Rep. John H. Rutherford

Dentist and Optometric Care Access Act of 2025 or the DOC Access Act of 20 25 This bill prohibits private health insurance plans from setting rates for items and services, except for dental cleanings, provided by a doctor of optometry, of dental surgery, or of dental medicine (or an employer of such a doctor) for which the plan does not pay a substantial amount. Additionally, an agreement between a plan and such a doctor for limited scope dental or vision benefits may last longer than two years only with the prior acceptance of the doctor for each term extension. Plans also may not restrict such a doctor's choice of laboratories or suppliers. Such doctors may elect to waive the application of the payment amount and choice of laboratories provisions of this bill. The bill does not supersede state laws regarding health insurers and dental or vision benefit plans.

Maddy summaryHR 1502 authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the volunteers and communities (primarily from Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas) who supported the North Platte Canteen during World War II. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, which will be presented to the individuals who contributed to the canteen’s operations and then permanently displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure recognizing historical service, not a policy change affecting current laws or programs.

Maddy summaryHR 1513, the "Unplug the Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Program Act," terminates two existing federal programs that funded electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The bill repeals the authorization for grants supporting EV charging stations and eliminates the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, which distributed funds to states for building charging networks. It also rescinds unobligated funds previously allocated to these programs. This bill directly affects the Department of Transportation's ability to support EV charging infrastructure development through these specific funding mechanisms. The policy change removes federal financial support for expanding public EV charging networks under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require states to create a simplified process for out-of-state healthcare providers to join Medicaid and CHIP programs. Qualified providers (those already enrolled in Medicare or another state's program with low fraud risk) could enroll without excessive screening and would be approved for five years. It directly affects children under 21 enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP by expanding access to providers outside their state, particularly in underserved areas. The change applies to all states' Medicaid programs but takes effect three years after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1301, the Death Tax Repeal Act, would eliminate the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of individuals dying on or after its enactment date. It directly affects individuals inheriting significant assets, as it removes taxes on estates exceeding $10 million (adjusted for inflation) and repeals taxes on large transfers between generations. The bill modifies the gift tax by establishing a $10 million lifetime exemption with annual inflation adjustments, replacing previous tax brackets. It applies to estates, gifts, and transfers occurring on or after the bill's effective date.

More Homes on the Market Act This bill increases the amount of gain from the sale of a principal residence that an individual may exclude from gross income (for federal tax purposes). Under the bill, an individual may exclude from gross income gain from the sale of a principal residence of up to $500,000 (currently $250,000), and taxpayers who are married and file a joint federal income tax return may exclude up to $1 million (currently $500.000). The bill also requires these amounts to be adjusted annually for inflation.

Maddy summaryHR 1313, the "One Flag for All Act," prohibits displaying any flag other than the U.S. flag on the exterior or in publicly accessible areas (like lobbies or hallways) of covered public buildings, including government offices, military bases, and embassies. The bill allows specific exceptions, such as POW/MIA flags, state flags for congressional offices, historical U.S. flags (like the Betsy Ross flag), and flags representing military units or tribal governments. This law directly affects how flags are displayed in federal and public spaces, requiring exclusive use of the U.S. flag in those designated areas while preserving established exceptions.

Maddy summaryHR 1283, the "Protecting Our Children in an AI World Act of 2025," updates federal laws to address AI-generated child sexual abuse material. It eliminates a legal defense allowing defendants to claim AI-created content wasn't "real" child pornography (by amending 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(c)), and expands the definition of prohibited "sexually explicit conduct" to include simulated obscene exhibitions of certain body parts. This directly affects defendants in federal prosecutions involving AI-generated child pornography and ensures such material is treated as illegal under current laws. The bill makes clear that AI-generated content falls under existing prohibitions without requiring proof of real children.

Maddy summaryThe EAGLES Act of 2025 reauthorizes and expands the Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), directing it to lead national efforts in preventing targeted violence, particularly in schools. It mandates the NTAC to provide training, research, and consultation on evidence-based threat assessment programs for schools, law enforcement, and mental health professionals, with a focus on early intervention for students showing concerning behavior. The bill allocates $10 million annually (2026-2030) for these programs, requires hiring specialists in child psychology and school threat assessment, and mandates annual reports to Congress on training reach and effectiveness. This directly affects K-12 schools, local educational agencies, and public safety officials by establishing standardized protocols to prevent violence before it occurs.

United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025 This bill requires or authorizes certain actions to increase defense-related cooperation between the United States and Israel. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a cooperative program, with the concurrence of Israel's Ministry of Defense (MOD), to develop and deploy advanced technologies for countering unmanned systems that threaten the United States and Israel; establish in Israel an office of the Defense Innovation Unit (an organization that focuses on rapidly fielding and scaling commercial technology across the U.S. military); and seek to engage Israel's MOD on the ascension of Israel into the national technology and industrial base (currently defined in law as the persons and organizations engaged in research, development, production, integration, services, or information technology activities conducted within the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada). The bill authorizes DOD, upon request of Israel's MOD, to jointly conduct research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics to meet defense challenges. Additionally, the bill extends the authority for DOD to (1) carry out RDT&E on a joint basis with Israel to establish anti-tunnel and counter unmanned aerial systems capabilities through 2028, and (2) transfer defense articles intended for use as reserve stocks for Israel through January 1, 2029.