Rep. Michael A. Rulli

Maddy summaryHR 1330 establishes the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, authorizing its location within the National Mall's "Reserve" area. The bill requires the Smithsonian Board to coordinate with federal agencies managing potential museum sites, including notifying relevant congressional committees before land transfers. It mandates that the museum's exhibits and programs accurately represent the diverse cultures, histories, and viewpoints of Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S., seeking input from a broad range of community experts. The Smithsonian must also submit regular reports to Congress detailing compliance with these representation requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 1345, the Gas Can Freedom Act of 2025, repeals two existing federal safety laws: the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020 and the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act. This bill removes requirements that portable gasoline containers must include flame mitigation devices or child-resistant features. As a result, the Consumer Product Safety Commission can no longer enforce these specific safety standards for fuel containers. The bill directly affects manufacturers of portable fuel containers and consumers who purchase them, eliminating these regulatory requirements.

Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2025 This bill increases penalties for, and establishes additional enforcement mechanisms related to, fraudulent and grossly negligent violations of U.S. customs laws. Specifically, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a fraudulent violation to three times the domestic value of the merchandise. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the domestic value of the merchandise.) It prohibits a person who commits a fraudulent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a five-year period. Additionally, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a grossly negligent violation to the lesser of (1) 3 times the domestic value of the merchandise; or (2) 10 times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the lesser of the domestic value of the merchandise or four times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees.) It prohibits a person who commits a grossly negligent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a two-year period. Further, the bill applies these importation bans to an affiliated person (e.g., a family member or employee) of the person who committed the fraudulent or grossly negligent violation. The bill establishes a private right of action for an interested party (e.g., a manufacturer) affected by customs fraud or grossly negligent violations. The bill prohibits any person (or an affiliated person) who commits a fraudulent or grossly negligent violation from participating in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Importer of Record program, and further requires revocation of their importer of record numbers.

United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025 This bill requires or authorizes certain actions to increase defense-related cooperation between the United States and Israel. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a cooperative program, with the concurrence of Israel's Ministry of Defense (MOD), to develop and deploy advanced technologies for countering unmanned systems that threaten the United States and Israel; establish in Israel an office of the Defense Innovation Unit (an organization that focuses on rapidly fielding and scaling commercial technology across the U.S. military); and seek to engage Israel's MOD on the ascension of Israel into the national technology and industrial base (currently defined in law as the persons and organizations engaged in research, development, production, integration, services, or information technology activities conducted within the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada). The bill authorizes DOD, upon request of Israel's MOD, to jointly conduct research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics to meet defense challenges. Additionally, the bill extends the authority for DOD to (1) carry out RDT&E on a joint basis with Israel to establish anti-tunnel and counter unmanned aerial systems capabilities through 2028, and (2) transfer defense articles intended for use as reserve stocks for Israel through January 1, 2029.

Alternatives to Prevent Addiction In the Nation Act or the Alternatives to PAIN Act This bill reduces cost-sharing and prohibits the imposition of certain utilization requirements under the Medicare prescription drug benefit for certain non-opioid pain management drugs. Specifically, the bill requires such drugs to be covered without a deductible and to be placed on the lowest cost-sharing tier (if any). The bill also prohibits the imposition of prior authorization requirements (i.e., requiring prior approval from a plan) or step therapy requirements (i.e., requiring the use of alternative drugs before a drug is covered under a plan) with respect to such drugs.

Maddy summaryHR 1243, the United Nations Voting Accountability Act of 2025, blocks U.S. foreign aid to countries that frequently vote against U.S. positions at the United Nations. Specifically, it prohibits aid if a country voted in alignment with U.S. positions less than 50% of the time during the most recent UN General Assembly session. The bill allows the Secretary of State to temporarily exempt a country if it changes leadership and policy to align with U.S. positions, but requires congressional notification and expires after the next annual UN voting report. This affects countries receiving U.S. economic aid, military training, or other monetary/physical assistance under specified programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1269, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025, expands benefits for public safety officers (like police and firefighters) who develop certain cancers linked to their work. It adds 22 specific cancers - including lung, mesothelioma, and breast cancer - to the list of conditions presumed to be "exposure-related" and sustained in the line of duty. This presumption applies if the officer served at least 5 years, was diagnosed with the cancer within 15 years after last active duty, and the cancer directly caused death or permanent disability. The bill also establishes a process for adding new cancers every 3 years based on medical evidence from agencies like NIOSH, and allows claims to be filed within 3 years of the law's enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1207 transfers the administration of the Food for Peace Act's food aid programs from USAID to the Department of Agriculture. This means the Agriculture Secretary, not the USAID Administrator, will now handle all related functions, including managing assets, grants, and rules for distributing U.S. food aid overseas. The bill requires immediate implementation upon enactment, with references in law automatically updating to the Agriculture Secretary, and allows for swift interim rules to maintain program continuity. It also specifies that the Famine Early Warning Systems Network will continue under Agriculture, and the Department must consult with the State Department on certain aspects of the program.

Maddy summaryHR 1172 would amend the Social Security Act to prevent undocumented immigrants from earning Social Security credits for work performed in the U.S. without authorization. It specifically excludes wages earned and self-employment income derived during periods when an individual lacked work authorization from counting toward Social Security benefits. This change applies retroactively to all wages earned before, on, or after the law's enactment, affecting future benefit calculations for undocumented workers. The bill directly impacts individuals working without legal status, ensuring such work does not contribute to their Social Security eligibility or future benefits.

Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act This bill expands the definition of major food allergen to include galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (commonly known as alpha-gal ). Under current law, food labels generally must identify each major food allergen found in labeled food products.  (Certain tick bites cause an allergic condition known as alpha-gal syndrome that can result in an allergy to the alpha-gal molecule, which is found in red meat and other products made from mammals.)