Rep. Josh Riley

Maddy summaryHR 2138, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase disability compensation and survivor benefits for veterans and their families on December 1, 2025. It directly affects veterans receiving disability compensation (including wartime rates), dependents, and survivors (spouses and children) who currently qualify for benefits under specific provisions of Title 38, U.S. Code. The bill mandates that these payments increase by the same percentage as the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security benefits effective December 2025. This ensures veterans' benefits rise with inflation, aligning with Social Security’s automatic adjustment mechanism.

Brake for Kids Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to produce and distribute a national public safety campaign on the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses. Specifically, the campaign must increase awareness and education about the issue through a variety of media, including television, radio, and social media advertising.  DOT must use Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds to produce and distribute the campaign.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds Medicare coverage for home-based treatment of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Disorder (a rare genetic condition causing lung and liver damage). It specifically covers "augmentation therapy" (replacement protein therapy) delivered at home by qualified suppliers to Medicare Part A and B enrollees with this diagnosis who aren't in Medicare Advantage plans. The bill establishes payment for intravenous kits and up to 2 hours of nursing services per session, set at 80% of the lesser of actual cost or a defined rate. It amends Medicare rules to include this treatment under coverage, effective January 2027.

Maddy summaryThe Paycheck Fairness Act strengthens equal pay protections by expanding the definition of "sex" to include pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. It modifies employer defenses for pay disparities to require proof that any pay difference is job-related, not based on sex, and accounts for the entire pay gap. The bill prohibits employers from asking about salary history, enhances penalties for violations, and requires employers with 100+ employees to collect and report detailed pay data by race, sex, and job category. It also establishes training programs for employers on eliminating pay bias and creates a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to coordinate enforcement efforts. This legislation directly affects employers, particularly those with 100+ employees, and aims to address pay disparities impacting women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups.

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 80 would declare the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) part of the U.S. Constitution, asserting it has been ratified by 38 states (three-fourths of the states) despite the original 1972 deadline. If passed, this resolution would formally establish the ERA as a constitutional amendment, requiring all federal and state laws to align with its gender equality protections. The bill does not create new laws but confirms the ERA's status as part of the Constitution, affecting how laws are interpreted and enforced. It is a procedural step to resolve the legal dispute over the ERA's validity after decades of debate.

Maddy summaryHR 2257 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce three commemorative coins (a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin, and a half-dollar) to honor fallen firefighters, with specific quantity limits and specifications. The bill requires a surcharge ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar) on each coin sold, which is directed entirely to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to support its programs. The coins must be issued in 2026, will be legal tender, and the government must recover all costs through sales before distributing funds to the Foundation. This is a commemorative coin program, not a direct legislative policy change affecting broader public programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1376, the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act of 2025, provides compensation to poultry growers and layer facility owners whose operations were prohibited within USDA-designated "control areas" due to animal health restrictions. It directly affects poultry farmers raising birds bred for meat or eggs (like chickens, turkeys, or ducks), excluding doves and pigeons. The bill requires the Secretary to pay compensation equal to the average income from the farm's five most recent flocks multiplied by the number of prohibited flocks, minus any prior state compensation received, with payments due within 60 days of a claim. This mechanism ensures financial support for farmers impacted by USDA-mandated restrictions without requiring judicial review of payment amounts.

Maddy summaryHRES 227 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' support for designating March 18, 2025, as "National Agriculture Day" to honor agriculture's role as a vital U.S. industry. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or impose requirements on any group. The resolution serves as a symbolic gesture to highlight agriculture's economic impact and contributions to the nation. As a procedural resolution, it has no direct policy effect beyond raising awareness.

Maddy summaryThe Innovative FEED Act of 2025 establishes a new regulatory category for "zootechnical animal food substances" - additives in animal feed that affect digestive byproducts, reduce foodborne pathogens, or alter an animal's gut microbiome without providing nutrition. These substances would be regulated as food additives (not drugs) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, requiring manufacturers to submit specific safety and efficacy data for approval. The bill mandates labeling stating "Not for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals" and allows optional claims about intended effects on animal body function. It explicitly excludes existing drugs, hormones, ionophores, and other substances from this category, ensuring no mandatory use of these additives.

Maddy summaryThis bill delays two Medicare billing deadlines for ground ambulance services from 2025 to 2028. It amends the Social Security Act to extend the timeline for implementing specific billing rules under Section 1834(l). The change directly affects Medicare ambulance providers by postponing compliance deadlines for billing requirements. No new services or funding are created - only a technical extension of existing timelines.