Rep. Troy E. Nehls

Maddy summaryThe Patients Before Monopolies Act aims to break up large health care companies that currently own both insurance or pharmacy benefit management services and physical pharmacies. It directly affects major health care conglomerates by making it illegal for them to own pharmacies while also managing drug pricing or insurance, requiring them to sell off their pharmacy operations within one year. The bill empowers federal agencies like the FTC and the Department of Justice to enforce these rules, impose financial penalties for non-compliance, and block future mergers that would recreate these conflicts of interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend federal law to strengthen penalties for organized retail crime by expanding definitions of theft to include digital goods, gift cards, and setting a $5,000 aggregate value threshold for charges over a 12-month period. It would establish a new "Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center" under Homeland Security to coordinate Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement efforts against cross-jurisdictional theft groups. The Center would share information with retailers, transportation companies, and law enforcement agencies, track crime trends, and produce annual reports on organized retail crime. This legislation directly affects retailers, supply chain businesses, and law enforcement agencies, while targeting organized crime groups responsible for a 93% increase in larceny incidents and rising safety concerns for retail employees. The bill aims to address significant financial losses and supply chain disruptions noted in the National Retail Federation's 2023 data.

Save Our Shrimpers Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being made available to international financial institutions (e.g., the International Monetary Fund) for financing activities related to foreign shrimp farms. The bill also requires an annual report on compliance by U.S. leadership of international financial institutions with policies to oppose financing for certain commodities or minerals. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury to condition any provision of federal funds to an international financial institution on the requirement that the funds not be used to finance any activity related to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or the export of shrimp in any foreign country. Under current law, Treasury must instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions to oppose providing financial assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if (1) the commodity or mineral is in surplus on world markets, and (2) the export of such commodity or mineral will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a competing commodity or mineral (or of the same or a similar commodity or mineral). This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to investigate and annually report to Congress on the extent to which U.S. leadership at these institutions have carried out Treasury's instructions.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution expresses Congress's support for law enforcement officers and honors those who have died or been injured while performing their duties. The document highlights the dangers officers face, noting high rates of assaults and suicide, as well as current staffing shortages compared to pre-2020 levels. It calls for increased measures to improve officer safety, including more personnel, better training and equipment, stricter penalties for assaulting officers, and expanded mental health resources. This non-binding measure does not create new laws or allocate funding but serves to formally recognize the contributions of police professionals and urge government bodies to provide necessary support.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution expresses Congress's appreciation for the Federal Protective Service and its law enforcement officers. It formally recognizes the dedication of these officers who protect over 8,500 federal facilities and honors those who have died in the line of duty. The resolution encourages continued collaboration between the service and the communities it serves to strengthen public safety and trust.

Maddy summaryHR 5213, the "Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act," prohibits federal grants to states or local governments that have policies substantially limiting cash bail for individuals charged with specific violent or public disorder offenses. It directly affects state and local governments with bail policies allowing pretrial release for crimes like murder, rape, robbery, looting, or rioting. The bill amends federal law to block grant awards (under the Omnibus Crime Control Act) for any jurisdiction maintaining such bail policies for these covered offenses, starting in the fiscal year after enactment. This is a funding restriction, not a change to bail laws themselves.

Maddy summaryThe PEAT Act of 2026 amends federal regulations to clarify how certain biologic drugs are classified for approval purposes. Specifically, it prevents the Food and Drug Administration from denying approval to a biologic product simply because it contains a protein that does not have a clinical effect. This change ensures that the presence of inactive proteins does not automatically disqualify a drug from being treated as a biological product. The legislation directly impacts pharmaceutical companies developing complex biologics and the regulatory review process for these medicines. By removing this specific barrier, the bill aims to streamline the path to market for drugs that include non-active protein components.

Maddy summaryThis bill fundamentally restructures the U.S. immigration system by replacing the current employment-based visa categories with a new points-based program that prioritizes applicants with high salaries, advanced degrees, English proficiency, and U.S. military service. Under this new system, employers must attest that they have attempted to hire qualified American workers first and guarantee that hiring an immigrant will not result in layoffs of existing U.S. employees. Additionally, the bill eliminates the Diversity Lottery program, restricts certain family sponsorship categories for citizens, and imposes conditional permanent resident status on new immigrants who must prove they are not receiving public benefits and remain employed within two years. The legislation also mandates that undocumented students pay out-of-state tuition rates at colleges and requires immigrants to sign statements affirming their loyalty to U.S. constitutional principles and opposition to specific forms of persecution.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Territorial Protection and Sovereignty Act, ends the Temporary Protected Status program for individuals currently holding that status in the United States. It requires that any existing status grants terminate immediately upon the law's enactment. Affected individuals must depart the country within 60 days of the bill becoming effective to avoid being classified as unlawfully present. The legislation removes the specific legal protections previously established under Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Tracks Act requires the Secretary of Transportation to update federal regulations within 30 days of enactment to apply specific safety standards to centralized computer-aided train-dispatching systems and centralized traffic control boards. This change directly affects existing and future deployments of these automated train control technologies used by railroads. The bill mandates that these systems comply with the safety requirements outlined in subpart H of part 236 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which covers critical safety protocols for train operations. By updating the regulatory framework, the legislation aims to ensure consistent safety oversight across all centralized train dispatching infrastructure.