Rep. Mark Harris

Maddy summaryThe Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (HR 4323) allows victims of human trafficking to petition courts to vacate convictions for non-violent federal crimes (level A offenses) or expunge arrest records if those offenses were directly related to their trafficking victimization. The bill establishes clear procedures for filing these motions, requires courts to consider testimony from anti-trafficking service providers, and ensures confidentiality for petitioners. It also adds a new "human trafficking defense" that permits defendants to claim duress due to trafficking victimization in criminal cases. The law mandates reports to Congress on implementation, including the number of petitions filed and outcomes, to assess its impact on trafficking survivors.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for businesses selling products made with U.S.-grown cotton. The credit equals 24% of the cotton's market value if processed only in the U.S. or in countries with U.S. trade deals, or 18% for other processing locations. To qualify, cotton must be digitally traced from U.S. farms to finished products and certified by the USDA as meeting origin requirements. It directly affects clothing and textile manufacturers selling qualifying products in the U.S. market.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the $250,000 tax exclusion limit for single homeowners and $500,000 limit for married couples when selling their primary residence. It removes the current dollar cap on capital gains tax exclusion, meaning all profit from such home sales would be tax-free. The change applies to sales occurring after the bill's enactment. This directly affects homeowners who currently owe taxes on gains exceeding the removed limits.

Maddy summaryHR 7156, the SCAM Act, would expand grounds for revoking U.S. citizenship (denaturalization) for naturalized citizens who commit specific offenses within 10 years of becoming citizens. It targets individuals convicted of defrauding federal, state, or local governments (e.g., $10,000+ in public benefit fraud), affiliating with foreign terrorist organizations, or committing aggravated felonies or espionage. If convicted in these categories, the government could automatically revoke citizenship retroactively (as if it never existed) based on evidence that the person lacked good moral character or loyalty to the U.S. at the time of naturalization. This bill directly affects naturalized citizens who commit these offenses within a decade of gaining citizenship, with revocation triggering immediate deportability.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. Code sections 2251(a), 2260(a), and 2256 to clarify and strengthen laws against child sexual exploitation. It explicitly adds "or be depicted engaging in" to definitions of sexual exploitation and sexually explicit depictions involving minors, making it a crime to distribute material showing minors in such conduct - even if the minor did not physically participate. The law directly affects prosecutors, defendants accused of distributing child sexual abuse material, and minors depicted in such images. The key change ensures that intentionally including minors in sexually explicit visual depictions (via photos or videos) is prosecutable under existing federal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state agencies administering the SNAP (food stamp) program to provide recipient-level data to the USDA Secretary upon request. It directly affects state SNAP agencies, which must submit this data within 30 days (or sooner for urgent cases) in secure electronic formats. Key provisions include mandatory data sharing for program oversight and integrity, strict privacy safeguards under the Privacy Act, and potential withholding of federal funds for non-compliance. The bill also clarifies that this does not limit the USDA's existing authority to access state data for program administration.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to exclude the value of employer-provided child or dependent care services from overtime pay calculations. It directly affects employers who offer such care benefits, allowing them to exclude the cost of these services when determining overtime wages for eligible employees. The key change adds a new exclusion (paragraph (9)) to the overtime calculation rules, meaning the value of childcare or elder care provided by an employer is no longer counted toward an employee's regular rate for overtime purposes. The change applies to overtime pay required for workweeks beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies and expands the definition of "public charge" for immigration purposes, affecting non-citizens applying for visas, admission, or adjustment of status. It defines a public charge as someone receiving certain government benefits (including SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, and income support programs) for more than 12 months within any 36-month period. The determination considers factors like age, health, assets, education, and family status in a holistic assessment, while exempting refugees, asylees, and military dependents. The bill requires the government to publish a comprehensive list of covered benefits within 180 days of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows groups of small businesses or self-employed individuals to form a single health plan that treats all members as one employer for coverage purposes. It directly affects small business associations and self-employed people who can join such groups to access pooled health coverage, provided they meet specific requirements (e.g., 51+ total employees, 2+ years in existence, no health-based discrimination). Key mechanisms include permitting modified community rating for premiums (based on pooled claims) while prohibiting health status-related discrimination in enrollment, premiums, or pre-existing condition coverage. The plan remains subject to federal ERISA rules, and self-employed members must meet defined criteria to participate as both employers and employees.

Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act This act provides for the award of Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in recognition of the team's achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.