Rep. Mark B. Messmer

Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act of 2025 or the Veterans' ACCESS Act of 2025 This bill addresses the administration of the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and other Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care matters. Among other provisions regarding the VCCP, the bill establishes in statute access standards that determine when a veteran is eligible to receive non-VA care through the VCCP, requires the VA to notify veterans regarding their eligibility for care within two business days after the VA is aware the veteran is seeking care, and extends the deadline for the submittal of claims under the VCCP by health care entities and providers. The VA must address its mental health treatment programs by establishing a standardized screening process to determine whether a veteran satisfies criteria for priority or routine admission to a mental health residential rehabilitation treatment program or a program for residential care for mental health and substance abuse disorders, tracking the performance of medical facilities and Veterans Integrated Service Networks in meeting the requirements for mental health treatment screenings and timely admission to treatment programs under such screenings, and establishing an appeal process for when a veteran is denied admission to a covered treatment program or is accepted into a program but not offered bed placement in a timely manner. Additionally, the VA must establish an online self-service module for veterans to request and manage appointments, track referrals, and appeal and track decisions related to requests for care.

Maddy summaryHR 4335, the Abraham Accords Defense Against Terror Act, streamlines U.S. defense exports to countries that have normalized relations with Israel (via the Abraham Accords) and cooperate with the U.S. on countering Iran and Iran-aligned threats in the Middle East and North Africa. The bill authorizes the Secretary of State to identify qualifying countries and fast-tracks approval for military sales, leases, or transfers to them, requiring a 15-day congressional notification with specific safeguards. Key safeguards include ensuring sensitive U.S. technology isn’t shared with China or Russia and mandating regular strategy reports to Congress on implementation, threat assessments, and pending defense deals over $25 million. This directly affects participating Middle Eastern nations and U.S. defense export processes, aiming to accelerate security cooperation without altering Israel’s military edge. The bill focuses on procedural changes to expedite defense cooperation, not on new funding or policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 3613, the Streamlining Foreign Military Sales Act of 2025, amends the Arms Export Control Act by raising multiple financial thresholds for foreign military sales. It increases specific dollar limits, such as raising the threshold for certain sales from $250,000 to $500,000 (Section 36(a)(10)), and from $7 million to $30 million (Section 25(a)(1)). These changes affect defense contractors and U.S. government agencies processing foreign military sales under the Arms Export Control Act. The bill directly modifies existing financial caps without creating new programs or altering substantive approval processes.

Maddy summaryHR 4531, the BANNED in Latin America Act, requires the U.S. Secretary of State to create a strategy within 180 days to counter Iranian and Hezbollah influence operations in Latin America. The strategy must include specific actions like limiting Iranian cultural centers promoting Iranian ideology, restricting travel of Iranian agents through visa denials or sanctions, strengthening U.S. intelligence monitoring of these networks, disrupting Iranian media platforms (HispanTV) and Hezbollah media (Al Mayadeen Espanol), and addressing Al Mustafa International University's radicalization role. The bill directly affects Iranian and Hezbollah entities operating in Latin America through diplomatic, financial, and travel restrictions. It mandates this strategy be submitted to Congress, with specific provisions targeting their propaganda, cultural, and media activities. The bill focuses on concrete policy mechanisms to counter these groups' influence, not on direct sanctions or military action.

Maddy summaryHR 1919, the "Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act," prohibits the Federal Reserve from developing, testing, or issuing any central bank digital currency (CBDC) or similar digital assets. It specifically bans the Fed from offering direct financial products to individuals, maintaining individual accounts, or issuing CBDCs directly or indirectly through intermediaries like banks. The bill also blocks the Fed from using any digital asset for monetary policy and clarifies that physical currency's privacy protections remain intact. This policy directly affects the Federal Reserve System's ability to create or manage digital monetary tools.

Maddy summaryHR 4363, the Defend Girls Athletics Act, requires public K-12 schools and colleges to certify annually that they comply with Executive Order 14201, which mandates keeping men out of women's sports. Schools must submit written compliance certifications by August 15 each year (for K-12) or July 1 (for colleges), with states reporting non-compliant agencies to the federal government. Schools or colleges failing to certify or violating the rule risk losing federal education funding, including returning unobligated funds and becoming ineligible for future federal support. The bill directly affects all public schools and colleges receiving federal education funds by tying their eligibility to adherence to this sports participation requirement.

Maddy summaryThe PBM Reform Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency and fairness in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) operations within Medicare Part D and Medicaid programs. The bill requires Medicare Part D plans to allow any pharmacy meeting standard terms to join their networks, establishes "essential retail pharmacies" in underserved areas (with limited pharmacy access), and mandates detailed reporting on drug pricing, rebates, and reimbursement rates. It creates a process for pharmacies to report PBM violations of reasonable contract terms and prohibits "spread pricing" in Medicaid, where PBMs retain the difference between what they pay pharmacies and what they charge plans. These provisions aim to improve pharmacy access for Medicare beneficiaries and ensure fairer reimbursement practices for pharmacies.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes technical corrections to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 to streamline claims for individuals harmed by water contamination at Camp Lejeune. It clarifies the evidence required (30+ days at the base plus a link between contaminants and health harm), specifies that cases must be handled in North Carolina courts (with limited transfer options), and sets attorney fee caps (20% before suit, 25% after). These changes directly affect veterans and civilians who lived at Camp Lejeune and filed claims under the 2022 law. The bill does not create new eligibility but aims to improve the legal process for existing cases.

Maddy summaryThe LEDGER Act (HR 4091) requires the Treasury Department to create a system tracking every government payment within 180 days of enactment. It mandates that all federal departments, agencies, and branches (executive, legislative, judicial) must report disbursements from every funding source, including how long funds remain available for spending. This system will detail each payment's origin, recipient, and timing across all government accounts. The bill directly affects all federal spending entities by standardizing expenditure tracking previously handled inconsistently.

Maddy summaryThe GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive homeland missile defense system designed to protect U.S. citizens and critical infrastructure from ballistic, hypersonic, cruise, and unmanned system threats. The bill creates a new Golden Dome Direct Report Program Manager with significant authority to accelerate development, testing, and deployment of integrated missile defense capabilities across all domains (land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace). It requires a holistic strategy with all-domain awareness, mandates accelerated testing schedules including live-fire exercises, and allocates specific funding for components like space-based sensors, interceptors, and command and control systems. The legislation also includes provisions to protect the space industrial base and secure critical supply chains for missile defense systems.