Sen. Jon Husted

Maddy summaryThe Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility Act modifies how businesses calculate interest expense limits for tax purposes. It removes a specific exception related to adjusted taxable income calculations that was added in previous legislation. This change applies to tax years starting after December 31, 2025, affecting businesses that deduct interest expenses on their federal income tax returns. The bill aims to alter the rules governing Section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code without changing the overall cap on deductible interest.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors the memory and sacrifice of six Air Force personnel who died in a KC-135 Stratotanker accident over Iraq on March 12, 2026. The bill formally recognizes the service members from Alabama and Ohio who were killed while supporting Operation Epic Fury. It expresses condolences to their families and directs a copy of the resolution to the two Air National Guard units where the fallen served. The measure serves as a commemorative gesture rather than establishing new policy or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled Sammy's Law, requires large social media platforms with over 100 million monthly users or $1 billion in annual revenue to provide real-time access to third-party safety software providers. These platforms must create application programming interfaces that allow children under 17 or their parents to delegate control over the child's online interactions, content, and account settings to approved safety software providers. The third-party providers must register with the Federal Trade Commission, agree not to sell user data, and delete data within five days after a delegation ends. The bill also prohibits states from creating their own conflicting regulations on this matter and gives the FTC authority to enforce compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require voters in federal elections to show a valid photo identification card in order to cast their ballot. It applies to both in-person voting and mail-in ballots, with exceptions for uniformed service members and individuals with specific disabilities. The bill defines acceptable forms of ID as state-issued driver's licenses, state ID cards, passports, military IDs, or tribal government IDs, and requires states to provide free digital imaging devices at public buildings to help voters make copies of their identification. Voters who cannot produce ID would be allowed to cast a provisional ballot and later verify their eligibility by providing the ID or submitting an affidavit explaining a religious objection to being photographed. States must also notify all voter registration applicants about this requirement at the time of registration.

Maddy summaryS 2903, the Safe Step Act, requires health insurance plans and employers offering health coverage to establish a clear, timely process for patients or doctors to request exceptions when step therapy protocols (where insurers require trying cheaper drugs first) would harm a patient. It mandates approval for exceptions if prior drugs failed, delay would cause severe harm, a drug is unsafe, or a patient is stable on their current medication. Plans must respond to requests within 72 hours (or 24 hours in emergencies) and cover the requested drug without extra cost-sharing. The bill also requires annual reports to the government on exception requests, approvals, denials, and trends by medical condition or specialty. This directly affects patients on health plans with step therapy, their doctors, and the insurers managing those plans.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act requires that financial assistance from non-profit organizations or prescription drug manufacturers counts toward patients' annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing limits (like deductibles and copays) for certain prescription drugs. It directly affects individuals enrolled in group health plans or individual insurance who receive such assistance, ensuring payments from these sources reduce their total out-of-pocket spending. The bill amends key healthcare laws to include these payments in calculating cost-sharing thresholds, specifically for specialty drugs and drugs subject to utilization management (like prior authorization). It takes effect for plan years beginning in 2026 and does not change how utilization management tools are applied.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Stop Insider Trading Act, would restrict Members of Congress and their spouses and dependents from purchasing stocks in publicly traded companies. It requires these individuals to provide advance public notice at least seven days before selling any covered investments, with the notice filed with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate. The law includes exceptions for certain occupational transactions and reinvested dividends, and establishes penalties including fees and mandatory sales for violations.

Maddy summaryThe Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act establishes a regulatory framework for digital commodity exchanges, brokers, and dealers that handle digital assets like cryptocurrencies. It requires these entities to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), implement customer protection measures including the use of qualified digital asset custodians, and meet transparency and reporting requirements. The bill defines key terms like "digital commodity" and creates new rules for how these entities must operate, while also establishing an Office of the Digital Commodity Retail Advocate to represent retail investors in digital commodity markets.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Critical Minerals Investment Tax Modernization Act of 2026, changes how mining companies calculate tax deductions for extracting rare earth minerals. It directly affects businesses that mine rare earth elements by increasing their allowable percentage depletion rate from the current standard to 22 percent. The specific minerals covered include the 15 lanthanide elements and scandium, which are now added to the list of resources eligible for this higher tax deduction. The change applies to taxable years beginning after the bill is enacted, allowing companies to deduct a larger portion of their mining costs from their taxable income.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, prohibits health insurance companies and group health plans from entering into contracts with healthcare providers that include certain anticompetitive restrictions. Specifically, it bans agreements that prevent insurers from steering patients toward different providers, require insurers to make additional agreements with related entities, force payment rate agreements with affiliates not involved in the contract, or stop other insurers from paying lower rates for the same services. The law includes exceptions for certain types of healthcare networks like health maintenance organizations and value-based care arrangements, allows states to grandfather existing contracts for up to 10 years if they are unlikely to reduce competition, and requires federal agencies to create implementing regulations within one year of enactment.