Rep. Jake Auchincloss

Supporting Transit Commutes Act  This bill allows employers a tax deduction for certain transportation fringe benefits (e.g., commuter and parking costs, bicycle reimbursements) paid to their employees. It also gives employers a 50% tax deduction for the amount of benefits withheld from their employees' wages.

Maddy summaryHR 9299, the IRAN Act, requires the U.S. Secretary of State to lead federal efforts promoting internet freedom and access to information in Iran. It amends a 2012 law to mandate specific strategy updates, including evaluating how activists use virtual private networks (VPNs) and satellite tech, developing guidance to prevent sanctions from blocking internet tools for Iranians, and planning to bypass government internet blackouts. The bill directs the State Department to coordinate with Treasury, Commerce, USAID, and intelligence agencies to implement these updates. This affects U.S. government agencies' coordination and aims to improve internet access for Iranian civil society activists.

Maddy summaryHR 9253, the National Gun Violence Research Act, repeals longstanding restrictions that blocked federal funding for gun violence research, including the 1996 Dickey Amendment. It establishes a National Gun Violence Research Program to support scientific studies on gun-related injury and death, with $200 million authorized over six years (2025-2030). The program directs agencies like the CDC, NIH, and National Institute of Justice to fund research, train researchers, develop safety standards, and share gun trace data with researchers through new protocols. This bill directly affects federal research institutions and public health agencies by enabling evidence-based study of gun violence causes and prevention strategies.

Maddy summaryThe New England Coastal Protection Act of 2024 prohibits the federal government from leasing any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut for oil and gas exploration, development, or production. It amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to explicitly block such leases, overriding any existing or future laws that might permit them. This policy change directly affects the oil and gas industry by eliminating potential new drilling opportunities in these coastal waters and restricts the federal government’s authority to issue offshore energy leases in the region. The bill creates a permanent ban on new oil and gas leasing in this specific coastal zone.

Maddy summaryThe Intimate Privacy Protection Act amends Section 230 of the Communications Act to require online platforms to implement specific safeguards against cyberstalking, intimate privacy violations, and digital forgeries. Platforms must establish processes to prevent these harms, allow clear reporting, investigate claims, and remove verified violations within 24 hours - including non-consensual intimate images or deepfakes designed to cause harm. The bill directly affects major social media and content-sharing platforms hosting user-generated content, mandating these measures for content posted after enactment. It directs the FTC to create implementing regulations within 180 days and explicitly states the changes do not infringe on First Amendment rights.

Maddy summaryThe Strategic Ports Reporting Act of 2024 requires the U.S. Department of Defense to study strategic ports worldwide, focusing on China's efforts to expand control through companies like China Ocean Shipping Company and products such as LOGINK. The study must assess how Chinese influence over these ports could harm U.S. security and economic interests, including vulnerabilities in both Chinese- and U.S.-controlled ports. Within one year of enactment, the Department must submit a detailed report to Congress, including lists of key ports, analysis of China's activities, and a strategy for securing trusted ownership of maritime infrastructure. This bill directly affects the Department of Defense and relevant congressional committees, mandating a concrete policy review without altering existing laws or funding.

Maddy summaryThe BRAIN Act (HR 9113) establishes new research networks and funding mechanisms to advance brain tumor treatment and care. It requires the NIH to create a searchable database of brain tumor biospecimens, authorizes $50 million annually for a Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, and allocates $10 million yearly for CAR-T cell therapy research. The bill also mandates a national awareness campaign about clinical trials and biomarker testing, and funds pilot programs to improve long-term care for brain tumor survivors. These provisions directly affect researchers, patients, healthcare providers, and survivors, with funding allocated for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

Maddy summaryHR 9011, the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2024, extends the U.S. government's authority to provide military equipment to Ukraine and Eastern European countries affected by Russia's invasion through fiscal year 2026 (previously ending in 2023). It requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report within 90 days of using this authority, detailing the specific defense equipment provided and outlining a strategy for recovering and returning that equipment. The bill directly affects Ukraine's government and allied nations in Eastern Europe by enabling continued access to U.S. military aid. Key provisions include the extended funding period and mandatory transparency measures to track aid usage and future recovery.

Maddy summaryHR 7914, the Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act, imposes U.S. sanctions on the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and associated individuals or groups, including blocking property transactions and denying visas to members. The bill requires the President to enforce these sanctions 90 days after enactment, with exceptions for United Nations operations and national security activities, and allows temporary 180-day waivers for national security reasons. It also mandates a 90-day report to Congress on whether the PRC and the group "Lion's Den" meet criteria for designation as terrorist organizations under existing laws. Ongoing reports every two years will track new entities linked to the PRC.

Maddy summaryHRES 1327 is a symbolic congressional resolution condemning Azerbaijan for actions it claims constitute ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. It specifically calls for the U.S. government to impose targeted sanctions on Azerbaijani officials, halt military aid to Azerbaijan under Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, provide humanitarian aid to Armenian refugees, and strengthen U.S.-Armenia security cooperation. The resolution affirms displaced Armenians' right to return to Nagorno-Karabakh with security protections. It directly affects Azerbaijan's government officials, Armenian refugees in Armenia, and U.S. foreign policy implementation. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new law but urges specific policy actions.