Maddy summaryHR 3115, the Public Service Reform Act, changes employment rules for most federal career employees (non-political appointees) by establishing at-will employment, meaning they can be fired for any reason - including no reason - without needing cause. It abolishes the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), replaces its role with agency-level procedures for removals (including a 14-day response window for employees), and limits appeals to the agency head or federal courts for specific claims like whistleblower retaliation. The bill also redirects certain appeals to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for discrimination cases and modifies whistleblower protections to allow direct court appeals for retaliation claims. These changes directly affect over 1 million career federal workers across executive agencies.
Sponsored bills
Traditional Screening Application Act or the TSA Act This bill prohibits the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from using the X gender designation in the TSA PreCheck advanced security program and instead authorizes the TSA to allow program applicants and participants to select from only Male or Female . The bill defines the terms male and female as the biological classification of male and female sex in the context of reproductive potential or capacity, as indicated by sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads, and nonambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth.
Maddy summaryHR 3039, the DRIVE Act, prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from requiring speed limiting devices on trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds operating in interstate commerce. This directly affects commercial trucking companies and drivers transporting goods across state lines. The bill's key provision explicitly bans the FMCSA from issuing any rule mandating such devices, which are typically set to limit vehicle speed. The law applies specifically to interstate trucking operations and does not affect state-level regulations.
No Taxpayer Funding for United Nations Green Climate Fund Act This bill requires the Department of State to withhold the same proportion of funds from the mandatory U.S. contribution to the United Nations as the proportion of the U.N. budget made available to the U.N. Green Climate Fund. Such withheld funds must be rescinded and may not be considered arrears to be repaid to the United Nations. The bill also prohibits the State Department from making voluntary contributions to the U.N. Green Climate Fund.
This resolution expresses U.S. support for Israel and its efforts to defend its right to existence. The resolution also declares that the United States and international community must prevent Iran from acquiring or building nuclear weapons.
Maddy summaryHR 2991, the TEACH Act of 2023, modifies federal education law to tie funding to school firearm policies and create grants for defensive training. It prohibits the Department of Education from funding schools that restrict firearm possession beyond existing federal limits (Section 2(b)), and directs the Secretary to award competitive grants using ESEA funds for "defensive training programs" focused on firearm use for school safety (Section 3(a)). These programs include training on carrying, using, and storing firearms on school property to protect students from intruders (Section 3(e)(1)). The bill directly affects schools receiving federal education funds by requiring them to allow firearm possession for training or face funding restrictions, and prioritizes grant applications from entities supporting Second Amendment rights.
Maddy summaryThe Employee Rights Act (HR 2700) amends key labor laws to strengthen employee rights in collective bargaining and privacy. It requires employers to use secret ballot elections for selecting bargaining representatives and to provide labor organizations with voter lists containing employee names and one form of contact information (chosen by the employee) within two business days of an election. The bill prohibits employers from using employee personal information for non-organizing purposes and mandates written authorization for using union dues on non-bargaining activities, with authorizations expiring after one year. Additionally, it clarifies joint employment standards to prevent misclassification and adds tribal sovereignty protections to labor law definitions.
Maddy summaryHR 2107 sets a $268 million spending cap on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for fiscal year 2024. This bill directly limits the CFTC's budget authority, restricting how much funding it can use for its regulatory activities during that period. The key provision is a hard limit on available funds, preventing the agency from exceeding this amount for its operations and oversight of futures markets.
Maddy summaryHR 2203 sets a maximum funding limit of $314,198,000 for the USDA's State and Private Forestry program during fiscal year 2024. This bill directly affects how the USDA allocates resources for forest management, wildfire prevention, and conservation projects administered by state agencies and private landowners. The key provision is a hard cap on available funds, preventing the program from exceeding this specific amount. It does not alter program eligibility or requirements, only establishing a fiscal ceiling for the designated funding stream.
Maddy summaryHR 2202 sets a spending cap of $296,616,000 for the USDA's Forest and Rangeland Research program during fiscal year 2024. This bill directly affects the USDA's funding allocation for this specific research initiative, limiting the available funds to the specified amount. The key provision is a hard limit on the total funds that can be used for this program, preventing the use of any additional funds beyond the stated cap.