Rep. Andy Harris

Maddy summaryHR 4860, the PROTECT the Second Amendment Act, prevents landlords in specific federally assisted housing from banning or restricting residents' lawful possession of firearms in their private units or during travel between units and common areas. It directly affects tenants in housing funded by HUD or USDA programs, including public housing, Section 8 vouchers, and housing for veterans or people with disabilities. The bill prohibits landlords from imposing firearm bans or additional conditions on residents who lawfully carry firearms within their dwelling units or while moving through common areas to reach their units. This changes current policies in these housing programs by explicitly allowing firearm possession where state law permits.

Maddy summaryHR 4157, the "Not Just a Number Act," requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to produce annual reports on veteran suicide rates and their connection to VA healthcare and benefits. The reports must break down suicide rates by age, gender, and race, and examine how engagement with VA services (like Vet Centers, healthcare enrollment, benefits claims, and housing loans) correlates with suicide trends. The bill also mandates a VA toolkit for state/local coroners to improve veteran suicide death reporting, and a study on creating a dedicated VA suicide prevention office. These measures aim to standardize data collection and identify effective prevention strategies, directly affecting VA operations, congressional oversight, and veteran care systems.

Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today Act or the STUDENT Act This bill revises the federal charter for the National Education Association. The bill specifies that the corporation and its state and local affiliates may only accept payment of membership dues or fees from a state or local government employee if the employee (1) has been notified of the employee's right under the First Amendment to refrain from membership and payment of associated dues or fees, (2) has clearly and affirmatively consented to membership and payment of associated dues or fees, and (3) has authorized the transmittal of membership dues or fees without the use of payroll deduction. Further, the corporation and its state or local affiliates must process and honor cancellation requests for membership or payment of dues as soon as practicable following receipt of the request. The bill also outlines requirements for the corporation, such as  prohibiting the corporation or its directors or officers from contributing to, supporting, or participating in political activities; requiring each officer of the corporation to be a U.S. citizen;  requiring the corporation to submit annual reports to Congress; prohibiting the corporation and its affiliates from requiring staff, officers, affiliates, or members to affirm, adopt, or adhere to certain principles related to race or sex; and prohibiting the corporation and its affiliates from calling or participating in a strike, work stoppage, or slowdown affecting a state or local government. The bill repeals the corporation's exemption from District of Columbia property taxes.

Maddy summaryHR 4721, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes a permanent the 20% tax deduction for eligible small business owners under Section 199A of the tax code. This provision directly affects pass-through business owners (like S-corps, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) who qualify for the deduction. The bill achieves this by removing the temporary expiration language (subsection (i)) from the existing tax code provision. The key change is ending the need for annual congressional extensions of this deduction, providing long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the General Services Administration (GSA) from considering the legality or availability of abortion when acquiring, constructing, leasing, or entering into agreements for federal buildings or properties. It directly affects GSA's decisions regarding federal real estate, ensuring that such actions are not influenced by state abortion laws. The law amends specific sections of Title 40 (including building acquisition, construction, and leasing rules) to explicitly ban this consideration. It does not change abortion laws or apply to non-federal properties.

Maddy summaryHR 4417, the "Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act," prevents state and local governments from imposing additional production standards on agricultural products sold across state lines if those standards aren't already required by federal law or the state where the product is grown. It directly affects agricultural producers, distributors, and businesses operating in interstate commerce by allowing them to sue states in federal court to challenge such regulations. The bill creates a private right of action for affected parties to seek court invalidation of the regulations and damages for economic losses, with provisions for preliminary injunctions to halt enforcement during litigation. This aims to reduce regulatory barriers that could hinder the movement of agricultural goods between states.

Maddy summaryHR 4345, the Dignity for Aborted Children Act, requires abortion providers to offer patients choices for handling fetal tissue after an abortion, including taking it home or having the provider arrange interment or cremation. Providers must obtain patient consent in writing for tissue disposal and arrange final disposition (interment or cremation) within 7 days if patients choose to release the tissue, failing which faces civil penalties up to $50,000 or criminal charges. The bill mandates annual reporting by providers on abortion procedures and tissue disposal methods, and requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress on abortion statistics and disposal practices. This directly affects abortion providers and patients by changing post-abortion tissue handling procedures under federal law.

Maddy summaryHR 4335, the VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2023, requires mortgage lenders to include specific information about VA home loan programs in standard mortgage disclosures. The bill amends the National Housing Act to mandate that lenders provide details on VA loans (guaranteed under Title 38) alongside other loan options, including assumptions about prevailing interest rates. This change directly affects lenders processing VA-guaranteed mortgages, ensuring borrowers receive clearer comparisons between VA loans and other financing. The law does not require lenders to verify borrower eligibility for VA loans, only to include the specified disclosure language.

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 summaryHR 4299, the "There are Two Sexes Act of 2023," prohibits the use of federal funds for creating or distributing any required federal form that offers gender options beyond "Male" or "Female." It directly affects federal agencies and programs that require individuals to provide gender information on official forms, such as benefit applications or enrollment documents. The bill bans federal funding for any such form starting October 1, 2024, ensuring only binary gender options are used on federally mandated paperwork. This policy change restricts how federal entities collect gender data but does not alter personal identification or state-level policies.