Rep. Mike Carey

Maddy summaryThe Renewed Hope Act (HR 6998) requires the Department of Homeland Security to hire 200 new staff, including 40 forensics analysts and 30 child exploitation investigators for the Victim Identification Laboratory, plus 130 additional personnel for the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit, to improve identification and rescue efforts for victims of child sexual exploitation. It establishes a mandatory training program for law enforcement and related organizations to use updated victim identification techniques and mandates coordination between DHS and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to streamline investigations. The bill also includes strict privacy rules to secure victim information and allows temporary hiring of experts for forensic analysis at specified rates.

Maddy summaryHR 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025, modifies how funds from the False Claims Act are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. It specifies that from 2025 through 2029, certain False Claims Act proceeds (specifically those for qui tam plaintiff payments and government damage reimbursements) cannot be deposited into the fund. This change directly affects the composition of the Crime Victims Fund by excluding these specific revenue streams during the specified period. The bill does not create new benefits or alter victim services; it only adjusts fund allocation rules for existing False Claims Act revenues.

Maddy summaryHR 6735, the Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act of 2025, requires Medicare to improve access to beneficiary health information for family caregivers. It mandates the Secretary to provide outreach and education about authorizing caregivers to access personal health data through 1-800-MEDICARE, using a standardized CMS-10106 authorization form. The bill requires clear, multilingual information to be included in Medicare notices, on Medicare.gov, and in Medicare Advantage plan communications, along with training for call center staff. It also directs the development of best practices to prevent fraud related to caregiver access and requires feedback opportunities for caregivers. This affects Medicare beneficiaries (Part A/B enrollees), their family caregivers, and Medicare providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Social Security Act to protect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for disaster victims who receive settlement payments. It specifically excludes certain settlement amounts - like those from the East Palestine train derailment case (Case No. 4:23-CV-00242) - from counting as income or resources for SSI eligibility. The change applies to all months of benefit payments, including those before the bill’s enactment date. This directly affects SSI recipients in Ohio who settled claims related to the East Palestine derailment, ensuring their benefits aren’t reduced due to those settlements.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts multiemployer pension plans from automatic enrollment requirements under the Internal Revenue Code. Specifically, it amends Section 414A(c)(3) to explicitly exclude multiemployer plans (defined under Section 414(f)) from rules requiring automatic enrollment in retirement plans. This change directly affects workers enrolled in union-sponsored multiemployer pension plans, allowing these plans to avoid automatic enrollment obligations. The amendment applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act This act provides for the award of Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in recognition of the team's achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

Maddy summaryHR 6524, the HIRE Act, extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) through 2030 and adds a new provision to incentivize hiring individuals receiving Social Security disability benefits. The bill directly affects employers who hire people certified as eligible for disability insurance benefits under the Social Security Act within 60 days before employment. Key provisions include modifying the tax credit to cover "qualified social security disability insurance beneficiaries" and requiring certification by a local agency for eligibility. The changes apply to new hires beginning work after December 31, 2025, with the credit extension applying through 2030.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public elementary and secondary schools receiving federal education funds from accepting money or entering contracts with the Chinese government, Chinese Communist Party, or their agents. Schools must also disclose any foreign funding or contracts within 30 days, including the source's name, country, amount, and terms. It directly affects all public K-12 schools participating in federal education programs. The law focuses solely on restricting funding sources and requiring transparency, with no provisions related to curriculum content or "combating lies" as referenced in the title.

Maddy summaryThe Claiming Age Clarity Act (HR 5284) requires the Social Security Administration to update its official terminology by January 1, 2027. It directs the replacement of specific terms: "early eligibility age" becomes "minimum monthly benefit age," "full retirement age" and "normal retirement age" become "standard monthly benefit age," and "delayed retirement credit" is eliminated, with "maximum monthly benefit age" used instead of age 70 references. This change applies to all Social Security Administration rules, regulations, guidance, and materials, both online and in print, affecting how the agency communicates retirement benefit rules to the public.

Maddy summaryHR 4313, the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, extends Medicare's waiver allowing acute hospital care at home until 2030 (previously expiring in 2025). It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a detailed study by September 2028 comparing home-based hospital care to traditional inpatient care. The study must analyze quality metrics (like readmission rates and patient outcomes), costs, staffing patterns, and patient demographics - including racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic data - across participating and non-participating hospitals. This bill directly affects Medicare beneficiaries receiving home-based care and hospitals operating under the waiver program.