Rep. H. Morgan Griffith

Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to issue a right-of-way through the Blue Ridge Parkway for an additional emergency exit from Wintergreen in Nelson County, Virginia, once certain requirements have been met. Specifically, Interior must grant the right-of-way if it reports to specified congressional committees that the following have been completed: (1) an evaluation of alternatives to the right-of-way for exiting Wintergreen that do not cross federal land, including an evaluation of whether existing trails can be converted to roads; (2) an analysis of expected fire ecology behavior in the event of a fire emergency with respect to the right-of-way; and (3) any required reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1225 Kempsville Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia, as the "Colonel Edward Shames Post Office Building".

Maddy summaryThe Protection Against Mass Surveillance Act prohibits federal agencies from buying, using, or contracting for automated surveillance systems that rely on license plate recognition, facial recognition, biometric identification, or other technologies designed for mass tracking. It also prevents state, local, and tribal governments from using federal funds to acquire or operate these same surveillance tools. If federal agencies obtain data in violation of these rules, the law requires them to delete the information within 30 days and bars its use as evidence in any court or administrative proceeding.

Maddy summaryThe Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act directs the Department of Energy to study how artificial intelligence and high-performance computing can improve the reliability and efficiency of the national power grid. This assessment will specifically examine how these technologies can speed up the process of connecting new power sources to the grid and identify any technical or cybersecurity barriers to their use. Within one year of passing, the Department of Energy must submit a report to Congress outlining its findings and offering recommendations to overcome identified limitations and encourage wider adoption of these tools. The bill primarily affects federal agencies responsible for energy oversight and the electric power industry, aiming to gather data rather than immediately changing laws.

Maddy summaryThe Load Forecasting Enhancement Act requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create regional joint boards made up of state commission representatives and a commission member to study how electric utilities predict energy demand. These boards will investigate methods to improve the accuracy and transparency of these forecasts to ensure reliable and affordable electricity service, then report their findings to Congress within a year. Once the report is submitted, the law mandates that state regulators incorporate these recommended forecasting standards into their oversight of electric utilities, while exempting nonregulated utilities from certain requirements. Additionally, the bill updates existing energy laws to include procedures for improving the accuracy and transparency of load forecasting in state energy conservation plans.

Maddy summaryHR 6529, the Protecting Families from AI Data Center Energy Costs Act, mandates the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to hold a technical conference within 90 days of enactment. The conference will include AI data centers, utilities, and ratepayer advocates to develop strategies protecting residential and small commercial customers from rising energy costs caused by large energy users. FERC must then submit a report with recommendations to Congress within 180 days. This procedural bill directly affects households and small businesses facing potential rate increases due to AI data center energy demands.

Maddy summaryHR 6213, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the U.S. Department of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing OSHA's proposed "Heat Injury and Illness Prevention" standard (published August 30, 2024). This bill directly blocks the specific regulatory proposal targeting heat safety in both outdoor and indoor work settings. It does not create new requirements or affect workers; it solely prevents the implementation of the existing OSHA proposal. The bill is procedural, focusing on halting a regulatory action rather than establishing new policy.

Maddy summaryHR 2306 extends the Adams Memorial Commission's authority until 2032 and authorizes $50 million in federal funds for the memorial, requiring a 1:1 non-federal match and limiting administrative costs to 4% of federal funds. It updates location rules to allow the memorial within a designated area mapped by the Commission. The bill primarily affects the Adams Memorial Commission and entities contributing to the memorial's funding. It makes no new policy changes but adjusts procedural timelines and funding requirements for an existing commemorative project.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to end automatic U.S. citizenship for people born in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands starting January 1, 2027. It achieves this by amending existing immigration laws to add a specific date cutoff, meaning anyone born in these territories after that date would not be granted citizenship at birth. The legislation explicitly states that children born before the cutoff date and children born to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents in these areas will retain their current citizenship status.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act, amends federal law to explicitly limit membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution to adult human females. It defines a female as someone who naturally possesses or would have the reproductive system capable of producing ova for fertilization, regardless of any congenital anomalies or medical disruptions. By adding this specific definition to the organization's governing code, the legislation clarifies the genealogical and biological requirements for joining the group. The change directly affects the organization's eligibility rules but does not alter its internal operations or funding.