Rep. Christopher H. Smith

Maddy summaryThe Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2023 strengthens the Americans with Disabilities Act's requirement that individuals with disabilities receive long-term services and supports in community settings rather than institutions. It defines "community-based" services to include specific housing options where individuals with disabilities can live independently with maximum control over their lives, including access to integrated housing, employment, and community participation. The bill requires states to develop transition plans to move people from institutional settings to community-based services within 12 years, with measurable annual targets for reducing institutionalization. It establishes enforcement mechanisms through the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services to ensure compliance with these requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Puppy Protection Act of 2023 sets new standards for businesses that sell dogs (dealers), directly affecting pet stores and breeders operating under the Animal Welfare Act. It requires specific housing with space allowances based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), temperature control (45-85°F), clean food twice daily, and daily exercise or socialization with humans/dogs for at least 30 minutes. The bill also mandates annual veterinary exams including dental care, strict breeding limits (e.g., age restrictions, maximum 2 litters in 18 months), and efforts to place retired breeding dogs in homes instead of selling them to other breeders. Regulations must be finalized within 18 months of enactment.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) Congress should conduct investigations to determine the impacts of offshore wind development, (2) Congress should use the findings of the investigations to develop legislation to mitigate potential negative environmental or economic impacts of such development, and (3) a moratorium should be placed on leasing and construction of offshore wind farms along the Atlantic coast until the investigations and their findings are presented to Congress and the public.

Maddy summaryThe Panama Canal Zone Veterans Act of 2023 creates a presumption that veterans who served in the Panama Canal Zone between 1958 and 1999 (or until the last military member left) and developed specific illnesses are automatically eligible for VA benefits without needing to prove a direct link between their service and the condition. It lists 16 illnesses, including prostate cancer, lung cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and several other cancers, as qualifying for this presumption due to presumed exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange during service. The VA will use regulations based on medical evidence to determine which illnesses qualify under this provision. This change directly affects veterans who served in the Panama Canal Zone during the covered period and later developed one of the listed conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a four-year pilot program providing free dental care to 1,500 veterans with type 2 diabetes who are enrolled in VA care but lack access to VA dental coverage, are aged 40-70, and have gum disease (periodontitis). It requires enrollment at five VA facilities, with one-third of participants having mild gum disease and two-thirds having moderate to severe cases, and mandates annual dental evaluations and health outcome tracking. The program aims to determine if timely dental treatment correlates with reduced complications from chronic conditions, collecting data for a congressional report. It does not change existing VA dental benefits but tests whether improved periodontal care lowers long-term healthcare costs for this specific veteran group.

Maddy summaryHR 2630, the Safe Step Act, requires group health plans and health insurance issuers to establish a clear, transparent process for patients or their doctors to request exceptions to medication step therapy protocols. These protocols typically force patients to try cheaper drugs first before covering more expensive alternatives. The bill mandates that plans must approve exceptions when prior treatments failed, delay would cause serious harm, a treatment is unsafe, or a patient is stable on a previously approved drug, with strict 72-hour (or 24-hour in emergencies) decision timelines. It also requires plans to publish the exception process online and limit documentation requests to only necessary medical information. This law directly affects health insurers, employers offering health plans, and patients using step therapy for prescription drugs.

Maddy summaryThis bill terminates the national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020, under the National Emergencies Act. It ends the executive branch's authority to use emergency powers related to that specific declaration. The resolution passed both chambers in early 2023 and took effect April 10, 2023, without creating new policies or affecting specific groups.

This resolution recognizes law enforcement agencies and officers for their tireless work to protect us and make our communities safer. It also condemns calls to defund, disband, dismantle, or abolish the police.

Securing Access to Lower Taxes by ensuring Deductibility Act or the SALT Deductibility Act This bill repeals the temporary restrictions in taxable years 2018 through 2025 on the deductibility of state and local taxes.

Maddy summaryHR 1839, the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, makes the illicit use and distribution of xylazine a federal crime by adding it to the Controlled Substances Act. The bill broadly defines xylazine to cover numerous chemical variants and prohibits human use or non-licit distribution, while preserving legitimate veterinary and pharmaceutical uses. It requires tracking xylazine in drug supply chains and mandates two reports to Congress within 1 and 4 years on its prevalence, sources, and whether it should be rescheduled. The bill directly affects individuals distributing or using xylazine illicitly, including as an additive to drugs like fentanyl, and aims to address its public health risks. Congress declared illicit xylazine an "emerging drug threat" under existing law.