Rep. Richard Hudson

Maddy summaryHR 2217, the Down East Remembrance Act, designates six specific creeks in North Carolina with new names honoring individuals, using precise geographic coordinates for each location. The bill updates all official federal references (including maps, laws, and documents) to these creeks to reflect their new names. This is a commemorative measure with no policy changes, directly affecting only the designated geographic areas and federal records referencing them.

This bill treats Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad as combat zones for purposes of determining eligibility for certain federal tax benefits available to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. (Conditions apply.) Specifically, under the bill, a qualified hazardous duty area is treated as a combat zone for purposes of determining the filing status of an individual whose spouse is missing in action; excluding compensation received by a member of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone from gross income and wages subject to withholding; forgiving the income tax liability of a member of the Armed Forces who dies in a combat zone; certain estate tax rules applicable to a member of the Armed Forces who dies in a combat zone or as a result of an injury, wound, or disease suffered while in a combat zone; the exemption from the federal excise tax imposed on certain telephone services for telephone calls originating from a combat zone by a member of the Armed Forces; and postponing certain federal tax deadlines (e.g., filing a tax return, paying taxes, and claiming a tax refund) for a member of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone. The bill defines a qualified hazardous duty area as Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad if any member of the U.S. Armed Forces is entitled to special pay (e.g., hostile fire pay and imminent danger pay) for services performed in such locations.

Maddy summaryThe FOCA Act of 2025 prohibits federal agencies from requiring or banning contractors from using union agreements in construction project bids or contracts. It directly affects federal agencies, contractors, and subcontractors working on federally funded or assisted construction projects (like buildings or infrastructure). The law requires bid documents to not favor or penalize contractors based on whether they have union agreements, aiming to promote open competition and prevent discrimination. This changes how agencies structure bids but does not affect union agreements themselves. The bill applies to all new contracts and subcontracts after enactment, with limited exemptions only for public health/safety emergencies or national security.

Maddy summaryHR 2065, the Unmasking Hamas Act of 2025, would make it a federal crime to injure, threaten, or intimidate someone while wearing a disguise (including a mask) in order to interfere with their exercise of constitutional or legal rights. It would impose fines or up to 15 years in prison for such acts, and add a mandatory 2-year prison term for property destruction committed while masked. The bill directly affects individuals who wear masks during protests or demonstrations that disrupt protected rights or damage property, applying to all locations under federal jurisdiction. The law focuses on criminalizing masked conduct that interferes with rights or property, not on the specific content of protests.

Maddy summaryHR 2033, the Military Spouse Hiring Act, expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include spouses of active-duty military personnel. It adds "qualified military spouse" as an eligible category for the tax credit, meaning employers who hire such spouses can claim the credit. A "qualified military spouse" is defined as someone certified by a local agency as married to an active-duty service member at the time of hire. The credit applies to hires occurring after the bill's enactment date. This directly affects military spouses seeking employment and employers hiring them, providing a tax incentive to encourage their hiring.

Maddy summaryThe SPEED for BEAD Act (HR 1870) amends the federal broadband deployment program (BEAD) to accelerate network expansion. It defines "gigabit-level broadband" as 1,000 Mbps download speeds, requires unused funds to be returned to the Treasury instead of reallocated, and allows states to remove high-cost locations from project areas. The bill prohibits grant conditions related to labor practices (e.g., union requirements), diversity initiatives, climate policies, or network management rules, while ensuring all broadband technologies meeting speed standards are eligible. It also explicitly bans government regulation of broadband pricing, directly affecting states administering BEAD funds and the internet providers they fund.

Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2025 This bill modifies criminal penalties for an offense involving the theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer, or from their business premises. Specifically, the bill does the following: increases from 10 to 20 years the maximum prison term, and creates a 3- or 5-year mandatory minimum prison term for an offense that occurs during the commission of a burglary or robbery. An attempt to commit an offense is subject to the same penalties as a substantive offense.

Maddy summaryThe PLUS for Veterans Act of 2025 regulates how agents and attorneys can represent veterans in claims for benefits with the Department of Veterans Affairs. It establishes new requirements for these representatives, including application processes, conditional recognition periods while verification occurs, and caps on fees (limiting them to $12,500 or 5 times the monthly benefit increase). The bill reinstates penalties for unauthorized fee charging, including fines up to $50,000 and bars from representation for repeat violations. This legislation directly affects veterans seeking benefits, their representatives, and the Department of Veterans Affairs in handling claims. The bill also preempts state laws that conflict with these new federal regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the exclusivity period for certain advanced drugs from 7 to 11 years. It defines "advanced drug product" as a drug using genetically targeted technology to modulate gene function (e.g., suppress or activate genes). This change directly affects pharmaceutical companies developing these specific advanced therapies by granting them longer market exclusivity. The policy change modifies the Social Security Act to provide extended protection for these innovative drugs, allowing companies more time to recoup research and development costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal mental health law to allow states to use up to 5% of their existing mental health funding for early intervention programs targeting children and adolescents. It requires states to include evidence-based prevention strategies in their plans - such as school-based support or community programs - to delay or reduce the severity of mental health issues before they become serious. States must report biennially to Congress on program details, demographics served (including age), and outcomes like reduced wait times for care. The law directly affects states receiving federal mental health funds and focuses on preventing escalation of mental health challenges in young people.