Rep. David J. Taylor

Maddy summaryHR 2750, the Bridging the Broadband Gap Act of 2025, allows states or local entities using Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act broadband funds to provide vouchers to low-income households in areas lacking adequate broadband service. These vouchers cover 50% of satellite or fixed wireless equipment costs (like routers) and up to $30 monthly for service, prioritizing households in communities with below-median income. The bill restricts vouchers to unserved or underserved locations and limits coverage to a single 12-month period per household. It does not create new funding but directs existing BEAD Program grants toward these targeted household subsidies.

Maddy summaryThe Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 would reform the Low-Income Housing Credit program, which provides tax credits to developers of affordable housing. It would increase state allocations based on population with annual cost-of-living adjustments, modify tenant eligibility rules to allow higher income limits for some residents, and add protections for domestic violence victims in housing. The bill would simplify rules for rural and Native American housing projects, clarify credit eligibility requirements, and require greater transparency in program administration. These changes would directly affect developers, property owners, and low-income tenants in housing projects that receive LIHC tax credits.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends immigration law to expand mandatory detention for non-citizen immigrants convicted of specific property crimes. It adds trespassing, vandalism, and arson to the list of offenses that trigger detention under Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, alongside burglary and serious bodily injury. Non-citizen immigrants convicted of these crimes would now face automatic detention without bond, rather than potentially being released pending removal proceedings. The key change modifies existing detention criteria to include these three property crimes as grounds for mandatory immigration detention.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases loan limits for farmers under the Farm Service Agency. It raises farm ownership loan caps from $600,000/$1.75 million to $850,000/$3.5 million (for direct/guaranteed loans) and operating loan caps from $400,000/$1.75 million to $750,000/$3 million, effective 2025. It also creates a refinancing program allowing distressed guaranteed loans to convert to direct loans if borrowers prove problems can be fixed and the farm can return to financial stability. Additionally, it doubles the microloan limit from $50,000 to $100,000 and updates inflation calculations for loan adjustments using USDA land value data instead of previous metrics.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an Office of the Special Inspector General to monitor compliance with constitutional and civil rights laws in college admissions at institutions receiving federal funding. The inspector general will investigate complaints alleging racial discrimination in admissions or financial aid decisions, following the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in *Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard* that banned race-based admissions. Institutions found violating the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act could lose eligibility for federal student aid. The office will submit quarterly reports to Congress on investigations and violations, with a 12-year sunset provision.

Maddy summaryHR 1906, the Rural Wellness Act, extends a deadline for rural development funding to 2029 and requires that 17% of funds prioritize projects offering behavioral and mental health services like prevention, treatment, and recovery. It directs grant administrators to give preference to rural community facilities providing these services and employing staff trained in mental health care. The law applies to programs under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and the Rural Development Act of 1972. This affects rural communities seeking health facility grants and changes how funding is allocated to address mental health needs.

Maddy summaryThe FARMLAND Act of 2025 strengthens oversight of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land, particularly from countries like China and other "foreign entities of concern" as defined in the law. It requires agricultural land buyers to conduct due diligence and certify compliance, creates civil penalties for false or missing reports, and prohibits foreign persons from participating in Farm Service Agency programs. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress on foreign ownership of farmland by specific countries and requires development of a centralized database tracking foreign ownership. It also expands the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' authority to review certain real estate transactions involving foreign entities of concern.

Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States Act or the A–PLUS Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise its regulations to allow certain packers to hold an ownership interest in, finance, or participate in the management or operation of a market agency selling livestock on a commission basis. The bill applies to packers that have a cumulative slaughter capacity of (1) less than 2,000 animals per day or 700,000 animals per year with respect to cattle or sheep, and (2) less than 10,000 animals per day or 3 million animals per year with respect to hogs. In addition, USDA must revise its regulations to include a disclosure requirement for a market agency that has an ownership interest in, finances, or participates in the management or operation of a packer. Specifically, the market agency must disclose the existence of such ownership interest, financial relationship, or participation.

Securing Our Lands and Resources Act or the SOLAR Act This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture from providing financial assistance for certain projects that would result in the conversion of covered farmland for solar energy production. Under the bill, covered farmland generally refers to prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland that is of statewide or local importance. Conversion means any activity that results in the covered farmland no longer meeting certain requirements for agricultural production, activity, or use. The bill includes an exception for certain smaller projects that result in the conversion of (1) less than 5 acres of covered farmland, or (2) less than 50 acres of covered farmland if the majority of the energy produced by the project is for on-farm use. The bill also includes an exception for projects that have the approval or support from the local county and municipality. For these projects, the applicant must (1) develop a farmland conservation plan for the project (e.g., implementing best practices to protect future soil health and productivity), and (2) ensure that sufficient funds are provided for the decommissioning of the solar energy production system and the remediation and restoration of the farmland.

Maddy summaryThe SHORT Act (HR 2395) redefines federal firearm definitions to exclude antique and collector firearms from being classified as firearms, and removes distinctions between short-barreled rifles and shotguns in federal regulations. It prevents state laws from imposing taxes or registration requirements on short-barreled rifles and shotguns, requiring state rules to align with federal compliance instead. The bill also mandates the federal government to destroy specific records related to these firearms within one year of enactment.