American Science First Act This bill prohibits the National Science Foundation (NSF) from providing grants or other forms of assistance to certain foreign individuals and entities. Specifically, the NSF may not support any individual or entity that is affiliated or otherwise has a relationship, including but not limited to a research partnership, joint venture, or contract, with an entity included on the entity list under the Export Administration Regulations, which identifies foreign entities subject to license requirements for the export, reexport, or transfer of certain items; a Chinese military company operating in the United States or any of its territories or possessions on the list required under the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, or required under the Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, or any successor list; or any parent, subsidiary, affiliate of, or entity owned by or controlled by any such entity.
Rep. Byron Donalds
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHR 441, the Leak and Lose Act of 2023, makes it a federal crime to conceal, remove, destroy, or alter unpublished Supreme Court opinions or draft opinions before they are officially published. The bill targets anyone who willfully engages in these actions while handling such materials within Supreme Court buildings. Violators face a $5,000 fine and lose the right to practice law in any federal court for life. This law directly affects individuals with access to Supreme Court documents, such as clerks or staff, by imposing severe professional penalties for mishandling sensitive court materials.
Leaker Accountability Act of 2023 This bill establishes a new federal crime for the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by officers or employees of the Supreme Court. Specifically, the bill prohibits an officer or employee of the Supreme Court from knowingly publishing, divulging, disclosing, or making known in any manner or to any extent not authorized by law any confidential information coming to that officer or employee in the course of the employment or official duties of that officer or employee. A violation is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
Maddy summaryHRES 38 amends House rules to ban remote voting in committee and subcommittee meetings and require chairs to recognize members in the order they request to speak. The bill directly affects committee members (who can no longer vote remotely) and committee chairs (who must follow the sequence of recognition requests). Key mechanisms include revising Rule XI to replace "proxy" with "proxy or remote" and adding a new provision mandating sequential recognition during meetings. This is a procedural change to internal House operations, not a policy shift affecting the public.
Maddy summaryHR 370, the FinCEN Modernization Act of 2023, gives the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) new authorities to modernize its technology and information-sharing capabilities. The bill requires FinCEN to establish programs focused on emerging technologies like machine learning, cryptocurrency monitoring, and data analytics to better detect financial crimes. To achieve this, FinCEN can now use non-traditional contracts with tech developers and accept donations for specific projects, while reporting all such activities annually to Congress. This directly affects FinCEN’s operations, enabling it to adapt more quickly to evolving threats in financial systems.
Maddy summaryHR 380, the Federal Student Loan Integrity Act, restricts the Secretary of Education's authority to extend pandemic-related student loan payment pauses. It prohibits using the HEROES Act to extend moratoriums beyond 30 days or to cancel loan balances for borrowers under federal student loan programs (Title IV of the Higher Education Act). The bill explicitly limits any pause to a maximum 30-day period for payment or interest suspension, and bans any loan forgiveness. This directly affects borrowers currently benefiting from the pandemic-era payment pause and limits the Secretary's ability to modify loan terms during emergencies.
No User Fees for Gun Owners Act This bill prohibits a state or local government from imposing any insurance requirement, tax, user fee, or similar charge as a condition of the manufacture importation, acquisition, transfer, or continued ownership of a firearm or ammunition, with the exception of a proportionate sales tax. The bill imposes the same prohibition under the Internal Revenue Code for firearms, pistols, or revolvers, but allows for the assessment of a proportionate sales tax.
Second Amendment Protection Act This bill exempts certain individuals who use medical marijuana from federal firearms-related restrictions. Currently, federal firearms laws prohibit an individual who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing a firearm or ammunition. This bill exempts from the prohibition an individual who uses marijuana for a medical purpose in accordance with state law.
Maddy summaryHJRES 17 is a congressional resolution disapproving the District of Columbia Council's approval of the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-640), which the Council enacted on October 18, 2022. If passed by Congress and signed into law, this resolution would block the local voting rights amendment from taking effect. The bill directly affects the District of Columbia government by preventing implementation of the amendment, which aimed to address voting rights for residents. This resolution follows the District of Columbia Home Rule Act's requirement for congressional disapproval of certain local laws.
Maddy summaryHRES 30 is a ceremonial House resolution recognizing two milestones: the 94th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth (January 15, 1929) and the 40th anniversary of the federal Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday (observed January 16, 2023). It contains no policy changes or binding requirements, as it is purely commemorative. The resolution urges the House to observe both dates and encourages the public to honor Dr. King’s legacy and his vision of equality. It does not affect any individuals, groups, or government programs.