Rep. Hillary J. Scholten

Dental Care for Veterans Act This bill expands eligibility for veterans for dental care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, the bill makes all veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system eligible for VA-provided dental services. Currently, only veterans who have a service-connected dental issue or meet other narrow criteria are eligible for certain dental services. The bill phases in eligibility over four years based upon existing eligibility, degree of service-connected disability or other disability, prisoner of war status, award of a Purple Heart, financial need, or VA health care eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new federal tax on money received by former U.S. presidents, their immediate family members, or their controlled businesses from civil lawsuits against the government. Under the law, any settlement or verdict awarded to these individuals would be subject to a 100 percent tax, and the payments would not be counted as taxable income for other purposes. To enforce this, the bill requires trustees and administrators to file public reports detailing these payments and imposes a $10,000 penalty for failing to do so. These rules would apply to any funds received on or after May 20, 2026.

Maddy summaryThe Investing in All of America Act of 2025 amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to adjust leverage rules for Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs), which provide capital to small businesses. It lowers the maximum allowable leverage ratio from 300% to 200% and expands eligible investments to include companies in rural areas, critical technology sectors, and small manufacturers. The bill caps excluded leverage at $125 million or 50% of a company’s private capital, whichever is lower, and requires annual inflation adjustments to these dollar amounts. These changes directly affect SBICs, private investment firms that support small business growth nationwide.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Streamlined Apportionment, Flexibility, and Efficiency Transit Act, aims to reduce administrative burdens on public transit agencies by simplifying federal funding rules. Key provisions include requiring faster distribution of certain urban transit funds, extending the availability period for bus purchases from three to five years, and allowing agencies to retain leftover funds for future capital projects if they provide a specific certification. The legislation also directs the Department of Transportation to minimize documentation for environmental reviews, encourage early talks with historic preservation offices, and conduct a review to cut or combine unnecessary reporting requirements. Additionally, it modifies the triennial review process for transit grants to focus primarily on past deficiencies and randomly sample compliance in only up to five categories. These changes collectively seek to make federal oversight more efficient and less time-consuming for transit operators.

Maddy summaryThe Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act allocates $200 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve data collection, surveillance, and research on how public health emergencies affect pregnant and postpartum individuals. This funding supports efforts to gather detailed demographic information on maternal health outcomes, establish regional centers of excellence, and expand surveys to better reach underrepresented communities. The legislation also requires the CDC to make this data publicly available in a disaggregated format while protecting patient privacy, and mandates public education campaigns to ensure accurate information reaches families and healthcare providers. Additionally, the bill creates a diverse task force to develop federal recommendations for respectful maternity care during emergencies, addressing issues such as telehealth access, doula coverage, and the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. These measures aim to reduce health disparities and improve care quality for pregnant people from racial and ethnic minority groups during public health crises.

Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that is applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15). This change allows gasoline that is blended with 10% to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round. Currently, states may be excluded from the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements by submitting documentation supporting that the waiver would increase air pollution. The bill nullifies existing state exclusions, but states may submit documentation after enactment of the bill to be excluded going forward. The bill also modifies the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, which requires transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States to contain minimum volumes of renewable fuel. Under the existing program, obligated parties, such as small refineries, must satisfy the volume obligations by either blending renewable fuels into their gasoline or diesel fuel products or by acquiring credits that represent the required renewable fuel volume. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to return compliance credits to small refineries under certain circumstances.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors the 75th anniversary of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a professional organization representing over 62,000 doctors who provide essential reproductive and women's health care. The text acknowledges the group's long-standing contributions to improving maternal health, reducing mortality rates, and offering reliable medical information to patients nationwide. While the measure does not alter laws or funding, it formally expresses the House of Representatives' appreciation for the organization's leadership and reaffirms a commitment to supporting women's health and research.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend federal law to strengthen penalties for organized retail crime by expanding definitions of theft to include digital goods, gift cards, and setting a $5,000 aggregate value threshold for charges over a 12-month period. It would establish a new "Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center" under Homeland Security to coordinate Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement efforts against cross-jurisdictional theft groups. The Center would share information with retailers, transportation companies, and law enforcement agencies, track crime trends, and produce annual reports on organized retail crime. This legislation directly affects retailers, supply chain businesses, and law enforcement agencies, while targeting organized crime groups responsible for a 93% increase in larceny incidents and rising safety concerns for retail employees. The bill aims to address significant financial losses and supply chain disruptions noted in the National Retail Federation's 2023 data.

Maddy summaryThe Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 restricts the importation, sale, and manufacture of vehicles and related technology from specific countries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, to address national security concerns. The law defines prohibited items as connected vehicles, their software, and hardware components and sets different effective dates, with vehicle bans starting in 2027 and hardware restrictions beginning in 2030. A government official can grant exceptions for specific items after reviewing security risks and notifying Congress, while the agency must publish annual reports on enforcement actions and compliance.

Maddy summaryThe Main Street BRIDGE Act requires the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency to work together within 180 days to better support small businesses. These two agencies must collaborate on consultations, educational events, and outreach efforts to help small business owners. Two years after the law passes, they must submit a report to Congress detailing the results of this cooperation, including the number of businesses served, jobs created, and financial assistance provided. The bill also defines key terms to ensure both agencies understand their specific roles in this partnership.