Rep. Jennifer A. Kiggans

Maddy summaryHR 976, the TCJA Permanency Act, makes permanent many tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that were scheduled to expire after 2025. The bill affects individual taxpayers by keeping lower tax rates, higher standard deductions, increased child tax credits, and other key changes permanently. Key provisions include permanent modifications to income tax brackets, repeal of personal exemptions, limits on state and local tax deductions, and increased estate and gift tax exemptions. These changes would prevent the tax code from reverting to pre-TCJA rates and rules for millions of taxpayers.

This resolution recognizes that current retirees and those nearing retirement expect certain Social Security commitments to be made. It further expresses the policy of the House of Representatives to exclude cuts to Social Security from debt ceiling negotiations.

Maddy summaryThe Retain Skilled Veterans Act (HR 939) amends federal law to restrict appointments of retired military members to specific high-level positions within the Department of Defense (DoD). It limits such appointments to roles classified at or above GS-14 (a high pay grade) in the DoD’s excepted or competitive service, removing a prior exception that allowed broader "management" appointments. This change directly affects retired veterans seeking senior DoD roles, requiring them to qualify for the highest-level positions under this rule. The bill ensures these appointments apply only to defined senior roles, not routine or lower-level positions.

This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents. The resolution also expresses support for the people of Iran who are legitimately defending their rights for freedom against repression and condemns the killing of Iranian protesters by the Iranian regime.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new federal crime for assaulting law enforcement officers causing serious injury or death, with penalties up to 10 years in prison for serious injury and up to life for aggravated cases involving death, kidnapping, or attempted killing. It applies when offenses involve interstate travel, commerce, or target officers engaged in law enforcement duties. Federal prosecution requires Attorney General certification that state authorities cannot or will not handle the case, or that federal action is necessary for public safety. The law covers all law enforcement officers (state, local, and federal) who enforce criminal laws or detain individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 683 (PASS Act of 2023) expands the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review process to cover foreign investments in U.S. agriculture businesses, agricultural biotechnology, and private farmland. It mandates that the President block transactions involving foreign entities from China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea that would give them control over U.S. agricultural operations or land used for farming. The bill allows limited presidential waivers for national security reasons but requires a 30-day review period before any waiver. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit biannual reports to Congress on risks posed by foreign ownership in U.S. agriculture.

Maddy summaryHR 22, the *Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act*, blocks the U.S. government from selling petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to entities under Chinese Communist Party control or unless sellers guarantee the oil won’t be exported to China. It directly affects the Department of Energy’s management of the reserve and any foreign entities seeking to purchase reserve petroleum. The key mechanism requires the Secretary of Energy to prohibit sales to China-linked entities or impose strict export restrictions on any sale. This policy change aims to prevent strategic petroleum resources from reaching entities tied to China’s government.

Maddy summaryThis bill renames a U.S. Postal Service facility at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office." It updates all federal references to the location to reflect this new name. The bill has no policy impact - it is purely a ceremonial designation honoring an individual. No other provisions or affected groups are involved.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires family planning services funded under Title V of the Social Security Act to provide pamphlets containing regional adoption center contact information to patients during consultations about medical or abortion services. The pamphlets must include a comprehensive list of adoption centers in the region, along with each center's address and phone number. It mandates that services offer patients the opportunity to read these pamphlets at the time of inquiry. The provision uses existing Title V funding and does not create new financial obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new federal crimes for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers, judges, and certain public safety officers (including firefighters) while they are on duty or for past duties, with penalties including minimum 10-year sentences for killing and varying assault penalties based on severity. It adds a new factor that would make the federal death penalty more likely for killing such officers, limits federal legal challenges for convictions related to these killings, and expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances. The bill also provides funding for grants to improve community-law enforcement relationships through transparency, accountability, and officer wellness programs. It directly affects law enforcement officers, judges, and public safety personnel across the country, establishing new federal protections and procedures for violence against these personnel.