Rep. Jefferson Van Drew

Maddy summaryHR 5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act, requires employers to begin negotiating a first contract with a newly certified union within 10 days of written request. If no agreement is reached within 90 days, the parties must seek mediation, and if unresolved after 30 days of mediation, the dispute moves to binding arbitration by a three-member panel. The arbitration decision, based on factors like employer finances, industry standards, and cost of living, becomes binding for two years. This bill directly affects newly certified unions and their employers during initial contract negotiations, aiming to reduce delays that currently average 465 days.

Maddy summaryHR 5929 designates Defense Department projects under Presidential Determination 2022-11 as "covered projects" for streamlined federal permitting. These projects focus on developing domestic sources of critical minerals through feasibility studies, modernizing processing facilities, and recovering by-products from existing operations. The bill automatically exempts these projects from standard permitting requirements and includes them in the federal Permitting Dashboard. It directly affects Defense Department initiatives aimed at strengthening U.S. supply chains for minerals essential to defense and clean energy technologies.

Maddy summaryThe Military Pension Protection Act changes federal tax rules to exclude military pensions from taxable income. This provision directly benefits active duty service members, veterans, and their beneficiaries by ensuring these payments are not counted as gross income for tax purposes. The bill achieves this by adding a new section to the Internal Revenue Code that specifically exempts government pensions earned through military service. These tax benefits will apply to any taxable year starting after the law is enacted.

Maddy summaryThe PKD Cures Act directs the National Institutes of Health to expand and prioritize research into polycystic kidney disease, a common genetic condition that causes kidney failure in hundreds of thousands of Americans. To achieve this, the bill requires the NIH to intensify studies on the disease's genetic mechanisms, develop new treatments, and create a comprehensive research roadmap involving experts and patient advocates. This roadmap must outline strategies for collaboration, set timelines for innovation, and propose ways to integrate new technologies like artificial medicine into care. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the NIH establish a specialized working group to identify research gaps and submit a detailed report to Congress within 24 months.

Maddy summaryThe Protect College Sports Act of 2026 establishes a new framework for college athletics that grants student athletes the right to earn money from their name, image, and likeness without fear of losing scholarships or eligibility, while requiring institutions to disclose these deals in a public database. The bill strengthens protections for athletes by mandating better medical coverage, prohibiting coaches from influencing medical return-to-play decisions, and creating an independent ombudsman office to assist student athletes with grievances. It also introduces stricter rules on agent registration, limits on mid-season coaching transitions, and protections for athletes transferring schools or facing sexual misconduct. On the broadcasting side, the legislation creates a new entity to collectively sell media rights for college sports, ensuring that revenue is distributed fairly and that local fans can access games without paying extra fees. The law further restricts large conference mergers to preserve competition and requires that non-revenue sports like women's and Olympic programs maintain their current roster sizes and scholarship opportunities. Finally, the act sets up a congressional commission to study the future of college athletics and make recommendations on structural changes, including potential adjustments to revenue sharing caps.

Maddy summaryHR 5437, the *Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act*, prohibits lawsuits against manufacturers and sellers of stone slab products (like countertops) for injuries caused by silica dust exposure during third-party fabrication (e.g., cutting or grinding by fabricators). It directly affects stone slab manufacturers and sellers by shielding them from civil liability when injuries result from fabricators violating workplace safety laws. The bill’s key provision bans such lawsuits in federal or state courts and requires dismissal of pending cases. It aims to protect this industry, which employs thousands, from claims they cannot control, emphasizing that safety regulations apply to fabricators - not the original sellers.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new grounds for deporting non-citizens who are members of or associated with criminal gangs. It defines a "criminal gang" as a group of five or more people whose primary purpose is committing serious crimes like drug offenses, violence, trafficking, or weapons violations. The Secretary of Homeland Security can designate groups as criminal gangs after consultation with the Attorney General, and these designations make gang members ineligible for asylum, temporary protected status, parole, and other immigration benefits. The bill also establishes procedures for reviewing and revoking these designations, with limited judicial review options.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases monthly disability compensation for veterans eligible for aid and attendance by adding a $833.33 supplemental payment, effective December 2026. It also creates an automatic adjustment for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) payments, tying them to Social Security benefit increases plus an additional 1%, for up to five years starting December 2026. Additionally, it temporarily allows the VA to collect fees for certain housing loans from veterans with a 70% or lower disability rating (2025-2035), effective August 2026. These changes directly affect veterans receiving disability compensation, surviving family members receiving DIC, and veterans applying for VA-guaranteed housing loans.

Maddy summaryThe LEASH Act of 2026 requires law enforcement agencies seeking federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grants to report data on felony animal cruelty convictions, including the names of those convicted. To qualify for these grants, local governments must submit information on such crimes to the Attorney General and join a specific category of jurisdictions that provide this data. The bill also mandates the creation of a publicly accessible database by the Attorney General to store and periodically update these animal cruelty records. These changes directly affect law enforcement agencies and local governments that apply for federal crime prevention funding.

Maddy summaryThe Celiac Safety Act of 2026 officially classifies gluten-containing grains as a major food allergen under federal law, directly impacting the food industry and individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. This change requires manufacturers to label products containing wheat, rye, barley, or their crossbred hybrids with the same prominence as other major allergens like milk. The new labeling requirements will not take effect until 18 months after the law is enacted, giving businesses time to adjust their packaging and production processes.