Rep. Ryan Mackenzie

Maddy summaryHR 2767, the BRAIN Act, aims to advance brain tumor research and improve patient care by requiring the NIH to create a public database of tumor samples collected with federal funding. It authorizes $50 million annually for a Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network to accelerate treatment development and $10 million for cellular immunotherapy research (including CAR-T therapies) targeting brain tumors. The bill also mandates a national awareness campaign to increase understanding of cancer clinical trials and biomarker testing, plus $5 million yearly for pilot programs studying survivor care coordination and follow-up services. Additionally, it directs the FDA to issue guidance ensuring brain tumor patients can access clinical trials. These provisions directly affect patients, researchers, and healthcare providers focused on brain tumors and rare cancers.

Maddy summaryThe Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 would reform the Low-Income Housing Credit program, which provides tax credits to developers of affordable housing. It would increase state allocations based on population with annual cost-of-living adjustments, modify tenant eligibility rules to allow higher income limits for some residents, and add protections for domestic violence victims in housing. The bill would simplify rules for rural and Native American housing projects, clarify credit eligibility requirements, and require greater transparency in program administration. These changes would directly affect developers, property owners, and low-income tenants in housing projects that receive LIHC tax credits.

Maddy summaryHR 2687, the End Kidney Deaths Act, creates a federal tax credit for living kidney donors who give non-directed donations (meaning they don't know the recipient's identity). It provides a $10,000 annual credit for five years ($50,000 total) to donors whose kidney is removed after December 31, 2026, with special rules if the donor dies during this period. The credit applies only to living, non-directed kidney donations and explicitly states it does not count as "valuable consideration" under laws prohibiting organ sales. This bill directly affects living kidney donors who choose to donate anonymously, aiming to incentivize such donations by offsetting related costs through tax relief. The credit expires after December 31, 2036.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2253 (Puppy Protection Act of 2025), sets new federal standards for commercial dog dealers who sell puppies to the public. It requires specific housing sizes based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), daily exercise in safe outdoor areas, clean water and nutritious food twice daily, and annual veterinary exams including dental checks. The bill also limits breeding frequency (max 2 litters in 25 months), sets age minimums for breeding (18 months for small dogs, 2 years for large dogs), and mandates health screenings to prevent genetic diseases. These requirements apply directly to commercial dealers, with final regulations to be issued within 18 months of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2102 (Major Richard Star Act), allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both full military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation simultaneously, without the previous offset that reduced retired pay. It directly affects veterans already eligible for both benefits due to combat-related injuries, removing the requirement that their retired pay be reduced by the disability compensation amount. The key provision amends Title 10 and Title 38 to eliminate the offset rule (sections 5304 and 5305 of Title 38) for these veterans. The change applies to payments starting after the bill’s enactment date, effective for all qualifying veterans. This is a policy change to increase financial support for affected veterans, not a new benefit.

Maddy summaryHR 2654, the Lifesaving Gear for Police Act of 2025, removes restrictions on state and local police departments accessing federal equipment by making certain federal regulations unenforceable. It targets rules issued after May 15, 2015, that limited the transfer of excess Department of Defense equipment (under Executive Orders 13688 and 14074) unless Congress passes them into law. The bill requires the federal government to return or replace equipment recalled under those rules at no cost to agencies that meet eligibility criteria under existing law. It also prohibits using federal funds to enforce any unenacted regulations restricting equipment transfers.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled "Secure Family Futures Act of 2025" but actually focused on tax code changes, primarily affects a specific subset of insurance companies. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude certain debts (like bonds or notes) held by these companies from being counted as capital assets (Section 2), and extends their capital loss carryover period to 10 years for losses from foreign expropriation or losses incurred by these companies (Section 3). The changes apply to debts acquired and losses arising after December 31, 2025. The bill's title is misleading, as it does not relate to family policy but is a technical tax amendment targeting defined insurance industry entities.

Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025   This bill imposes penalties on certain persons (individuals and entities) if the President determines that the Russian government or a person acting at Russia's direction is involved with (1) refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; (2) violating a negotiated peace agreement; (3) initiating another invasion of Ukraine; or (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.   If the President makes such a determination, the bill requires certain actions including the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides defense items to the Russian armed forces; the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services; the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services; the Department of the Treasury must impose property-blocking sanctions on any financial institution organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia, and any financial institution that engages in transactions with those entities; and the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any U.S.-produced energy or energy product.

Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2025 or the SAFE Act of 2025 This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.) Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly (1) slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or (2) shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption. The bill subjects a violator to a fine. The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony. As background, in recent years, the appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to clarify eligibility for online training providers. It requires that online-only training providers must be listed on a state's approved provider list to receive funding, specifically if a participant chooses such a provider outside their state's local area where the training was approved. The provision directly affects online training providers and participants seeking federally funded training outside their home state. Key mechanism: Providers not on the state's approved list for their program type become ineligible for payment, even if the participant selects them. (Based on HR 2465, Section 122(c)(3) amendment)