Rep. H. Morgan Griffith

Maddy summaryHR 8653 authorizes the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Major Thomas D. Howie, a U.S. Army officer who died during the Battle of Normandy in WWII. The bill specifies the medal will be presented to his nephew, Tom Howie, or his next of kin, and then permanently displayed at The Citadel Museum. It also permits the U.S. Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates to cover costs. This is a commemorative measure honoring Major Howie's military service and sacrifice, with no substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a presumption that certain health conditions (myocarditis, pericarditis, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and other diseases later determined by the VA) are connected to military service for veterans who received a COVID-19 vaccine under mandatory orders between August 24, 2021, and January 10, 2023. It directly affects veterans who developed these conditions after being required to get the vaccine during that period, streamlining their path to VA disability compensation by removing the need to prove a direct link to service. The bill requires the VA to report monthly on claim statuses and outcomes for four years, including approval rates and pending cases. This changes how the VA processes claims for these specific conditions, treating them as service-connected by default for affected veterans.

Maddy summaryHJRES 152 is a congressional resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule on managing coal ash waste from power plants, specifically for older disposal ponds (legacy CCR surface impoundments). The rule, published on May 8, 2024, established requirements for electric utilities to handle coal ash, including safety standards for existing disposal sites. If passed, this resolution would prevent the EPA rule from taking effect, removing the compliance requirements for utilities. This directly affects electric utilities that manage coal ash and the EPA's regulatory authority over waste disposal practices.

Maddy summaryHJRES 150 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that established updated national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants from coal and oil-fired power plants. The resolution targets the EPA's specific rule published on May 7, 2024, which required these facilities to review residual risks and technologies to reduce emissions. If enacted, the resolution would nullify the rule, preventing the new standards from taking effect and keeping current regulations in place for power plants. This procedural bill uses the Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code) to block the EPA rule without altering existing environmental laws.

Maddy summaryHJRES 151 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have set new water pollution standards for steam electric power plants, including coal and nuclear facilities. The rule, published in the Federal Register on May 9, 2024, aimed to limit pollutants discharged into waterways from these power plants. If passed, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect under the Congressional Review Act. It directly affects steam electric power plants by preventing the implementation of these new environmental requirements.

Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2024 This bill prohibits federal regulation of the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk or milk products packaged for direct human consumption under specified circumstances. Specifically, the prohibition applies if such products (1) would be considered in violation of federal law solely because they are unpasteurized; (2) are allowed by the state of origin to be distributed for direct human consumption by any means; (3) are produced, packaged, and moved in compliance with the laws of such state; and (4) are moved from the state of origin with the intent to transport them to another state that allows the distribution of such products for direct human consumption.

Maddy summaryHR 8113, the Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, requires states administering Medicaid to publicly report detailed information about how they direct Medicaid payments to healthcare providers. States must submit annual reports by January 1, 2026, explaining eligibility criteria, payment calculation methods, and how directed payments compare to standard rates and Medicaid payment limits. These reports - including data on payment amounts, distribution formulas, and net provider rates - must be made publicly available on the CMS website. The bill directly affects states managing Medicaid and the healthcare providers receiving these directed payments, aiming to increase transparency in how states allocate Medicaid funds.

Maddy summaryHR 8066, the Ammunition Supply Chain Act, requires the Secretary of the Army to submit a report to Congress within 180 days of enactment. The report must assess the U.S. supply chain for ammunition components like nitrocellulose and smokeless gunpowder, focusing on improving sourcing, avoiding single points of failure, managing global demand risks, and leveraging private sector capacity. This bill directly affects the Department of Defense and ammunition manufacturers by mandating a review of supply chain vulnerabilities. It is procedural in nature, establishing a reporting requirement without creating new regulations or funding.

Maddy summaryHR 5947 terminates specific U.S. waivers and licenses related to Iran, ending a 2023 waiver that allowed funds transfer from South Korea to Qatar. It prohibits the Treasury Department from reissuing similar waivers or licenses for the same purpose and blocks the President from granting Iran access to certain designated financial accounts established under prior laws. The bill directly affects U.S. foreign policy implementation by restricting how Treasury handles Iran-related financial transactions. It enacts concrete policy changes by ending existing authorizations and preventing future approvals for Iran to access specific accounts.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the NO VOTE for Non-Citizens Act of 2023, aims to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections by requiring states to maintain separate voter registration lists for non-citizens if they are permitted to vote in state or local elections, and reducing federal election administration funding to such states by 30%. It clarifies that non-citizens cannot be on federal voter registration lists, mandates federal agencies to provide voter status information to state election officials, and adds penalties for non-citizens who vote in federal elections, including fines and potential imprisonment. The bill directly affects states that allow non-citizen voting in state or local elections, federal election administrators, and non-citizen residents. It amends existing laws including the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002.