Rep. Mike Thompson

Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.) On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden. The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent.

Maddy summaryHRES 701 is a House resolution requesting the President to provide documents about the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to Social Security Administration data. It specifically seeks records related to a cloud system hosting the Social Security Numerical Identification System (NUMIDENT), including security plans, the purpose of the cloud copy (e.g., audits, benefits decisions, AI training), and access by named individuals. The resolution requires the President to submit these materials within 14 days of adoption. This is an inquiry, not a policy change, focused solely on transparency about government data access.

Maddy summaryHR 5309, the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025, authorizes a posthumous Congressional gold medal for Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights attorney and judge. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to strike the medal with her image and name, to be presented to her son, Joel W. Motley III, and her niece, Constance Royster. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates at cost to cover expenses, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint fund. This is a commemorative measure with no substantive policy changes, honoring Motley’s legacy as the first African-American woman appointed to a federal judgeship.

Maddy summaryThe RESULTS Act (HR 5269) changes how Medicare calculates payment rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. It requires Medicare to collect data on private payor rates for widely available non-Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (non-ADLTs) from a qualifying independent claims data entity (a national nonprofit organization meeting specific criteria) rather than relying on data reported directly by laboratories. For tests where data is unavailable, the bill establishes default payment rates based on previous years' rates adjusted for inflation. The law also requires Medicare to publicly explain payment rates with supporting data, affecting Medicare beneficiaries, clinical laboratories, and private payors that provide services covered by Medicare.

Maddy summaryHR 3593, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025, reauthorizes and expands federal funding for nursing education programs to address workforce shortages. It directly affects nursing schools, nurse practitioner, nurse-midwifery, nurse anesthesia, and clinical nurse specialist programs by expanding grant eligibility to include these specific training pathways. Key provisions include increasing annual funding from $137 million to $184 million (2026-2030), requiring schools to use funds for simulation/technology resources and faculty/student expansion, and adding clinical partnerships with healthcare facilities. The bill also updates terminology and adds protections for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in nursing education settings.

Maddy summaryHRES 684 is a non-binding House resolution designating September 9, 2025, as "National Firearm Suicide Prevention Day." It aims to raise public awareness about firearm suicide statistics (including that firearms were used in 55% of U.S. suicides in 2023) and promote safe firearm storage as a key suicide prevention strategy. The resolution encourages health professionals to discuss safe storage with patients and supports existing awareness efforts led by organizations like Brady and End Family Fire. It directly affects the public and healthcare providers by emphasizing evidence-based prevention practices, not by creating new laws.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 686) is a symbolic, non-binding measure supporting the designation of September 14-20, 2025, as "Telehealth Awareness Week." It does not create new laws or policies but urges continued telehealth flexibilities beyond September 30, 2025, and promotes awareness of telehealth benefits. The resolution directly affects no specific group, as it serves only to raise public and stakeholder awareness about telehealth access. It references existing Medicare telehealth usage data (e.g., 6.7 million beneficiaries using telehealth in 2024) but does not alter any regulations or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new tax exclusion to the Internal Revenue Code, allowing individuals to exclude certain wildfire relief payments from their taxable income. It directly affects wildfire victims who receive compensation for losses like property damage, additional living expenses, or emotional distress from federally declared wildfires (after 2014), but only if the payments aren’t covered by insurance. The exclusion prevents double tax benefits by disallowing deductions for expenses already covered by the excluded payments, and it expires for payments received after December 31, 2032. The provision applies to payments received after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to extend eligibility to school support staff, including paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and clerical staff. It allows these employees to qualify for FMLA leave if they work 60% of their expected monthly hours (instead of the standard 1,250 hours), based on their school’s assigned schedule. Employers must maintain records of expected hours for each staff member. The change directly benefits part-time and seasonal education support staff who previously faced barriers to FMLA coverage.

Maddy summaryHRES 675 is a symbolic resolution expressing the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating September 2025 as "National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month." It directly affects all Americans, particularly men at risk of prostate cancer - including those with family history, African-American men (who face higher incidence and mortality rates), and men under 65 (40% of new cases). The resolution calls for raising public awareness about screening methods, encouraging research into prevention and treatment, and promoting community actions to combat prostate cancer. It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but urges public and private efforts to improve early detection and outcomes.