Rep. Daniel Webster

Maddy summaryThis House resolution marks the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment and honors its original sponsor, Congressman Henry Hyde. It asserts that the amendment has prevented over 2.6 million abortions by restricting federal funding for elective procedures. The text emphasizes that this policy protects taxpayer conscience rights by ensuring public money is not used to finance abortions. Additionally, it encourages Americans to reflect on the history of the amendment and the total number of abortions performed since the Roe v. Wade decision.

Maddy summaryThe STARS Act of 2026 establishes the United States Space Academy as a new institution within NASA, designed to provide undergraduate technical education and leadership training for future space professionals. The bill mandates that the academy's permanent campus be located in Florida, prioritizing sites near major launch facilities like Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Within 180 days of enactment, the NASA Administrator must submit a report to Congress detailing the specific site selection, proposed curriculum, graduate service obligations, and budget estimates. The legislation authorizes necessary federal funds for the acquisition, design, and construction of the academy's facilities.

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.

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 summaryThis bill, known as the Post-Disaster Protection Act, extends the time limit for appealing federal disaster assistance decisions from 60 to 90 days. It directly affects individuals and communities seeking aid after natural disasters by amending the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The change provides applicants with additional time to contest decisions regarding their eligibility or the amount of assistance they receive. This adjustment aims to give affected parties more time to review and challenge assistance determinations without rushing the appeals process.

Maddy summaryThe SAFE for Manatees Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study identifying potential new habitats for manatees in Florida as industrial sites are decommissioned and water temperatures change. This study must evaluate natural warm-water locations and explore methods for building artificial warm-water refuges in cooperation with the Army Corps of Engineers and Florida wildlife officials. The bill requires the Interior Department to publish a report on these findings within 180 days of enactment to inform future conservation efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026, aims to streamline environmental permitting for the State of Florida by recognizing a specific federal biological opinion as fully compliant with the Endangered Species Act. By deeming this existing document sufficient, the legislation eliminates the need for additional federal consultations regarding dredge and fill projects under the Clean Water Act. The primary effect is to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to approve Florida's request to manage its own state-level permitting program without further federal oversight on these specific environmental matters.