Maddy summaryThe Secure Payments Act of 2024 requires the Federal Reserve to study the impacts of the proposed "Reg II" rule (which would cap debit card interchange fees) on consumers, merchants, and small banks. Specifically, it mandates a study of how fee changes affect access to low-cost bank accounts, merchant costs, fraud mitigation, and the affordability of banking products in underserved communities. The Fed must also conduct a quantitative analysis of the rule's effects on small banks' capital and earnings. The Federal Reserve cannot finalize the Reg II rule until after it completes this study, issues a report to Congress, and considers the findings - including whether fee caps benefit low- and moderate-income customers. This bill delays the final rule to ensure the impacts are fully assessed before implementation.
Sponsored bills
Let Injured Americans Be Legally Empowered Act or the LIABLE Act This bill prohibits COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers from being immune under federal law from lawsuits relating to their vaccines. Specifically, the bill prohibits any federal law from providing immunity for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers from civil suits or liability, or limiting liability, with respect to the administration or use of their vaccines. Additionally, individuals may not be precluded from bringing a civil suit against a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer because the individual sought or received compensation through specified federal vaccine injury compensation programs, nor does the bill preclude individuals from seeking compensation through these programs. The bill applies to vaccine administrations that occur before, on, or after the bill's date of enactment.
Maddy summaryHR 7450, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, prohibits payment card networks and covered entities (like payment processors) from requiring or assigning merchant category codes that specifically identify firearms retailers as different from general stores or sporting goods retailers. This directly affects firearms retailers and payment networks by preventing them from using business classification codes that could flag firearm sales. The bill establishes an enforcement process where the Attorney General investigates complaints, issues remediation notices, and can seek court injunctions for non-compliance, while preempting state or local laws on this issue. It does not create private lawsuits for individuals.
Maddy summaryH.Res. 1019 is a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives condemning the Nicaraguan government's imprisonment of 11 individuals affiliated with Mountain Gateway Ministry. The resolution states these arrests occurred without due process on baseless charges of money laundering and organized crime, with detainees lacking adequate legal counsel. It specifically calls on Nicaragua to address these violations of religious freedom and human rights, following the government's pattern of targeting religious groups. This symbolic resolution expresses congressional disapproval but does not impose legal requirements on Nicaragua.
Maddy summaryHR 7366 requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to publish monthly border encounter data on its public portal by the 7th of each month. This affects CBP directly, as it mandates the timely release of data on encounters at the border during the previous month. The bill also includes a penalty: if CBP misses this deadline, funding for the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security is reduced by 25% for the following month. The law focuses on ensuring transparency in border data reporting through specific deadlines and financial consequences.
Maddy summaryThis bill redirects existing federal funds that were previously allocated for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to construct a permanent barrier along the U.S. southwest border. It directly affects UNRWA, which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, by halting its current funding stream for border construction. The bill mandates that all unspent funds designated for UNRWA be repurposed for border wall construction and prohibits all future federal funding for UNRWA starting upon enactment. These are concrete policy changes: redirecting specific existing funds and banning all future support.
Maddy summaryHR 3162, the Protecting American Voters Act, requires the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to provide states with citizenship verification information for voter registration applicants and current registrants using the existing SAVE system. This enables states to confirm U.S. citizenship status and remove noncitizens from voter rolls based on that verification. The law prohibits federal agencies from charging states fees for this service and mandates privacy protections for Social Security numbers. It takes effect for elections held on or after January 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryHJRES 114 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rule that would have required tracking greenhouse gas emissions as part of assessing performance for the National Highway System. The rule, published in the Federal Register in December 2023, aimed to establish specific metrics for evaluating highway system performance, including emissions data. If approved, this resolution would nullify the rule, preventing the FHWA from implementing the emissions tracking requirement. This action directly affects how the FHWA measures highway system performance, specifically regarding environmental metrics.
Maddy summaryThis bill restricts how credit reporting companies share homebuyers' credit reports during mortgage applications. It prevents companies from sending these reports to third parties (like marketers) just because a lender requested them for a mortgage. Only specific entities can receive the reports: the mortgage lender who originated the loan, the company servicing the loan, or the bank holding the homebuyer's account. This directly protects homebuyers' privacy by limiting unauthorized sharing of their financial data.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that former President Trump did not engage in insurrection or rebellion against, nor give aid or comfort to the enemies of, the United States.