Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1677, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act) requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary treatments for congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. It mandates coverage for reconstructive services, dental/orthodontic care, and related treatments during the course of medical treatment, while excluding purely cosmetic procedures not medically necessary. Plans may apply cost-sharing requirements similar to those for other medical services but must provide notice about these coverage requirements to participants by January 1, 2026. The bill also directs a study on provider network adequacy and cost impacts related to these coverage requirements, to be completed by December 2027.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe SPARC Act creates a federal loan repayment program to address specialty healthcare shortages in rural areas. It provides up to $250,000 in repayment for specialty physicians (non-primary care doctors) and non-physician providers (like nurse practitioners) who commit to six years of full-time work in underserved rural communities. Eligible loans include federal education debts like Stafford and Perkins loans, with participants required to serve in designated shortage areas to receive benefits. The program prevents double-benefits with other federal loan forgiveness programs and requires annual reporting on program impact through 2033.
Maddy summaryThe Child Care Workforce Act (S 846) establishes a federal pilot program to boost pay for eligible child care workers in states, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations. It provides competitive grants to fund wage supplements targeting low-wage workers, aiming to attract and retain staff, improve well-being, and increase access to quality, affordable child care - particularly in underserved areas and for infants/toddlers or children with disabilities. Grantees must prioritize funding for high-need regions, pay supplements quarterly, and provide workers with tax/public benefit information, with up to 10% of funds allowed for administrative costs. The program will be evaluated after two years to measure impacts on worker retention, service quality, and affordability.
Maddy summaryS. Res. 650 is a Senate resolution that formally recognizes the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States. The resolution highlights their achievements in military service, business ownership, healthcare, science, arts, and civil rights advocacy through specific examples of individual women. It does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of their historical and ongoing contributions to American society.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to work with the Secretary of Defense and submit a report to Congress within 180 days on emerging threats facing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The report will examine military, cyber, and political dangers from countries like Russia, Belarus, China, and Iran, while also assessing current U.S. and NATO security presence in the region. It includes recommendations for improving defense cooperation, cybersecurity, and democratic resilience in the Baltic states, and highlights opportunities to strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships. The legislation reflects Congress's view that supporting these NATO allies aligns with U.S. national security interests.
Maddy summaryThe Love Lives On Act of 2025 modifies veterans' and military survivors' benefit rules to prevent remarriage from automatically ending eligibility. It directly affects surviving spouses of veterans or military members who remarried, ensuring they retain access to key benefits. Key provisions include: (1) preventing termination of veterans' dependency compensation (under 38 U.S.C. §1311/1562) due to remarriage; (2) stopping termination of military Survivor Benefit Plan annuities solely for remarriage, with specific rules for those who remarried before age 55; and (3) expanding TRICARE coverage to include remarried widows/widowers whose subsequent marriage ended (via death, divorce, or annulment). These changes restore or maintain benefits that were previously lost upon remarriage.
Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act, amends the Clayton Act to increase transparency and oversight in antitrust enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. The legislation requires that proposed consent judgments and voluntary dismissals be published in the Federal Register at least 45 days before taking effect, allowing for public comment and review. It also clarifies the public interest standard courts must apply when evaluating antitrust settlements and expands intervention rights for state attorneys general in certain cases. Additionally, the bill strengthens protections against improper communications between government officials and private parties during antitrust proceedings.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to update terminology related to military members' credit protections. It replaces the outdated term "active duty military consumer" with the broader "armed forces member consumer," which now includes all military members regardless of current duty status (e.g., active duty, reservists, National Guard). This change ensures credit reporting rules consistently apply to all service members when credit bureaus handle their information. The amendment directly affects how credit bureaus and lenders identify and apply protections under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for military personnel.
Maddy summaryThe Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (S 836) extends COPPA protections to teens aged 13-17 by requiring websites, apps, and online services to obtain verifiable consent from parents for children or from teens themselves before collecting or using their personal information for purposes beyond the service. It defines "personal information" broadly to include biometric data, voice recordings, persistent identifiers, and geolocation information, and prohibits using such information for individual-specific advertising without consent. The bill mandates clear notice about data practices and gives children and teens rights to access, correct, and delete their personal information. Additionally, it requires the FTC to conduct studies on mobile app oversight and the GAO to study teen privacy in financial technology products.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026, makes two main changes to federal health insurance programs. First, it allows podiatric physicians to provide covered physician services under Medicaid, ensuring patients have access to specialized foot and ankle care. Second, it updates Medicare rules to clarify documentation requirements for diabetic shoes, specifying that a physician must confirm a patient has diabetes and related foot conditions before these shoes are covered. The changes take effect on January 1, 2026 for Medicaid podiatry services and January 1, 2028 for Medicare diabetic shoe documentation.