Rep. Mike Kelly

Maddy summaryHR 5353, the Peer to Peer Mental Health Support Act, creates a federal pilot program to fund evidence-based mental health peer support programs in secondary schools (grades 6-12). It provides competitive grants to states, tribes, or school districts to train student helpers and school professionals to support peers facing mental health challenges, with programs overseen by school-based mental health professionals. The program requires measuring participation, training details, and impacts on student mental health outcomes, with annual reports to Congress. The initiative expires on September 30, 2029.

Maddy summaryHR 5352 prohibits federal funding for any entity employing individuals who condone or celebrate political violence and domestic terrorism, as defined under 18 U.S.C. §2331. This applies to all federal funds - grants, contracts, or other disbursements - to organizations that hire such individuals. The bill directly affects federal grant recipients and contractors, requiring them to ensure their employees do not engage in these activities to maintain funding eligibility. The policy change is a direct funding restriction based on employee conduct, with no additional mechanisms or exceptions specified in the text.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Medicare regulations to include "blood culture contamination" as a hospital-acquired condition starting in fiscal year 2026. It directly affects Medicare-participating hospitals, requiring them to maintain blood culture contamination rates below 1% to avoid penalties. The key provision establishes a specific 1% threshold for contamination rates that hospitals must meet under Medicare's quality reporting system. This change aims to improve diagnostic accuracy by holding hospitals accountable for preventing contamination in sepsis testing.

Maddy summaryThe RESULTS Act (HR 5269) changes how Medicare calculates payment rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. It requires Medicare to collect data on private payor rates for widely available non-Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (non-ADLTs) from a qualifying independent claims data entity (a national nonprofit organization meeting specific criteria) rather than relying on data reported directly by laboratories. For tests where data is unavailable, the bill establishes default payment rates based on previous years' rates adjusted for inflation. The law also requires Medicare to publicly explain payment rates with supporting data, affecting Medicare beneficiaries, clinical laboratories, and private payors that provide services covered by Medicare.

Maddy summaryThe FIREARM Act (HR 3770) changes how federal firearm licensees (like dealers) handle violations of firearms laws. It requires the Attorney General to give licensees 30 business days to correct minor, self-reported violations - such as clerical errors - with assistance and training, instead of automatically revoking licenses. The bill also adds a 15-day window for licensees to challenge revocations in federal court, where courts must review the case anew and only uphold revocations if the licensee willfully violated the law. Additionally, it applies retroactively to licensees whose licenses were revoked under a 2021 enforcement policy, allowing them to reapply if they meet compliance requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 5080) is purely procedural - it changes the name of the Department of Defense to "Department of War" and the Secretary of Defense to "Secretary of War" for all existing legal references. It does not alter military operations, funding, or policy; it only updates terminology in laws, regulations, and official documents. The bill directly affects how federal agencies and documents refer to the military department but has no impact on actual defense functions or the public. It is a symbolic renaming with no concrete policy changes.

Maddy summaryHR 5031, the *Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act*, requires Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage (MA-PD) to pay long-term care pharmacies an additional supply fee for each specified prescription dispensed to eligible beneficiaries during 2026 ($30) and 2027 (adjusted for inflation). This fee must be paid alongside existing reimbursements for drug costs and dispensing, with a $10,000 penalty for non-payment. The bill also directs the GAO to study long-term care pharmacy payment sustainability under Medicare, analyzing historical payments for brand/generic drugs and dispensing fees. It aims to ensure uninterrupted pharmacy access for Medicare beneficiaries in long-term care settings, particularly in rural areas.

Maddy summaryThe College Transparency Act requires the federal government to create a new student data system that collects and shares information about college enrollment, costs, completion rates, and post-graduation outcomes. This system will directly affect colleges and universities (which must submit data), students (whose information is collected with privacy protections), and families (who will access the data to make informed education decisions). The bill mandates the development of a public website providing customizable, aggregate data on student demographics, costs, and outcomes, while prohibiting the collection of sensitive information like health records or political affiliation. The system aims to reduce reporting burdens on institutions by consolidating data collection and making information more transparent for prospective students. It includes strong privacy and security requirements to protect student information, with the data system to be developed within four years of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds "spotted lanternfly control" as a priority research area under federal agricultural funding, authorizing grants to develop and share tools for combating the invasive spotted lanternfly pest (Lycorma delicatula). It directly affects farmers, agricultural communities, and state departments of agriculture in states like Pennsylvania where the pest causes significant crop damage. The key provision amends existing law to allow research grants focused on creating effective treatments and management strategies for the pest. The bill also extends the funding period for all high-priority research initiatives through 2030.

Maddy summaryThe Partner with Korea Act creates a new visa category for South Korean nationals to work in specialty occupations in the U.S., with an annual cap of 15,000 visas. Employers must file an attestation with the Department of Labor, which the Secretary of Labor must certify before the visa is approved. The visa limit applies only to the principal worker and excludes spouses or children. This bill directly affects South Korean workers seeking specialty jobs and U.S. employers hiring them under this new category.