Rep. Matt Gaetz

Maddy summaryThis bill denies tax deductions for employers covering two specific expenses: travel costs for employees obtaining abortions, and medical procedures related to gender transition for minor children (under age 18). It defines "gender transition procedure" broadly to include surgeries, hormones, and puberty blockers, but excludes medically necessary treatments for disorders of sex development or complications from such procedures. The law applies to taxable years starting after its enactment, directly affecting employers who provide health coverage for these services. It does not ban the procedures themselves but removes tax benefits for employer-paid expenses related to them.

History and Tradition Protection Act of 2023 This bill limits the types of relief that may be awarded in civil suits that involve violations of the Constitution's Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion. Current law provides a statutory civil cause of action against state and local government actors for violations of constitutional rights, also known as Section 1983 lawsuits. The bill limits relief for Section 1983 lawsuits that involve violations of the Establishment Clause to injunctive and declaratory relief (i.e., nonmonetary relief) and prohibits the award of attorneys' fees in these cases, including those that involve monuments, public buildings, official seals, and government proceedings. The bill applies the same restrictions to similar lawsuits against federal agencies.

Maddy summaryHR 128, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2023, blocks federal funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates for one year unless they certify they will not perform or fund abortions (except in cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening conditions for the patient). This directly affects Planned Parenthood clinics and their federal funding streams. The bill redirects $235 million to community health centers under the Public Health Service Act to continue providing women’s health services like contraception, cancer screenings, and prenatal care. It requires repayment of funds if Planned Parenthood violates the certification and explicitly states the law won’t reduce overall federal funding for women’s health services.

Maddy summaryHR 345, the TRUST in Congress Act, requires Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children to place certain investments into a "blind trust" within 90 days of taking office or after the bill's enactment. It directly affects current and future lawmakers and their immediate family members by mandating that covered investments - such as stocks, commodities, or derivatives (excluding Treasury bonds and some mutual funds) - be placed in a trust they cannot manage. Members must certify the trust setup to House or Senate officials within 15 days, and trusts cannot be dissolved until 180 days after leaving office. The law excludes investments providing primary income (e.g., from a spouse's job) but requires transparency through public website disclosures of certifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new process for the Attorney General to designate foreign organizations as "significant transnational criminal organizations" based on their criminal activity affecting U.S. commerce or threatening U.S. security. Members of these designated organizations, as well as their spouses and children who knew about the membership, are barred from entering the United States. The designation process requires congressional notification, allows for review after 2 years, and permits asset freezes of the organization's U.S. assets. Organizations can seek judicial review of their designation, and Congress can revoke designations through a special procedure.

No Taxpayer Funding for the World Health Organization Act This bill prohibits the United States from providing any assessed or voluntary contributions to the World Health Organization.

Securing America's Land from Foreign Interference Act This bill requires the President to take actions as necessary to prohibit members of the Chinese Communist Party (and entities owned, controlled, or influenced by the party) from purchasing real estate located in the United States.

Maddy summaryHR 297 requires the military Secretary to reinstate service members who were involuntarily separated solely for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. It applies specifically to those separated only due to vaccine refusal, not other reasons. If a covered member chooses reinstatement, they must be returned to their previous rank and branch of service. The bill mandates this action without requiring the member to receive the vaccine.

Maddy summaryHR 287, the CRT Transparency Act, requires states and local school districts to publicly post all curriculum materials for every elementary and secondary school grade level on accessible websites. Specifically, it amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to mandate that states ensure local agencies post curricula online, and that local agencies themselves must make their grade-level curricula publicly available. This directly affects all public K-12 schools and their governing bodies by creating a new transparency requirement for teaching materials. The bill focuses solely on making curriculum content publicly accessible online, without specifying content types or subject areas. It does not alter curriculum content itself but requires existing materials to be posted online for public review.

Maddy summaryHRES 17 would amend House rules to require the Speaker to allow C-SPAN to broadcast and record House floor proceedings using at least four cameras owned and operated by C-SPAN. This change would replace the current discretionary process with a mandatory provision, directly affecting the Speaker's authority over broadcasting access in the chamber. The bill ensures consistent public access to live coverage of legislative debates and votes without requiring separate permissions for each session. This procedural update aims to standardize transparency for viewers of C-SPAN, a nonpartisan network providing public access to government proceedings.