Maddy summaryHR 319, the Legal Workforce Act, establishes a new government-run system for verifying employment eligibility in the United States. The bill requires employers to verify the identity and work authorization of new hires using specific documents (such as passports, driver's licenses, or employment authorization cards) through a new verification system, with implementation timelines varying by employer size (6-24 months after enactment). It replaces the previous E-Verify system, includes special provisions for agricultural workers with 30-month implementation timelines, and establishes penalties for non-compliance ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 per violation. The law also creates new procedures for reverifying employees with limited work authorization and includes provisions to prevent identity fraud in the verification process.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHR 114, the "Fund and Complete the Border Wall Act," establishes a Secure the Southern Border Fund to finance border barrier construction and maintenance along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill creates a 5% fee on remittance transfers to foreign countries and increases Form I-94 processing fees, with portions of these fees directed to the fund. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to report annually on illegal border crossings and sets a December 31, 2023, deadline for completing border barriers. The legislation also includes provisions for border patrol agent compensation and allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive legal requirements to expedite border wall construction.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new exemption from the individual health insurance mandate for people living in areas with only one or no health insurance issuers on the marketplace. It also modifies health coverage rules for congressional staff, Members of Congress, the President, Vice President, and political appointees by removing government subsidies for their exchange plans and limiting tax credits. The bill clarifies that Congress is not considered a "small employer" for coverage purposes under the Affordable Care Act. These changes directly affect residents in limited-insurance markets and federal officials covered under congressional health programs. (HR 127, "Protection from Obamacare Mandates and Congressional Equity Act")
Maddy summaryHR 119, the Freedom from Mandates Act, removes federal requirements for COVID-19 vaccination or testing in several key areas. It specifically nullifies Executive Orders 14042 (for federal contractors' safety protocols) and 14043 (for federal employee vaccinations), and prohibits the Secretary of Labor from requiring private employers to mandate vaccines or testing for employees. Additionally, it bars the Secretary of Health and Human Services from making vaccination or testing a condition for healthcare providers to participate in Medicare or Medicaid programs. The bill directly affects federal contractors, federal employees, private employers, and healthcare providers participating in federal health programs by eliminating these specific mandates.
Maddy summaryHR 112, the "Responsible Path to Full Obamacare Repeal Act," would repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective October 1, 2023. This bill directly affects all Americans covered by these laws, including those with health insurance through the ACA marketplace, Medicaid expansions, or employer-based plans established under the ACA. The key mechanism is the complete reversal of both acts, restoring pre-2010 healthcare laws as if the ACA and its 2010 amendments had never existed. It does not introduce new healthcare provisions but would eliminate existing requirements like the individual mandate and essential health benefits.
Maddy summaryHR 109 would create a new above-the-line tax deduction for individuals who pay health insurance premiums for themselves, their spouse, and dependents. This deduction would be available regardless of whether a taxpayer itemizes other deductions, making it accessible to more people who don't claim standard itemized deductions. The deduction applies to premiums for insurance covering medical care as defined in tax code section 213(d), but cannot be used to increase other tax benefits like standard deductions or credits. The change would apply to tax returns filed for 2023 and later tax years.
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 summaryHR 152, titled the "Hearing Protection Act," actually addresses firearm silencers (suppressors), not hearing protection. The bill removes federal registration requirements for silencers by directing the Attorney General to destroy all existing silencer records within 365 days. It also preempts state laws that tax, register, or impose recordkeeping requirements on silencers, making such state rules unenforceable. Additionally, the bill updates tax codes to include silencers as taxable items and clarifies their definition in firearm laws.
Maddy summaryHR 10414 seeks to repeal the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.), a law that limited the President's authority to withhold funds Congress had appropriated. This bill would remove the legal restrictions requiring the President to seek Congressional approval before delaying or refusing to spend money already approved by Congress. The repeal would directly affect the executive branch's budget implementation powers, restoring the pre-1974 practice where the President could withhold funds without specific Congressional consent. This is a procedural change altering the legal framework governing federal spending, with no new provisions or direct impact on specific programs or citizens.
Maddy summaryThe Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2024 enables victims of human trafficking to seek to vacate certain convictions or expunge arrests related to offenses they committed as a direct result of being trafficked. It establishes a court process where victims can file motions showing their criminal activity was trafficking-related, with courts required to find by preponderance of evidence that the offense was directly tied to trafficking. If granted, the court must expunge all related records, return any fines paid, and treat the individual as if the offense never occurred. The bill also adds a "human trafficking defense" that creates a presumption of duress for trafficking victims in prosecutions. It requires reports on implementation and training for U.S. attorneys on trafficking indicators.