Rep. Debbie Lesko

Maddy summaryHR 537 authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor 60 diplomats who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust by issuing visas and passports against their governments' orders, risking expulsion and personal danger. The medal will be presented to the next of kin of these diplomats, alongside representatives from their home countries, and permanently displayed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This legislation recognizes the diplomats' humanitarian actions without creating new government programs or altering existing laws.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1285) is a symbolic statement by a group of House members condemning the Biden administration's approach to mifepristone (the abortion pill), specifically the 2023 FDA decision allowing mail-order and pharmacy dispensing of the drug without in-person provider visits. It argues this policy eliminates safety safeguards like in-person ultrasounds to detect ectopic pregnancies, gestational age checks, and provider screening for coercion, potentially increasing health risks for patients. The resolution does not change any laws or policies but expresses disapproval of the FDA’s regulatory changes regarding mifepristone distribution. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect on abortion access or drug regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a presumption that certain health conditions (myocarditis, pericarditis, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and other diseases later determined by the VA) are connected to military service for veterans who received a COVID-19 vaccine under mandatory orders between August 24, 2021, and January 10, 2023. It directly affects veterans who developed these conditions after being required to get the vaccine during that period, streamlining their path to VA disability compensation by removing the need to prove a direct link to service. The bill requires the VA to report monthly on claim statuses and outcomes for four years, including approval rates and pending cases. This changes how the VA processes claims for these specific conditions, treating them as service-connected by default for affected veterans.

Maddy summaryHR 5403, the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing or facilitating central bank digital currency (CBDC) directly or indirectly to individuals through financial institutions. It specifically bans Federal Reserve banks from offering digital products to individuals, maintaining individual accounts, or using CBDC for monetary policy implementation. The bill also clarifies that its restrictions do not apply to existing physical cash or private, permissionless digital payment systems. This bill directly affects the Federal Reserve's ability to develop or deploy a government-run digital dollar. The law aims to prevent the Federal Reserve from creating a digital currency that could enable transaction tracking or government oversight of personal financial activity.

Maddy summaryHJRES 160 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 6, 2024, regarding nondiscrimination in health programs and activities. If passed, the resolution would nullify the HHS rule, preventing it from taking effect and rendering it legally unenforceable. The bill directly affects the implementation of the HHS rule, which was published in the Federal Register (89 Fed. Reg. 37522), but does not alter the rule's content or create new policy.

Maddy summaryHRES 1267 is a non-binding House resolution supporting the Second Amendment and opposing the Biden administration's gun-related policies. It criticizes executive orders, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regulations, and export restrictions as efforts to undermine constitutional rights, though the resolution itself has no legal effect. The bill does not change laws or directly affect anyone, as it serves only as a symbolic statement of congressional opinion. It specifically references the administration's actions on firearm regulations and exports, but does not propose new policies or alter existing ones.

Maddy summaryHJRES 152 is a congressional resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule on managing coal ash waste from power plants, specifically for older disposal ponds (legacy CCR surface impoundments). The rule, published on May 8, 2024, established requirements for electric utilities to handle coal ash, including safety standards for existing disposal sites. If passed, this resolution would prevent the EPA rule from taking effect, removing the compliance requirements for utilities. This directly affects electric utilities that manage coal ash and the EPA's regulatory authority over waste disposal practices.

Maddy summaryHRES 1255 is a non-binding House resolution introduced on May 23, 2024, that calls on all Americans to observe Memorial Day 2024 as a day of remembrance for military personnel who died in service. The resolution specifically honors "the men and women of the Armed Forces who have died in the pursuit of freedom and peace" and urges the public to demonstrate appreciation for their sacrifices. It does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic expression of national gratitude, emphasizing respect for those who died while defending democratic values. The resolution was co-sponsored by multiple House members and aligns with the traditional observance of Memorial Day.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to require the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), not just the Secretary of Labor, to determine prevailing wage rates for workers on federal contracts. It directly affects federal contractors who must pay these rates and the BLS, which will now conduct the wage surveys. The key change specifies that the BLS must use surveys employing proper random statistical sampling techniques to establish these wage rates. This ensures the wage determinations are based on statistically valid data rather than other methods.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) to expand where current and retired law enforcement officers can carry concealed firearms. It specifically allows qualified officers to carry in Federal facilities like post offices and courthouses (previously restricted), clarifies they may carry on public property and transportation, and updates firearms training requirements to accept certification from any state-certified instructor. The key change requires officers to meet recent firearms training standards (using flexible state-based criteria), rather than relying solely on their former agency's standards. This directly affects retired officers seeking to carry in more public spaces and federal buildings without needing prior agency certification.