Rep. Bryan Steil

Maddy summaryHR 8399, the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act, expands restrictions on foreign contributions to U.S. elections by prohibiting foreign individuals or entities from funding specific activities like voter registration, ballot collection, voter identification, get-out-the-vote efforts, communications about political parties, or election administration. It also treats indirect funding (e.g., through intermediaries) as direct violations and requires political committees to certify compliance under penalty of perjury. The bill includes additional provisions protecting donor privacy for tax-exempt organizations by restricting federal agencies from collecting or disclosing donor identities, with limited exceptions for agencies like the IRS or FEC. These changes directly affect foreign actors attempting to influence U.S. elections and political committees handling campaign finances.

Maddy summaryThe SEC REVIEW Act of 2024 requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to obtain formal approval from the Chairman or a majority of commissioners before certain actions - such as decisions on shareholder proposals or new rules - take effect. It mandates that the SEC provide annual reports to Congress analyzing how these actions protect investors, maintain fair markets, and avoid viewpoint discrimination. The bill directly affects the SEC's internal decision-making processes and increases congressional oversight of its regulatory activities. These changes aim to enhance transparency and accountability in the SEC's handling of key financial regulations.

Maddy summaryThe GPO Modernization Act of 2024 updates how the Government Publishing Office distributes government documents and manages public information access. It establishes a National Collection of U.S. Government Public Information to ensure free, permanent public access through improved cataloging, digital services, and depository library coordination. The bill modernizes the Federal Depository Library Program by requiring agencies to notify the GPO about new publications and collaborate on digital preservation. It also streamlines GPO operations by updating rules for document sales, disposal, and library designations while expanding digital access options for the public.

Maddy summaryHR 3161, the CDFI Fund Transparency Act, requires the Treasury Secretary (or their designee) to annually testify before the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee about the operations of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund. This testimony would cover the Fund's activities from the previous year and is requested at the discretion of the committee chairs. The bill does not change how the CDFI Fund provides funding but mandates regular reporting to Congress on its operations. It directly affects the Treasury Department's reporting obligations and the congressional committees overseeing the Fund. This is a procedural transparency measure, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1407) commemorates the 12th anniversary of the August 5, 2012, shooting at the Oak Creek Sikh Gurdwara in Wisconsin, which killed seven people. It specifically honors the victims - Paramjit Kaur, Suveg Singh Khattra, Satwant Singh Kaleka, Ranjit Singh, Sita Singh, Prakash Singh, and Baba Punjab Singh - and expresses condolences to their families. The resolution condemns the hate crime, recognizes the Sikh community’s resilience ("chardi kala"), and applauds first responders like Lieutenant Brian Murphy who saved lives. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the tragedy and calls for continued efforts against religious discrimination.

Maddy summaryHJRES 127 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule requiring public companies to standardize climate-related financial disclosures. It seeks to block the SEC’s March 2024 rule (89 Fed. Reg. 21668), which would mandate consistent reporting on climate risks for investors. If passed, this resolution would prevent the SEC rule from taking effect, directly affecting publicly traded companies required to comply with the proposed disclosure standards. The bill uses a specific congressional process under Title 5, U.S. Code, to nullify the rule without creating new regulations.

Maddy summaryHJRES 124 is a resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) that required large financial institutions to adopt climate-related risk management practices. The rule, published in October 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 74183), would have mandated major banks to assess and manage climate change risks in their operations. This resolution, if passed, would block the rule from taking effect by invoking the congressional disapproval process under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. It directly affects large banks and financial institutions that would have been required to comply with the climate risk management standards. The bill does not create new rules but aims to prevent the implementation of the OCC's existing proposal.

Maddy summaryHR 9111 redesignates Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as "Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve," creating two distinct areas: Apostle Islands National Park (where hunting and trapping are prohibited) and Sand Island National Preserve (which maintains existing hunting and fishing rules from the previous lakeshore designation). The bill updates all federal references to the area to reflect the new name, clarifies that the Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light is not included in park boundaries, and requires the National Park Service to add interpretive features about regional history at visitor centers. It does not create new regulations but formalizes the existing administrative structure under the National Park System. The change affects park management, visitors' activities, and federal documents referencing the area.

Maddy summaryHR 8766 allows flags to be displayed upright and secured directly beside the graves of deceased military members (per Title 10) or veterans (per Title 38) at national cemeteries. This amendment to Title 4 of the U.S. Code modifies existing flag display rules by explicitly permitting this adjacent placement. The bill specifically affects how flags are displayed at veterans' gravesites in national cemeteries nationwide. It changes the current regulation that restricted flag placement to the grave itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 8644) amends the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 to expand eligibility for federal funding for harbor projects in underserved communities. It clarifies that "projects" include single-cycle maintenance dredging, beneficial dredged material placement, or breakwater maintenance at these harbors, regardless of prior federal authorization. The bill also mandates that at least 25% of annual funds for these projects must support harbors in the Great Lakes Navigation System. This directly affects small, underserved coastal communities seeking federal assistance for harbor maintenance and infrastructure.