Rep. John H. Rutherford

Maddy summaryHR 175, the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2023, prohibits physicians from performing abortions without first checking for a detectable fetal heartbeat using standard medical practice and informing the patient of the results. It allows exceptions only for abortions necessary to save a mother’s life due to physical conditions (not psychological ones), or for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest against an adult or minor, which require specific documentation like counseling records or police reports. Physicians violating the law face up to five years in prison, while patients cannot be prosecuted. The bill defines "unborn child" as beginning at fertilization and mandates detailed medical documentation for all exceptions. It explicitly excludes psychological conditions from life-threatening exceptions and requires physicians to retain records per federal health privacy rules.

Life at Conception Act This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.

Maddy summaryHR 330, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, prohibits federal funding under the Title X family planning program for clinics that perform or fund abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when a physician certifies a life-threatening condition. It requires clinics receiving Title X funds to certify they do not provide or fund abortions (with the specified exceptions), and hospitals are exempt if they don't fund non-hospital abortion providers. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress listing all funded clinics, the number of abortions performed under exceptions (including rape/incest cases), and the certification dates for each clinic. This directly affects Title X-funded clinics nationwide that provide abortion services or fund such services, altering their eligibility for federal funding. The law aims to restrict federal support for abortion access within the Title X program while maintaining limited exceptions.

Maddy summaryHR 279, the Pharmacist Conscience Protection Act, protects pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy owners who refuse to dispense medications approved for abortion or that they believe may be used for abortion, based on moral, religious, or medical objections. The bill prohibits federal agencies and entities receiving federal funds (including state/local governments) from discriminating against, penalizing, or retaliating against these providers for such refusals. It does not require pharmacists to dispense these medications and explicitly preserves stronger state conscience protections. This law directly affects pharmacists and pharmacies seeking to align their practice with personal or religious beliefs regarding abortion-related medications.

Protect Our Military Families' 2nd Amendment Rights Act This bill broadens the scope of allowable firearms transactions involving active duty service members and their spouses. Specifically, the bill allows a licensed gun dealer, importer, or manufacturer to sell or ship a firearm or ammunition to the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States. Current law already allows a licensed dealer, importer, or manufacturer to sell or ship a firearm or ammunition to a member of the Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States. The bill also specifies that, for purposes of federal firearms laws, a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, or his or her spouse, is a resident of the state in which (1) the member or spouse maintains legal residence, (2) the permanent duty station of the member is located, and (3) the member maintains a home from which he or she commutes to the permanent duty station.

American Workforce Empowerment Act This bill allows tax-preferred college savings plans (529 plans) to fund certain postsecondary certificate programs and apprenticeship programs.

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 summaryThis concurrent resolution (HCONRES 4) expresses congressional support for U.S. law enforcement agencies and condemns efforts to defund or dismantle them. It does not create new funding or policy changes but formally rejects "misguided and dangerous efforts to defund and dismantle" police departments, citing officer safety concerns and rising fatalities. The resolution specifically references the 2021 increase in law enforcement deaths (458 officers killed) and opposes rhetoric that "vilifies" officers, while emphasizing their role in community safety and crisis response. It is a symbolic statement with no binding legal or financial impact.

Maddy summaryHJRES 8 proposes a constitutional amendment to permanently set the Supreme Court's size at nine justices. The bill would require any future changes to the Court's composition to follow this specific number, locking in the current structure. It does not alter the existing Court size (which has been nine since 1869) but aims to prevent future adjustments through legislative action. The amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years to take effect. This is a procedural proposal focused on constitutional structure, not a direct policy affecting citizens or programs.

Maddy summaryHRES 8 is a formal resolution introduced by the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2023 to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. The resolution alleges three specific violations: (1) failing to maintain border security, citing record migrant encounters and fentanyl seizures under his leadership; (2) providing false testimony to Congress about border security; and (3) spreading false claims about Border Patrol agents whipping migrants during a 2021 incident. It claims these actions violated his constitutional duties and federal law. As an impeachment resolution, it does not enact policy but seeks to refer the case to the Senate for trial.