Rep. William R. Keating

Maddy summaryThe School Food Modernization Act (HR 4483) provides funding to help schools upgrade food service infrastructure and equipment. It offers loan guarantees (up to 80% of loan amounts) and grants ($35 million annually) for local schools, tribal organizations, and consortia to improve kitchens, storage facilities, and durable equipment (like stoves or refrigerators valued over $500). The bill also allocates $10 million yearly for competitive grants to train school food staff on meeting nutrition standards, administered by third-party organizations like colleges or nonprofits. These provisions directly support schools serving meals under federal programs, aiming to enhance food safety, efficiency, and nutritional quality.

Maddy summaryThe TREATS Act amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow healthcare providers to use telehealth for the initial evaluation when prescribing certain medications for opioid use disorder. Specifically, it replaces the requirement for an in-person medical evaluation with an option for a telehealth evaluation for medications in schedules III, IV, or V (excluding methadone) that are FDA-approved to treat opioid use disorder. The telehealth evaluation must be conducted via real-time audio or video communication meeting federal and state requirements, as defined by the bill. This change directly affects providers prescribing these medications and patients seeking treatment for opioid use disorder in these categories.

Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies Act of 2023 or the PETSAFE Act of 2023 This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a pilot program to provide grants for mobile pet shelters during emergencies and major disasters. FEMA may provide funds to state, local, and tribal governments to establish a new pet shelter site that is a mobile unit, which may be a companion animal mobile equipment trailer, to be used in case of evacuation due to emergencies and major disasters. FEMA's authority to approve projects under this bill shall cease on January 1, 2029.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes increased federal funding for early childhood special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It specifically restores funding for Part C (services for infants and toddlers with disabilities) and Section 619 (preschool programs for children with disabilities ages 3-5) by setting annual appropriations from $503 million to $1.22 billion for Section 619 and $932 million to $1.73 billion for Part C through 2028. These funds would directly support states in delivering high-quality early intervention and preschool services to children with disabilities and their families. The bill aims to reverse decades of reduced per-child funding, which had fallen significantly from historical highs.

Maddy summaryHR 5113, the REACH Our Tribes Act, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish an annual consultation process with Tribal Governments on budget requests and program reauthorizations (like farm bills), including 30 days' notice before meetings and public reports summarizing discussions and responses. It also mandates USDA to publicly report on funding provided to Tribal entities through its programs and improve outreach for underutilized programs. Additionally, the bill creates an interagency task force to streamline application requirements for economic development programs and a public online repository listing all federal economic development programs available to tribes. These provisions directly affect Tribal Governments and Tribal entities (including tribes, tribal organizations, and businesses) by enhancing their input in budget decisions and improving access to federal resources.

Providing Access to Treatment and Housing Act of 2023 or the PATH Act of 2023 This bill establishes a specific office and authorizes grants to support the provision of mental and behavioral health services for unhoused individuals. Specifically, the bill establishes the Center for Unhoused Individuals in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The center must develop policies and coordinate federal, state, and local action to expand unhoused individuals' access to mental, behavioral health, and housing services. The center may award grants to public and nonprofit entities to support these activities.  SAMHSA must also award grants to state, local, and tribal governments to improve these services for unhoused individuals, with priority given to areas with high rates of housing instability and above-average housing costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a federal loan repayment program to help mental health professionals (like counselors, psychologists, and social workers) repay student loans. It directly affects individuals who have taken out education loans for mental health degrees and agree to work in underserved areas. Key provisions require participants to commit to 3-6 years of full-time service in designated mental health shortage areas or counties with high overdose death rates, with funding increased to $100 million annually for 2023-2032. The program expands eligibility to cover all mental health-related fields, including behavioral health roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires states administering Medicaid to develop protocols within 24 months to identify Medicaid beneficiaries who experienced nonfatal opioid overdoses (using available data) and connect them to treatment. It mandates that states notify prescribing providers within 6 months of a fatal opioid overdose (or specified other drug overdose) and provide them with educational materials on appropriate prescribing. States must also ensure providers treating Medicaid beneficiaries have access to patients' history of opioid use disorder, overdose, or substance use disorder. These protocols aim to improve connections to care and promote safer prescribing practices for individuals with substance use history. The bill directly affects Medicaid patients with overdose histories and their healthcare providers.

This concurrent resolution opposes actions that undermine Israel's future as a Jewish, democratic state. The resolution expresses that democracy is at the core of the special relationship between the United States and Israel, and that Congress stands with all Israelis seeking to defend liberal democracy, judicial review, and independent political institutions.

Maddy summaryThe FAIR Leave Act (HR 5037) repeals a time limitation on leave for spouses that was part of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This provision previously restricted the amount of leave employees could take to care for a spouse with a serious health condition. By removing this restriction, the bill allows workers to take more leave without a prior cap for this specific purpose. The policy change directly affects employees needing leave to support a spouse's medical needs under the FMLA.