Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Maddy summaryHR 912, the COST Act, requires the federal government to analyze the costs and emissions of converting its vehicle fleet. Specifically, it mandates the Comptroller General to compare the costs of replacing gasoline-powered federal light-duty vehicles (standard government cars/trucks) with electric or E85 flex-fuel vehicles, including infrastructure needs. It also requires the Secretary of Energy to use the GREET model to compare lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from conventional gasoline, E85 flex-fuel, and electric vehicles. Both analyses must be published online or submitted to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment. The bill directly affects the federal government as the owner of the vehicle fleet.

Maddy summaryHR 972, the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act of 2023, updates Medicare payment rules for outpatient surgery centers and hospital outpatient departments. It requires Medicare to publicly compare quality data for these facilities in the same geographic area on Medicare.gov, allows facilities to review data before release, and mandates that the Secretary cite specific criteria when excluding procedures from coverage. The bill also caps patient out-of-pocket costs for outpatient surgery at the hospital deductible amount and aligns annual payment updates between surgery centers and hospitals. These changes aim to improve transparency for beneficiaries and standardize payment adjustments.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act (HR 830) changes how health insurance plans calculate patient cost-sharing. It requires that payments made by third parties (like pharmacies, charities, or discount programs) toward medical costs count toward a patient's deductible, copay, or out-of-pocket limit. This directly affects insured individuals who receive financial assistance, discounts, or product vouchers for healthcare expenses. The law ensures these external payments reduce the patient's actual out-of-pocket costs more quickly, aligning with existing Affordable Care Act and Public Health Service Act requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands health care coverage under TRICARE for military dependents. It eliminates a separate premium for young adults aged 21-26 enrolled in the TRICARE Young Adult Program, meaning they will no longer pay an extra fee for coverage. The bill also removes an eligibility restriction that previously limited coverage for some dependents in this age group. These changes directly affect military service members' adult children and spouses who rely on TRICARE Young Adult coverage. The policy update simplifies enrollment and reduces out-of-pocket costs for these beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor all U.S. Army Dustoff crews who served during the Vietnam War (1962-1973). It recognizes their critical role in evacuating nearly 900,000 wounded personnel, including U.S., South Vietnamese, and allied forces, under extreme combat conditions. The medal, designed with input from the Secretary of Defense, will be presented to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum for permanent display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, but the primary action is the commemorative recognition of these crews' service.

Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.

Maddy summaryHR 987 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Golda Meir, Israel's first female Prime Minister, and the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar clad coins (max 750,000), with detailed weight and composition requirements. All coins will include Golda Meir's image, her name, and commemorative inscriptions, and will be sold during 2026. A surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) will be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc. to support its hospital operations.

Maddy summaryHR 976, the TCJA Permanency Act, makes permanent many tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that were scheduled to expire after 2025. The bill affects individual taxpayers by keeping lower tax rates, higher standard deductions, increased child tax credits, and other key changes permanently. Key provisions include permanent modifications to income tax brackets, repeal of personal exemptions, limits on state and local tax deductions, and increased estate and gift tax exemptions. These changes would prevent the tax code from reverting to pre-TCJA rates and rules for millions of taxpayers.

Maddy summaryHR 621, the PART Act, requires catalytic converters on vehicles to be stamped with a visible vehicle identification number (VIN) using special high-visibility paint to deter theft. It creates a federal grant program to help auto dealers, repair shops, and law enforcement implement this stamping at no cost to vehicle owners. The bill also mandates that sellers of catalytic converters retain buyer identification and vehicle details for two years, and adds new federal criminal penalties for stealing or trafficking in catalytic converters.

Biofuel Cell Research Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a research, development, and demonstration program to expand the use of biofuels in vehicles. Under the program, DOE must develop a commercially viable fuel cell system that uses biofuel as a fuel source.