Rep. Ken Buck

Maddy summaryThe PAST Act of 2023 amends the Horse Protection Act to ban specific devices used to cause pain (soring) in horses at shows, particularly affecting Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. It defines prohibited "action devices" (like boots or chains causing friction) and requires licensed, conflict-free inspectors at events to enforce rules. The bill increases penalties for violations to up to $5,000 fines or 3 years in jail, and mandates longer disqualifications for repeat offenses (180 days → 1 year → 3 years). Horse show organizers, exhibitors, and participants must comply with these new inspection and penalty requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 3175, the Regulation Reduction Act of 2023, requires federal agencies to repeal two existing regulations before issuing a new rule, and three for "major rules" (those with significant economic impact). For major rules, the new rule's cost must not exceed the cost of the repealed rules, and the Office of Management and Budget must certify this. Agencies must also submit a 90-day review to Congress identifying costly, ineffective, duplicative, or outdated regulations. This bill directly affects federal agencies and the businesses, states, and local governments subject to federal regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 3081 (NOPEC), makes it illegal for foreign governments or their agencies to form oil cartels that restrict supply, fix prices, or otherwise restrain trade in ways affecting U.S. oil markets. It directly targets nations like Saudi Arabia or Russia that operate as cartels (e.g., OPEC members), but does not apply to U.S. companies. The bill removes legal protections that would let foreign governments avoid U.S. court cases over such actions and gives the U.S. Attorney General sole authority to sue them. If enacted, U.S. courts could hold these foreign entities liable for anti-competitive behavior in oil markets.

Failed Bank Executives Clawback Act This bill requires the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to claw back compensation paid to certain responsible parties when an insured depository institution or financial company is placed into FDIC receivership.  Specifically, all or part of the compensation paid the previous five years to an institution-affiliated party substantially responsible for the condition of the institution must be paid to FDIC to prevent unjust enrichment and to assure that the party bears losses consistent with their responsibility. Compensation includes salary, bonuses, awards, and profits from buying or selling securities. Finally, the bill establishes that an insured depository institution's holding company is liable to the FDIC for payments to insured depositors, the FDIC's receiver costs, and interest when the institution is under FDIC receivership.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the use of federal funds to develop or deploy autonomous weapons systems that lack meaningful human control for nuclear weapon launches or target selection. It directly affects federal agencies, particularly the Department of Defense, by banning spending on such systems for nuclear purposes. The key provision requires human oversight over target selection and launch decisions, aligning with existing U.S. policy and international law requiring human control in nuclear command. The bill does not ban autonomous systems generally but specifically restricts their use in nuclear contexts where human judgment is mandated.

Maddy summaryHR 2826, the Save Local Business Act, clarifies when multiple businesses can be held jointly responsible for labor laws. It amends the National Labor Relations Act and Fair Labor Standards Act to state that a business is only a joint employer if it directly controls key employment terms like hiring, pay, schedules, or discipline for another business's workers. This directly affects franchisors, contractors, and similar business models that might previously have been deemed joint employers under broader interpretations. The bill aims to limit joint employer liability to cases where one business has clear, day-to-day control over essential worker conditions.

Maddy summaryHR 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, amends Title IX to prohibit federally funded schools and athletic programs from allowing individuals assigned male at birth to participate in women's or girls' sports teams. The bill defines "sex" for this purpose as "reproductive biology and genetics at birth," making it a violation of federal law to permit such participation in designated women's or girls' programs. It allows males to train with women's teams only if no female is deprived of a roster spot, competition opportunity, scholarship, or other benefit tied to the team. This law directly affects public and private schools receiving federal financial assistance that operate athletic programs.

Maddy summaryHR 2746, the Pueblo Jobs Act, mandates the closure of the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado within one year after completing its chemical weapons destruction mission under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The bill requires the Army Secretary to follow specific federal procedures under the 1990 Defense Base Closure Act for disposing of the depot's land, buildings, and equipment, while allowing existing Colorado hazardous waste permits to govern demolition. It also authorizes Department of Defense grants to support local reuse efforts and explicitly states the site is unsuitable for homeless housing, exempting it from related federal screening requirements. The bill directly affects Pueblo County, the depot's future use, and local economic development plans tied to the closure.

American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.

Maddy summaryThe Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2023 strengthens the Americans with Disabilities Act's requirement that individuals with disabilities receive long-term services and supports in community settings rather than institutions. It defines "community-based" services to include specific housing options where individuals with disabilities can live independently with maximum control over their lives, including access to integrated housing, employment, and community participation. The bill requires states to develop transition plans to move people from institutional settings to community-based services within 12 years, with measurable annual targets for reducing institutionalization. It establishes enforcement mechanisms through the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services to ensure compliance with these requirements.