Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer

Maddy summaryHR 3995, the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act, requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure that regulatory costs imposed on small businesses by the SBA itself remain at or below zero each fiscal year. This means the SBA must offset any new or modified regulations with cost-saving measures for small businesses. The bill also mandates the SBA to submit annual reports to Congress detailing rules issued by other federal agencies that impact small businesses, including rules from the previous and following fiscal years. These provisions directly affect small business concerns by limiting their regulatory burden and increasing transparency about agency rules affecting them.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal funding rules for Title X family planning services. It prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from requiring any State, clinic, or organization receiving Title X funds to provide abortion counseling or referrals as a condition of receiving that funding. The law directly affects all Title X grantees - clinics and providers that receive federal funds for preventive reproductive health services. The key provision ensures that funding eligibility cannot be tied to abortion-related services or referrals.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. Code to allow capital construction funds - previously used for vessel upgrades - to cover the replacement or purchase of cargo handling equipment at U.S. marine terminals. It defines "cargo handling equipment" to include U.S.-manufactured gear or foreign-made equipment if U.S. supply is insufficient or low-quality, as determined by terminal operators. The bill prohibits using funds for cranes made in China or fully automated equipment that could cause job losses at terminals. Marine terminal operators (not individual vessels) are the primary beneficiaries, with eligibility tied to equipment meeting specific U.S. manufacturing or supply criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires phone calls, texts, and chats to 9-8-8 (the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline) to be routed to the nearest participating crisis center within 90 days of enactment, while protecting caller privacy by not revealing precise location. It mandates all phone carriers to transmit every 9-8-8 call or text - including those from prepaid or non-initialized handsets - and updates phone systems to allow direct 9-8-8 dialing without extra steps. The law affects crisis centers (by directing calls to their area), callers (through improved routing and privacy), and phone carriers (by requiring transmission compliance). These changes aim to make the 9-8-8 system more efficient and accessible for those seeking mental health support.

This resolution condemns Iran for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. It also urges the Biden Administration and U.S. allies to publicly condemn the massacre and to pressure Iran to provide information to the families of the victims.

Maddy summaryHR 4942 extends and modifies the Conrad State 30 program, which allows states to sponsor foreign medical graduates to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a commitment to practice for three years. The bill directly affects foreign medical graduates seeking to work in the U.S., states that sponsor them, and health facilities in underserved communities. Key provisions include creating mechanisms for physicians to change employers or states if they face issues with their current employment, adding requirements for employment agreements (including prohibitions on non-compete clauses), and establishing exceptions to the three-year work requirement under certain circumstances. The bill also creates a process for states to recapture waiver slots when physicians leave their employment and requires annual reporting on the program's usage. These changes aim to improve physician retention in underserved areas by providing more flexibility and protections for foreign medical graduates.

Maddy summaryHR 3203, the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act of 2023, expands U.S. sanctions to target Chinese entities and government officials involved in fentanyl trafficking. It redefines "foreign opioid trafficker" to specifically include Chinese government bodies (like the National Narcotics Control Commission) and officials who fail to prevent fentanyl trafficking or cooperate with U.S. efforts. The bill also extends the statute of limitations for enforcement from 5 to 10 years under key laws and requires annual presidential reports to Congress on sanctions effectiveness. These changes directly affect Chinese government agencies and officials responsible for regulating or failing to combat fentanyl-related activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins marking the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. It authorizes three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 respectively. The surcharge proceeds will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with no net cost to taxpayers as the Treasury must recover all minting costs through the surcharges. The coins can only be issued during 2025, and the Treasury must ensure all costs are covered before distributing funds to the Heritage Foundation.

This resolution supports the benefits veterans have earned through service and opposes any efforts to impose new fees or burdens on veterans for veterans benefits.

Holding Chinese Listed Companies Accountable Act This bill establishes stricter requirements for Chinese companies that are publicly traded. Under current law, the Securities and Exchange Commission must delist from an exchange a publicly traded company that uses, for two consecutive years, an accounting firm not subject to Public Company Accounting Oversight Board inspections. The bill reduces this to one year for companies that are organized under Chinese laws.