Rep. Diana Harshbarger

Maddy summaryHR 1990, the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2025, amends tax rules for businesses to make research and development (R&D) costs more flexible. It allows companies to deduct R&D expenses immediately as business costs (instead of capitalizing them) or to spread these costs over a minimum 60-month period. The bill clarifies which R&D expenses qualify, excludes land improvements and mineral exploration costs, and ensures companies can claim R&D tax credits without conflict with expense treatment. This directly affects businesses that conduct R&D, changing how they account for these costs on tax returns starting for 2022 taxable years.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends current Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs and oxygen) in non-rural areas through December 2025. It delays implementing a new payment rule for all areas until January 2026. The law directly affects Medicare beneficiaries needing equipment and the suppliers who provide it by maintaining existing reimbursement rates for an additional year. This avoids immediate payment reductions for non-rural areas while postponing the full transition to new rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a process for establishing Medicare payment rates for pediatric-specific medical devices. It requires the Medicare program (via the Secretary of Health and Human Services) to set national payment rates (called "relative value units") for qualifying pediatric technologies upon manufacturer request, starting in 2026. A "qualifying pediatric technology" is defined as a covered medical device that is FDA-approved/cleared, has a temporary HCPCS code, and is either predominantly used for pediatric procedures or specifically designed for children. Manufacturers must submit detailed data with their requests, and the timeline for setting rates depends on when the request is received (by May 1 for same-year implementation). The bill does not mandate coverage but ensures payment mechanisms exist for these devices once approved.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain orally administered drugs from Medicare Part D's manufacturer discount program. Specifically, it excludes drugs that: (1) received FDA approval under the standard new drug application process, and (2) have been granted a narrow CMS exception allowing them to be treated as noninnovator drugs under Medicaid rebates. The exemption applies directly to these specific drugs meeting both criteria, altering how their costs are calculated under Medicare Part D. This change affects drug manufacturers and Medicare beneficiaries by modifying the discount structure for these particular medications.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally censures Representative Al Green (D-TX) for disrupting President Trump's address during a joint session of Congress on March 4, 2025. It requires him to appear in the House chamber for the public reading of the censure resolution, which states his actions violated decorum rules and brought disrepute to Congress. As a procedural resolution, it does not enact policy changes but serves as a formal reprimand for conduct during a congressional session.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies tax reporting rules for gig economy platforms (like Uber or DoorDash) by reinstating a pre-American Rescue Plan threshold. It requires third-party payment platforms to report income to the IRS only if a gig worker earns over $20,000 in a year or completes more than 200 transactions. This directly affects low-earning gig workers who would no longer receive tax forms for smaller earnings. The change simplifies reporting for platforms and reduces administrative burden on workers with minimal income from these platforms.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new tax provision (Section 139J) to the Internal Revenue Code, excluding interest income from certain rural and agricultural loans from taxable income for qualifying lenders. It directly affects banks, insurance companies, and farm credit entities that provide loans secured by rural or agricultural property (including qualifying single-family homes in rural areas), while excluding loans to foreign adversary entities (like those linked to China, Russia, or Iran). The law requires lenders to report on how this tax exclusion impacts loan interest rates, with a Treasury report due to Congress within five years. The policy change aims to reduce lenders' tax burden on these specific loans, potentially lowering costs for borrowers in rural communities.

Maddy summaryHR 1772 designates English as the official language of the United States federal government, requiring all official government functions (like laws, regulations, and public proceedings) to be conducted in English. It directly affects federal agencies, naturalization processes (mandating English ceremonies and language standards for new citizens), and government communications. Key exceptions include language teaching, disability education, national security needs, census activities, and protections for Native American languages under existing law. The bill does not restrict the use of other languages in private settings or ban bilingual services for essential government functions. It amends U.S. Code to establish these requirements, with implementation set for 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1794 establishes an "Abraham Accords Office" within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to foster regulatory cooperation with countries that signed the Abraham Accords (e.g., UAE, Bahrain). The office, to be created within two years, will provide technical assistance to help these countries align their medical product regulations with FDA standards and facilitate information sharing about U.S. regulatory pathways. It requires the FDA to report to Congress after three years on the office’s progress, including metrics on how many entities it assisted and recommendations for improving collaboration. The bill does not alter existing security protocols and explicitly states it cannot override national security directives.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects firearm trace data maintained by the ATF's National Trace Center and related licensee information from public disclosure under FOIA. It directly affects licensed firearms dealers, state/local governments, and other entities that handle this data. Key provisions include adding a new FOIA exemption for this data, imposing fines of $10,000-$25,000 for unauthorized disclosures, and allowing licensed dealers to sue for triple damages or $25,000 per disclosure. The law also prevents sovereign immunity from blocking such lawsuits and specifies that fines apply per individual disclosure.