Rep. Jeff Duncan

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the IRS from using federal funds to purchase, receive, or store firearms or ammunition. Within 120 days of enactment, the IRS must transfer all existing firearms and ammunition to the General Services Administration for sale - firearms to licensed dealers and ammunition to the public - with proceeds deposited into the Treasury for deficit reduction. It also transfers the IRS Criminal Investigation Division’s authority for enforcing tax-related crimes to the Department of Justice, effective 90 days after enactment. The bill directly affects the IRS’s internal operations and weapon inventory, not taxpayer obligations or policy.

Maddy summaryHR 4321 prohibits the U.S. government from providing any federal loans, grants, or financial assistance to state or local governments that enact reparations programs based on slavery, race, ethnicity, national origin, or related historical practices. This bill directly affects state and local governments that pass such reparations laws by blocking access to federal funds for those specific programs. The key provision bans all forms of federal financial aid - including from the Federal Reserve and independent agencies - to the jurisdiction enacting the reparations program, without applying to other government functions. The bill focuses solely on restricting federal funding for these programs, not on creating or funding reparations themselves.

Maddy summaryThe Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act of 2023 requires entities that buy and sell human bodies or body parts for education, research, or medical training (not for transplants) to register with the federal government. It mandates detailed record-keeping for each donation - including donor consent documentation, medical history, and chain-of-custody tracking - and sets strict labeling and packaging rules to include donor names, cause of death, and health information. The law restricts how donor information can be used and requires proper disposal of remains, while exempting organ transplant networks, funeral homes, and medical schools from registration. Violations may result in fines or loss of registration.

Maddy summaryHR 4300, the Real Emergencies Act, prohibits the President from declaring national emergencies, major disasters, or public health emergencies under three specific federal laws *based on climate change*. It directly affects the President and federal agencies that manage emergency declarations under the National Emergencies Act, the Stafford Act, and the Public Health Service Act. The bill's key provision explicitly bans using climate change as a justification for these emergency declarations, without altering existing emergency powers for other reasons. This is a procedural restriction on executive authority, not a change to climate policy or emergency response mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThe Mountain Valley Pipeline Completion Act (HR 3500) requires federal agencies to expedite permits and approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline project within 21 days of enactment. It mandates the Army, Agriculture, and Interior secretaries to issue necessary permits for construction and operation, while blocking all legal challenges to these approvals through judicial review. The bill directly affects the pipeline project by overriding existing legal barriers and agency decisions related to its completion. Key provisions include ratifying prior approvals, expediting permits, and prohibiting lawsuits seeking to invalidate agency actions for this specific pipeline. This law aims to accelerate the pipeline's construction to meet regional natural gas demand, as stated in the bill.

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.

Maddy summaryHR 4298, the Keep our Kids Safe Act of 2023, prohibits public elementary and secondary schools receiving federal education funds from using those funds for "sexualized performances" or classroom instruction about human sexuality that is not age-appropriate for students. It directly affects schools receiving federal funds under programs covered by the General Education Provisions Act, restricting how such funds can be used for topics like human sexual behavior. Key provisions ban funding for performances emphasizing secondary sexual characteristics or simulating sexual activities, and require all sexuality-related instruction to be developmentally appropriate for students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The bill does not ban all sex education but limits federal funding for specific types of instruction or performances deemed inappropriate for students' age groups.

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 summaryThis bill increases criminal penalties for non-citizens who reenter the U.S. after being deported or excluded. It specifically targets individuals with prior convictions for drug offenses, violent crimes, or multiple prior removals, imposing stricter fines and longer prison terms. For example, those convicted of an aggravated felony or two prior illegal reentries face mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years in prison, up to 20 years. The law also expands penalties for those who reenter without Homeland Security's permission after being removed under certain provisions.