Rep. Troy Balderson

Maddy summaryHR 592 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to obtain specific certifications before expanding or continuing its electronic health record system at VA facilities. For existing facilities, the VA must certify the system achieves 99.9% monthly uptime for four consecutive months and completes all pre-enactment system improvements. For new facility implementations, the VA must certify the system build is accurate, staff/infrastructure are ready, and implementation won’t harm patient safety, wait times, or care quality. This bill directly affects VA hospitals and the Veterans Health Administration by setting concrete technical and operational requirements before system changes can proceed.

Maddy summaryHR 4721, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes a permanent the 20% tax deduction for eligible small business owners under Section 199A of the tax code. This provision directly affects pass-through business owners (like S-corps, partnerships, and sole proprietorships) who qualify for the deduction. The bill achieves this by removing the temporary expiration language (subsection (i)) from the existing tax code provision. The key change is ending the need for annual congressional extensions of this deduction, providing long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

Maddy summaryHR 3952 limits the flags that can be flown over Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities to just six specific flags: the U.S. flag, any state flag, any federally recognized tribal government flag, the VA department flag, any military branch flag, and the POW/MIA flag. This applies directly to all VA buildings and properties nationwide. The bill explicitly restricts all other flags, including political or commemorative flags, from being displayed on these facilities.

Maddy summaryThe EHR Program RESET Act of 2023 establishes a new program to modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health record system, creating a dedicated program office within the Veterans Health Administration. The bill sets specific performance metrics that facilities must meet before continuing EHR deployment, requires termination of the current Oracle-Cerner contract for training and change management, and mandates new reporting requirements on system stability, staff satisfaction, and interoperability. It also creates an advisory subcommittee of health care experts to provide guidance on the EHR modernization strategy and requires detailed reports on contract savings, system performance, and alternatives to the current EHR technology. The legislation aims to improve veteran care quality, provider satisfaction, and system security while reducing costs and preventing vendor lock-in.

Maddy summaryThe Mountain Valley Pipeline Completion Act (HR 3500) requires federal agencies to expedite permits and approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline project within 21 days of enactment. It mandates the Army, Agriculture, and Interior secretaries to issue necessary permits for construction and operation, while blocking all legal challenges to these approvals through judicial review. The bill directly affects the pipeline project by overriding existing legal barriers and agency decisions related to its completion. Key provisions include ratifying prior approvals, expediting permits, and prohibiting lawsuits seeking to invalidate agency actions for this specific pipeline. This law aims to accelerate the pipeline's construction to meet regional natural gas demand, as stated in the bill.

Maddy summaryHJRES 44 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a 2021 rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The rule classified firearms with stabilizing braces as "short-barreled rifles," which would have required additional licensing and regulation. This resolution uses a specific legal process (under Title 5, U.S. Code) to formally disapprove the ATF rule, meaning the rule would no longer be in effect. It directly affects firearm owners, manufacturers, and dealers who would have been subject to the rule’s requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 277 would require Congress to approve major federal regulations before they take effect. Major rules are defined as those with significant economic impact ($100 million+ annually), major cost increases for consumers or industries, or significant adverse effects on competition, employment, or innovation. Agencies must submit detailed information about these rules to Congress, including cost-benefit analyses, before they can take effect. Congress would have 70 session days to approve the rule with a joint resolution; if they don't act within that timeframe, the rule would not take effect. This would increase congressional oversight of federal regulations and require more detailed information about proposed rules before they become law.

Maddy summaryHJRES 69 is a resolution seeking to disapprove an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule published on June 5, 2023, which established a "Federal Good Neighbor Plan" for the 2015 ozone air quality standards. The rule aimed to address ozone pollution crossing state lines, particularly affecting southeastern states and industries subject to the 2015 ozone standards. This resolution would block the rule from taking effect by invoking the Congressional Review Act, preventing it from being enforced. If enacted, it would directly stop the EPA from implementing this specific plan, impacting states and businesses that would have had to comply with the rule.

Maddy summaryHRES 498 is a non-binding resolution recognizing June 28, 2023, as the 125th anniversary of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). It commends AACOM for its role in supporting 40 osteopathic medical colleges across 35 states, which educate over 35,000 future physicians and emphasize improving healthcare access in rural and underserved communities. The resolution highlights AACOM’s work in advancing osteopathic medical education and its focus on training physicians who prioritize preventive care and community health. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges AACOM’s contributions to U.S. healthcare.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Comptroller General to study remote monitoring for patients prescribed opioids. Within 18 months, the study will assess the effectiveness, cost impacts, and current use of remote monitoring (compared to no monitoring), including international examples. It will also evaluate how to improve access to such monitoring through federal health programs like Medicare and identify which patient groups would benefit most. The bill does not implement monitoring but requires a report to Congress with findings and recommendations.