Rep. Clay Higgins

Maddy summaryThis bill grants the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to temporarily suspend entry of certain individuals at U.S. borders to achieve "operational control" (defined as effective border management). It specifically applies to people seeking entry without proper documentation who would be denied entry under current law (e.g., lacking visas or asylum eligibility). The Secretary must block entry if they cannot detain or process these individuals as required by existing immigration law. States may also sue the government if they believe border security rules are violated.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) as outlined in a 2019 policy memo. It requires migrants seeking asylum at the U.S. border to remain in Mexico while their cases are processed, rather than being allowed to stay in the U.S. pending a hearing. The bill does not create new rules but mandates the reinstatement of a policy that was previously in effect from 2019 to 2021. This would directly affect asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. The policy change would apply to all migrants covered by the existing MPP framework.

Maddy summaryThe Healthcare Freedom Act of 2025 would rename health savings accounts as "health freedom accounts" and make them available to all individuals, removing the previous requirement of having a high-deductible health plan. It increases the annual contribution limit to $12,000 (or $24,000 for joint returns) and expands eligible expenses to include direct primary care and health care sharing ministries. Employers could contribute to these accounts for new hires starting five years after enactment, with a transition rule for existing accounts. The bill would directly affect individuals using these accounts and employers who choose to participate in the new system.

Maddy summaryHR 274, the Sunset Chevron Act, requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to compile a list of federal court decisions that upheld agency rules using Chevron deference (a judicial practice deferring to agency interpretations of laws) and are still in effect. The bill mandates that the GAO publish this list within 180 days of enactment, organizing it by agency and assigning each rule a sunset date. The most recent rule from each agency expires 30 days after the list's publication, with earlier rules expiring 30 days after the prior rule’s sunset date. This creates an automatic expiration process for specific agency rules upheld under Chevron deference, directly affecting federal agencies whose rules are included in the GAO's list.

Maddy summaryHRES 15 rescinds three subpoenas issued by the January 6th Select Committee to Stephen Bannon, Mark Meadows, Daniel Scavino Jr., and Peter Navarro, and withdraws the House's prior recommendations that they be found in contempt of Congress. The bill directly affects these four individuals by removing the legal force of the subpoenas and the contempt findings. It accomplishes this by formally withdrawing specific House resolutions (H.Res. 730, H.Res. 1037, and H.Res. 851) that had been adopted. The resolution also directs the Speaker to notify the Department of Justice that the subpoenas are void.

Maddy summaryHR 215, the Adoption Information Act, requires family planning services funded under Title V of the Social Security Act to provide pamphlets containing regional adoption center contact information to patients inquiring about medical or abortion services. Specifically, medical professionals must offer a pamphlet listing all adoption centers in the region with their addresses and phone numbers at the time of inquiry, and ensure patients have the opportunity to read it. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must annually update and distribute these pamphlets to all qualifying family planning programs. This provision uses existing Title V funding, with no new funds required for implementation.

Maddy summaryHR 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain government workers. It eliminates the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which cuts spousal or survivor benefits for people with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security (like federal or state government roles), and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which lowers retirement benefits for those with similar pensions. The law takes effect for benefits paid after December 2023, requiring the Social Security Administration to adjust benefit calculations to remove these reductions. This change directly affects public-sector employees who previously had their Social Security benefits reduced due to their government pensions.

Maddy summaryHR 9592, the Federal Register Modernization Act of 2024, updates outdated terminology and processes for publishing federal regulations. It replaces "printing" with "publishing" throughout title 44, U.S. Code, defines "publish" as circulating documents for public distribution, and requires the Administrative Committee to set modern publication rules. The bill affects federal agencies that submit rules to the Federal Register, the Government Publishing Office (which produces the Register), and the National Archives. Key provisions include adding electronic access for public updates to the Code of Federal Regulations and allowing alternative publication methods during government continuity events.

Maddy summaryThe FISHES Act (HR 5103) streamlines access to emergency disaster funds for fisheries by setting strict deadlines for federal review. It requires the Secretary of Commerce to review and provide notice on spend plans within 10 days of submission and mandates that funds be made available to grantees no later than 90 days after a complete spend plan is received. This directly affects fisheries that have received a formal "fishery resource disaster" determination, ensuring faster disbursement of funds for recovery efforts. The bill also prohibits the Office of Management and Budget from delaying these timelines during concurrent review. The law aims to reduce bureaucratic delays in post-disaster funding without altering the underlying disaster assistance program.

Maddy summaryHRES 7 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing the importance of access to comprehensive, high-quality medical care for women. It specifically endorses the standards set by Pro Women’s Healthcare Centers, a national consortium that provides services like well-woman exams, STI testing, prenatal care, miscarriage support, and referrals for mental/emotional resources. The resolution expresses the House’s support for nationwide access to such care but does not create new laws or allocate funding. It serves as a statement of endorsement for the consortium’s model, which emphasizes holistic (physical, mental, and spiritual) care for women.