Rep. Keith Self

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents federal agencies from awarding duplicate grants for the same purpose, except for institutions of higher education. It requires agencies to use a new electronic tracking system to check if applicants are already receiving or have applied for similar funding before approving new grants. The system will track details like project names, researchers, and funding periods to identify overlaps. Agencies must also report on using AI to detect duplicate applications faster, aiming to reduce wasted taxpayer funds on overlapping projects.

Maddy summaryThe FOCA Act of 2025 prohibits federal agencies from requiring or banning contractors from using union agreements in construction project bids or contracts. It directly affects federal agencies, contractors, and subcontractors working on federally funded or assisted construction projects (like buildings or infrastructure). The law requires bid documents to not favor or penalize contractors based on whether they have union agreements, aiming to promote open competition and prevent discrimination. This changes how agencies structure bids but does not affect union agreements themselves. The bill applies to all new contracts and subcontracts after enactment, with limited exemptions only for public health/safety emergencies or national security.

Maddy summaryHR 1116, the REAL Meat Act of 2025, prohibits federal funding for cell-cultured meat (lab-produced meat) by banning government support for its research, production, promotion, or inclusion in USDA programs. It directly affects federal agencies like the Department of Agriculture and research programs by blocking funds for any activity related to cell-cultured meat, except for NASA's space-related use. The bill defines cell-cultured meat as meat grown from animal cells in a lab, ensuring the funding restriction applies specifically to this method. The sole exception allows NASA to fund cell-cultured meat intended for consumption off-planet. This policy change restricts government financial support but does not ban the sale or consumption of cell-cultured meat products.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, citing ongoing violence against religious minorities. It specifically calls for Nigeria to protect religious minorities, prosecute perpetrators of attacks, and address displacement of millions caused by religiously motivated violence. The resolution also recommends increased U.S. diplomatic engagement with Nigeria and targeted sanctions against those responsible for religious freedom violations. This follows the State Department's omission of Nigeria from its CPC list in 2021-2023 and its 2024 failure to release an annual report.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding, support, or approval for research using human fetal tissue obtained from induced abortions. It allows research on tissue from miscarriages (under 20 weeks) or stillbirths (20+ weeks) under existing Public Health Service Act rules, and permits development of new cell lines for vaccines or genetic vectors if not derived from abortion tissue. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to restrict federal research to tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths and clarifies definitions for terms like "miscarriage" and "stillbirth." It directly affects federal agencies like the NIH and researchers relying on federal grants for biomedical studies.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding resolution (HRES 206), not a legislative bill. It expresses the House's support for preserving the "stepped-up basis" tax provision (Section 1014 of the Internal Revenue Code), which allows heirs to reset the tax cost basis of inherited assets like farmland or business equipment to their current market value. The resolution cites that 98% of farms and 19% of businesses are family-owned, noting that eliminating this provision could increase taxes for 66% of midsized farms. It specifically urges opposition to new taxes on family farms and small businesses but does not change any tax law or policy.

Maddy summaryHR 2006, the DOGE Act, makes Executive Order 14210 a permanent law. This order directs the executive branch to implement the President's "Department of Government Efficiency workforce optimization initiative." The bill directly affects federal government operations by legally binding the executive branch to follow this specific workforce optimization plan. It does not create new programs but elevates an existing executive order to statutory force.

Maddy summaryHR 2012, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2025, requires the President to submit a detailed report to Congress before terminating, waiving, or significantly altering U.S. sanctions on Iran. The bill directly affects the President and Congress, mandating a 30-day (or 60-day during specific summer months) congressional review period for such actions. During this period, relevant committees must review the proposal, and Congress can block the action via a joint resolution of disapproval. The bill does not change sanctions policy itself but establishes a formal process for congressional oversight of any major sanctions-related decisions. It applies to sanctions under multiple existing laws, including the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 and the 2010 Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Act.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office Building".

Farm Credit Administration Independent Authority Act This bill specifies that the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) is the sole regulator of the Farm Credit System (FCS) and establishes reporting requirements for FCS institutions (i.e., lenders). Specifically, the bill states that the FCA is the sole and independent regulator of the FCS and exempts entities that are supervised by the FCA from the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). As background, the bill addresses a rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that implements provisions of the ECOA by requiring covered financial institutions, including FCS institutions, to collect and report to the CFPB data on credit applications for small businesses, including the principal owner's race, sex, and ethnicity. This 2023 rule has been challenged in court. The bill also requires FCS institutions to (1) request that loan applicants and borrowers that are small farmers disclose information identifying their race, sex, and ethnicity; and (2) annually report the collected information to the FCA. The FCA must make the collected information available to the public on annual basis. If an FCS institution customer does not voluntarily report the requested information, the FCA may not require the institution to use other means to deduce the information. In addition, the bill specifies that FCS institutions shall not be required to comply with the bill's requirements if financial institutions are not required to comply with the CFPB rule due to a court invalidating the rule or a repeal of the rule.