Rep. Jake Ellzey

Maddy summaryThe Reshoring American Manufacturing Act of 2026 directs the Small Business Administration to create a dedicated website helping small businesses bring their manufacturing operations back to the United States. This online resource will provide contact details for relevant government offices and partner organizations, along with other useful information determined by the agency. The law requires the website to be launched within 60 days of enactment and mandates annual reviews to ensure the content remains current and helpful.

Maddy summaryHR 7184, the PRESS Act, targets equipment used to manufacture illegal drugs by making it unlawful to sell specific items like tableting machines, gelatin capsules, or related chemicals when the seller knows the equipment will be used to produce controlled substances for unlawful U.S. importation. It directly affects manufacturers and distributors of these drug-making tools who have knowledge or reasonable cause to believe their products will facilitate illegal drug trafficking. The bill adds new prohibitions to the Controlled Substances Act and increases potential prison sentences for violations, with penalties reaching up to 20 years for major offenses involving large quantities of equipment or chemicals. These changes aim to disrupt the supply chain for illicit synthetic drugs by holding equipment sellers accountable for their intended use.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare Advantage plans to implement electronic pre-approval systems for medical services by 2028 and meet transparency reporting standards starting in 2027. Plans must publicly report data on approval/denial rates, appeal outcomes, response times, and technology use for pre-approval requests, including details on how denials relate to clinical criteria. It establishes a 24-hour response timeframe for certain requests and mandates annual reviews of pre-approval requirements based on data and input from seniors and providers. The law directly affects Medicare Advantage plans, seniors enrolled in these plans, and healthcare providers who submit pre-approval requests. These changes aim to make the pre-approval process faster, more transparent, and more accountable for seniors seeking covered medical services.

Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act This bill prohibits payment card networks from using merchant codes that distinguish firearms retailers from general-merchandise retailers or sporting-goods retailers. The Department of Justice must enforce this bill and report annually on the resulting investigations and cases.

Maddy summaryThe Jewish American Security Act aims to combat antisemitism by strengthening protections for Jewish students, securing Jewish communities, and increasing transparency regarding online hate speech. For educational institutions receiving federal funds, the bill mandates the creation of specific coordinators to handle discrimination complaints, requires annual training on handling antisemitism, and establishes a new federal clearinghouse to share best practices for campus safety. To support physical security, the legislation expands grant funding for nonprofit organizations and directs the Attorney General to provide resources for law enforcement agencies protecting houses of worship. Additionally, the act requires major online platforms with over 50 million monthly users to submit detailed reports to the Federal Trade Commission on how they detect, remove, and moderate antisemitic content.

Maddy summaryThe Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026 modernizes the H-2A visa program by transferring administrative authority to the Department of Homeland Security and introducing a unified online platform to streamline applications for employers and workers. Key provisions include establishing new housing standards with mandatory inspections, creating a system for staggered worker entry and exit, and allowing workers to transfer between employers without losing their status. The bill also defines specific job classifications for wage calculations, expands the scope of covered agricultural activities, and provides legal protections for employers who document the employment of workers seeking visa status. Additionally, it requires agencies to develop a heat illness prevention plan and allows for contract termination due to natural disasters.

Maddy summaryHR 4398, the Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act, requires Veterans Affairs (VA) physicians or nurse practitioners to certify the death of a veteran who dies of natural causes within 48 hours of learning of the death. This directly affects veterans' families, who previously faced delays of up to eight weeks in burial and access to survivor benefits due to slow death certifications. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress on VA compliance with the 48-hour rule, including statistics on delays and their causes. The key change is establishing a strict timeline for death certification to prevent unnecessary delays in honoring veterans' final arrangements.

Maddy summaryThe GRACE for Military Survivors Act extends the deadline for contributing military death benefits to Roth IRAs and Coverdell education savings accounts from one year to three years. This change directly benefits families of service members who receive these death benefits, giving them more time to save for retirement or education. The law applies to benefits received after the bill is enacted and includes a special rule allowing contributions made within a specific window for benefits received between 2001 and the enactment date. By amending the Internal Revenue Code, the bill ensures that eligible funds can be deposited into these tax-advantaged accounts without losing their value due to time limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to individuals who fought for or with the United States in the Pacific theater during World War II and subsequently became prisoners of war. The legislation specifically recognizes the service and sacrifice of those who defended locations such as Bataan and Corregidor, including Filipino soldiers and civilians who served alongside U.S. forces. To implement this award, the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate will arrange for the creation of a gold medal by the Secretary of the Treasury, which will be presented to the Smithsonian Institution for display. The act also allows for the production of duplicate bronze medals to cover the costs of the original gold medals, with any proceeds from these sales deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill redesignates the existing National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund as the America's Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance on federal lands. It directs revenue from recreation fees and a portion of energy development income into the fund, which must be used primarily for repairing critical infrastructure like roads, trails, and buildings managed by agencies such as the National Park Service and the Forest Service. The legislation establishes strict rules requiring that most funds go toward non-transportation projects, mandates transparency through public dashboards tracking project status, and sets aside a small percentage for matching private donations. Additionally, the bill increases entrance fees for foreign visitors to ensure they contribute to the fund, while prohibiting the use of these specific funds for land acquisition or employee bonuses.