Rep. Paul A. Gosar

Maddy summaryThe Safeguarding Honest Speech Act of 2026 prohibits federal agencies from using taxpayer money to enforce rules that require employees or contractors to use a person's preferred pronouns if they conflict with that person's biological sex or to use names other than legal names. The bill defines sex strictly based on biological characteristics, such as the reproductive system used for fertilization, to determine these requirements. It also establishes a process where affected workers can file complaints, receive a formal response within 30 days, and sue their agency for violations if the response is unsatisfactory. If a worker wins a lawsuit, the court can order the agency to stop the practice, pay damages up to $100,000, and cover legal fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to set a standard for how quickly veterans receive appointments after being referred for care, whether at VA facilities or through community providers. The VA Secretary must publish this standard in the Federal Register and report to Congress quarterly on how many referrals meet the timing requirement, broken down by service type and medical center performance. Each report must also include a ranking of VA medical centers from best to worst in meeting the standard, with data available to the public on a VA website. The VA must update the standard as scheduling processes change and include annual progress reports on steps taken to improve care timeliness.

Maddy summaryThe FIRE Act amends the Clean Air Act to clarify when air quality monitoring data affected by wildfires or prescribed fire (a state-approved wildfire risk mitigation practice) can be excluded from compliance calculations with air quality standards. It expands the definition of "exceptional events" to include natural wildfires and human activities mimicking natural events (like prescribed burns), while excluding common weather patterns and pollution from noncompliance. The bill requires the EPA to conduct regional analysis for multistate wildfire events and create a public website tracking state petitions for data exclusion. This change primarily affects how states and the EPA handle air quality data during wildfire seasons and when using prescribed fire as a management tool.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a comprehensive overhaul of the H-1B visa program by pausing new issuances for three years and capping the annual limit at 25,000 visas. It would eliminate the current lottery system, replacing it with a process that prioritizes employers offering the highest wages, while also restricting visa holders to a maximum stay of three years and banning them from holding multiple jobs simultaneously. The legislation further mandates that all H-1B workers be paid at least $200,000 annually, prohibits staffing agencies from sponsoring these visas, and bars federal agencies from hiring or petitioning for H-1B workers. Additionally, the bill would end employment authorization for foreign students and interns, and generally prevent most nonimmigrants from adjusting their status to become permanent residents while in the United States.

Maddy summaryThe ESA Amendments Act of 2025 makes significant changes to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to streamline conservation efforts and reduce regulatory burdens. It establishes a national listing work plan with priority classifications for species to better allocate resources, and creates "Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances" that provide private landowners with regulatory certainty in exchange for conservation actions. The bill also requires the government to publish the basis for listings online, streamlines permitting processes for projects that comply with conservation measures, and modifies critical habitat designation to better accommodate existing conservation plans on private lands. These changes aim to improve conservation outcomes while reducing delays for landowners, developers, and federal agencies working with listed species.

Maddy summaryThe Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 prohibits state and local governments from suing energy companies for damages related to climate change or greenhouse gas emissions. This bill declares that regulating emissions is exclusively a federal responsibility and voids any state laws that hold energy businesses liable for alleged climate harms. Consequently, all pending lawsuits of this nature against energy producers must be dismissed immediately, preventing states from imposing retroactive penalties for past lawful operations. The legislation directly affects companies involved in the production, refinement, and sale of oil, gas, and coal by shielding them from civil liability in both state and federal courts.

Maddy summaryThe Swalwell Act aims to reform how workplace misconduct claims involving Members of Congress and senior staff are handled. It prohibits the use of federal or campaign funds to pay settlements or awards for such claims, making the individuals personally liable for the full amount. The bill mandates the creation of a public database disclosing details of these settlements and awards, including historical data, while protecting victims' identities. Additionally, it requires prompt referral of any allegations of criminal conduct by Members or senior staff to the Department of Justice, regardless of settlement agreements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution requires Members of Congress who must reimburse the Treasury for payments related to sexual harassment or discrimination claims to publicly disclose the details of those reimbursements in the House chamber. It mandates that the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights report these cases to the Clerk, who will then read the Member's name, the reimbursement amount, and related information aloud during a House session. Members who fail to comply within 30 days face restrictions on committee assignments and leadership duties, while former Members are barred from entering the House building until they complete reimbursement and undergo the public disclosure process. The measure also establishes that failures to comply with these requirements can be investigated separately by the House Ethics Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that protections against sex discrimination do not extend to gender identity. It directly affects employers, employees, and individuals involved in workplace discrimination claims by explicitly excluding gender identity from the definition of sex-based discrimination. The key provision is a rule of construction that interprets existing federal law in a specific way, rather than creating new protections or restrictions. This change would limit the scope of federal sex discrimination claims to biological sex rather than including gender identity as a protected category.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the 287(g) Cooperation Act of 2026, requires state and local law enforcement agencies to sign a formal agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to remain eligible for federal Community Oriented Policing Services grants. The law mandates that agencies must have this written memorandum of agreement in place within 180 days of the bill's enactment, or they will be ineligible to receive funding for the program. The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security must establish procedures to verify that agencies have completed this agreement before approving any grant awards. The changes apply to grant applications starting with fiscal year 2027 and all subsequent years.