Rep. Daniel Webster

Maddy summaryHR 720, the "Protecting Life in Health Savings Accounts Act," prohibits using Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer MSAs, health flexible spending accounts, and retiree health accounts to pay for abortions, except in specific cases. The bill defines "excluded abortion" to include abortions related to rape or incest, or those necessary to prevent a life-threatening physical condition caused by pregnancy (as certified by a physician). This change would affect individuals relying on these tax-advantaged accounts for healthcare expenses, making most abortion costs non-reimbursable through such plans. The provisions would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Life at Conception Act This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.

Maddy summaryHR 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, requires medical staff at abortion facilities to provide the same immediate care and hospital admission to any infant born alive during an abortion as they would for any newborn. It mandates reporting failures to provide this care to law enforcement and imposes penalties of up to 5 years in prison for violations, with harsher penalties for intentional killing. The bill also allows women who undergo abortions to sue for civil damages, including triple the abortion cost, and provides for attorney fees. It defines "abortion" to exclude procedures performed after viability to preserve a live birth. This law directly affects healthcare providers at abortion facilities and creates new federal legal obligations for them.

Maddy summaryHRES 63 is a symbolic resolution designating the week of January 26-February 1, 2025, as "National School Choice Week." It expresses the House's support for raising public awareness about educational options - including public schools, charter schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling - and encourages parents to explore these choices. The resolution also urges the public to host events during this week to celebrate parental choice in education. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new policies or alter existing laws.

Maddy summaryHRES 59 is a symbolic resolution expressing the House of Representatives' disapproval of a sermon delivered by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde at the National Prayer Service on January 21, 2025, at the National Cathedral. It declares the sermon "a display of political activism" and condemns its "distorted message," though it does not change any laws or policies. The resolution directly addresses the bishop's remarks during a nonpartisan religious event, making no concrete policy changes but reflecting the House's view on the content of that specific sermon. As a procedural resolution, it has no legal effect beyond expressing the House's stance.

Maddy summaryThe MERIT Act of 2025 makes significant changes to federal personnel management by repealing Chapter 43 performance-based actions and modifying procedures for disciplinary actions, furloughs, and bonus recoupment. It extends probationary periods for senior executives (to 2 years) and competitive service employees (to 2 years), establishes new rules for reducing retirement benefits of employees convicted of felonies related to their federal service, and creates standardized procedures for adverse actions including written notice requirements and response periods. The bill also allows agencies to recoup bonuses for misconduct and modifies procedures for handling furloughs of more than 14 days. These changes apply to all federal employees across government agencies and aim to clarify and streamline personnel management processes.

Maddy summaryHR 679 nullifies specific changes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made in January 2023 to the safety rules (REMS) for the abortion pill mifepristone. The bill prohibits the FDA from implementing any future safety rules for mifepristone that are substantially similar to the nullified changes. This directly affects the FDA's regulatory authority over mifepristone, which could impact how healthcare providers prescribe the medication and how patients access it. The bill focuses solely on reversing the FDA's 2023 modifications without altering the drug's broader approval status.

Maddy summaryHR 685, the SAVE Moms and Babies Act of 2025, prohibits the FDA from approving new abortion drugs or allowing investigational use of existing ones. It restricts existing abortion drugs to in-person administration by certified healthcare providers in clinics or hospitals (not pharmacies), limits use to pregnancies under 70 days gestation, and requires providers to certify they can handle complications like severe bleeding or ectopic pregnancies. The bill mandates reporting of adverse events (such as hospitalizations or infections) to the FDA without patient identifiers and defines "abortion drug" broadly as any drug intended to terminate pregnancy, excluding specific medical exceptions. This directly affects FDA approval processes, healthcare providers prescribing these drugs, and drug manufacturers.

Maddy summaryHR 703, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes a key tax deduction permanent for small business owners. It removes the temporary sunset provision (subsection (i)) from Section 199A of the tax code, ensuring the qualified business income deduction remains available for eligible small businesses. This change directly affects pass-through business owners (like S-corps, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) who currently qualify for this deduction. The permanent change takes effect for tax years starting after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 682, the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2025, prohibits physicians from performing abortions without first checking for a detectable fetal heartbeat according to standard medical practice and informing the patient of the results. It directly affects physicians and clinics performing abortions, requiring them to document heartbeat checks and comply with strict exceptions for life-threatening conditions, rape (with 48-hour documentation of counseling/treatment), or incest involving minors (with proof of prior report to authorities). Violations could result in fines or up to five years in prison, though the bill explicitly states it does not create or recognize a right to abortion. The law adds detailed documentation requirements for exceptions and mandates retention of medical records per federal health privacy rules.