Rep. James Gallagher

Maddy summaryThe CAL Repayment Act requires states to immediately use any federal funds received for unemployment insurance to repay outstanding advances before spending them on other purposes. This rule applies to all states and mandates that they make these repayments within five business days of the funds becoming available. If a state fails to follow this order and uses the money elsewhere first, it must return the full amount to the federal government within five days of being notified. The law takes effect for any unemployment insurance funds awarded after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the review authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to include real estate transactions involving specific foreign nations and entities linked to them. It designates certain locations, such as military bases, agricultural land, and critical infrastructure, as "sensitive sites" where purchases or leases by foreign adversaries face stricter scrutiny. Under the new rules, these transactions are presumed to pose an unresolvable national security risk unless the committee provides clear evidence that the threat can be mitigated. The legislation also ensures that existing state laws restricting foreign ownership of farmland remain in effect and requires the committee to issue new regulations within 120 days of enactment.

Maddy summaryThe VA Home Loan Affordability Act updates the Department of Veterans Affairs' home loan program to make it easier and more affordable for veterans to buy or refinance homes. Key changes include removing the requirement for third-party verification of lender fees, allowing refinancing without an appraisal in certain cases, and lowering the minimum interest rate cap for adjustable-rate mortgages from 200 to 75 basis points. The bill also expands loan guarantees for condominiums, caps closing costs and seller fees at 1.5% and 6% of the loan amount respectively, and mandates regular reviews of debt-to-income ratios. Additionally, it requires appraisers to hold state licenses, directs the VA to update property suitability regulations, and sets a deadline for submitting a plan to modernize the agency's loan administration technology.

Maddy summaryThe Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 prohibits state and local governments from suing energy companies for damages related to climate change or greenhouse gas emissions. This bill declares that regulating emissions is exclusively a federal responsibility and voids any state laws that hold energy businesses liable for alleged climate harms. Consequently, all pending lawsuits of this nature against energy producers must be dismissed immediately, preventing states from imposing retroactive penalties for past lawful operations. The legislation directly affects companies involved in the production, refinement, and sale of oil, gas, and coal by shielding them from civil liability in both state and federal courts.

Maddy summaryThis bill would modify how the Endangered Species Act applies to the National Flood Insurance Program by exempting certain flood insurance actions from endangered species protections. It directly affects the Federal Emergency Management Agency and property owners seeking flood insurance coverage, as well as wildlife agencies that currently review flood insurance decisions. The legislation requires the removal of existing biological opinions that evaluate the program's impact on endangered species and adds language to ensure flood management actions are designed solely for protecting property and human health. These changes would allow the National Flood Insurance Program to operate without the usual environmental review requirements that could delay or restrict flood insurance coverage in areas with endangered species.

Maddy summaryThe TORCH Act streamlines wildfire prevention efforts on federal lands by expanding the scope of activities that can be conducted with reduced regulatory requirements. It allows forest managers to remove high-priority hazard trees more quickly, increases the acreage limits for certain wildfire mitigation projects from 3,000 to 10,000 acres, and enables the use of timber sales and grazing to reduce fuel loads. The bill also modifies rules for electric utility vegetation management, permits utilities to remove hazardous vegetation near power lines without separate timber sales, and exempts certain forest management activities from additional environmental review requirements. Additionally, it updates good neighbor agreements to include Indian tribes and clarifies how revenue from timber sales on these agreements can be used for restoration work.

Maddy summaryHR 7539, the SAFE Act, requires the Comptroller General to study "chameleon carriers" (motor carriers evading safety rules by changing names or ownership) and develop an automated tool for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to detect such applicants during Department of Transportation (DOT) number registration. The bill mandates the tool to identify patterns like shared ownership, similar addresses, insurance lapses, or continuity of operations to flag suspicious applications. It directly affects motor carriers applying for DOT numbers and FMCSA staff, who must use the tool to review applications while preserving final decision-making authority. The law also requires an appeals process for denied applications, data privacy safeguards, and a two-year effectiveness report on the tool.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax exclusion for certain disaster mitigation payments received by property owners. It allows individuals to exclude from gross income funds paid by state programs (or approved entities) to make improvements that reduce damage from windstorms, earthquakes, or wildfires. The exclusion applies to payments made for specific property upgrades like storm shutters or fire-resistant roofing. The change takes effect for 2021+ tax years and includes a retroactive option for taxpayers to amend prior returns. It directly affects homeowners participating in qualifying state disaster resilience programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits certain electric utilities from paying executive bonuses if their customer rate increases exceed the annual inflation rate (CPI-U). It directly affects state-regulated electric utilities not wholly owned by U.S. persons, including their C-suite executives (e.g., CEOs, CFOs). Key provisions require utilities to report rate changes and non-executive pay to FERC; FERC then determines if bonuses are allowed based on inflation and caps bonuses at 25% of non-executive median pay. Violations result in forfeited bonuses being refunded to customers, calculated by dividing the forfeited amount by the utility's customer count.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a direct payment program to compensate specialty crop growers and wine producers for financial losses caused by increased tariffs on U.S. exports after January 20, 2025. Covered losses include higher handling costs for perishable crops, reduced export revenue, canceled contracts, and lost market access due to foreign tariffs. The USDA may also purchase surplus non-wine specialty crops for nutrition programs like school meals. Payments and surplus crop purchases require annual reporting to Congress until 2030, with funding authorized for fiscal years 2026-2030.