Rep. Henry Cuellar

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Ratepayer Protection Act, modifies federal energy laws to ensure that large industrial customers pay for the specific infrastructure upgrades needed to serve their high electricity demands. It directly affects non-residential facilities with a peak power usage of 100 megawatts or more, requiring utilities to charge these customers the full incremental cost of any necessary generation, transmission, or distribution improvements. Under the new rules, large customers must also provide financial guarantees or contributions before such upgrades are made, ensuring utilities can recover costs even if the customer leaves the contract early. State regulators have two years to implement these standards, though the bill exempts utilities in states that have already enacted similar measures or are actively considering them.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution expresses support for designating the week beginning September 14, 2026, as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. It recognizes these colleges and universities, which enroll at least 25 percent Hispanic students, for their role in providing higher education access to low-income and underserved populations. The bill highlights that these institutions serve a significant portion of the nation's undergraduate students and contribute to economic mobility. It calls on the public and interested groups to observe the week with ceremonies and activities during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution formally recognizes the role of Latino communities in outdoor recreation and conservation efforts that protect U.S. natural resources. It highlights how these groups lead activities such as hiking, community cleanups, and environmental justice initiatives on public lands. The bill specifically supports the designation of September 12 through September 20, 2026, as Latino Conservation Week to celebrate this engagement. As a commemorative measure, it does not create new laws or funding but serves to affirm the importance of inclusive access to nature and the cultural contributions of Latino populations to environmental stewardship.

Maddy summaryThe Recycled Materials Attribution Act of 2026 allows companies to use mass balance accounting to support claims about recycled content in their products, provided they follow independent third-party certification rules. This method lets manufacturers mix recycled materials with conventional ones in the same supply chain while still crediting the final product with a specific amount of recycled content based on documented inputs. The Federal Trade Commission will update its existing environmental marketing guidelines to reflect these new standards and will enforce the rules against misleading recycled content claims. Additionally, the law prevents states from passing their own conflicting regulations on how recycled content claims are made or enforced.

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.

National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act. [ sic ] This bill temporarily directs the Department of the Interior to award a grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for the expenses associated with operating and enhancing the community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness programs of the National Law Enforcement Museum.

Maddy summaryHR 2323, the Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act, would expand Big Bend National Park by adding approximately 6,100 acres of land. The Secretary of the Interior may acquire this land through donation or exchange (not eminent domain), using a specific map dated November 2022. Once acquired, the land becomes part of the park and is managed under existing laws. The map must be publicly available for inspection at National Park Service offices.

Maddy summaryThe SBA Spanish Resource Report Act requires the Small Business Administration administrator to submit a detailed report to Congress within 180 days of enactment. This report must inventory existing Spanish-language resources and services, including websites, application materials, and customer support, as well as those provided by partner organizations like small business development centers. The document also mandates an analysis of usage data, associated costs for translation and outreach, and operational considerations for delivering these services. While the bill requires a public report and a subsequent briefing to congressional committees, it explicitly states that this action does not force the agency to create, expand, or cut any specific Spanish-language programs.

Maddy summaryHR 5267, the American Franchise Act, clarifies when franchisors can be considered joint employers of franchisee employees under federal labor laws. It defines "substantial direct and immediate control" over essential employment terms like wages, benefits, hours, hiring, and discipline - requiring franchisors to actively set these terms to be deemed joint employers. The bill explicitly excludes routine brand standards, training, or minimal safety requirements from constituting such control. This directly affects franchisors and franchisees by limiting joint employer liability to cases where franchisors exert significant, ongoing influence over core employment decisions. The law applies prospectively to new cases after enactment, not past disputes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to clarify that direct sellers and qualified real estate agents (as defined under IRS rules) are not considered "employees" under federal labor law. It directly affects these workers by excluding them from FLSA protections like minimum wage and overtime pay. The key provision inserts a new definition into the law, changing how these professions are classified for labor rights purposes. This is a technical definitional change, not a new policy or program.