Maddy summaryThe Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 would provide fertility treatment and counseling to active duty military members and their spouses, partners, and gestational surrogates without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status. It requires the Department of Defense to establish procedures for preserving reproductive genetic material before deployment or hazardous assignments and to coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs for seamless care transitions. The bill also extends similar fertility services to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs, including adoption assistance with a limit of three covered adoptions. It would amend existing law to include fertility treatment under the definition of medical services for veterans.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 2557, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, requires the Department of Justice to make publicly available, within 30 days of enactment, all unclassified records related to Jeffrey Epstein's investigations, associates (like Ghislaine Maxwell), travel logs, immunity deals, and DOJ internal communications. It mandates the release in a searchable format while prohibiting redactions based on embarrassment or political sensitivity. The bill allows limited redactions only for victim privacy, child pornography, active investigations, graphic content, or national security classifications, with detailed justifications required for any withholdings. The Attorney General must also submit a report to Congress listing all released materials, redactions, and names of officials referenced in the documents. This bill directly affects the DOJ's handling of Epstein-related records and provides the public access to previously withheld information.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the fictional "United States DOGE Service" (referencing Executive Order 14158) to report all instances where its teams accessed federal agency systems within 30 days of enactment. It mandates a Comptroller General audit of federal systems accessed by the DOGE Service, prioritizing Social Security, health, and tax agencies for initial review within one year. The audit must identify security vulnerabilities and recommend fixes, with agencies required to address issues within 90 days of receiving audit reports. The bill creates procedural requirements for oversight of the fictional entity's system access, with no substantive policy changes beyond these reporting and audit obligations.
Maddy summaryS 2549, the Time Off to Vote Act, requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide workers with 2 hours of paid leave during open voting hours for federal elections. This covers voting in person, returning mail ballots, or other voting activities, with employers allowed to set the specific 2-hour window (excluding lunch breaks) but not denying the leave. The law prohibits retaliation against employees who take this leave and authorizes the Department of Labor to enforce it, imposing civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation for noncompliance. It does not override stricter state voting leave laws but takes effect before the next federal election after enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill permanently extends the enhanced premium tax credit for Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance plans, directly affecting millions of lower-income households (earning 150%-400% of the federal poverty level) who purchase coverage through state or federal marketplaces. It establishes a sliding-scale percentage system where the tax credit reduces monthly premiums based on income, starting at 0% for households earning up to 150% of poverty and increasing to 8.5% for those earning 300%-400% of poverty. The bill replaces temporary provisions with permanent rules, ensuring consistent cost-sharing support for eligible buyers. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.
Maddy summaryThe Food Date Labeling Act of 2025 establishes uniform phrases for food date labels to reduce consumer confusion: "BEST If Used By" (or "BB" for small packages) for quality dates (when food quality may decline but it remains safe) and "USE By" (or "UB") for discard dates (when food should not be consumed). Food manufacturers must display these labels prominently in clear type on packaging, with optional use of technologies like QR codes. The bill preempts state laws requiring different labeling standards but allows states to enforce the uniform phrases, while excluding infant formula from its requirements. It mandates consumer education on label meanings within two years and takes effect for labels on products two years after enactment.
Maddy summaryThe EATS Act of 2025 (S 2512) expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include most college students. It directly affects full-time undergraduate students enrolled at least half-time in recognized higher education institutions by removing their current exclusion from SNAP benefits. The bill revises the definition of "household" under SNAP rules and eliminates the prior requirement that students meet separate conditions to qualify. This change, effective January 2026, would allow millions of students to access food assistance without additional barriers.
Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 strengthens voting rights protections by requiring preclearance for certain voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination. It establishes new preclearance requirements for changes to election methods, district boundaries, voter ID rules, and polling locations. The bill updates standards for determining when voting practices deny or abridge rights, particularly for racial, ethnic, and language minority groups. It also requires transparency about voting changes through public notices and strengthens enforcement mechanisms for voting rights violations. The bill directly affects states and localities with documented histories of voting discrimination, aiming to protect minority voters' rights.
Maddy summaryS 2500, the Research for Healthy Soils Act, authorizes federal research grants to study microplastics (plastic particles under 5mm) in biosolids applied to farmland. It directs the USDA to fund specific research on microplastic concentrations in agricultural soil, wastewater treatment methods to remove microplastics, impacts on crops and soil health, and microplastic movement in farmland. The bill does not regulate microplastic use but supports scientific understanding of potential agricultural effects. It affects agricultural researchers and institutions receiving these grants, extending related research funding through 2031. The focus is strictly on gathering data and developing solutions, not on policy changes for farmers or regulators.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $50 million annually from 2026 through 2031 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to fund research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. It directly affects the CDC and researchers by providing dedicated funding to study these topics under the Public Health Service Act. The key mechanism is a specific annual funding allocation, added to existing resources, to support new or ongoing research initiatives. The bill does not create new regulations or restrict gun ownership but focuses solely on enabling evidence-based research. This is a funding measure, not a policy change affecting the public directly.