Rep. Josh Harder

Maddy summaryThe Romance Scam Prevention Act requires online dating platforms to send immediate notifications to users who message someone banned for scamming. These warnings must include the banned user's profile details, a fraud alert, safety tips to avoid financial scams, and contact information, delivered within 24 hours (with limited exceptions for law enforcement investigations). It directly affects dating apps like Tinder or Bumble and their users by mandating clear, timely fraud alerts to prevent financial exploitation. The law takes effect one year after enactment and shields platforms from liability for following these notification rules.

Maddy summaryThe Backlog Justice Act of 2026 aims to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits by requiring the Attorney General to create a public database tracking inventory levels and laboratory processing times across state and local jurisdictions. To address staffing shortages, the bill authorizes the FBI to develop training programs for forensic analysts and DNA technical leaders, allowing states and localities to hire individuals who have completed this federal training. Additionally, it funds a program for the FBI to collaborate with state and local providers on validating new DNA processing technologies and sharing related protocols. The legislation also provides increased grant funding to states that implement electronic tracking systems allowing sexual assault survivors to monitor the status of their evidence kits from collection through final disposition.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require Medicare to cover early detection screening tests for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias starting January 1, 2028. It defines eligible tests as FDA-cleared genomic blood tests, blood product analyses, or equivalent medical imaging methods (like protein expression or whole genome sequencing) that detect pre-symptomatic or early-stage conditions. Medicare beneficiaries would receive this coverage without cost-sharing for these specific screenings. The bill amends Medicare coverage rules to explicitly include these tests under Section 1861(nnn) of the Social Security Act.

Maddy summaryHR 2978, the GUARD Act, allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to use existing federal grant funds for investigating elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" investment scams, and general financial fraud. The bill directs these funds toward hiring specialized staff, training on blockchain tools and transnational fraud, purchasing investigative software, improving data collection, and creating financial sector liaisons to coordinate with banks. It requires annual reports from law enforcement on fund usage and outcomes, and mandates federal agencies to submit comprehensive reports to Congress on scam statistics, enforcement actions, and funding allocation. The legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies and aims to strengthen efforts against fraud targeting vulnerable populations, particularly elderly individuals.

Save Our Sequoias Act This bill provides for the conservation of giant sequoia trees ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ) in California. Specifically, it provides statutory authority for the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition and outlines the coalition's duties. The coalition must submit a Giant Sequoia Health and Resiliency Assessment and annually update it. The information from the assessment must be made available so the information can be integrated into certain other plans. The coalition must also create and maintain a website that contains the assessment, educational materials, searchable information about individual giant sequoia groves, and a searchable database to track the status and costs of reforestation and rehabilitation activities. In addition, the bill declares an emergency on certain public lands and allows officials to carry out protection plans during the emergency to respond to the threat of wildfires, insects, and drought. The emergency expires after seven years. The Department of the Interior must develop and implement a Giant Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation Strategy. Finally, the bill establishes a variety of programs and funds to support the conservation of giant sequoias.

Maddy summaryHR 1266, the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, adds xylazine - a veterinary sedative increasingly found in illicit drug mixtures - to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, regulating its use and trafficking. It directly affects veterinarians, animal owners, and manufacturers by allowing xylazine to be legally dispensed for animal use under specific veterinary prescriptions, while prohibiting non-veterinary human use. The bill includes transition periods (60 days for practitioners, 1 year for labeling) to ease compliance for manufacturers and practitioners, and requires the DEA and FDA to expedite necessary applications. It also mandates two congressional reports on xylazine's illicit use and trafficking patterns, and directs the Sentencing Commission to review penalties for offenses involving xylazine.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all new passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the U.S. to include AM radio as standard equipment (not an optional add-on) by 2027-2028, depending on manufacturer size. It mandates that AM radio receivers must be easily accessible to drivers and allows compliance through digital AM broadcast technology. During a transition period, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio but cannot charge extra for this feature. The bill also mandates a GAO study on AM radio's role in emergency alerts and includes a 10-year sunset provision for the rule. It preempts state laws regarding AM radio access in vehicles.

Maddy summaryThe Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025 directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to study sinkhole causes - including extreme weather, drought, and water management shifts - and create updated risk maps showing areas prone to sinkholes. It requires the USGS to use specific 3D elevation data from existing law and maintain a public website with these maps for community planners and emergency managers. The maps must be reviewed and updated at least every five years. This bill directly affects local officials and emergency responders by providing accessible, science-based hazard information to inform land-use decisions and safety planning.

Maddy summaryHR 2592, the Aviation Medication Transparency Act of 2025, requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create and maintain a public website listing medications approved for use by pilots and aircrew (airmen) during medical certification. The list must be developed with input from pilots' unions, air traffic controllers' representatives, and other stakeholders, and include details like "Do Not Issue" medications, required duty limitations for new medications, and contact information for medical providers. The FAA must publish this list within one year of the bill's enactment and update it annually. This directly affects pilots seeking or holding medical certifications by providing clear, accessible information about medication use in aviation.