Rep. Byron Donalds

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 summaryThe Consumer Financial Protection Accountability and Reform Act of 2026 significantly restructures the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection by subjecting it to the regular federal appropriations process and establishing an independent Inspector General appointed by the President. The bill restricts the Bureau's supervisory authority over banks and credit unions with assets under $30 billion, allowing these institutions to elect to remain under their existing prudential regulators instead. It also introduces a safe harbor for small-dollar loans of $3,500 or less that meet specific structural requirements, shielding compliant lenders from civil money penalties and private damages. Additionally, the legislation creates federal standards for earned wage access services, requiring providers to offer a no-cost option for early wage access and prohibiting them from treating these services as credit or debt under federal law.

Maddy summaryThe American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 directs the U.S. Treasury to create two new accounts: a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for Bitcoin acquired through government forfeiture and a Digital Asset Stockpile for other digital assets. The bill mandates that all Bitcoin held in the reserve be kept for at least 20 years, with strict rules against selling or disposing of these assets during that time. It also establishes a transparency system requiring quarterly public reports and third-party audits to verify the government's holdings and management of these digital assets.

Maddy summaryThe Make Apportionment Great Again Act would change how U.S. House seats are distributed among states by excluding noncitizens from the population count used for apportionment. It requires the Secretary of Commerce to recalculate state populations using existing federal and state government records, without conducting a new census, and mandates that future censuses include a question on citizenship status. The bill establishes a legal presumption that any resulting changes in seat allocation are valid, allowing courts to overturn them only with clear evidence of statutory or constitutional violations. Additionally, it creates an expedited judicial process for legal challenges, requiring cases to be heard by three-judge panels and permitting direct appeal to the Supreme Court.

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.

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 summaryThis bill modifies tax rules to provide relief for individuals affected by major disasters. It allows taxpayers to deduct disaster-related losses (like damaged homes or personal property) more easily by creating a new "disaster loss deduction" that combines certain casualty losses and adjusts for income limits. It also excludes wildfire relief payments (such as compensation for lost wages or home damage not covered by insurance) from taxable income for people in federally declared wildfire areas, effective 2026 through 2030. These changes apply to losses incurred in taxable years starting after 2024, specifically for disasters declared between 2025 and 2027.

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.

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 summaryThe HEIRS Act of 2025 establishes two grant programs to help homeowners with "heirs' property" - residential land held by multiple heirs without clear title due to intestacy. It provides $30 million annually (2026-2036) to states/local governments that adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, funding title documentation, legal fees, and estate planning. An additional $10 million annually (2026-2030) supports HUD-approved housing counselors and legal services to assist low- and moderate-income minority homeowners in clearing title and retaining homes. The bill requires grantees to prioritize neighborhoods with high concentrations of affected residents and includes mandatory education about heirs' property risks and solutions.