Rep. Monica De La Cruz

Maddy summaryHR 6586 requires the U.S. Secretary of State to develop a strategy within 90 days to discourage foreign countries - especially those receiving U.S. foreign aid - from providing financial or material support to the Taliban. The bill mandates a detailed report identifying such countries, including the amount of U.S. aid they receive and the nature of their support to the Taliban, along with U.S. efforts to counter this since August 2021. It also requires ongoing reports (every 180 days) on the strategy’s implementation and impact. The bill directly affects foreign governments receiving U.S. aid, using aid leverage to pressure them against supporting the Taliban.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 2365, Public Law 118-66) directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the National Parkinson’s Project. It requires HHS to create and update a coordinated national plan for preventing, diagnosing, treating, and researching Parkinson’s disease and related disorders (including multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy), while coordinating federal research and care efforts across agencies like the NIH, CDC, and VA. The law mandates annual progress assessments, an advisory council with patient advocates and diverse experts, and annual reports to Congress on federal Parkinson’s programs and recommendations for improvement. It affects federal agencies managing Parkinson’s-related programs and aims to improve care coordination and research efficiency for patients and caregivers, with the law sunsetting in 2035.

Maddy summaryHJRES 170 is a resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a federal rule that would have required new housing projects financed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to meet specific energy efficiency standards. The rule, published in April 2024, aimed to set these standards for new construction in federally subsidized housing. If passed, this resolution would block the rule under the Congressional Review Act, making it legally void. It directly affects developers and builders of HUD- and USDA-financed housing by removing the requirement to comply with these energy standards.

Maddy summaryHR 537 authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor 60 diplomats who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust by issuing visas and passports against their governments' orders, risking expulsion and personal danger. The medal will be presented to the next of kin of these diplomats, alongside representatives from their home countries, and permanently displayed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This legislation recognizes the diplomats' humanitarian actions without creating new government programs or altering existing laws.

Maddy summaryHR 5403, the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing or facilitating central bank digital currency (CBDC) directly or indirectly to individuals through financial institutions. It specifically bans Federal Reserve banks from offering digital products to individuals, maintaining individual accounts, or using CBDC for monetary policy implementation. The bill also clarifies that its restrictions do not apply to existing physical cash or private, permissionless digital payment systems. This bill directly affects the Federal Reserve's ability to develop or deploy a government-run digital dollar. The law aims to prevent the Federal Reserve from creating a digital currency that could enable transaction tracking or government oversight of personal financial activity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Reserve System to provide more detailed public reporting about its spending and operations. Specifically, it mandates that the annual report include breakdowns of expenditures and staff by category (like supervision, legal work, payment services, research, and international engagement) for each Federal Reserve bank, plus details on top research areas and spending on specific rules or policies. The bill directly affects the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and all 12 Federal Reserve banks by imposing new transparency requirements. It does not change the Fed's policy decisions but increases public visibility into its financial operations. The new reporting requirements would take effect two years after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryHRES 1262 is a ceremonial resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Border Patrol's establishment on May 28, 1924. It honors the agency's history, service, and sacrifices - including over 57 million apprehensions and 155 agents who died in the line of duty - without creating new laws or affecting any policies. The resolution symbolically recognizes the Border Patrol's role in border security and recommends designating a National U.S. Border Patrol Day. As a purely commemorative measure, it has no direct impact on legislation, funding, or individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 8434 designates the United States Postal Service facility at 107 North Hoyne Avenue in Fritch, Texas, as the "Chief Zeb Smith Post Office." This bill changes the official name of the physical post office location for all federal references, including laws, maps, and documents. It directly affects the postal facility in Fritch by establishing its new official designation. The bill has no policy or funding impact - it is purely a ceremonial naming resolution.

Maddy summaryHJRES 143 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a Department of Labor rule that would amend specific exemptions for retirement investment transactions. The bill targets a rule (published April 25, 2024) that would change how retirement funds can invest, particularly affecting retirement plan providers and fiduciaries managing employee savings. It directs Congress to disapprove the rule under a specific federal law, meaning the rule would not take effect if passed. This is a procedural step to halt the rule's implementation, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryHJRES 140 is a resolution requesting Congress to disapprove a Department of Labor rule that amended Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02. The rule, published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2024, would have changed how retirement plan fiduciaries can engage in certain investment transactions, specifically affecting retirement account providers and administrators. If approved, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect, directly impacting entities managing retirement funds that rely on the exemption framework. The bill uses the statutory disapproval process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, to halt the rule’s implementation.