Rep. Glenn Grothman

Maddy summaryThe SAFE Home Act (HR 6658) prohibits federal-funded adoption and foster care agencies from delaying or denying placements for children based on a parent’s choices related to gender identity. Specifically, it bans discrimination if a parent: (1) raises a child consistent with their biological sex, (2) declines medical treatments to alter a child’s appearance or validate gender identity, or (3) refuses to change official documents (like birth certificates) to reflect gender identity inconsistent with biological sex. The bill defines "sex" biologically as male or female based on reproductive systems, and requires states to comply with these rules for federal foster care and adoption assistance programs starting in the first fiscal quarter after enactment. This directly affects state agencies and organizations receiving federal funds for child welfare services.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the "competitive need limitation" for duty-free imports from beneficiary developing countries under the Trade Act of 1974. It increases the annual cap for eligible imports from $75 million to $600 million and changes how the limit is calculated to count only duty-free entries during a calendar year. The President must restore duty-free treatment for most eligible articles within 120 days of the bill's enactment, with a one-year review period for sensitive products requiring continued withholding. The bill also requires a report to Congress within one year detailing restored and withheld duty-free treatments. This directly affects importers of goods from designated developing countries eligible for trade benefits.

Maddy summaryHR 6283, the DRUG Act, regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to prevent practices that may increase prescription drug costs for consumers. The bill prohibits PBMs from earning revenue based on drug prices or discounts, requiring them to charge flat dollar service fees instead of fees tied to drug costs. It bans PBMs from steering patients to pharmacies they own or control, mandates equal reimbursement for affiliated and non-affiliated pharmacies, and prohibits charging different fees for the same drug. These provisions apply to group health plans, health insurance issuers, and PBMs, with enforcement beginning for plan years starting January 1, 2026. Violations would result in $10,000 daily penalties and require disgorgement of improperly received payments.

Maddy summaryHR 6177 prohibits federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for researchers involved in studies or experiments involving minors that: (1) affirm a minor's gender identity differing from their sex assigned at birth, (2) provide medical/surgical services to help minors disassociate from their biological sex, or (3) use social interventions for the same purpose. The bill directly affects researchers seeking HHS grants for such studies, requiring them to certify they have never led such projects. It defines "sex" biologically at birth (based on reproductive biology and genetics) and "minor" as anyone under 18. The law bans funding for any federally-supported research meeting these criteria, regardless of the study's focus.

Maddy summaryHR 5967, the Unemployment Integrity Act of 2023, requires unemployment claimants to participate in job-seeking activities to maintain benefits. Specifically, it mandates that claimants respond to work-related requests, attend reemployment interviews, and comply with reasonable requests like drug testing or skills assessments. The bill also requires states to conduct a study on increasing random audits of unemployment claims and mandates that states adopt these new requirements to receive federal funds for extended unemployment benefits. These changes apply to weeks beginning one year after the bill's enactment, with adjustments for states holding biennial legislative sessions. The law directly affects individuals claiming unemployment benefits by linking eligibility to active job-seeking participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 5796, prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from implementing a proposed rule requiring minimum staffing levels in nursing homes. It creates an advisory panel of 15 members - including rural nursing home staff and experts - to study workforce shortages and report on access barriers for seniors, especially in rural areas. The panel must submit an initial report within 60 days, analyzing staffing challenges and recommending solutions to strengthen the nursing home workforce. These provisions directly aim to prevent nursing home closures (like the 129 that occurred in 2022) that threaten rural seniors’ access to care.

Maddy summaryHR 5713, the Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act, authorizes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents and designated state/local officers to enforce drug laws related to fentanyl trafficking under the Controlled Substances Act for five years. It requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review and report on coordination between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and HSI in drug investigations within 18 months, including whether investigations followed established coordination policies. The bill mandates the Homeland Security Secretary and Attorney General to address any coordination failures found in the GAO report, prioritizing existing interagency task forces. This bill focuses on improving interagency coordination to combat fentanyl smuggling by transnational criminal organizations, without altering DEA's core authorities or creating new drug penalties.

Maddy summaryHR 5408, the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, increases the resource limits for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program eligibility. It raises the individual resource limit from $2,250 to $20,000 (and the couple limit from $1,500 to $10,000) for 2023, with future annual increases tied to inflation using the Consumer Price Index. This change directly affects low-income SSI recipients who currently lose benefits if their savings exceed the current thresholds. The key mechanism is raising these savings limits to reduce the "penalty" for saving modest amounts, while maintaining program integrity through automatic inflation adjustments.

Maddy summaryHR 5208, the Health Care Provider Shortage Minimization Act of 2023, clarifies tax treatment for temporary healthcare workers. It amends the tax code to specify that locum tenens physicians and advanced care practitioners (like nurse practitioners or physician assistants) providing services for up to one year at a single site are not treated as employees for tax purposes. This means the workers themselves, the healthcare facilities hiring them, and payors avoid employer tax obligations related to these temporary services. The bill directly affects temporary healthcare providers and facilities seeking to fill staffing gaps without complex employment tax compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how the President can adjust imports for national security reasons. It requires Congress to approve such actions within 60 days through a joint resolution, rather than the President acting unilaterally. The bill redefines "covered articles" as items related to military equipment, energy resources, or critical infrastructure, and shifts investigations from the Commerce Department to the Defense Department. It also creates an exclusion process for certain imports and mandates reports on the economic effects of import adjustments. These changes increase congressional oversight of trade actions with national security implications.