Rep. Derrick Van Orden

Maddy summaryHRES 143 is a procedural resolution introduced by the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach Judge Paul Engelmayer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The resolution cites two articles of impeachment: judicial misconduct for halting a presidential executive order on political grounds and abuse of judicial power to favor personal or political interests. This resolution does not create new laws or policies but initiates the formal impeachment process, which would be sent to the Senate for trial. It directly affects Judge Engelmayer and the federal judiciary's procedural standing, not the public or legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "natural cheese" in federal law to clarify labeling standards for consumers. It specifies that natural cheese must be made primarily from coagulated milk proteins through traditional methods, while explicitly excluding processed cheeses like American cheese, cheese spreads, and pasteurized blends. The law requires products labeled as "natural cheese" to meet this definition, ensuring consistent labeling nationwide and preventing misleading claims. It directly affects cheese manufacturers, retailers, and consumers by standardizing what can be marketed as natural cheese. The bill aims to increase transparency without changing existing food safety regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 294, the Dairy Farm Resiliency Act, amends the Dairy Margin Coverage Program to adjust eligibility and coverage limits. It changes the required production history from specific years (2011-2013) to the most recent three-year period, updated every five years. The bill also increases the premium coverage threshold from $5 million to $6 million for both Tier I and Tier II program participants. This directly affects dairy farmers enrolled in the federal margin coverage program by expanding their potential coverage limits and simplifying eligibility calculations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires dairy manufacturers to report detailed production cost and yield information for all dairy products processed at their facilities. It amends existing law to mandate this reporting to the Secretary of Agriculture, replacing previous electronic reporting requirements with a general "reporting" framework. The Secretary must then publish a public report on these costs every two years, starting three years after the bill's enactment. The bill directly affects dairy manufacturers by imposing new transparency requirements for their processing costs.

This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.

Maddy summaryHRES 133 is a symbolic House resolution supporting the designation of February 15-22, 2025, as "National FFA Week." It recognizes the National FFA Organization’s role in developing student leadership through agricultural education and celebrates two milestones: the 90th anniversary of the New Farmers of America (which served Black students until merging with FFA in 1965) and the 75th anniversary of FFA’s federal charter (granted by Congress in 1950). The resolution has no policy impact or funding provisions - it simply expresses congressional support for these observances. It directly affects no individuals or entities, as it is a non-binding gesture honoring an educational organization.

Maddy summaryHR 1301, the Death Tax Repeal Act, would eliminate the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of individuals dying on or after its enactment date. It directly affects individuals inheriting significant assets, as it removes taxes on estates exceeding $10 million (adjusted for inflation) and repeals taxes on large transfers between generations. The bill modifies the gift tax by establishing a $10 million lifetime exemption with annual inflation adjustments, replacing previous tax brackets. It applies to estates, gifts, and transfers occurring on or after the bill's effective date.

Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act or the I CAN Act This bill allows other health care providers besides physicians (e.g., nurses) to provide certain services under Medicare and Medicaid. Among other changes, the bill (1) allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for Medicare coverage of special shoes for diabetic individuals; (2) expedites the ability of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise Medicare cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs; and (3) allows nurse practitioners to certify the need for inpatient hospital services under Medicare and Medicaid.

More Homes on the Market Act This bill increases the amount of gain from the sale of a principal residence that an individual may exclude from gross income (for federal tax purposes). Under the bill, an individual may exclude from gross income gain from the sale of a principal residence of up to $500,000 (currently $250,000), and taxpayers who are married and file a joint federal income tax return may exclude up to $1 million (currently $500.000). The bill also requires these amounts to be adjusted annually for inflation.

Maddy summaryHR 1313, the "One Flag for All Act," prohibits displaying any flag other than the U.S. flag on the exterior or in publicly accessible areas (like lobbies or hallways) of covered public buildings, including government offices, military bases, and embassies. The bill allows specific exceptions, such as POW/MIA flags, state flags for congressional offices, historical U.S. flags (like the Betsy Ross flag), and flags representing military units or tribal governments. This law directly affects how flags are displayed in federal and public spaces, requiring exclusive use of the U.S. flag in those designated areas while preserving established exceptions.