Rep. Michelle Steel

Maddy summaryThis bill protects small businesses from higher unemployment insurance premiums by exempting them from calculations tied to unrepaid state loans. Specifically, it amends tax code provisions so businesses with fewer than 500 employees (as measured at year-end) cannot have their premiums increased due to unpaid state advances. The change applies to taxable years starting after the bill becomes law, directly affecting qualifying small businesses that would otherwise face higher costs. This is a technical adjustment to existing tax code rules, not a new benefit or funding mechanism.

Maddy summary# Summary of Tariff Suspensions and Reductions Document This document is a section of U.S. tariff legislation that adds new duty suspensions and reductions to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. It contains 120 new tariff items (numbered 9902.19.01 through 9902.20.24) that provide temporary duty-free or reduced-duty status for various goods. Key features of the document: 1. **Content**: The list includes chemical compounds, food ingredients, and specialty materials (such as shelled pine nuts, licorice extract, refined carrageenan, various chemicals like neodymium metal, tungsten concentrate, and numerous organic compounds). 2. **Tariff Treatment**: Most entries are listed as "Free" (meaning duty-free), with a few having small duty rates (e.g., 0.7%, 1.8%, 2.3%, 2.9%, 4.3%). 3. **Effective Period**: All listed suspensions and reductions are effective "On or before 12/31/2025." 4. **Purpose**: These tariff suspensions are intended to support specific industries, reduce costs for manufacturers, or provide temporary relief for certain imported goods. 5. **Technical Details**: Each entry includes the chemical name, CAS number, Harmonized Tariff Schedule code, duty rate, and a brief description of the product. This document represents a legislative amendment to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, specifically adding new subchapter II of chapter 99 to provide temporary duty relief for these specific items.

Maddy summaryHR 7865 amends the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act to clarify rules for importing coins and collectible money (numismatic materials). It adds a clear definition specifying that numismatic material includes coins, tokens, paper money, and medals. The bill requires importers to provide evidence that such items were lawfully acquired, are a known type documented in numismatic references, and aren't from illicit excavations. Customs officers cannot demand additional documentation beyond these requirements unless they have evidence of fraud. This directly affects collectors and importers of numismatic items by streamlining the import process for legally acquired pieces.

Maddy summaryHR 7681, the Primary and Virtual Care Affordability Act, extends the telehealth services exemption in tax law until January 2027 (previously expiring in 2025) and creates a new rule allowing high deductible health plans (HDHPs) to not charge deductibles for certain primary care services. The bill specifically exempts primary care visits from general practitioners, pediatricians, nurses, and physician assistants (as defined by law) from triggering HDHP deductible requirements through 2023. This directly affects HDHPs, primary care providers, and patients using these services by potentially lowering out-of-pocket costs for routine care. The bill also requires a study tracking how the policy impacts plan design, premiums, and healthcare utilization, with reports due to Congress within a year of enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 7449 reduces the maximum allowable administrative spending for states administering federal assistance programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) from 15% to 10% of program funds. This directly affects state agencies managing these programs by requiring them to lower overhead costs, redirecting more funds toward direct services. The bill also extends TANF program funding through September 2026, maintaining current funding levels and administrative structures. These changes take effect October 1, 2025, and do not alter benefit amounts or eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryThe EASE Act of 2024 requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to test a new model improving access to specialty health care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in rural or underserved areas. It mandates CMS to partner with selected provider networks - comprising at least 50 community health clinics, nonprofits with proven community health work, and commitment to research - to deliver specialty care via telehealth and remote technology, coordinated with patients’ primary care providers. This model directly affects Medicare Part A/B beneficiaries and Medicaid enrollees living in designated underserved regions. The bill establishes specific criteria for network selection and defines "eligible individuals" based on coverage type and geographic location.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicare coverage to include additional FDA-approved lung cancer screening tests beyond the current standard. It allows the Medicare program to cover new preventive screening tests for eligible beneficiaries, determined by the Secretary, with frequency and payment limits set by Medicare. The key mechanism updates Medicare's coverage rules to permit these new tests using the existing national coverage determination process, without requiring additional regulatory steps. This change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for lung cancer screening, potentially increasing access to newer, evidence-based screening options. The bill applies to Part B Medicare coverage for screenings provided on or after its effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the "competitive need limitation" for duty-free imports from beneficiary developing countries under the Trade Act of 1974. It increases the annual cap for eligible imports from $75 million to $600 million and changes how the limit is calculated to count only duty-free entries during a calendar year. The President must restore duty-free treatment for most eligible articles within 120 days of the bill's enactment, with a one-year review period for sensitive products requiring continued withholding. The bill also requires a report to Congress within one year detailing restored and withheld duty-free treatments. This directly affects importers of goods from designated developing countries eligible for trade benefits.

Maddy summaryThe WEAR IT Act (HR 6279) allows individuals to use funds from tax-advantaged health savings accounts (HSAs), Archer MSAs, and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to cover the cost of medical wearable devices, up to $375 annually. It defines "wearable devices" as body-worn tools that collect physiological data for diagnosing, treating, or preventing disease. The bill amends tax code provisions to include these devices as qualified medical expenses, effective for purchases after December 31, 2023. This directly affects people using medical wearables who rely on tax-advantaged health accounts for out-of-pocket costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill revokes a specific waiver determination related to Iran sanctions that the State Department submitted to Congress on September 11, 2023. It directly affects the application of certain sanctions under two 2012 laws: the National Defense Authorization Act (Section 1245(d)(5)) and the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (Sections 1244(i) and 1247(f)). The bill’s key provision is to nullify the September 11 waiver, meaning the underlying sanctions must now be enforced without exception. This is a procedural change that reinstates the original sanctions requirements, not a new policy.