Rep. Mike Kennedy

Maddy summaryThis bill amends immigration law to expand mandatory detention for non-citizen immigrants convicted of specific property crimes. It adds trespassing, vandalism, and arson to the list of offenses that trigger detention under Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, alongside burglary and serious bodily injury. Non-citizen immigrants convicted of these crimes would now face automatic detention without bond, rather than potentially being released pending removal proceedings. The key change modifies existing detention criteria to include these three property crimes as grounds for mandatory immigration detention.

Moab UMTRA Project Transition Act of 2025 This bill allows the Department of Energy (DOE) to convey the Moab site to Grand County, Utah, at no cost when it finishes cleaning up uranium mill tailings (i.e., radioactive waste) at the site. (The Moab site is a uranium milling site located approximately three miles northwest of Moab, Utah.) DOE must retain certain water rights that are necessary to carry out its responsibilities, such as maintaining access to wells and the associated surface footprint of the wells if the remediation of groundwater is ongoing at the time of the conveyance. The conveyance of the site must include a provision that prohibits Grand County from reconveying to a private entity or nonprofit organization any portion of the land conveyed to the county.

Maddy summaryThe Healthy Lunch for Healthy Kids Act amends the National School Lunch Program to prohibit ultraprocessed foods (using the NOVA classification system) and specific additives in school meals. It directly affects students in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program by banning ingredients like artificial dyes (yellow dye 5/6, blue dyes, red dyes), potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, and brominated vegetable oil. The bill requires schools to remove these items from meals served under the program, focusing on reducing consumption of highly processed ingredients. This change applies to all schools receiving federal funding through the National School Lunch Act. The policy aims to improve meal nutrition standards without specifying implementation details or outcomes.

Maddy summaryThe Worker Enfranchisement Act (HR 2572) changes how unions gain exclusive representation rights under labor law. It requires that a union must be chosen by at least two-thirds of all eligible employees voting in a secret ballot election, rather than a simple majority. This applies to all new union representation elections occurring six months after the bill becomes law. The change directly affects workers and unions by raising the threshold for establishing a union as the sole bargaining representative.

Maddy summaryThe Ensuring Medicaid Eligibility Act of 2025 prohibits the implementation of a 2024 rule that would have streamlined Medicaid application and enrollment processes. It requires states to verify U.S. citizenship or immigration status before enrolling individuals in Medicaid and mandates quarterly verification of income-based eligibility for those relying on income calculations. The bill also blocks federal funding for Medicaid coverage for certain non-citizens, including parolees, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, asylum seekers, and individuals granted withholding of removal. These provisions directly affect non-citizen Medicaid applicants and require states to adjust enrollment and verification procedures.

Maddy summaryThe Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to reimburse State homes or provide medications directly for certain high-cost drugs used by veterans in State-run nursing homes. A medication is defined as high-cost if its price (including a 3% fee) exceeds 8.5% of the VA's monthly payment for the veteran's care at that home. This applies specifically to State homes that provide such medications to veterans under VA contracts. The bill ensures veterans receive essential medications without financial burden on the State homes, using clear cost thresholds to determine eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds Medicare coverage for home-based treatment of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Disorder (a rare genetic condition causing lung and liver damage). It specifically covers "augmentation therapy" (replacement protein therapy) delivered at home by qualified suppliers to Medicare Part A and B enrollees with this diagnosis who aren't in Medicare Advantage plans. The bill establishes payment for intravenous kits and up to 2 hours of nursing services per session, set at 80% of the lesser of actual cost or a defined rate. It amends Medicare rules to include this treatment under coverage, effective January 2027.

Maddy summaryHR 1368, the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act, establishes a formal framework for DOE and NASA to collaborate on joint research and development projects. It directs the agencies to coordinate through memoranda of understanding and competitive awards in specific areas like nuclear propulsion systems, quantum computing, space-based solar energy transmission, and earth sciences research. The bill requires the agencies to share data, leverage existing infrastructure, and report on coordination progress to Congress within two years. This legislation does not create new funding but aims to streamline existing research efforts between the two agencies and their partners, such as national laboratories and universities.

Maddy summaryHR 1318 amends a definition in existing law to clarify the scope of "foreign country" for restrictions on malign foreign talent recruitment. It specifies that the definition includes any program, position, or activity "whether directly or indirectly provided," removing ambiguity about indirect support. The bill directly affects how federal agencies apply current restrictions on foreign talent recruitment programs. This is a technical clarification to existing law, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires states to verify that Medicaid providers and suppliers are not deceased during enrollment and at least quarterly while enrolled. Starting January 1, 2027, states must check the federal Death Master File (a government database of deceased individuals) as part of provider onboarding and revalidation. The law directly affects all entities billing Medicaid for services, aiming to prevent fraud where deceased individuals' identities might be used. It creates a concrete, ongoing screening mechanism to ensure only active providers participate in the program.