Rep. Diana Harshbarger

Maddy summaryHR 472, the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025, creates new disciplinary procedures for VA supervisors and management officials. It requires the VA Secretary to consider specific factors like the seriousness of misconduct and the employee's role when deciding on removal, demotion, or suspension, and limits the entire disciplinary process to 15 business days. The bill prevents courts from reviewing penalty amounts but allows review of whether procedures were followed correctly. It also strengthens whistleblower protections by requiring Special Counsel approval before disciplining employees who report misconduct, affecting VA supervisors and management officials but excluding senior executives and political appointees.

Maddy summaryThe Reliable Power Act requires the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to conduct annual assessments of the U.S. power grid's ability to maintain reliable electricity supply, including analyzing generation resources, transmission needs, and risks of shortages during extreme weather. If the ERO identifies a risk of insufficient generation, it notifies the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which then alerts federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) developing regulations affecting power generation. These agencies must submit proposed regulations for FERC review before finalizing them, and FERC can recommend changes to prevent reliability risks, with agencies required to respond to FERC’s comments. The bill directly affects federal agencies creating energy-related rules and aims to prevent power shortages by integrating grid reliability into the rulemaking process.

Maddy summaryHR 3492, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, makes it a federal crime to perform genital or bodily mutilation or chemical castration on minors under 18, except for specific medical reasons. The bill broadly defines prohibited procedures to include gender transition-related surgeries (like hysterectomies or mastectomies) and medical treatments such as puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones administered to minors. It criminalizes these acts when they occur across state lines, involve payments, or use interstate commerce, while explicitly banning religious tradition as a defense. Exceptions include medically necessary procedures for health emergencies, childbirth, or conditions certified by a physician.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a federal grant program to expand mental health and substance use care for rural underserved populations, specifically targeting health professional shortage areas and individuals working in farming, fishing, or forestry. It authorizes $10 million annually (2025-2029) for eligible providers to deliver home-based telemental health services - using video or phone - directly to patients' homes or comfortable settings. Grantees must develop quality metrics comparing remote care to in-person services, expand broadband access, provide patient devices, and cover provider technology costs. The program requires annual reports to Congress on service impact and quality.

Maddy summaryThe DRIVER Act requires car manufacturers and fleet owners to give vehicle owners free, real-time access to their vehicle's data (like location, driving habits, and sensor information) through standard ports or wireless connections. Owners can control how this data is used or shared with third parties (except for foreign adversaries), delete stored data, and cannot be charged for access or decryption. Manufacturers and fleet owners must provide clear opt-out options before selling owner data and are banned from selling data to specific countries like China, Russia, or Iran. The Federal Trade Commission enforces these rules under existing laws, and states cannot create conflicting laws.

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 summaryThis bill establishes new requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) working with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicaid programs. It mandates that PBMs pay pharmacies a specific reimbursement amount based on drug acquisition costs plus a fixed fee, pass through manufacturer rebates directly to beneficiaries at the point of sale, and prohibits steering practices that direct patients to specific pharmacies. The bill applies to Medicare Part D plans and Medicaid managed care organizations beginning January 1, 2027, affecting how PBMs interact with pharmacies and handle drug rebates. Violations could result in criminal penalties of up to $1 million or 10 years in prison for willful noncompliance. The bill aims to increase transparency and fairness in pharmacy drug pricing for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Maddy summarySammy's Law requires large social media platforms (those with over 100 million monthly users or $1 billion in annual revenue) to create real-time tools allowing parents or third-party safety software providers to help protect children under 17 from online harms. Platforms must provide secure access to children's account data for safety software providers that register with the Federal Trade Commission and meet strict security and privacy requirements. Third-party providers can only use the data to address specific risks like cyberbullying, trafficking, or abuse, and must delete data after 14 days unless needed for a safety concern. The law creates a federal standard that prevents states from making their own rules about this type of platform access.

Maddy summaryHR 1623 (the SCREEN Act) requires online platforms that profit from hosting pornographic content to implement age verification technology, preventing minors from accessing such material. Covered platforms must publicly disclose their verification process and securely handle age data collected through these systems. The law applies specifically to platforms where pornographic content is a regular business activity, not all websites. It mandates that only adults can access pornographic content on these platforms, without banning the content itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition to advise the President on reestablishing the Presidential Fitness Test as the primary assessment tool for a Presidential Fitness Award in U.S. schools. The Council, appointed by the President, would develop school-based fitness programs, promote physical activity through community partnerships, and address childhood obesity as a national security concern. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to fund the Council and its initiatives, with the Council terminating two years after enactment unless extended. The bill specifically aims to impact K-12 schools by integrating the fitness test into physical education programs.