Rep. Zachary Nunn

Maddy summaryThe Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act of 2025 establishes five regional centers to strengthen cybersecurity for the agriculture sector, directly benefiting farmers, food producers, and supply chain businesses. Funded with $25 million annually from 2026-2030, the centers will research and develop sector-specific tools like threat-monitoring systems, intrusion detection, and secure network protocols. They will create testing environments for cybersecurity solutions, conduct training for agricultural workers, and coordinate with industry partners to address digital threats. This program aims to improve the sector’s resilience against cyberattacks without advocating for specific policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 4011, the Community Paramedicine Act of 2025, creates a federal grant program to fund community paramedicine programs in rural areas. It provides grants to eligible entities - such as emergency medical services agencies, local governments, or Tribal organizations - to hire personnel, purchase equipment, cover training costs, and conduct outreach. The bill specifically reserves 15% of annual funding for programs serving Tribal communities and limits grants to $750,000 per entity (or $1.5 million for joint applications) over a maximum 5-year period. These programs aim to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits by using specially trained paramedics to address health issues and improve access to primary care for underserved populations.

Maddy summaryHR 4010 prohibits the Department of Defense from entering contracts with online tutoring services owned by entities based in China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. It amends a defense authorization law to define these four countries as "countries of concern" for contract eligibility. This directly affects defense contractors and tutoring companies operating from these nations, restricting their access to DoD procurement. The policy change applies to all existing and future DoD contracts involving online tutoring services.

Maddy summaryThe PLANT Act makes it a federal crime to import high-risk agricultural pathogens - such as harmful bacteria, viruses, or pests - without a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit. It directly affects importers, including businesses or individuals bringing in biological agents that could damage U.S. crops, livestock, or ecosystems. Violations carry up to 10 years in prison, with penalties increasing to 20 years if the offense involves concealing the pathogen’s origin, foreign government involvement, or over $1 million in economic harm. The Secretary of Agriculture will define "high-risk" pathogens through future regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 3946, the FIGHT Act of 2025, amends the Animal Welfare Act to specifically prohibit gambling on animal fighting events and restrict the interstate transport of roosters used in such ventures. It defines "rooster" as male chickens over six months old and makes it unlawful to sponsor, exhibit, attend (for those under 16), or gamble on animal fighting events - whether in-person or broadcast. The bill creates a civil enforcement mechanism allowing any person to file a lawsuit to stop violations after providing 60 days' notice to authorities, with potential fines up to $5,000 per violation. It also establishes seizure of property used to facilitate violations and clarifies that state laws on animal fighting remain in effect unless directly conflicting with federal provisions.

Maddy summaryThe RISE Act (HR 3939) streamlines documentation for college students with disabilities by requiring institutions to accept multiple forms of proof, including past Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, or licensed professional evaluations, instead of demanding current documentation. It mandates that colleges establish transparent, accessible processes for determining accommodation eligibility and share these policies with students, parents, and faculty. The bill also requires institutions to report specific data on students with disabilities (like enrollment numbers and accommodations used) to federal databases, while authorizing $10 million for a national support center. These changes directly affect colleges receiving federal aid and students seeking disability accommodations in higher education.

Maddy summaryHR 3985, the Helping Student Parents Succeed Act, requires colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs to create and publicly share clear policies supporting expectant and parenting students. The bill mandates institutions to provide detailed information on lactation accommodations, processes for requesting pregnancy-related or parental accommodations, financial aid details (including dependent care allowances and dependency status changes), and access to support services like childcare, housing, healthcare, and counseling. This directly affects student parents at participating higher education institutions by standardizing and making accessible the resources they need. The law ensures schools disclose all available support without favoring specific services and outlines procedures for addressing complaints under Title IX and disability laws.

Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2025 This bill deems an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital as an inpatient for purposes of satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital-stay requirement with respect to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. (Generally, individuals must have been an inpatient at a hospital for at least three days in order to qualify for SNF services. An individual's time spent under observation at a hospital for purposes of determining whether the individual should be admitted does not count towards this requirement.)

Maddy summaryHR 3977, the Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act, removes a ban preventing foster youth in college from receiving housing assistance. It allows the Secretary to waive income requirements for students who are in foster care (or were formerly in foster care), or are court-emancipated minors, while living in on-campus housing at eligible colleges. The bill ensures that housing assistance provided through this waiver does not count as income when determining eligibility for federal student aid, work-study programs, or other support like living allowances or child support calculations. This directly affects foster youth in higher education who face housing barriers, making campus housing more accessible without jeopardizing their other financial aid.

Maddy summaryHR 3910, the "Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act," allows parents to choose which health insurance policy covers their dependent child when both parents have separate health insurance policies at the child's birth. Specifically, parents must submit a joint notification within 60 days of the birth to select one policy as the primary coverage for the child. This choice continues until parents submit a joint notification to change it or until one parent loses their coverage. The bill applies only to children born on or after January 1, 2026, and affects families where both parents have separate health insurance policies covering the child.