Rep. Debbie Lesko

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Public Health Service Act to improve how the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is operated. It changes the contracting process by allowing the Secretary to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to public or private entities for the OPTN, with specific provisions to ensure distinct operations for the network and its governing board. The bill also includes technical corrections to existing law and requires a GAO review of the OPTN's historical financing within two years of enactment. This legislation directly affects the organizations and processes managing organ donation and transplantation in the United States.

Maddy summaryHRES 684 is a symbolic congressional resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 14, 2023, condemning New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's emergency order that temporarily suspended open and concealed carry firearm rights for 30 days. The resolution asserts the order violated the Second Amendment, citing Supreme Court precedents (Heller, McDonald, Bruen) and noting a federal judge had already blocked the order's firearm restrictions. It does not change any laws or impose legal consequences - it is solely a formal expression of disapproval from Congress. The resolution directly addresses the Governor's actions but has no effect on New Mexico's laws or citizens' rights.

Maddy summaryHR 5636, the "Protect Children’s Innocence Act," prohibits federal criminal penalties for performing gender-affirming medical care on minors under specific circumstances. It defines prohibited care as surgeries (like hysterectomy or mastectomy), puberty blockers, and hormone therapies at supraphysiologic doses, with exceptions for medical emergencies, intersex conditions, or life-threatening illnesses. The law only applies when the care involves interstate commerce (e.g., payments, communications, or travel across state lines). Minors receiving such care cannot be prosecuted, but they may sue providers for civil damages. The bill directly affects minors under 18, healthcare providers, and families seeking gender-affirming medical treatment.

Maddy summaryHR 5635, the Northern Arizona Protection Act, nullifies a specific presidential proclamation (Proclamation 10606) that established the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. It also prohibits the future designation or extension of national monuments within the defined area without explicit approval from Congress. This bill directly affects federal land management decisions in northern Arizona, specifically blocking the use of the Antiquities Act for monument creation or expansion in that region. The key mechanism is a legal restriction requiring congressional authorization for any new monument designation in the specified area, effectively limiting presidential authority under the Antiquities Act there.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Natural Gas Act to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny applications for U.S. natural gas export facilities (including LNG terminals) to foreign countries. It removes existing requirements for other federal agencies to review such projects, though it preserves their roles in other areas. The bill also adds a new provision clarifying that the President retains authority under existing laws (like sanctions or national security powers) to block exports, including to countries designated as "state sponsors of terrorism." The bill directly affects LNG exporters, FERC, and the President’s national security decision-making regarding gas exports.

Maddy summaryHR 5577, the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2023, would repeal a federal law (Section 248 of Title 18, U.S. Code) that made it a crime to block access to abortion clinics or threaten clinic staff. This repeal would remove criminal penalties for obstructing access to clinics, affecting abortion providers, clinic staff, and individuals attempting to access or block clinic entrances. The bill specifically targets the repeal of this prohibition, applying to prosecutions pending or initiated after the law's enactment. It does not change other abortion-related laws or create new policies.

Maddy summaryHR 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, amends the Clean Air Act to restrict states from implementing vehicle emissions rules that limit the sale or use of new gasoline-powered cars. It directly affects states with stricter emissions standards (like California) by adding a new definition that blocks state rules "directly or indirectly" limiting internal combustion engine vehicles as defined in federal regulations as of January 1, 2023. The bill requires the EPA to revoke existing state emissions waivers granted between January 2022 and the bill’s enactment if they don’t comply with this new definition. This creates a concrete federal standard preventing states from advancing policies that could reduce demand for conventional vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill improves access to donor human milk for high-risk infants by supporting nonprofit milk banks. It amends the Child Nutrition Act to allow states to use funds for collecting, storing, and transferring unprocessed human milk to registered nonprofit milk banks, and creates $3 million in emergency grants for milk banks facing high demand or supply shortages. The bill also requires a public awareness campaign distributing educational materials to healthcare providers (like pediatricians) and WIC program participants, focusing on the safety and benefits of donor milk. These changes directly affect nonprofit milk banks, healthcare providers, and families of high-risk infants needing this resource.

Maddy summaryHR 5495, the Political BIAS Emails Act of 2023, prohibits email providers from automatically labeling political campaign emails as spam without a user’s explicit action. It requires email providers to publish quarterly transparency reports showing spam rates for Republican and Democratic campaign emails separately, including how often algorithms flagged them without user input. Political campaigns can request detailed reports about their own email delivery rates and best practices for reaching inboxes, with limits on how frequently they can request this data. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce these rules as unfair or deceptive practices under existing law. The bill directly affects major email services and political campaigns, aiming to increase transparency in how political communications are filtered.

Maddy summaryHR 5347, the "Protecting Our Kids Act," is a procedural bill that amends an existing law (the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968) by adding a new reference point to Section 1701(c). It does not create new policies or directly affect any specific group; it only modifies how a legal provision is structured. The bill adds a new paragraph (4) to reference "the purposes described in subsection (b)(12)," but the bill text does not explain what those purposes are. As a technical amendment to an existing statute, it has no substantive policy impact.