Rep. Mike Kennedy

Maddy summaryThe Smart Meter Data Privacy Protection Act prohibits state-regulated electric utilities that are not wholly owned by U.S. persons from selling or commercially monetizing personal consumption data collected via smart meters, restricting such use to specific operational needs like billing and grid reliability. The bill requires these utilities to submit annual reports to the Federal Trade Commission detailing what data was collected, how it was used, and with whom it was shared. If a utility violates these privacy rules, the FTC can order the company to credit affected customers an amount equal to three times the revenue generated from that unauthorized use. State attorneys general are also granted the authority to sue on behalf of residents to enforce compliance or seek damages, while the FTC is tasked with establishing security standards for data retention.

Maddy summaryThe Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act of 2026 changes how the IRS determines if a group qualifies for tax-exempt status based on its religious beliefs. Specifically, it ensures that beliefs regarding marriage, sexuality, or gender identity are not automatically considered illegal or against public policy when evaluating a religious organization's purpose. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a belief does not need to be central to a religion to be recognized as a valid religious belief for tax purposes. These rules will apply to tax years starting after December 31, 2025, affecting how various faith-based groups are assessed under the Internal Revenue Code.

Maddy summaryThe Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act amends existing federal law to change how quickly the Indian Health Service must be notified about emergency medical care. Specifically, it requires that the time limit for reporting such treatment or hospital admission be at least 15 days, provided the care is received from a non-government provider or in a non-government facility. This change applies to Native Americans who receive emergency medical services outside the standard Indian Health Service system. The bill aims to ensure a consistent reporting timeline for these emergency situations, removing the previous distinction that treated elderly or disabled individuals differently in this context.

Maddy summaryThis bill streamlines geothermal exploration on federal lands by defining small-scale "geothermal exploration projects" (e.g., limited drilling with <8 acres disturbance, <180 days duration, and 3-year land restoration). It exempts such projects from major federal environmental reviews under NEPA, requires leaseholders to provide 30-day notice before drilling, and establishes "geothermal leasing priority areas" on eligible federal land. The Secretary must designate these priority areas within 3 years (considering economic viability and transmission access), review them every 5 years, and use programmatic environmental reviews for future leasing. The bill directly affects geothermal leaseholders and federal agencies managing public lands, reducing regulatory hurdles for initial exploration while creating a structured framework for future leasing.

Maddy summaryHR 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, restricts Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing certain investments like stocks in publicly traded companies. It requires 7-14 days' advance public notice before selling any such investment, including the sale date, description, and number of shares. Exceptions apply for work-related transactions (e.g., employer compensation) and reinvesting dividends. Violations trigger a fee of $2,000 or 10% of the investment’s value (whichever is greater), plus any net gain, paid from personal funds - not congressional allowances or campaign donations. The bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest by increasing transparency around congressional financial dealings.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the License to Drill Act, extends the deadline for collecting fees on new oil and gas drilling permit applications from 2026 to 2037 under the Mineral Leasing Act. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to continue collecting these fees for each new permit application throughout the extended period. The bill also directs that all fees collected between fiscal years 2027 and 2037 be transferred to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund instead of being distributed as previously required. These changes affect the Bureau of Land Management's administrative process for managing oil and gas leasing on federal lands.

Maddy summaryHR 5631 establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to streamline permitting for geothermal energy projects on public lands. The ombudsman, appointed within 60 days of enactment, acts as a liaison between BLM offices and project applicants, resolves disputes, monitors permit timelines, and develops best practices for the permitting process. The bill also creates a Geothermal Permitting Task Force led by the ombudsman, which can assign cross-office personnel (with retention allowances up to 25% of pay) to support geothermal authorizations without altering BLM's jurisdiction. The ombudsman must submit annual reports to Congress on the task force's effectiveness and permit processing outcomes. This directly affects geothermal project applicants and BLM field offices handling geothermal permits.

Maddy summaryThe Time for Completion Act requires colleges to publicly report how quickly students finish their degrees based on their specific enrollment status. Institutions must disclose the percentage of first-time and returning students who graduate within the normal time, 150 percent of that time, 200 percent, and 300 percent. These statistics will be broken down by whether students attend full-time or part-time and will be displayed with equal visibility on college websites. The law also updates financial aid reporting to include these same completion rates, ensuring that prospective students and families have clearer data on graduation timelines.

Maddy summaryThe PATH Act modifies federal funding rules for fixed-guideway transit projects, such as rail lines, to allow grant recipients to use more flexible ridership forecasting methods. Under the new provisions, agencies can choose to base their forecasts on either population density or population growth rate, whichever factor is most beneficial for predicting ridership. The bill also requires these forecasts to consider local development planning activities alongside the chosen population metric. This change directly affects transit agencies applying for capital investment grants by expanding the data they may use to justify project viability.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors the memory of four wildland firefighters - Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, Sydney Watson, and Nicholas Dale - who died while battling wildfires in 2026. It expresses sympathy to their families and acknowledges the bravery of injured colleagues and all personnel who risk their lives to protect communities and natural resources. The measure formally recognizes the critical role of firefighters, aviation crews, and support staff in suppressing dangerous fires across the United States.