Rep. Mike Kelly

Maddy summaryThis bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the 761st Tank Battalion (known as the "Black Panthers"), the first predominantly Black armored unit in World War II's European Theater. It recognizes their combat service from 1944-1946, including key roles in the Battle of the Bulge and breaking the Siegfried Line, despite facing racial prejudice during and after the war. The medal will be displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, with bronze duplicates available for sale to cover costs. The bill commemorates the battalion's 130,000 enemy casualties inflicted, 50% casualty rate, and their 1978 Presidential Unit Citation. It does not create new laws or affect current policies.

Maddy summaryHR 1614 would amend Section 1834(m)(4)(E) of the Social Security Act to expand which healthcare providers can offer telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries. The bill directly affects Medicare patients and current healthcare providers (like nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinical psychologists) who are currently excluded from providing telehealth under Medicare. The key change is modifying the legal language to explicitly include these additional providers in the list of eligible telehealth furnishers. This policy change would allow more Medicare beneficiaries to access telehealth services from a broader range of qualified healthcare professionals.

Maddy summaryHR 1551, the Protect and Serve Act of 2025, creates a new federal criminal offense for intentionally harming law enforcement officers under specific circumstances. It imposes harsher penalties, including up to 10 years in prison for serious injury or life imprisonment if death occurs, kidnapping is involved, or a firearm is used. The law applies when the crime crosses state lines, involves interstate weapons, occurs on federal property, or targets federal officers. Prosecutions require the Attorney General’s written certification, considering factors like prior state convictions and public safety impact. The bill directly affects law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors by expanding federal jurisdiction for certain violent crimes against them.

Maddy summaryHR 1548, the "Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act," amends U.S. trade laws to strengthen enforcement of antidumping and countervailing duty regulations. The bill creates new rules for handling multiple investigations on the same merchandise (successive investigations), addresses market distortions in foreign countries that affect production costs, and improves mechanisms to prevent companies from circumventing existing duties. It also establishes procedures for investigating currency undervaluation as a form of subsidy and strengthens requirements for importers to certify compliance with trade laws. These changes primarily affect U.S. importers of foreign goods, foreign exporters, and the Department of Commerce, which administers these trade enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThe Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025 creates a new tax credit for individuals who purchase technology designed to assist blind people, such as screen readers or braille displays. This credit covers up to $2,000 in expenses per three-year period for qualified access technology used by the taxpayer, their spouse, or a blind dependent. The credit adjusts for inflation after 2026 but does not apply to costs already covered by other tax benefits. The credit expires after 2030, with adjustments for cost-of-living changes starting in 2027.

Dentist and Optometric Care Access Act of 2025 or the DOC Access Act of 20 25 This bill prohibits private health insurance plans from setting rates for items and services, except for dental cleanings, provided by a doctor of optometry, of dental surgery, or of dental medicine (or an employer of such a doctor) for which the plan does not pay a substantial amount. Additionally, an agreement between a plan and such a doctor for limited scope dental or vision benefits may last longer than two years only with the prior acceptance of the doctor for each term extension. Plans also may not restrict such a doctor's choice of laboratories or suppliers. Such doctors may elect to waive the application of the payment amount and choice of laboratories provisions of this bill. The bill does not supersede state laws regarding health insurers and dental or vision benefit plans.

Maddy summaryHR 1502 authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the volunteers and communities (primarily from Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas) who supported the North Platte Canteen during World War II. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, which will be presented to the individuals who contributed to the canteen’s operations and then permanently displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure recognizing historical service, not a policy change affecting current laws or programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1492 amends the Social Security Act to extend the negotiation period for standard drug manufacturers under the federal drug pricing program. Specifically, it changes the timeframe from 7 years to 11 years for small-molecule drugs (like traditional pills) to negotiate prices with the government, aligning it with the existing 12-year period for complex biologic drugs (like insulin or monoclonal antibodies). This adjustment directly affects pharmaceutical companies that produce small-molecule drugs, giving them a longer window to negotiate pricing terms. The bill makes this change effective as if it had been part of the 2022 law that established the program.

Maddy summaryHR 1440, the Discriminatory Gaming Tax Repeal Act of 2025, repeals Chapter 35 of the Internal Revenue Code, which imposed excise taxes on wagering activities. This repeal directly affects gambling businesses and individuals subject to these taxes, removing the federal tax obligation. The change takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, eliminating the tax requirement for future reporting periods. The bill focuses solely on repealing the existing tax provision without altering other gambling regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 1414, titled "Cameron’s Law," increases the tax credit for pharmaceutical companies developing orphan drugs (medicines for rare diseases) from 25% to 50% of qualified research expenses. This change directly affects drug manufacturers investing in treatments for conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to implement this higher credit rate, effective for taxable years starting after the law’s enactment. It provides a concrete financial incentive to encourage research into rare disease treatments without altering eligibility criteria or adding new requirements.