Rep. Kathy Castor

Maddy summaryHR 6301, the Cancer Drug Parity Act of 2023, requires group health plans to ensure that out-of-pocket costs for oral anticancer drugs (taken by patients at home) are no higher than for intravenous or injected anticancer drugs. It applies to patients prescribed oral anticancer medications approved by the FDA and deemed medically necessary or clinically appropriate by their physician. The law prohibits insurers from increasing patient costs for oral drugs through benefit changes, such as higher copays or stricter coverage limits, and allows prior authorization for all chemotherapy. The law takes effect for 2024 plan years, and the GAO will study its impact on patient costs within two years.

Maddy summaryThe SHIP Act imposes sanctions on foreign entities that knowingly handle Iranian petroleum, targeting those involved in port operations, transportation, refining, or ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil. Starting 90 days after enactment, the President must block assets, deny visas, and impose penalties on individuals or companies engaging in these activities, including family members or owners of sanctioned entities. It requires annual reports tracking Iran's oil exports, revenues, and key players like shipping companies and ports. The sanctions terminate if the President certifies Iran has stopped supporting terrorism and dismantled weapons programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for video distributors (like cable or streaming companies) that carry content from independent programmers meeting specific criteria. Distributors earn a credit up to $0.30 per subscriber for new or expanded carriage agreements reaching at least 40% of subscribers, based on license fees paid to qualifying creators. The credit applies only to content from small, independent creators (not owned by large media companies, publicly traded firms, or networks). The FCC must submit biennial reports tracking how many independent programmers benefit from this policy, including average carriage duration.

Maddy summaryHR 6201, the Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023, creates the Iran Sanctions Enforcement Fund to cover costs related to seizing and forfeiting property from Iran or its designated proxies (like Hezbollah or the Revolutionary Guard Corps) that violate U.S. sanctions. The fund, initially $150 million, pays for investigative costs, property management, informant rewards, and equipment for federal, state, and local agencies involved in enforcement. It also establishes an Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security to improve interagency cooperation on enforcing export controls targeting Iran. The bill requires annual reports on fund usage and mandates repayment of the initial $150 million by 2034, unless waived for national security reasons.

Maddy summaryThe Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (HR 6205) reallocates unused employment-based immigrant visas from fiscal years 1992-2021 to directly support foreign nurses and physicians seeking permanent residency in the U.S. It creates 40,000 new visas - 25,000 for nurses and 15,000 for physicians - available only to those with petitions filed within three years of the bill’s enactment. The bill includes expedited processing without fees, exempts these visas from country limits, and requires employers to attest that hiring foreign workers won’t displace U.S. workers. This policy change specifically targets healthcare staffing shortages by streamlining pathways for qualified foreign healthcare professionals.

Maddy summaryHR 2601, the National Human Trafficking Hotline Enhancement Act, requires organizations applying for federal grants under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to certify they will share hotline information with state or local law enforcement upon request, while following disclosure laws. This directly affects grant applicants, such as anti-trafficking organizations operating the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The key mechanism adds a new certification requirement to grant eligibility, ensuring potential data sharing with law enforcement when appropriate. The bill also mandates a joint report from the Attorney General and DHS Secretary to Congress on how this requirement is implemented. The bill does not change the hotline's operations or victim services.

Maddy summaryThe REPAIR Act requires car manufacturers to provide vehicle owners and independent repair shops with free, unrestricted access to vehicle data and repair information. It bans manufacturers from using technological or legal barriers to block access to diagnostics, tools, or aftermarket parts, and prohibits mandating specific brands for repairs or restricting customers’ choice of repair facility. The law also prevents manufacturers from requiring waivers of these rights as a condition of purchase, lease, or warranty service. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce these provisions to ensure fair competition in vehicle repair.

Maddy summaryHRES 831 is a symbolic congressional resolution supporting October as "National Domestic Violence Awareness Month." It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but formally expresses the House of Representatives' support for the goals of raising awareness about domestic violence. The resolution urges Congress to continue highlighting domestic violence's impact and backing programs that prevent and address it. It directly affects public awareness efforts and serves as a non-binding statement of congressional support for victims and advocacy organizations.

Maddy summaryHR 662, the Block Grant Assistance Act of 2023, amends the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to provide disaster loss assistance to eligible states and territories through block grants. This change permits states and territories to use the funds more flexibly for disaster recovery under the existing disaster relief framework, rather than requiring direct federal disbursement for specific losses. The bill directly affects states and territories experiencing disasters covered by the Disaster Relief Act. It modifies the current process by adding a specific provision enabling block grants as an option for distributing relief funds.

Maddy summaryHR 5983, the Clean Water Act of 2023, redefines "protected water resources" under federal law to explicitly include all interstate and intrastate waters (such as intermittent and ephemeral streams), wetlands, and their tributaries. This directly affects federal agencies like the EPA, states managing water quality, and developers or landowners needing permits for activities near these waters. The bill eliminates the Supreme Court’s narrow "navigable waters" definition from Sackett v. EPA (2023), restoring protections for tens of millions of acres of wetlands and millions of miles of small streams. Key mechanisms require the EPA to annually review and adjust exclusions from protections based on scientific evidence, ensuring water bodies critical to drinking water, flood control, and ecosystems remain safeguarded.