Rep. Jared F. Golden

Maddy summaryThe Declaring Our Energy Independence from China Act of 2024 would impose tariffs on Chinese-made green energy products, starting at 25% and increasing by 5% annually for up to five years. It requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to publish annual reports showing import volumes and values of these products from China and other countries. The bill also mandates a report on Chinese government subsidies to battery, solar, and wind energy sectors over the past 15 years. These provisions directly affect Chinese exporters of solar panels, batteries, and wind components, as well as U.S. importers of such goods.

Maddy summaryThis bill would impose a 100% tariff on automobiles imported from China under the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) heading 8703. It directly affects Chinese automakers exporting vehicles to the U.S. and U.S. importers of Chinese-made cars. The key provision replaces any existing duty rate for these vehicles with a flat 100% tax, significantly increasing import costs. The bill also requires the U.S. Trade Representative to adjust international trade agreements to formally accommodate this tariff increase.

Maddy summaryThe Essential Caregivers Act of 2024 requires nursing homes and similar facilities to allow residents to designate essential caregivers who provide emotional support or assistance with daily activities. During emergencies when regular visitation is restricted, facilities must permit at least one essential caregiver access to residents daily and cannot deny access without following specific procedures. Facilities may deny access for a maximum of 7 days during emergencies (or 14 days with state approval), and must provide a written explanation and appeal process if access is denied. The bill establishes a 48-hour appeal process for residents and caregivers to challenge denials, with facilities required to prove violations during appeals. This law applies to Medicare skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and certain inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Maddy summaryHR 8018, the ABC Act, requires Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Social Security Administration to review their eligibility processes, forms, and communications to simplify interactions for family caregivers. It targets reducing duplicate paperwork, improving website accessibility (including ADA compliance), and enhancing staff communication - such as shorter call waits and multilingual support - to better serve caregivers supporting individuals enrolled in these programs. The review must include input from caregivers and organizations, with results reported to Congress within one year. This procedural bill does not change program benefits but mandates systemic improvements to reduce administrative burdens.

Maddy summaryThe ARCC Act provides $100 million in federal funding to help apprentices and pre-apprentices in job training programs cover childcare costs. It authorizes competitive grants to 10 states, which must distribute monthly stipends of at least $500 per dependent child directly to eligible childcare providers on behalf of participants in these programs. The bill prioritizes individuals from historically underrepresented groups (based on race, ethnicity, or gender) and ensures stipends are tax-free while not affecting eligibility for other federal benefits. States must report on participation, program completion rates, and demographic data, with the Secretary later summarizing program impacts for Congress.

Maddy summaryThe Veterans HSA Access Act of 2023 changes IRS rules to allow veterans who receive certain veterans benefits (like disability compensation) but do not have a service-connected disability to contribute to health savings accounts (HSAs). This removes a current barrier preventing these veterans from using HSAs to pay for qualified medical expenses. The policy change applies to tax years starting after December 31, 2025, meaning it will take effect in 2026. It directly affects veterans with non-service-connected health issues who currently cannot use HSAs despite qualifying for other veterans' benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides continuing appropriations for federal government operations through January 11, 2024, ensuring funding for ongoing programs and activities. It includes $16 billion for disaster relief and over $21 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine assistance, covering military aid, economic support, and humanitarian programs. The bill also extends funding for community health centers, Federal Aviation Administration programs, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program through the same date. These funding measures maintain government operations and support critical domestic and international programs during the fiscal year.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes permanent Medicare coverage for telehealth services provided by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), including audio-only visits. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries who use these services and the FQHCs/RHCs delivering them by removing location restrictions - allowing telehealth visits to occur regardless of the patient's geographic location. Key provisions include permanently covering audio-only telehealth (previously temporary), treating telehealth visits as equivalent to in-person visits for payment, and ensuring costs for telehealth are included in FQHC/RHC payment calculations. These changes simplify access to telehealth for rural and underserved communities while maintaining consistent Medicare reimbursement for providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Medicare counts hospital stays for coverage of skilled nursing care. It treats time spent in outpatient observation (not admitted as an inpatient) as part of the required 3-day inpatient hospital stay. This means beneficiaries who received outpatient observation services will have that time counted toward the 3-day requirement, potentially making them eligible for skilled nursing facility coverage they might otherwise have lost. The change applies to services beginning January 1, 2024, with limited retroactive appeal options for services completed before the law's enactment. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries needing skilled nursing care after hospital treatment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2023, amends Social Security to better protect public servants who work in jobs not covered by Social Security (such as certain government positions). It creates a new formula for calculating retirement benefits that combines both covered and noncovered earnings, ensuring public servants receive the higher of two benefit calculations. The bill also provides an additional $150 monthly payment for certain public servants whose benefits were previously reduced by the windfall elimination provision. It improves Social Security account statements to clearly show noncovered earnings and requires a study of how state retirement plans handle these benefits. These changes will apply to benefits starting in 2025.