Rep. Brian J. Mast

Maddy summaryHR 1330 establishes the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, authorizing its location within the National Mall's "Reserve" area. The bill requires the Smithsonian Board to coordinate with federal agencies managing potential museum sites, including notifying relevant congressional committees before land transfers. It mandates that the museum's exhibits and programs accurately represent the diverse cultures, histories, and viewpoints of Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S., seeking input from a broad range of community experts. The Smithsonian must also submit regular reports to Congress detailing compliance with these representation requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund program to allow federal funding for state-led water quality projects. It requires states to identify impaired water bodies under federal water law and include proposed restoration projects in their outdoor recreation plans. Funds can now support specific restoration efforts like wetlands, marshes, and living shorelines to improve water quality, but cannot reimburse completed projects or expand federal regulation over waterways. The bill directly affects states developing recreation plans and implementing water quality restoration under existing federal programs.

Alternatives to Prevent Addiction In the Nation Act or the Alternatives to PAIN Act This bill reduces cost-sharing and prohibits the imposition of certain utilization requirements under the Medicare prescription drug benefit for certain non-opioid pain management drugs. Specifically, the bill requires such drugs to be covered without a deductible and to be placed on the lowest cost-sharing tier (if any). The bill also prohibits the imposition of prior authorization requirements (i.e., requiring prior approval from a plan) or step therapy requirements (i.e., requiring the use of alternative drugs before a drug is covered under a plan) with respect to such drugs.

Maddy summaryHR 1268 updates the legal definition of U.S. customs waters in two key laws (the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Anti-Smuggling Act) to align with current international maritime standards. It replaces the outdated "four leagues from the coast" language with specific references to the U.S. territorial sea (per Presidential Proclamation 5928, 1988) and contiguous zone (per Presidential Proclamation 7219, 1999). This change directly affects U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement activities in coastal waters. The bill makes no new policy or tax changes - it only clarifies existing legal boundaries for customs jurisdiction. The update takes effect upon the bill's enactment.

This bill prohibits the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida from being designated as wilderness or as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The National Park Service currently manages Big Cypress National Preserve, which is a freshwater swamp ecosystem of 729,000 acres.  In general, development activities, commercial activities, permanent structures, and roads are prohibited in wilderness areas. In contrast, natural preserves typically allow some development activities, such as hunting or oil and gas exploration.

Maddy summaryThis bill denies tax deductions to employers for expenses related to two specific services: (1) reimbursing employees for travel to obtain an abortion, and (2) covering gender transition procedures for a minor child (under age 18). It directly affects employers who provide health benefits or reimbursements for these services, making such costs non-deductible for tax purposes. Key provisions define "gender transition procedure" broadly to include medical/surgical services, puberty-blocking drugs, and cross-sex hormones, with limited exceptions for medically verified disorders of sex development or complications from prior procedures. The law would take effect for taxable years after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 965, the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act, amends the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 to exclude certain disability benefits from income calculations for housing assistance. Specifically, it removes benefits received under Chapters 11 or 15 of Title 38 (veterans' disability compensation) from income counts for the Section 8 supported housing program and eligibility for other housing assistance. This change directly helps disabled veterans receiving these benefits by making them more likely to qualify for HUD-administered housing programs. The bill applies to veterans renting residential units on Department property under HUD housing assistance programs established after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1046, the Marc Fischer Memorial Act, requires the Bureau of Prisons to implement digital mail scanning technology at all federal prisons to detect fentanyl and other synthetic drugs in inmate mail. It mandates a strategy within 90 days of an evaluation, including 100% scanning of all mail, digital copies of mail to inmates within 24 hours, and physical mail delivery within 30 days for non-contaminated items. The bill directly affects federal prison staff, inmates, and the Bureau of Prisons by aiming to reduce drug-related overdoses and alleviate staff workload tied to mail processing. Implementation must be completed within three years, with annual reports tracking detected drugs and strategy efficiency. The legislation focuses on concrete technological and procedural changes to enhance safety, referencing a successful pilot program at two facilities.

Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act of 2025 This bill requires finished pasteurized orange juice to contain at least 10% by weight of orange juice soluble solids, exclusive of the solids of any added optional sweetening ingredients. (Current regulations require at least 10.5% by weight of orange juice soluble solids.)

Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act This bill imposes sanctions against foreign persons (individuals and entities) who assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting certain individuals. The bill categorizes as protected persons (1) any U.S. individual, U.S. entity, or person in the United States, unless the United States is a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC and provides formal consent to ICC jurisdiction; and (2) any foreign person that is a citizen or lawful resident of a U.S. ally that is not a state party to the Rome Statute or has not consented to ICC jurisdiction. If the ICC attempts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against the foreign persons that engaged in or materially assisted in such actions, as well as against foreign persons owned by, controlled by, or acting on behalf of such foreign persons. The President must also apply visa-blocking sanctions to the immediate family members of those sanctioned. Upon enactment, the bill rescinds all funds appropriated for the ICC and prohibits the subsequent use of appropriated funds for the ICC.