Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.

Maddy summaryHR 5401, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act, provides a one-time federal grant of $5 million to $10 million to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum (operated by the World Trade Center Foundation). The grant funds the museum's operations, security, and maintenance, with specific requirements including free admission for veterans, first responders, and victims' families, dedicated weekly free public hours, and annual financial audits. The museum must also report annually to Congress on how the funds were used. This bill directly affects the museum's financial operations and access policies, not broader legislative changes.

Maddy summaryHR 9774, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2024, would expand premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for households earning between 150% and 400% of the federal poverty level. It modifies the sliding scale calculation to reduce the percentage of monthly insurance premiums these households must pay, with the lowest out-of-pocket costs for those near 400% of poverty. This directly affects individuals and families purchasing health insurance through marketplace plans who qualify for these tax credits. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 6417 amends the existing "Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act" to ban imports of energy products (classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule chapter 27) produced at any refinery using crude oil originating in Russia. This directly affects U.S. importers and companies bringing in such refined petroleum products. The key provision prohibits these imports regardless of where the refinery is located, targeting oil that has been "laundered" through foreign processing. The bill updates the existing law by adding this origin-based import ban as a new section.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule for the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of independence). Congressional leadership will determine its contents, including representative materials about the Semiquincentennial, copies of key legislative milestones, and a message to future Congress. The capsule will be sealed on the Capitol's West Lawn by July 4, 2026, and remain unopened until July 4, 2276, when it will be presented to the 244th Congress for their consideration. The bill is procedural and does not affect citizens or change existing laws.

Maddy summaryHR 6063, the Empowering Striking Workers Act of 2023, modifies unemployment insurance rules to provide benefits for workers unable to work due to strikes or lockouts. It directs that unemployment compensation begins 14 days after a strike starts, or earlier if permanent replacements are hired, a lockout begins, or the dispute ends. The bill directly affects workers participating in labor disputes by making them eligible for benefits under these specific conditions, rather than requiring them to meet standard job search requirements. This change is implemented through amendments to the Internal Revenue Code and Social Security Act.

Maddy summaryThe Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act expands Medicare's drug price negotiation program from 20 to 50 drugs, allowing the government to negotiate lower prices for these medications. It requires private health insurance plans and group health coverage to apply these negotiated prices to their members' cost-sharing for covered drugs, with plans able to opt out while publicly disclosing their decision. The bill also extends these negotiated prices to drugs covered by commercial insurance markets, not just Medicare. This would directly affect Medicare beneficiaries and people with private health insurance who take the negotiated drugs.

Maddy summaryThe Social Security 2100 Act would significantly enhance Social Security benefits for millions of Americans by increasing monthly payments for retirees, disabled workers, widows/widowers, and children. Key provisions include raising the minimum benefit for long-term low earners, improving cost-of-living adjustments using a more accurate index, eliminating the 5-month waiting period for disability benefits, and extending child benefits to age 26. The bill also changes how Social Security taxes are calculated by applying them to income above $400,000 and establishes a unified Social Security Trust Fund to manage program finances. Most provisions would apply to benefits payable from 2025 through 2034, affecting all current and future Social Security beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2023, amends Social Security to better protect public servants who work in jobs not covered by Social Security (such as certain government positions). It creates a new formula for calculating retirement benefits that combines both covered and noncovered earnings, ensuring public servants receive the higher of two benefit calculations. The bill also provides an additional $150 monthly payment for certain public servants whose benefits were previously reduced by the windfall elimination provision. It improves Social Security account statements to clearly show noncovered earnings and requires a study of how state retirement plans handle these benefits. These changes will apply to benefits starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 3561, the PATIENT Act of 2023, requires hospitals, health insurance plans, and pharmacy benefit managers to publicly disclose detailed pricing information for healthcare services and drugs. Hospitals must publish standard charges for 300+ shoppable services, including gross charges, payer-specific negotiated rates, and discounted cash prices, with updates required annually. Health plans must provide real-time information on in-network rates, cost sharing, deductibles, and prior authorization requirements for covered services. The bill establishes enforcement mechanisms, including civil monetary penalties for non-compliance, with fines ranging from $300 per day for small hospitals to $5 million for large hospitals that fail to comply with the transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryThe FAMILY Act (HR 3481) would establish a national paid family and medical leave insurance program administered by the Social Security Administration. Eligible workers would receive wage replacement benefits (up to 85% of average earnings, with a maximum of $4,000 monthly) for up to 60 caregiving days per 12-month benefit period for qualifying reasons like caring for a sick family member, personal serious health conditions, or responding to domestic violence. The program would be funded through 0.2% payroll taxes from employees and employers (with self-employed individuals paying 0.4%), with benefits coordinated with existing state programs. The law includes protections against employer retaliation for taking leave and requires employers to maintain health coverage during leave periods.