Rep. Brad Sherman

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how individual investors in mutual funds (regulated investment companies) are taxed on certain dividends. It allows investors to defer paying tax on capital gain dividends that are automatically reinvested in additional fund shares through a dividend reinvestment plan. The deferred tax is recognized later when the investor sells shares or upon their death. It also establishes that shares acquired through this reinvestment are treated as held for over one year from the start, potentially qualifying for long-term capital gains rates. The rule applies only to individual investors (not estates, trusts, or dependents claimed by others).

Maddy summaryThis bill would expand Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing services for beneficiaries 65 and older (and some younger people with disabilities), effective January 1, 2026. It would provide 100% coverage for preventative dental services in 2026, with basic and major dental services gradually increasing to 80% coverage by 2029. Vision benefits would include 80% coverage for annual eye exams and specific limits on eyeglasses, frames, and contact lenses ($100 per year for lenses, $100 every two years for frames, $200 every two years for contacts). Hearing services would include 80% coverage for hearing exams and hearing aids, with a limit of one hearing aid per ear every 48 months. The bill also adds oral health professionals to the United States Preventive Services Task Force to help guide coverage decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Medicare eligibility rules to clarify that beneficiaries needing occupational therapy *or* speech therapy qualify for home health services. It updates two sections of the Social Security Act (Parts A and B) to replace "need occupational therapy or speech therapy" with "need occupational, or speech therapy," ensuring both therapies are explicitly covered. The change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries requiring either therapy for home-based care, removing potential confusion about eligibility. The updated rules will take effect for services provided on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHR 1910, the Chief Risk Officer Enforcement and Accountability Act, requires large financial firms with at least $50 billion in total assets to appoint a Chief Risk Officer (CRO). The CRO must oversee enterprise-wide risk limits, implement risk governance policies, and develop systems for identifying emerging risks and ensuring risk management independence. The bill mandates that firms notify regulators within 24 hours of a CRO vacancy and submit a hiring plan within 7 days, with penalties including public disclosure and asset caps if the vacancy persists beyond 60 days. It applies specifically to large banks without holding companies and nonbank financial firms supervised by the Federal Reserve Board.

Maddy summaryHR 1954, the "Do No Harm Act," amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to clarify that RFRA does not override specific federal laws protecting against harm. It explicitly exempts provisions related to anti-discrimination (like the Civil Rights Act), workplace protections (wages, leave, collective activity), child safety, and healthcare access from RFRA's requirements. The bill ensures RFRA cannot be used to challenge government programs or contracts that provide these essential protections. It also clarifies that RFRA applies only to disputes involving government as a party, not private disputes between individuals. This change preserves existing legal safeguards while modifying RFRA's scope.

Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act This bill prohibits political appointees and special government employees from accessing Social Security data systems that contain personally identifiable information about Social Security beneficiaries. Specifically, political appointees and special government employees may not access systems maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that issue or record Social Security account numbers, that are used to determine eligibility for or to pay Social Security benefits, or that otherwise contain personally identifiable information about individuals receiving or applying for benefits.  The bill also establishes a civil right of action for an individual whose information was negligently accessed or disclosed in violation of these provisions. The individual may bring suit against the United States if the violator was a U.S. employee or officer, or against the violator if they were not a U.S. employee or officer. Such a claim must be brought within two years of the affected individual’s discovery of the violation. Upon a finding of liability, defendants are liable for specified monetary damages.  If an individual is criminally charged or subject to proposed disciplinary or adverse action by a federal or state agency for having accessed or disclosed information in violation of these provisions, SSA must notify the individual whose information was accessed or disclosed of the violation as soon as practicable.  Finally, the bill requires the SSA Office of the Inspector General to investigate and report to Congress on any unauthorized access to or disclosure of information in a beneficiary data system.

Maddy summaryHR 1876, the "Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act," prevents the Social Security Administration (SSA) from closing, consolidating, or restricting access to its field offices, hearing offices, or resident stations for 180 days after enactment, with exceptions for emergencies. The bill requires the SSA Commissioner to submit a detailed report to Congress by January 2029, analyzing closure criteria, transportation burdens for elderly/disabled users, cost-benefit impacts, and plans to replace lost services. For future closures, it mandates 120 days of public notice, two public hearings, and a final report to Congress, while ensuring total office numbers don’t fall below 2025 levels. This directly affects SSA field offices, their users (including elderly and disabled individuals), and employees. The bill’s key mechanism is a procedural safeguard to ensure transparency and minimize disruption before any office changes take effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by clarifying how to prove voting discrimination and expanding requirements for preclearance of voting changes. It establishes new standards for determining when voting practices dilute minority voting strength or deny/abridge voting rights, requiring plaintiffs to show specific conditions for vote dilution claims and including factors like historical discrimination and racial polarization in court analyses. The bill modifies the criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must seek preclearance for voting changes, and adds new transparency requirements for jurisdictions to publicly disclose changes to voting qualifications, polling locations, and election districts. It directly affects states and local governments that implement voting policies, particularly those with a history of voting rights violations or that make changes to voting qualifications, procedures, or district boundaries. The bill aims to prevent discriminatory voting practices by providing clearer standards for courts and requiring greater transparency in voting rule changes.

Maddy summaryThe Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025 strengthens workers' organizing rights by making it an unfair labor practice for employers to threaten permanent replacement of striking workers, discriminate against workers who support unions, or require employees to attend employer campaigns unrelated to their job duties. It expands the definition of "employee" to make it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors and requires employers to post notices about workers' rights in conspicuous locations. The bill establishes a new electronic voting system for union elections, creates a 90-day bargaining period before mediation can be requested, and increases penalties for violations of labor laws. These changes are intended to make it easier for workers to form unions and negotiate better wages and working conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the State Department to review restrictions on U.S. citizens traveling to North Korea, particularly focusing on humanitarian visits for Americans with relatives there (estimated at 100,000 people). It requires the Secretary of State to submit a report within 180 days detailing how the U.S. will pursue a formal end to the Korean War through diplomatic negotiations with North and South Korea. The bill also mandates a separate report outlining a clear roadmap for achieving a binding peace agreement, including necessary negotiation steps and key stakeholders. These provisions aim to address the ongoing state of war, which the bill states prevents formal U.S.-North Korea relations and family reunifications.