blocking such cases from proceeding if they allege misclassification. The change directly affects gig economy companies (like ride-share or food-delivery apps) facing worker classification lawsuits and limits workers' ability to pursue these claims collectively. This is a procedural change to the legal process, not a new classification standard for workers.

Maddy summaryThe Small Business Flexibility Act (HR 85) amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to change tip pooling rules. It allows tip pools to include two types of employees: (1) those who customarily and regularly receive tips, and (2) a new category defined as employees who both customarily and regularly receive tips (while being paid at least the minimum wage) and do not customarily and regularly receive tips. This change aims to give small businesses more flexibility in managing tip distributions. The bill specifically targets how tips can be shared among staff, affecting restaurants and similar businesses where tipping is common.

Maddy summaryHR 97, the Injunctive Authority Clarification Act of 2025, clarifies that U.S. federal courts (including those in territories like Guam) cannot issue orders preventing government enforcement of laws against people or groups not directly involved in a lawsuit. The bill requires that any such order against a non-party must be issued by a party legally representing that non-party under standard federal court rules. This directly affects courts, government agencies enforcing laws, and third parties who might otherwise face unintended legal restrictions. The key change is preventing courts from broadly restraining enforcement actions against outsiders without proper legal representation.

Maddy summaryHR 45 (FIND Act) requires federal government contractors to certify they do not discriminate against firearm businesses (including manufacturers, dealers, and trade associations) in their policies or practices. The bill mandates that contractors and subcontractors (for contracts over 10% of the prime contract value) certify they have no discriminatory policies and will not adopt them during the contract term. Violations could lead to contract termination and potential debarment. This applies to all federal procurement contracts awarded after the bill's enactment, excluding sole-source contracts. The law aims to ensure firearm businesses are treated equally in government contracting without restricting legitimate business criteria like creditworthiness or legal compliance.

Maddy summaryHR 111 would create a new tax deduction allowing individuals to subtract health insurance premiums paid for themselves, their spouse, and dependents directly from their gross income (an "above-the-line" deduction), rather than requiring itemized deductions. This change would apply to premiums paid for insurance covering medical care as defined by tax law, and the deduction would not affect other tax deductions or credits. The bill directly affects self-employed individuals, those without employer-sponsored coverage, and others purchasing individual health insurance. It would take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, simplifying tax filing for eligible taxpayers.

Maddy summaryHR 123, the "Improving Science in Chemical Assessments Act," changes how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts chemical safety reviews. It requires EPA program offices (like Water, Air, Chemical Safety) to lead these reviews instead of the current IRIS program, using updated scientific standards that emphasize transparency, evidence-based risk assessment, and avoiding duplicate work. The bill mandates that toxicity values assigned to chemicals include uncertainty ranges and be stored in a new EPA database, with regular reports to Congress confirming compliance. This directly affects EPA's chemical safety decisions, ensuring reviews better reflect current science and agency priorities.

Maddy summaryHR 80, the "Drain the Intelligence Community Swamp Act of 2025," would automatically revoke security clearances for 51 specific former intelligence officials within 24 hours of enactment. These individuals signed a 2020 public statement regarding the Hunter Biden emails. The bill also requires the Secretary of Defense and Attorney General to investigate their roles in the Hunter Biden laptop scandal and connections to the Biden presidential campaign. This procedural bill directly affects only the named individuals' security clearance status, with no broader policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "Secure the Southern Border Fund" to finance border wall construction and related security measures along the U.S.-Mexico border. It creates a 5% fee on remittance transfers to foreign countries and increases Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) fees, with portions of these fees directed to the fund. The bill requires annual reporting on illegal border crossings and sets a deadline of December 31, 2025, for completing border barriers. The fund will finance physical barriers, roads, technology, and equipment for U.S. Border Patrol agents, while also including provisions to increase overtime pay for Border Patrol agents.