Rep. Pete Sessions

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1285) is a symbolic statement by a group of House members condemning the Biden administration's approach to mifepristone (the abortion pill), specifically the 2023 FDA decision allowing mail-order and pharmacy dispensing of the drug without in-person provider visits. It argues this policy eliminates safety safeguards like in-person ultrasounds to detect ectopic pregnancies, gestational age checks, and provider screening for coercion, potentially increasing health risks for patients. The resolution does not change any laws or policies but expresses disapproval of the FDA’s regulatory changes regarding mifepristone distribution. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect on abortion access or drug regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 192 prohibits noncitizens from voting in all District of Columbia elections, including for public office and ballot initiatives. It directly affects noncitizen residents of Washington D.C. who currently have voting rights under the repealed Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. The bill's key mechanism is repealing that 2022 amendment, restoring the requirement that only U.S. citizens may vote in DC elections. This changes the voting eligibility rules for noncitizens living in the District. The law would take effect upon enactment, removing noncitizens from the voter rolls for all local elections.

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 summaryHJRES 146 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule published on May 8, 2024, that would have clarified eligibility for health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and certain other noncitizens. The rule aimed to allow these individuals to access premium tax credits, cost-sharing reductions, and basic health programs through health insurance marketplaces. If enacted, this resolution would block the CMS rule from taking effect, maintaining current restrictions that prevent DACA recipients from qualifying for these subsidies.

Maddy summaryHJRES 145 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a specific FDA rule regarding medical tests developed in laboratories (LDTs). It targets the FDA's May 2024 rule (89 Fed. Reg. 37286) that would have regulated these tests as medical devices. The resolution uses the Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code) to block the rule from taking effect, stating it "shall have no force or effect." This resolution directly affects the FDA's regulatory authority over laboratory-developed medical tests but does not change existing medical device laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to require the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), not just the Secretary of Labor, to determine prevailing wage rates for workers on federal contracts. It directly affects federal contractors who must pay these rates and the BLS, which will now conduct the wage surveys. The key change specifies that the BLS must use surveys employing proper random statistical sampling techniques to establish these wage rates. This ensures the wage determinations are based on statistically valid data rather than other methods.

Maddy summaryHR 8489, the Presidential Ethics Reform Act, requires Presidents and Vice Presidents to submit detailed financial disclosures at key career points: within 30 days of taking office, annually by May 15, and after leaving office with ongoing annual reports for two years. It directly affects the President/Vice President and their defined relatives (including spouses, parents, children, and siblings), mandating disclosures of gifts over $10,000, loans, foreign payments, full tax returns (with identity theft redactions), conflicts of interest involving relatives, and details about relatives accompanying them on official travel. Reports must be submitted to congressional committees and the Office of Government Ethics, then made publicly searchable online within 30 days. The bill aims to increase transparency around financial ties and potential conflicts by expanding existing ethics reporting requirements with specific, time-bound obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the President to provide Congress with a 15-day written notice before pausing, delaying, or suspending U.S. arms shipments to Israel, including detailed justification and impact analysis. It establishes strict congressional review periods: 15 days for initial review, plus additional 10-12 day windows if Congress introduces a disapproval resolution, effectively giving lawmakers significant power to block such pauses. The bill directly affects the President and the White House by restricting unilateral decisions on military aid to Israel, specifically targeting delays like the May 2024 pause on bomb shipments. Key provisions define "covered defense articles" as weapons under existing export laws and mandate transparency about funding, end users, and potential impacts on Israel’s military edge.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Department of Defense and State Department to immediately deliver all previously approved military equipment and services to Israel within 15 days, reversing any pauses on arms transfers. It prohibits using federal funds to withhold, halt, or cancel defense article deliveries to Israel and mandates that unobligated security assistance funds for Israel must be spent by the end of 30 days. The bill also requires monthly reports to Congress detailing all security assistance provided to Israel since October 7, 2023, including specific items delivered and funding sources. The law directly affects U.S. agencies responsible for military aid and Israel as the recipient of the security assistance.