Rep. Clay Higgins

No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your Rights Act This bill modifies the retention requirements for firearm transaction records of federal firearms licensees (FFLs) that go out of business. Current law generally requires FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This bill removes the requirement for FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the ATF. Further, the bill requires the ATF to destroy all out-of-business records it has collected from FFLs.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Department of Defense from using funds to pay for or reimburse abortion services, except when the pregnancy endangers the mother's life, results from rape, or results from incest. It directly affects military personnel, civilian DOD employees, and contractors receiving medical care at military facilities by restricting funding for abortion-related expenses. Key provisions include amending federal law to ban reimbursement for travel or licensing costs related to abortion services and repealing a 2022 DOD memo that expanded access to such care. The bill explicitly blocks all funding for abortion services beyond the existing exceptions, with no new exceptions added. It does not change abortion access for civilians outside the military healthcare system.

Maddy summaryThe Stop the Cartels Act (HR 597) aims to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and related criminal activities by requiring enhanced intelligence gathering on cartels in Mexico and Central American countries, mandating improved U.S.-Mexico law enforcement cooperation, and cutting federal funding from jurisdictions that restrict immigration enforcement. The bill creates a "Special Transnational Criminal Organization" designation for major cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel, requires monthly reports on migrant encounters at the border, and establishes refugee processing centers in Mexico and Central America. It also increases staffing for immigration courts by 500 judges, prohibits asylum applications from nationals of countries with refugee processing centers, and reauthorizes substance abuse prevention funding at higher levels while repealing several existing drug programs. These provisions directly affect U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies, Mexican and Central American governments, local jurisdictions receiving federal funds, and migrants seeking asylum or refugee status.

Maddy summaryHR 1190, the "Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act," amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require lobbyists to disclose the name and address of any foreign government or political party (other than the client) that directs, plans, supervises, or controls their lobbying activities. This change directly affects registered lobbyists who work with foreign entities, mandating them to report these foreign influences in their filings. The key provision adds a new requirement to disclosure forms, specifying that foreign governments or political parties involved in controlling lobbying efforts must be named, even if they are not the direct client. This focuses on transparency about foreign involvement in U.S. lobbying, without altering the core lobbying registration framework.

Imported Seafood Safety Standards Act This bill prohibits the importation of any seafood from a foreign country unless the country complies with U.S. standards for seafood manufacturing, processing, and holding. Among other requirements, the bill requires an annual inspection of each foreign facility that exports seafood to the United States to ensure compliance with U.S. standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require the U.S. to withhold funding for the UNRWA (United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians) unless the State Department certifies UNRWA staff, materials, and facilities comply with specific conditions. Key conditions include confirming no ties to terrorism or anti-Israel rhetoric (like denying Israel's right to exist or promoting BDS), no misuse of UNRWA resources for terrorist activities, and adherence to international financial audits. It also caps U.S. contributions to UNRWA at levels comparable to Arab League countries and mandates annual reports to Congress on phasing out UNRWA support. These changes directly affect U.S. foreign aid decisions for Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and the West Bank.

Second Chance at Life Act of 2023 This bill requires abortion providers to disclose information about the possibility of reversing a medication abortion. This is a procedure that uses a medication regimen to terminate a pregnancy, typically with a two-drug protocol. Providers must inform patients that it may be possible to reverse the effects of a medication abortion after taking the first drug. They must also let patients know that more information and assistance is available on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website. At least 24 hours before the procedure, the provider must share this information with the patient in person or by telephone. The provider must also include the information in written discharge instructions after the first drug is dispensed. The bill sets out an exception to these notification requirements when an abortion is necessary to resolve a physical injury or condition that threatens the life of the woman. The provider must document the circumstances giving rise to the exception in the patient's medical file. Furthermore, providers must post signs with this information in their offices or facilities, and HHS must maintain information about reversing medication abortions on its website.

Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution expresses Congress's view that all government support for sugar production and exports by major global producers (like Brazil, India, the EU, and Mexico) should be eliminated. It directs the President to work toward ending these subsidies and report to Congress on progress, followed by proposals for U.S. sugar policy reforms. The resolution does not create new laws but urges diplomatic action to address what Congress describes as market-distorting subsidies affecting the global sugar market. It directly concerns international sugar trade policies and U.S. agricultural competitiveness.

Maddy summaryHJRES 24 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a District of Columbia law. It formally rejects the D.C. Council's approval of the "Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022" (D.C. Act 24-640), which would have granted voting rights to D.C. residents in local elections. The resolution prevents this D.C. law from taking effect by disapproving the Council's action under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. This is a procedural measure affecting D.C. residents' local voting rights, not a new federal policy.