Rep. Jared F. Golden

Maddy summaryHR 549, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, removes waiting periods for disability and Medicare coverage for people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Specifically, it amends Social Security Act sections to allow immediate eligibility for disability insurance benefits (eliminating the standard waiting period) and immediate Medicare coverage (waiving the 24-month waiting period) for these patients. The bill directly affects individuals with metastatic breast cancer who would otherwise face delays in accessing critical benefits. These changes apply to applications filed or benefits beginning after the bill's enactment date. The law makes no other policy changes beyond these specific eligibility adjustments.

Maddy summaryThe EACH Act of 2023 would require federal health programs - including Medicaid, Medicare, the Indian Health Service, and TRICARE - to cover abortion services without restrictions. It repeals a provision in the Affordable Care Act that allowed states to limit abortion coverage in health insurance plans sold through state marketplaces. The bill also prohibits the federal government from restricting abortion coverage in private health insurance plans. This would directly affect millions of people, particularly low-income individuals and people of color, who are disproportionately enrolled in Medicaid and currently face barriers to abortion care due to coverage restrictions.

Maddy summaryHR 6751 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Roberto Clemente, a Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian, including 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins. The coins must feature Clemente's image and inscriptions like "Roberto Clemente" and "2027," with all sales including a surcharge ($5-$35 per coin) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation. The foundation, which supports youth sports, education, and disaster relief programs, will use these funds for its mission, while the U.S. Treasury must recover all production costs. The coins will be sold exclusively in 2027, with no net cost to the government.

Maddy summaryThe Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act (HR 807) directs the U.S. Treasury to mint three types of commemorative coins honoring working dogs' service: $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins with specific weight and composition requirements. Each coin will carry a surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) that will be paid directly to America's VetDogs to support their programs providing service dogs for veterans, the disabled, and others. The coins will be issued in 2027 with designs reflecting working dogs' roles in military, detection, therapy, and assistance work. The legislation specifies that all surcharge revenue must fund America's VetDogs' operations without creating new government programs. This is a commemorative measure focused on honoring working dogs' contributions through coin sales, with all surcharge funds going to a specific nonprofit organization.

Maddy summaryHJRES 225 is a congressional resolution seeking to block an IRS rule that modified the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit tax incentive. If approved, it would nullify the rule (published October 28, 2024, in the Federal Register), preventing it from taking effect. This directly affects manufacturers that rely on the tax credit for production investments, as they would continue operating under the existing credit rules instead of the proposed changes. The resolution uses a standard procedural mechanism under federal law to disapprove the agency rule.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies the federal legal definition of "firearm silencer" and "firearm muffler" under Title 18, U.S. Code. It specifically defines these terms to include: (1) devices designed to silence firearms and attach to them, and (2) the outer housing components that contain sound-reduction parts. The bill does not create new restrictions or requirements; it only refines existing terminology for regulatory clarity. This definition affects all manufacturers, sellers, and users of silencers/mufflers under federal law.

Maddy summaryHRES 1573 establishes a temporary Select Committee on Electoral Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives to study changes to how Congress is elected. The committee, composed of 14 House members (7 appointed by the Speaker after consulting with the minority leader), will examine current election methods and alternatives like proportional representation, ranked-choice voting, open primaries, and independent redistricting commissions. It will hold hearings with experts, state officials, and international representatives to assess how these changes might affect Congress's responsiveness and functionality. The committee must issue a report with recommendations within one year and has no authority to pass laws, only to study and report on electoral reform options.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 9965) officially renames the Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley, Maine, as the "National Museum of Forestry and Logging History." It requires all federal laws, documents, and references to update the museum's name to this new designation. The change only affects the museum's official federal recognition and documentation, with no additional funding or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThe VA Employee Fairness Act of 2024 modifies collective bargaining rules for employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). It removes existing subsections (b), (c), and (d) from the law governing VHA employee bargaining and renumbers the remaining provision. This change streamlines the collective bargaining framework but does not alter the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' existing authorities over incentive pay and expedited hiring. The bill directly affects VHA employees by changing how their collective bargaining rights are structured under federal law. The law remains neutral, focusing solely on procedural adjustments to the existing bargaining framework.

Maddy summaryHR 10010, the Protect American Fisheries Act of 2024, amends the Magnuson-Stevens Act to address economic harm to U.S. fisheries. It adds "economic cause" to the definition of fishery disasters, specifically when foreign activities distort markets, disrupt sustainable harvesting, or threaten the economic viability of U.S. fisheries. The bill defines "foreign person" broadly to include foreign governments, companies, and U.S. entities controlled by foreign interests, and requires documentation of foreign activities like illegal fishing, predatory pricing, or harmful subsidies when declaring a disaster. This change directly affects U.S. fishing communities and industries by expanding the criteria for federal disaster assistance to include economic impacts from foreign actors.