Rep. Robert F. Onder, Jr.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Congressional Records Protection Act, aims to shield the personal and official communications of Members of Congress and their employees from government searches and subpoenas. It directly affects federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies by prohibiting them from obtaining records related to these individuals unless the person is the specific target of a criminal investigation. Under the new rules, agencies must notify the affected Member or employee before searching their records, except in urgent cases where notice could endanger lives or destroy evidence. Additionally, any materials found during a search that belong to a protected individual cannot be reviewed for 30 days to ensure they are not accessed without proper oversight.

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 summaryThis House resolution marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by formally honoring the memory of the nearly 3,000 victims and recognizing the sacrifices made by first responders, military personnel, and the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. The bill acknowledges the ongoing health challenges faced by survivors and responders, highlighting the role of the World Trade Center Health Program in providing long-term medical support. It also credits charitable organizations and community groups that have continued to assist victims' families and veterans over the past two decades. Finally, the resolution urges the American public to observe the anniversary with ceremonies and reaffirms Congress's commitment to remembering the events and lessons of that day.

Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit any state or local government designated as a "sanctuary jurisdiction" from receiving grant funds distributed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A jurisdiction is defined as a sanctuary if it has laws, policies, or practices that restrict officials from sharing information about an individual's immigration status or from complying with federal requests to detain or notify about the release of individuals. The funding restriction would apply to grants distributed 180 days after the bill's enactment. To determine which jurisdictions qualify for this ineligibility, the HUD Secretary is required to consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Maddy summaryThe Preventing Forced Abortions Act of 2026 prohibits federal courts from enforcing any part of a surrogacy agreement that forces a surrogate mother to have an abortion. Instead, the law mandates that courts must uphold the financial compensation promised to the surrogate, even if the contract includes penalties or reduced payments for refusing an abortion. This legislation grants federal district courts specific authority to hear civil cases involving surrogacy contracts and defines key terms such as "abortion" and "surrogate mother" to clarify the scope of the protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the official address for the Specialist Jeffrey L. White, Jr. Post Office. It amends a previous public law to change the street number for the facility from 324 to 211 in all official records.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Valuing Employee Stock Today Act, updates federal overtime pay rules to include restricted stock units alongside existing equity awards. It directly affects hourly and salaried employees who receive these specific types of stock compensation from their employers. By amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, the legislation clarifies that the value from restricted stock units should not be counted when calculating an employee's regular rate for overtime purposes. The change is designed to ensure that workers with this form of equity participation are treated consistently with those who have other stock options or purchase programs. These new rules will take effect 90 days after the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryHR 6213, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the U.S. Department of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing OSHA's proposed "Heat Injury and Illness Prevention" standard (published August 30, 2024). This bill directly blocks the specific regulatory proposal targeting heat safety in both outdoor and indoor work settings. It does not create new requirements or affect workers; it solely prevents the implementation of the existing OSHA proposal. The bill is procedural, focusing on halting a regulatory action rather than establishing new policy.

Maddy summaryHR 183, the Law Enforcement Officer Recreation Pass Act, creates a free, lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for qualifying law enforcement officers. It directly affects federal, state, local, and tribal officers authorized to prevent, detect, or investigate criminal law violations or supervise offenders. The bill amends existing law to require the Secretary to provide this pass without charge, making it available for the passholder's lifetime. This is a concrete policy change expanding access to federal recreation areas for eligible officers, with no cost to them. The bill does not cover firefighters or other public safety personnel.

Maddy summaryThe Patients First Act of 2026 modifies how Medicare reimburses physicians and primary care providers to improve access and stabilize payments. It establishes a new hybrid payment model for primary care services from 2027 to 2031, which pays a monthly fee per patient to eligible independent practices while covering specific services like care management and telehealth without cost-sharing for patients. The bill also updates the formula for calculating reimbursement rates to account for high inflation years and requires more frequent updates to the costs used in calculating payments. Additionally, the legislation reforms the performance-based payment system by adding care efficiency measures, creating a task force to recommend new quality metrics, and adjusting penalties for providers who fail to report on certain data.