Sen. Ruben Gallego

Maddy summaryThis bill resolves long-standing water rights claims for the Yavapai-Apache Nation regarding the Verde River Watershed and Colorado River by ratifying a settlement agreement. It authorizes construction of the Tú ńlį́į́níchoh Water Infrastructure Project, including a pipeline to deliver water from C.C. Cragin Dam and a drinking water system for the tribe. The bill establishes a $731 million fund for pipeline infrastructure and a $152 million fund for drinking water, with additional funds for water projects and watershed restoration. It includes waivers of water rights claims by the tribe and U.S. government, with specific exceptions for future claims and certain water uses.

Maddy summaryThe Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes federal funding for nursing education programs through 2030, increasing annual appropriations to support nurse training and workforce development. It expands grant eligibility to include nurse practitioner, nurse-midwifery, nurse anesthesia, and clinical nurse specialist programs, while requiring funds to cover clinical education costs like preceptor fees. The bill directs grants toward technology such as simulation labs, telehealth, and virtual training to modernize nursing education, and mandates partnerships with healthcare facilities to create clinical training opportunities. Additionally, it updates program requirements to include support for survivors of sexual assault and focuses on increasing nursing faculty and student enrollment to address nationwide nursing shortages.

Maddy summaryThe Patients Deserve Price Tags Act requires hospitals, clinical diagnostic laboratories, imaging services providers, and ambulatory surgical centers to publicly disclose detailed pricing information for healthcare services in machine-readable formats. This includes standard charges, discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated rates, and other relevant pricing data that consumers can easily access and compare. The law applies to all facilities that provide services to Medicare beneficiaries, with implementation dates starting in 2026 for hospitals and 2027 for other providers. Non-compliant facilities face daily civil monetary penalties ranging from $300 to $10,000 per day, depending on facility size and duration of non-compliance.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution recognizes the importance of independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities, emphasizing their right to live in their own homes and communities. It calls on the Department of Justice to rescind a recent opinion that the Senate views as undermining the legal requirement to provide community-based services instead of institutional care. The document also urges various federal agencies to improve funding for home and community-based services, increase accessible housing and transportation, and promote competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Additionally, the resolution pledges bipartisan efforts to address barriers faced by individuals with disabilities, including those of color, and opposes cuts to the Medicaid program that could limit access to essential support services.

Maddy summaryThe State of Men's Health Act aims to address rising health risks and premature death among men by establishing a new Office of Men's Health within the Department of Health and Human Services. Before creating this office, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on men's health disparities and recommend ways to improve federal coordination and awareness. Once established, the new office will coordinate screening programs for conditions like prostate cancer and diabetes, maintain a database of best practices, and report its findings to Congress. The legislation does not authorize new funding, meaning the office must operate using existing budget resources.

Maddy summaryThe Right to IVF Act of 2026 establishes federal protections to ensure individuals can access assisted reproductive technology and intrauterine insemination without state-imposed restrictions, while also mandating that health insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program cover these services. The bill defines these procedures broadly to include treatments like egg and embryo freezing and requires coverage regardless of whether a patient has been diagnosed with infertility. It further directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide fertility preservation and reproductive assistance to uniformed service members and veterans, including funding for egg or sperm retrieval and storage. Additionally, the legislation grants federal courts the authority to challenge and block any state laws that limit access to these reproductive treatments or discriminate against providers and patients based on protected characteristics.

This bill directs the Forest Service to convey specified property to Gila County, Arizona, upon the county's submission of a written request for such conveyance. The property, identified as the Gila County Area, consists of approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land located in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. The county must use the land for the purposes of serving and supporting veterans. If any land conveyed under this bill ceases to be used for such purpose, all right, title, and interest in and to the land shall revert to the United States, at the discretion of the Forest Service. The conveyance must be made with a quitclaim deed and without consideration (value, such as payment, provided in exchange for the property). The Forest Service must not be required to provide any covenant or warranty for the land and improvements conveyed to the county under such conveyance. As a condition of the conveyance, the county must pay all the costs associated with the conveyance, including any (1) surveys, (2) environmental analysis or resource survey required under federal law, and (3) analysis required to comply with certain provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to study how public K-12 schools across all states teach about the Holocaust. The study will examine whether Holocaust education is mandatory or optional in curricula, review teaching materials and methods, and assess how schools measure student understanding of the Holocaust and related issues like antisemitism. It specifically looks at teacher training, use of museum resources, and challenges schools face in implementing this education. The museum must submit a detailed report to Congress within three years of the bill's enactment. This study aims to inform future educational approaches but does not change current school requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 restricts the importation, sale, and use of connected vehicles and related technology from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea to protect national security. Starting in 2027, the bill generally bans these vehicles if they originate from or are controlled by these countries, with separate restrictions on software and hardware taking effect in 2030. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to issue specific exemptions for items that do not pose a security risk and must publish a list of approved products. The law also requires companies to submit declarations confirming their vehicles comply with the rules and imposes heavy fines for violations.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution formally recognizes the significant wage gap between Black women and white, non-Hispanic men in the United States. The document cites data showing that Black women earn roughly 65 cents for every dollar earned by white men and highlights how this disparity impacts their ability to support families and accumulate wealth. By referencing existing laws like the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act, the bill reaffirms Congress's support for equal pay for equal work without proposing new legislation or policy changes. Ultimately, the measure serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of the economic challenges faced by Black women due to dual discrimination based on race and gender.