Rep. Debbie Lesko

Maddy summaryThis bill makes permanent Medicare coverage for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services delivered via telehealth in patients' homes, which were temporarily allowed during the pandemic. It removes geographic restrictions that previously required in-person visits or limited services to specific locations like clinics. The change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries needing heart or lung rehabilitation and healthcare providers offering these programs. It ensures home-based telehealth visits for cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation receive the same coverage as in-clinic services under Medicare.

Maddy summaryHR 1276, the "Protect Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023," creates a legal right for minors who undergo gender-transition procedures before age 18 to sue medical practitioners for harms (physical, psychological, or emotional) related to those procedures. It allows such individuals to file civil lawsuits up to 30 years after turning 18, seeking damages, injunctions, or attorney fees. The bill defines "gender-transition procedure" broadly to include puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries, but excludes treatments for intersex conditions, medical emergencies, or injuries caused by prior procedures. This law directly affects minors receiving such care, medical practitioners performing these procedures, and states that might require them. The bill does not prohibit gender-transition care but establishes a liability framework for practitioners.

Maddy summaryHR 751, the FAIR Act, requires hospitals running medical residency programs to report annual data on applicants and acceptances from both osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) medical schools starting in 2024. Specifically, hospitals must submit the number of applicants and accepted candidates from each medical school type, confirm they accept both DO and MD applicants, and state that COMLEX and USMLE exam scores are equally accepted. The Health Secretary must then publish this data online for public transparency. The bill directly affects hospitals operating residency programs and aims to make their admissions processes more visible, without mandating specific acceptance rates or changing admission criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Social Security Act to exclude wages earned and self-employment income derived from unauthorized employment in the United States from being counted toward Social Security credits. It directly affects undocumented immigrants who work without authorization, preventing those earnings from contributing to their future Social Security benefits. The law changes existing Social Security rules by adding specific exclusions for "service performed by an alien while employed... not authorized to be so employed" and similar self-employment activities. These changes apply to all wages and income earned before, during, or after the bill's enactment, with Social Security recompiling existing benefit calculations to reflect the new rules.

Maddy summaryHR 549, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, removes waiting periods for disability and Medicare coverage for people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Specifically, it amends Social Security Act sections to allow immediate eligibility for disability insurance benefits (eliminating the standard waiting period) and immediate Medicare coverage (waiving the 24-month waiting period) for these patients. The bill directly affects individuals with metastatic breast cancer who would otherwise face delays in accessing critical benefits. These changes apply to applications filed or benefits beginning after the bill's enactment date. The law makes no other policy changes beyond these specific eligibility adjustments.

Maddy summaryHR 407, the "Protect the UNBORN Act," prohibits federal agencies from implementing or enforcing two specific executive orders issued by President Biden in 2022 (Executive Orders 14076 and 14079), which aimed to protect access to reproductive healthcare services. The bill bans the use of federal funds, including those from the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, to carry out, administer, or enforce these executive orders. It directly affects federal agencies and programs that would otherwise comply with the Biden administration's policies on reproductive healthcare access. The bill does not create new healthcare rules but blocks the implementation of existing executive actions.

Maddy summaryHR 319, the Legal Workforce Act, establishes a new government-run system for verifying employment eligibility in the United States. The bill requires employers to verify the identity and work authorization of new hires using specific documents (such as passports, driver's licenses, or employment authorization cards) through a new verification system, with implementation timelines varying by employer size (6-24 months after enactment). It replaces the previous E-Verify system, includes special provisions for agricultural workers with 30-month implementation timelines, and establishes penalties for non-compliance ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 per violation. The law also creates new procedures for reverifying employees with limited work authorization and includes provisions to prevent identity fraud in the verification process.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans federal funding for abortions in most cases, prohibiting the use of taxpayer money for abortion services or health insurance plans covering abortion. Exceptions allow funding for abortions resulting from rape, incest, or when a pregnancy endangers a woman's life. It requires health insurance plans sold through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces to clearly disclose any separate costs for abortion coverage and prohibits ACA subsidies from being used for plans that cover abortion (except in the specified exceptions). The law directly affects federal programs like Medicaid, ACA marketplace plans, and insurers offering health coverage to individuals using federal subsidies.

Maddy summaryHR 152, titled the "Hearing Protection Act," actually addresses firearm silencers (suppressors), not hearing protection. The bill removes federal registration requirements for silencers by directing the Attorney General to destroy all existing silencer records within 365 days. It also preempts state laws that tax, register, or impose recordkeeping requirements on silencers, making such state rules unenforceable. Additionally, the bill updates tax codes to include silencers as taxable items and clarifies their definition in firearm laws.

Maddy summaryThe Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 establishes a limited pilot program allowing non-responsible parties (called "Good Samaritans") to remediate pollution at abandoned hardrock mine sites. The bill creates a permit process requiring applicants to demonstrate they're not liable for the pollution, can safely complete the remediation, and will protect the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency would issue up to 15 permits for these projects, providing liability protection for permitted activities while requiring public notice and environmental review. The pilot program would expire after 7 years, with the EPA required to report on its effectiveness to Congress.