Rep. Beth Van Duyne

Maddy summaryThis bill requires a GAO study to evaluate early detection methods for pediatric liver disease, including adding bilirubin measurement to newborn screening panels and assessing trends in transplant wait-list mortality. It also mandates a public education program to inform families about early signs of liver disease and the safety of living liver donation, using existing HHS resources without new funding. The law directly affects infants and children with liver conditions like biliary atresia and liver cancer, aiming to improve early intervention. Key provisions include a study on cost-effective screening and a program to educate pediatric providers and families about warning signs.

Maddy summaryHR 5100 extends the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through fiscal year 2026, instead of ending on September 30, 2025. This bill directly affects small businesses and research institutions that rely on federal funding for research and development through these programs. The key mechanism is updating expiration dates across multiple program provisions in the Small Business Act to maintain funding authority and program operations for one additional year. The extension does not alter program eligibility, funding levels, or core requirements.

Maddy summaryHRES 702 is a symbolic resolution condemning the September 10, 2025, assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a conservative political activist. It expresses condolences to his family, praises first responders, and reaffirms the right to peaceful assembly. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a formal statement of condemnation. The resolution directly addresses the House of Representatives' stance on this event, with no direct impact on constituents or legislation.

Maddy summaryThe RESULTS Act (HR 5269) changes how Medicare calculates payment rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. It requires Medicare to collect data on private payor rates for widely available non-Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (non-ADLTs) from a qualifying independent claims data entity (a national nonprofit organization meeting specific criteria) rather than relying on data reported directly by laboratories. For tests where data is unavailable, the bill establishes default payment rates based on previous years' rates adjusted for inflation. The law also requires Medicare to publicly explain payment rates with supporting data, affecting Medicare beneficiaries, clinical laboratories, and private payors that provide services covered by Medicare.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the permanent collection of registration fees from organizations in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), such as transplant centers and organ procurement organizations, for each transplant candidate they list. The fees must be used exclusively to support OPTN operations and cannot be diverted to other purposes. The bill requires the Secretary to publicly post quarterly fee amounts and how they are spent on the OPTN website, and mandates a GAO review within two years to assess fee usage. It does not change organ allocation or transplant processes, only the funding mechanism for the network itself.

Maddy summaryHR 5156, the COUNT Act, requires federal agencies to share specific immigration and demographic data with the Department of Commerce to improve national citizenship statistics. It mandates agencies like DHS, SSA, and HHS to provide access to records including immigration files, passport applications, and Medicaid data, while directing the Census Bureau to add a citizenship question to the 2030 census and American Community Survey. The bill also directs the Commerce Department to seek state administrative records for citizenship data and requires annual reports to Congress on state cooperation. This directly affects federal and state agencies by altering data-sharing protocols for immigration and citizenship tracking.

Maddy summaryHR 5075, the GRACE Act, requires schools receiving federal education funds to allow religious exemptions from vaccination requirements without requiring documentation. It directly affects K-12 public schools and school agencies that receive federal funding, as they must permit students (or their parents/guardians for minors under 18) to skip vaccinations based on religious belief. The key provision mandates that schools cannot demand proof of a religious belief to grant such exemptions. This changes how schools handle vaccination policies for enrollment, attendance, and school activities when receiving federal education dollars.

Maddy summaryHR 5031, the *Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act*, requires Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage (MA-PD) to pay long-term care pharmacies an additional supply fee for each specified prescription dispensed to eligible beneficiaries during 2026 ($30) and 2027 (adjusted for inflation). This fee must be paid alongside existing reimbursements for drug costs and dispensing, with a $10,000 penalty for non-payment. The bill also directs the GAO to study long-term care pharmacy payment sustainability under Medicare, analyzing historical payments for brand/generic drugs and dispensing fees. It aims to ensure uninterrupted pharmacy access for Medicare beneficiaries in long-term care settings, particularly in rural areas.

Maddy summaryHR 4991, the Disarming Felons Act, prohibits the sale or transfer of firearms to, and possession of firearms by, adults who committed an act as a juvenile (aged 15-17) that would have been a felony if committed as an adult. The bill amends existing federal law (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(d) and 922(g)) to add this new category to the list of prohibited firearm transactions and possession. It directly affects individuals who were juveniles at the time of a serious offense but are now adults, restricting their access to firearms. The law creates a specific legal barrier to firearm access based on the severity of a juvenile offense, without altering penalties for the offense itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes "cottage family homes" as a new foster care placement option under federal law. It defines these homes to require trauma-informed care, prohibit seclusion/restraints (except brief physical restraint for safety), ensure children can participate in normal activities, and maintain family connections. The bill removes time limits on foster care payments for children in these homes and gives states flexibility to classify them as foster family homes if they serve children's best interests. It directly affects foster children placed in cottage homes and the agencies operating them.