Rep. Matt Van Epps

Maddy summaryHR 5688, the Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, changes rules for issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to people who don't live in the state where the license is issued. It allows states to issue CDLs to foreign nationals with lawful U.S. immigration status and work-related visas (valid for up to one year or until their stay ends), requiring states to verify status before issuing and keep records for two years. For residents of U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, it requires proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency before issuing CDLs, with similar verification and record-keeping rules. The bill directly affects commercial drivers from foreign countries and U.S. territories seeking CDLs in states where they are not residents.

Maddy summaryThe Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act (HR 4642) requires the Treasury Secretary and OMB Director to annually examine how the federal government would respond to major crises like recessions, pandemics, natural disasters, or cyberattacks, including their short- and long-term fiscal impacts. It mandates these assessments be included in an existing annual report and specifies key crisis types to evaluate. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must then review the methodology and results of these assessments within one year of the first report. The bill directly affects federal agencies responsible for fiscal planning (Treasury and OMB) but does not create new spending or alter existing programs. It focuses solely on improving preparedness through structured risk analysis.

Maddy summaryHR 7932, the HONOR Gold Star Families Act, increases the death gratuity paid to families of service members who died in the line of duty. It raises the current $100,000 payment to $200,000 for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2026. The bill also adds an annual cost-of-living adjustment to this amount, increasing it each January 1 based on the previous year’s inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index. This directly affects Gold Star Families - those who have lost a service member in military service - by providing a larger initial payment and ensuring future payments keep pace with inflation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Defense to establish wellness check procedures for military members who have sustained significant injuries or illnesses or are on sick call. If a member does not respond to electronic or phone contact attempts during a wellness check, the person conducting the check must follow up with an in-person visit. If the member cannot be located after these efforts, the bill outlines how to report the situation using existing Department of Defense procedures for missing or unaccounted personnel. Unit commanders must coordinate with legal advisors to implement these checks and regularly review safety requirements while holding confidential meetings with medical officers to discuss significant health issues within their units. The bill also mandates training for all military members and civilian employees on the importance of accountability and the procedures for conducting wellness checks.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Veterans Affairs call centers to use multi-factor authentication to verify the identity of callers before taking high-impact actions. It directly affects veterans and beneficiaries who interact with VA services, ensuring their identities are confirmed more securely. The law defines high-impact actions as those where fraud could cause lasting harm, such as diverting funds or accessing sensitive accounts. By adding this requirement to federal code, the bill strengthens existing security controls for vulnerable service members.

Maddy summaryHR 7678, the Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act, prohibits federal funding for state or local databases that track lawfully owned firearms or their owners. The bill allows federal funding for databases recording lost or stolen firearms but bans it for databases listing legal gun ownership. This means states cannot use federal money to create or maintain systems that compile information about legally owned guns. The bill directly affects state and local governments that rely on federal funds for firearm ownership databases.

Maddy summaryThe Stop Illegal Alien Cops Act amends federal law to modify exemptions for government entities regarding firearms. Currently, federal, state, and local government agencies are generally exempt from many federal prohibitions when acquiring or supplying firearms for official use. This bill would remove that exemption for specific prohibitions, making it unlawful for government entities to provide firearms to or employ individuals who are unlawfully in the United States. Additionally, the bill removes the

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to accelerate joint development and integration of defense technologies between the two countries. It directs the U.S. Secretary of Defense, with Israel’s agreement, to identify Israeli-origin technologies for rapid adoption into U.S. military systems, focusing on areas like counter-drone systems, missile defense (including "Golden Dome for America"), AI, cyber defense, and directed energy. The initiative requires annual congressional reporting on progress, partnerships with industry, and technology transitions, while authorizing $150 million annually for fiscal years 2027-2029. It aims to strengthen bilateral defense innovation and streamline the use of Israeli technologies within U.S. military programs.

Maddy summaryThe SELF DRIVE Act of 2026 establishes federal safety standards for vehicles with automated driving systems (ADS), requiring manufacturers to develop detailed "safety cases" demonstrating their systems won't present unreasonable risks to road users. It creates a National Automated Vehicle Safety Data Repository to collect crash data from ADS-equipped vehicles, including information about vulnerable road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.) and crash circumstances. The bill preempts state laws that conflict with these federal standards while allowing states to enforce identical requirements, and defines key terms related to automation levels (Level 3-5) and operational design domains. Manufacturers must demonstrate ADS capabilities for handling various driving scenarios, including detecting vulnerable road users and achieving minimal risk conditions during emergencies. The bill also establishes requirements for cybersecurity protections and reporting of crash data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies federal budget rules for unspent agency funds. It requires federal agencies to allocate 49% of unused funds to the next fiscal year, 49% toward paying the national debt, and 2% for retention bonuses (capped at 10% of an employee's base pay). Agencies must also limit future budget requests to the previous year's amount adjusted for inflation. The bill directly affects all executive branch agencies (excluding the Red Cross), altering how they manage leftover budget authority. It does not create new savings programs for individuals but changes government fiscal management procedures.