Rep. Brett Guthrie

Maddy summaryHR 269, the Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a single gold medal to be awarded to Jens Stoltenberg in recognition of his service as NATO Secretary General from 2014 to 2024. The bill cites his leadership in expanding NATO membership, increasing defense spending by member nations (including 23 countries meeting the 2% target by 2024), strengthening partnerships with Indo-Pacific nations, and coordinating international support for Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion. This commemorative act does not create new policy or affect any laws, as it solely provides a symbolic honor through a gold medal. The medal will be struck by the U.S. Mint, with bronze duplicates available for sale to cover costs.

Maddy summaryHR 272, the Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act of 2025, prohibits federal funding (directly or indirectly) to any organization that performs or funds abortions, requiring certification from all recipients. This applies to entities receiving federal funds, including contractors and subsidiaries, with limited exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, or when a physician certifies a life-threatening condition. The bill directly affects healthcare providers, clinics, and organizations that rely on federal grants or contracts. It changes existing funding rules by banning federal money from supporting abortion services, except in the specified medical or criminal exceptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to temporarily suspend entry of certain individuals at U.S. borders to achieve "operational control" (defined as effective border management). It specifically applies to people seeking entry without proper documentation who would be denied entry under current law (e.g., lacking visas or asylum eligibility). The Secretary must block entry if they cannot detain or process these individuals as required by existing immigration law. States may also sue the government if they believe border security rules are violated.

Maddy summaryThis bill blocks federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its clinics for one year unless they certify they won't perform abortions. Exceptions apply for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, or when a woman's life is in danger due to a medical condition. The bill redirects the redirected funds to community health centers and other providers serving women's health needs, authorizing $235 million for this purpose. It explicitly states this will not reduce overall federal funding for women's health services. The policy change directly affects Planned Parenthood clinics receiving federal funds, requiring them to certify abortion restrictions or lose funding.

Maddy summaryHR 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain government workers. It eliminates the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which cuts spousal or survivor benefits for people with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security (like federal or state government roles), and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which lowers retirement benefits for those with similar pensions. The law takes effect for benefits paid after December 2023, requiring the Social Security Administration to adjust benefit calculations to remove these reductions. This change directly affects public-sector employees who previously had their Social Security benefits reduced due to their government pensions.

Maddy summaryThe FISHES Act (HR 5103) streamlines access to emergency disaster funds for fisheries by setting strict deadlines for federal review. It requires the Secretary of Commerce to review and provide notice on spend plans within 10 days of submission and mandates that funds be made available to grantees no later than 90 days after a complete spend plan is received. This directly affects fisheries that have received a formal "fishery resource disaster" determination, ensuring faster disbursement of funds for recovery efforts. The bill also prohibits the Office of Management and Budget from delaying these timelines during concurrent review. The law aims to reduce bureaucratic delays in post-disaster funding without altering the underlying disaster assistance program.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber to increase the public debt limit. It prohibits a bill to increase revenue from becoming law unless it has been approved by a majority roll call vote of each chamber. The amendment also requires the President to submit an annual budget in which total outlays do not exceed total receipts. Congress may waive these requirements due to a declaration of war or a military conflict that causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.

Maddy summaryHR 24, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2025, mandates a comprehensive audit of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) within 12 months of enactment. The bill requires the GAO to submit a detailed report to Congress within 90 days of completing the audit, including findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislative or administrative action. This audit replaces current limitations on reviewing Federal Reserve operations, particularly regarding entities like special purpose vehicles not previously subject to standard audits. The bill directly affects the Federal Reserve System by increasing congressional oversight of its financial activities and reporting mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHR 45 (FIND Act) requires federal government contractors to certify they do not discriminate against firearm businesses (including manufacturers, dealers, and trade associations) in their policies or practices. The bill mandates that contractors and subcontractors (for contracts over 10% of the prime contract value) certify they have no discriminatory policies and will not adopt them during the contract term. Violations could lead to contract termination and potential debarment. This applies to all federal procurement contracts awarded after the bill's enactment, excluding sole-source contracts. The law aims to ensure firearm businesses are treated equally in government contracting without restricting legitimate business criteria like creditworthiness or legal compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 4-year transitional coverage period for Medicare to automatically cover "breakthrough medical devices" - new FDA-prioritized devices approved after March 2021 - as "reasonable and necessary" for treatment. During this period, these devices qualify for additional payments under Medicare's hospital and outpatient payment systems without requiring separate approval. After the 4-year period, Medicare must develop regular coverage based on additional data, with automatic coverage for all approved uses if no action is taken within two years. The bill requires Medicare to assign unique codes for these devices within three months of FDA approval and to update payment systems regularly. It also includes special provisions for "specified breakthrough devices" that lack existing Medicare benefit categories, requiring reports on their impact and cost to Congress.