Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and other intermediaries affect prescription drug prices and competition. Specifically, the FTC must report within one year on whether PBMs charge different prices to pharmacies, steer patients toward pharmacies they own, use pharmacy data for profit, or design formularies to favor expensive drugs. The bill also mandates an interim report within six months and a separate study on sole-source drug manufacturers and enforcement challenges. It does not directly change drug prices or create new regulations, but instead seeks to gather data to inform potential future policy actions. The study focuses on transparency and competition in the pharmaceutical supply chain, with no immediate price-reducing mechanisms.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe S-CAP Act of 2025 increases the maximum number of shareholders allowed for an S corporation from 100 to 250. This change directly affects small businesses that currently operate as S corporations and wish to grow their ownership structure by adding more shareholders. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to adjust this shareholder limit, simplifying ownership expansion for qualifying businesses. The new rule takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal rules governing physician self-referral to improve access for rural hospitals. It creates a new exemption for "covered rural hospitals" (defined as rural facilities meeting specific criteria) from certain referral restrictions, while clarifying they aren't required to meet additional criteria. It also removes a prohibition on expanding existing physician-owned hospitals, allowing such expansions to begin immediately upon enactment. The changes directly affect rural hospitals qualifying under the new definition and physician-owned hospitals seeking to expand. The bill modifies existing Social Security Act provisions without creating new programs or funding.
Maddy summaryS 1347, the Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025, creates federal grants to expand dual enrollment and early college high school programs for public high school students. The bill directly affects high school students, particularly those from low-income families, attending rural schools, or being first-generation college students, by covering tuition, fees, and materials for college courses taken while in high school. Key provisions include requiring grant recipients to partner with local schools, prioritize underserved students, and use funds for professional development, course design, and student outreach. Recipients must also conduct evaluations tracking student enrollment and credit transfers, with annual reports to Congress on program outcomes.
Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 159) is a ceremonial Senate measure honoring the late Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr. (1932-2024), who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate from 1972 to 1997. It commemorates his career, including his work on energy policy, flood control, and Louisiana conservation efforts, and requests the Senate adjourn in his memory while sending condolences to his family. As a non-binding resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on any individuals or laws.
Maddy summaryS 1289 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell commemorative $5 gold and $1 silver coins to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The bill specifies coin specifications (e.g., 90% gold/silver content, design requirements including "Never Forget"), sets a one-year issuance window (January 1, 2027-2028), and requires surcharges of $35 per gold coin and $10 per silver coin. These surcharges will be paid directly to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance, with coins sold at a price covering face value, surcharge, and production costs. The legislation does not impose new regulations or affect public policy but focuses on commemoration and funding for the museum.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. (including domestically manufactured, imported, or shipped vehicles) to include AM radio as standard equipment, meaning it must be built into the vehicle at no extra cost to buyers. It mandates that manufacturers install AM radio receivers that can access both traditional and digital AM broadcast stations, with compliance deadlines set 2-4 years after the rule is issued. During a transition period before the rule takes effect, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio but cannot charge extra for AM access. The bill also prohibits states from creating their own requirements about AM radio access in vehicles, aiming to ensure consistent emergency alert capabilities through AM radio in cars.
Maddy summaryThe Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish, within two years of enactment, specific contamination limits for morphine, codeine, and other opiates in poppy seeds. Poppy seeds exceeding these limits would be banned from interstate commerce as adulterated food under federal law. The bill also clarifies that contaminated poppy seeds above these thresholds remain subject to the Controlled Substances Act. This directly affects poppy seed producers, food manufacturers, and retailers by setting new safety standards for poppy seed products.
Maddy summaryThe CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 expands Medicare coverage for telehealth services by removing geographic restrictions that previously limited where patients could receive telehealth care. It allows more healthcare providers to offer telehealth services, including expanding eligibility for practitioners and removing the six-month in-person visit requirement for telemental health. The bill also includes specific provisions for Federally Qualified Health Centers, rural health clinics, and Native American health facilities to better integrate telehealth into their services. Additionally, it establishes program integrity measures to address billing patterns and requires the posting of telehealth service data to improve transparency and quality measurement. These changes aim to make telehealth more accessible for Medicare beneficiaries, particularly in rural areas and for underserved populations.
Maddy summaryS 1224, the RIFLE Act, eliminates the federal tax on firearm transfers by repealing Section 5811 of the Internal Revenue Code. This directly affects firearm sellers and buyers, removing a tax they previously paid on transactions. The bill includes technical adjustments to other tax code sections to reflect the repeal and clarifies that firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act remain outside the jurisdiction of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The changes take effect after the bill is enacted.