Rep. Darin LaHood

Maddy summaryHR 1189, the National Plan for Epilepsy Act, creates a coordinated federal strategy to address epilepsy through a National Plan for Epilepsy. The plan requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an annual assessment, maintain a diverse Advisory Council (including people with epilepsy, caregivers, and experts), and coordinate research and care across federal agencies. Key provisions include annual progress reports to Congress, data sharing between agencies, and recommendations to improve diagnosis, treatment access, and reduce epilepsy-related disparities. The plan expires December 31, 2035, and directly affects the estimated 3.4 million people in the U.S. living with epilepsy and their caregivers.

Maddy summaryHR 1131 exempts certain family farms and small businesses from being counted as assets when calculating financial need for federal student aid under the Higher Education Act. Specifically, it amends the law to exclude the net value of a family farm where the family resides and small businesses (with ≤100 employees) owned by the family from need analysis calculations. This change directly affects students from qualifying family farm or small business households when applying for federal financial aid. The exemption applies to need analysis conducted for award years beginning after the bill's enactment date. The bill modifies Section 480(f)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to implement this policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands 529 college savings account flexibility by allowing funds to cover costs for industry-recognized postsecondary credentials, not just traditional degrees. It defines "qualified expenses" to include tuition/fees for recognized credential programs (like certifications or apprenticeships), required testing fees, and continuing education needed to maintain credentials. To qualify, programs must meet specific criteria, such as appearing on state lists under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or being listed in VA or Defense directories. The change applies to 529 distributions made after the law's enactment, giving families more options to use these accounts for job-focused training.

Maddy summaryHR 1121, the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act," prohibits U.S. federal executive agencies from using the DeepSeek application (or any successor by High Flyer) on government information technology devices. It requires the Office of Management and Budget to develop removal standards within 60 days, directing agencies to remove the application while complying with existing security rules. Exceptions are permitted for national security, law enforcement, and security research activities, but agencies must document risk mitigation plans for any authorized use under these exceptions. The bill directly affects all executive agencies covered under federal information technology policies.

Maddy summaryHR 1086, the Agriculture Export Promotion Act of 2025, increases funding for two key U.S. Department of Agriculture export programs to boost agricultural trade. It raises the Market Access Program budget from $255 million to $489.5 million annually and doubles the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program base funding from $200 million to $400 million, with cooperator funding increasing from $34.5 million to $69 million. These changes, effective through 2029, address years of stagnant funding while aiming to counter competitive disadvantages from foreign agricultural export programs. The bill directly supports U.S. agricultural producers - from apple growers to seafood exporters - by expanding access to international markets through these programs.

Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2025 This bill requires or authorizes certain actions related to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The bill requires the Department of Justice to appoint an assistant U.S. attorney in each judicial district to coordinate and supervise the investigation and prosecution of various crimes related to postal services (for example, assault on a postal service employee, breaking into a post office, or obstruction of mails). The bill also requires the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend sentencing guidelines to provide that the assault or robbery of a postal employee shall be treated the same as the assault of a law enforcement officer. Additionally, the bill authorizes appropriations for the USPS to install high security collection boxes and replace older versions of the universal mailbox key with electronic versions.

Maddy summaryThis bill permanently extends the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC), a federal tax incentive that encourages private investment in low-income communities. It directly affects community development entities (CDEs) that channel capital into underserved neighborhoods for projects like housing, healthcare, and businesses. Key provisions include permanently extending the credit beyond 2025, adding annual inflation adjustments to the credit amount starting in 2026, and ensuring the credit isn't reduced by the alternative minimum tax for investments made after December 2024. The changes apply to taxable years beginning after December 2024, providing long-term stability for community development financing.

Maddy summaryHR 1075, the Tax Administration Simplification Act, makes three key changes to tax procedures. It establishes that electronically submitted tax documents or payments to the IRS are considered delivered on the date sent (not when received), applying to filings after December 31, 2025. It extends the deadline for S-corporation tax elections to the tax return due date (including extensions) and allows the IRS to treat late elections as timely if "reasonable cause" exists. It also shifts quarterly estimated tax payment deadlines for individuals from June/September to July/October for taxes due after December 31, 2025. These changes primarily affect small businesses filing electronically, S-corp owners, and individual taxpayers making quarterly payments.

Maddy summaryHRES 110 prohibits the distribution of Chinese Communist Party-controlled publications, such as *China Daily*, within House facilities like the Capitol building and House office buildings. It requires the Chief Administrative Officer to immediately stop accepting, distributing, or using internal mail systems for these materials, which are defined as publications registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and controlled by the CCP. The resolution does not restrict private receipt of such publications by Members or staff, access through public libraries, or the Library of Congress’s collection. This policy change applies immediately to all House-owned or operated facilities.

Maddy summaryThe Primary Care Enhancement Act of 2025 changes how certain primary care arrangements are treated for tax purposes. It defines "direct primary care service arrangements" as fixed-fee models (max $150/month per person, excluding prescriptions/anesthesia/labs) that won’t count as "health plans" under tax law. This allows the fees to be treated as deductible medical expenses and requires employers to report them on W-2 forms. The law applies to taxable years starting after 2025, affecting patients in these arrangements, employers offering them, and tax filing processes.