Sen. Mike Lee

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal agencies from funding, supporting, or conducting research using human fetal tissue obtained from induced abortions. It allows federal research on tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths (defined as loss before 20 weeks or at 20+ weeks, respectively) and permits development of new cell lines not derived from abortion tissue. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to restrict permissible tissue sources to miscarriage/stillbirth and revises definitions accordingly. It also repeals a prior provision allowing research on abortion-derived tissue and adds new restrictions on soliciting or accepting such tissue.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat income from precious metals the same as income from foreign currencies for regulated investment companies (RICs), such as mutual funds. Specifically, it adds "precious metals" to the list of assets exempt from certain tax rules under Section 851(b)(2)(A). This change directly affects RICs that hold precious metals (like gold or silver) as part of their investment portfolios, aligning their tax treatment with that of foreign currency holdings. The policy shift removes a prior distinction in how RICs are taxed on income generated from these assets. The amendment applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryS 990, the Freedom to Haul Act of 2025, prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing or enforcing Phase 3 greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles (finalized in April 2024). It amends the Clean Air Act to require that future emissions rules for vehicles cannot mandate specific technologies or limit the availability of new trucks based on engine type. This directly affects EPA regulatory authority and vehicle manufacturers, ensuring a broader range of new truck options remains available. The bill focuses on preventing regulatory restrictions on vehicle choice, not on emissions outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Clean Air Act to prevent states from imposing standards that limit the sale or use of new internal combustion engine vehicles. It adds a new requirement that state standards must not directly or indirectly restrict such vehicles, and it prohibits the EPA from considering pre-2025 state standards as valid under existing waivers. The bill also requires the EPA to revoke certain existing waivers granted between January 2022 and the bill's enactment date if those waivers don't comply with the new standard. This directly affects states with their own vehicle emission rules (like California's ZEV program), limiting their ability to regulate internal combustion engine vehicles through EPA-approved standards.

Maddy summaryThe Public Health Improvement Act establishes a 12-year maximum term for both the CDC and NIH directors. It transfers eight specific CDC offices - including those focused on chronic disease prevention, environmental health, and birth defects - to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within two years of enactment. The bill requires public health emergency declarations to be renewed by a majority vote in both congressional chambers every 90 days and mandates 48-hour written notification to Congress upon declaration. It also revises the CDC's strategic plan to focus solely on diseases (removing prior references to noncommunicable conditions, injuries, and environmental hazards) and adjusts advisory committee appointments to include more congressional members.

Maddy summaryThe Federal Workforce Freedom Act (S 1006) prohibits federal employees from joining or participating in labor unions for collective bargaining and bans federal agencies from recognizing or negotiating with such unions. It terminates all existing collective bargaining agreements and dismisses any pending disputes based on those agreements. The bill repeals Chapter 71 of Title 5, U.S. Code, which currently governs federal labor relations. This legislation directly affects all federal employees and agencies by eliminating the legal framework for collective bargaining in the federal workforce.

Maddy summaryThe LIBERATE Act establishes a Regulatory Oversight and Review Task Force to identify and recommend the repeal of federal regulations that hinder competition, increase costs for businesses (especially small businesses and startups), or create barriers to entry. The Task Force, chaired by the OMB Director and including 16 private-sector members with specific expertise and small business representation, will evaluate regulations affecting manufacturing, energy production, permitting, and critical minerals. It will collect public input via a dedicated website and focus groups, then submit annual reports and a yearly "special message" to Congress detailing specific regulations for repeal. Congress would then have a fast-track process to pass "covered resolutions" immediately repealing those regulations, bypassing standard committee delays. This bill directly affects domestic businesses, manufacturers, and energy sectors burdened by federal regulations.

Maddy summaryS 929, the GATE Act of 2025, prohibits U.S. national laboratories from admitting or granting access to foreign nationals from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, or Cuba for more than 30 days. The bill directly affects these foreign nationals seeking to access laboratory facilities, information, or technology, with exceptions for permanent residents or U.S. citizens. Key provisions require national laboratories to block such access immediately upon the bill's enactment, though the Energy Secretary may grant waivers if they certify national security benefits outweigh risks, with mandatory congressional notification within 30 days. The law aims to limit potential technology transfers to countries deemed security risks under U.S. policy.

Maddy summaryS 941 prohibits "natural asset companies" from entering agreements about land or natural assets in Utah. These companies are defined as corporations managing land for conservation, restoration, or sustainable use, or similar organizations holding ecological rights to specific areas. The bill directly affects such entities by banning all agreements related to Utah land or natural assets located on that land. This is a substantive restriction on business activity, not a procedural measure.

Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act of 2025 This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from transmitting certain information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) utilized by licensed importers or dealers of firearms. Specifically, the bill prohibits the VA from transmitting personally identifying information of a veteran or a beneficiary to the NICS solely on the basis that such veteran or beneficiary has an appointed fiduciary to manage their benefits, unless there is an order or finding of a judicial authority that such veteran or beneficiary is a danger to themselves or others.