Rep. Mike Johnson

Maddy summaryHR 4491 establishes a temporary 6-member panel of constitutional experts to study how to resolve vacancies in presidential or vice-presidential elections if a candidate dies. The panel, appointed by congressional leaders, must submit an interim report within one year and a final report six months later, with no new funding provided beyond the Law Library of Congress’s existing resources. This procedural bill does not enact new election rules but aims to address a gap in the Twentieth Amendment process.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to detect, identify, monitor, and mitigate drone threats to specific high-risk facilities including government buildings, airports, critical infrastructure, and locations hosting special events. It establishes a 5-year pilot program allowing state and local law enforcement agencies to use drone detection technology under federal oversight, with strict privacy protections requiring 180-day data retention limits and mandatory training for personnel. The bill requires coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration to minimize impacts on air traffic and mandates regular congressional reporting on how these authorities are being used. It sets an expiration date of 7 years after enactment for these new authorities.

Maddy summaryHJRES 44 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a 2021 rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The rule classified firearms with stabilizing braces as "short-barreled rifles," which would have required additional licensing and regulation. This resolution uses a specific legal process (under Title 5, U.S. Code) to formally disapprove the ATF rule, meaning the rule would no longer be in effect. It directly affects firearm owners, manufacturers, and dealers who would have been subject to the rule’s requirements.

Maddy summaryHJRES 45 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a specific Department of Education rule about federal student loans. It seeks to block the rule implementing "One-Time Federal Student Loan Debt Relief" (including modifications to Perkins, FFEL, and Direct Loan programs) by invoking the Congressional Review Act. If passed, this resolution would nullify the rule, preventing the Department of Education from using it to modify or waive student loan obligations. The bill directly affects borrowers who might have qualified for debt relief under the targeted rule.

Maddy summaryHR 277 would require Congress to approve major federal regulations before they take effect. Major rules are defined as those with significant economic impact ($100 million+ annually), major cost increases for consumers or industries, or significant adverse effects on competition, employment, or innovation. Agencies must submit detailed information about these rules to Congress, including cost-benefit analyses, before they can take effect. Congress would have 70 session days to approve the rule with a joint resolution; if they don't act within that timeframe, the rule would not take effect. This would increase congressional oversight of federal regulations and require more detailed information about proposed rules before they become law.

Maddy summaryHR 288, the Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023, amends federal law to change how courts review agency actions. It requires federal courts to decide de novo (anew) all legal questions - including interpretations of laws and the Constitution - when reviewing agency decisions, rather than deferring to agency interpretations. This applies to all judicial reviews of agency actions under existing law, unless a specific law explicitly exempts such cases. The bill directly affects federal courts, agencies, and parties involved in litigation over agency rules or enforcement. It aims to shift interpretive authority from agencies to courts in administrative law cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all U.S. flags displayed on federal property or purchased by federal agencies to be 100% made in the United States, meaning all materials and manufacturing must occur domestically. It directly affects federal agencies (including military departments, legislative/judicial branches, and U.S.-owned corporations) and their procurement of flags for display on government property. Key provisions include a 90-day implementation for new flag purchases and a 2-year phase-in for display requirements, with a separate mandate for the FTC to study and report on country-of-origin labeling enforcement for flags within one year. The bill does not apply to private entities or flags displayed off federal property.

Maddy summaryHR 1640, the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, prevents the Department of Energy from implementing energy efficiency standards for gas stoves that would make them unavailable in the U.S. market. It amends federal law to require that any new standard for gas stoves must not result in the unavailability of gas stove types, directly affecting gas stove manufacturers and consumers who rely on these appliances. The bill specifically blocks the implementation of the 2023 proposed rule (Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional Cooking Products) and any similar rule. This is a policy change focused on maintaining the availability of gas stoves by altering the criteria for energy standard approval.

Maddy summaryHJRES 49 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a specific rule by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that would have listed the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The rule, published in the Federal Register in November 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 73488), would have imposed federal protections and restrictions on activities affecting the bat's habitat. This resolution, if passed, would nullify that rule, preventing the bat from receiving federal endangered species status and associated legal safeguards. It directly affects the regulatory status of the northern long-eared bat and activities regulated under the Endangered Species Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that AM radio receivers be included as standard equipment in all new motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks) sold in the United States, with a rule to be issued by the Department of Transportation within one year. The rule must ensure AM radio is easily accessible on the dashboard and allows manufacturers to use digital AM radio technology instead of traditional AM. During the one-year period between the bill's enactment and the rule's effective date, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio. The bill also directs a study to evaluate whether an alternative system could deliver emergency alerts as reliably as AM radio across the country, especially during crises.