Rep. Chris Stewart

Maddy summaryHR 3397, the WEST Act of 2024, requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw its 2023 proposed rule titled "Conservation and Landscape Health" (published at 88 Fed. Reg. 19583). The bill mandates that the BLM Director must immediately withdraw this specific proposed rule and cannot take any action to finalize, implement, or enforce it or any substantially similar rule. This bill directly affects the BLM agency by halting the regulatory process for this conservation-focused rule. It is a procedural measure that prevents the rule from moving forward, without creating new policy or impacting other entities.

Maddy summaryHR 3644, the ACT for Veterans Act, extends the time veterans have to submit documentation for emergency care received outside VA facilities. It allows veterans (or their representatives) to get coverage for emergency treatment at non-VA medical providers without immediate paperwork, as long as notification is submitted within 96 hours after treatment. This change applies specifically to veterans needing emergency care in non-VA settings and modifies Section 1703 of Title 38, U.S. Code. The bill takes effect one year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to publicly post proposed settlement agreements and consent decrees 60 days before court submission, including explanations of their legal basis and terms (like attorney fees). It affects agencies, companies, and governments involved in regulatory disputes by mandating transparency in settlements that change agency rules or commit unappropriated funds. Key mechanisms include online publication, 60-day public comment periods, mandatory agency responses to feedback, and court review of terms that limit agency discretion or budget authority. Agencies must also submit annual reports to Congress detailing all such settlements and related attorney fee awards. The law applies to cases filed or agreements proposed after its enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1508, the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act, clarifies who is considered a "resident" for federal gun purchase background checks. It redefines "State of residence" to include active-duty military members' duty station state or their commuting home state, and allows individuals without a physical home to use a private mailbox address. The bill modifies the National Instant Criminal Background Check System requirement to mandate that background checks include either a physical address or a private mailbox address for those without a physical residence. This change directly affects gun buyers traveling across state lines who may not be considered residents of the state where they purchase firearms under current rules.

Student Mental Health Helpline Act This bill authorizes grants to support student mental health and safety helplines (i.e., a free, confidential service that is accessible via telephone and other communication platforms that assists students facing challenges with abuse, bullying, depression, self-harm, and related issues). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) may award the grants to agencies or other subdivisions of a state, Indian tribe, or local government that are primarily responsible for health, public health, or education. Recipients must use funds to establish or maintain a helpline that provides information to school officials (to the extent permitted by federal privacy standards for health information) about student mental health and safety concerns and related activities. The bill also requires SAMHSA to report on the feasibility of setting up a nationally available student mental health and safety helpline.

Maddy summaryHRES 684 is a symbolic congressional resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 14, 2023, condemning New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's emergency order that temporarily suspended open and concealed carry firearm rights for 30 days. The resolution asserts the order violated the Second Amendment, citing Supreme Court precedents (Heller, McDonald, Bruen) and noting a federal judge had already blocked the order's firearm restrictions. It does not change any laws or impose legal consequences - it is solely a formal expression of disapproval from Congress. The resolution directly addresses the Governor's actions but has no effect on New Mexico's laws or citizens' rights.

Suicide Prevention Act This bill establishes two grant programs to prevent self-harm and suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must award grants to state, local, and tribal health departments to expand surveillance of self-harm, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must award grants to hospital emergency departments for programs to prevent suicide attempts among patients after discharge.

Maddy summaryHR 5515, the Commercial Geostationary Remote Sensing Act of 2023, authorizes the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to provide direct loans to eligible small businesses for developing geostationary satellite imaging technology. The bill directly affects small businesses producing national security-related satellite technologies, enabling them to finance project costs like satellite development and launches through loans up to $2.5 billion total. Key provisions require applicants to demonstrate creditworthiness and repayment ability without relying on federal sales, set interest rates based on Treasury yields, and mandate full repayment within 25 years or the project's useful life. The program aims to enhance small business participation in satellite imaging critical for national security geospatial intelligence.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. foreign aid to countries determined by the President to use foreign commercial spyware against U.S. persons. It requires the President to assess if a country has acquired such spyware, used it against journalists or activists, or failed to address misuse before blocking aid. The prohibition excludes military assistance and allows a presidential waiver for national security reasons. The President must annually report to Congress on spyware use by countries receiving aid, using intelligence community data.

This resolution urges the House of Representatives to recognize Robert Aitken's Bible (the first known English-language Bible to be printed in North America) as a historical document of Congress.