Rep. Beth Van Duyne

Maddy summaryThe Federal Agency Sunset Commission Act of 2023 would establish a 13-member commission to review all federal agencies every 12 years (or less) to determine if they should be abolished, reorganized, or continued. The commission would evaluate agencies based on specific criteria including efficiency, cost-effectiveness, duplication with other agencies, and whether the agency has achieved its original purpose. Agencies would be scheduled for review and potentially abolished unless Congress reauthorizes them, with a supermajority vote allowing up to a 2-year extension. This bill directly affects all federal agencies and would require Congress to periodically assess the necessity of government programs. The commission would also monitor new legislation to prevent unnecessary creation of new agencies or programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1200, the National Right-to-Work Act, prohibits requiring workers to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment in both private-sector workplaces (covered by the National Labor Relations Act) and railroad industries (covered by the Railway Labor Act). The bill amends key sections of these laws to eliminate provisions that allowed union security agreements, meaning workers in unionized settings would no longer be forced to pay dues to retain their jobs. This directly affects employees in unionized workplaces across the U.S., particularly those in industries with existing union contracts that included mandatory dues. The law changes the legal framework to ensure union membership and dues payment remain voluntary for all workers.

Maddy summaryHR 356, the Unleashing American Energy Act, requires the federal government to hold annual offshore oil and gas lease sales in specific Gulf of Mexico regions and Alaska starting in 2023. It mandates that all unleased areas (not restricted by law) be included in these sales, following existing federal leasing rules. The bill also amends federal law to prevent the President from delaying or blocking these leasing processes without explicit congressional approval, creating a rebuttable presumption that such actions are unreasonable. This directly affects federal energy leasing programs and companies seeking offshore drilling rights.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Medicare should be strengthened and should not be used to finance Democrats' policies.

Maddy summaryHR 1088, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968) and the first Black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image, which will be presented by Congress and then permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This bill commemorates Chisholm's legacy and achievements without creating new laws or affecting any current policies.

Maddy summaryHR 972, the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act of 2023, updates Medicare payment rules for outpatient surgery centers and hospital outpatient departments. It requires Medicare to publicly compare quality data for these facilities in the same geographic area on Medicare.gov, allows facilities to review data before release, and mandates that the Secretary cite specific criteria when excluding procedures from coverage. The bill also caps patient out-of-pocket costs for outpatient surgery at the hospital deductible amount and aligns annual payment updates between surgery centers and hospitals. These changes aim to improve transparency for beneficiaries and standardize payment adjustments.

Maddy summaryHR 1053, the Housing Supply Expansion Act, updates wage determination rules for federally funded housing projects to streamline processes and modernize data collection. It requires the Secretary of Labor to review and improve how prevailing wages are calculated (using Bureau of Labor Statistics data where possible) and limits multiple wage determinations for affordable housing projects to a single rate based on the project's residential character. The bill establishes a working group (including labor, housing, and industry representatives) to recommend further modernization, such as expanding residential wage classifications for larger affordable housing units or exploring alternatives to voluntary business surveys. These changes directly affect affordable housing developers, construction workers, and federal agencies administering housing programs like the National Housing Act and Native American Housing Assistance Act.

Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act of 2023 This bill increases from $10,000 to $30,000 the maximum distribution amount from a tax-exempt pension plan allowed for a first-time home purchase without incurring a penalty.

Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on January 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor all U.S. Army Dustoff crews who served during the Vietnam War (1962-1973). It recognizes their critical role in evacuating nearly 900,000 wounded personnel, including U.S., South Vietnamese, and allied forces, under extreme combat conditions. The medal, designed with input from the Secretary of Defense, will be presented to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum for permanent display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, but the primary action is the commemorative recognition of these crews' service.