Rep. Maggie Goodlander

Maddy summaryHR 1951, the Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and Communities Act, reauthorizes federal grants to support rural cooperatives. It updates the definition of "cooperative development" to include outreach, education, training, and technical assistance for startup, expansion, or sustainability. The bill requires grant applicants to commit to serving socially vulnerable, underserved, or distressed communities and prioritizes such applicants in scoring. The program is extended through 2029, with annual federal reports on activities and outcomes. This directly affects rural cooperatives and the communities they serve, particularly in underserved areas.

Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2025 or the SAFE Act of 2025 This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.) Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly (1) slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or (2) shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption. The bill subjects a violator to a fine. The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony. As background, in recent years, the appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.

Maddy summaryHR 2398, the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, amends federal tax law to exempt certain student loan repayment or forgiveness assistance from income tax for veterinarians working in rural areas. It specifically expands existing tax exclusions to include programs under the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act (7 U.S.C. 3151a) and similar state-level programs designed to increase rural veterinary access. This change directly affects veterinarians participating in qualifying loan repayment or forgiveness programs in states prioritizing rural veterinary services. The policy change modifies IRS tax treatment to reduce the financial burden on veterinarians serving underserved rural communities.

Maddy summaryThe Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to reimburse State homes or provide medications directly for certain high-cost drugs used by veterans in State-run nursing homes. A medication is defined as high-cost if its price (including a 3% fee) exceeds 8.5% of the VA's monthly payment for the veteran's care at that home. This applies specifically to State homes that provide such medications to veterans under VA contracts. The bill ensures veterans receive essential medications without financial burden on the State homes, using clear cost thresholds to determine eligibility.

TAP Promotion Act This bill requires that pre-separation counseling under the Transition Assistance Program include a presentation that promotes the benefits available to veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill also requires the VA to annually report on the presentation to (1) identify veterans service organizations that participate, (2) provide the number of members of the Armed Forces who attend, and (3) provide any recommendations for changes to the presentation.

Maddy summaryHR 2362, the VA Home Loan Awareness Act of 2025, requires lenders using the standard Uniform Residential Loan Application to add a specific disclaimer below the military service question. The disclaimer states: "If yes, you may qualify for a VA Home Loan. Consult your lender regarding eligibility." This affects all lenders nationwide that use this common mortgage application form. The bill also mandates a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study within 18 months to check if at least 80% of lenders are including the required disclaimer on the form.

Maddy summaryHR 2381, the SCREENS for Cancer Act of 2025, reauthorizes and updates the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). It directly affects low-income, uninsured, or underinsured women across all 50 states, territories, and tribal communities by expanding access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, diagnostic services, and patient navigation support. Key provisions include updating program language to emphasize prevention alongside detection and control, adding specific strategies to reduce disparities, and appropriating $235 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030. The bill also requires a GAO study by 2027 to assess program eligibility, service trends, and barriers to screening access.

Maddy summaryThe Paycheck Fairness Act strengthens equal pay protections by expanding the definition of "sex" to include pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. It modifies employer defenses for pay disparities to require proof that any pay difference is job-related, not based on sex, and accounts for the entire pay gap. The bill prohibits employers from asking about salary history, enhances penalties for violations, and requires employers with 100+ employees to collect and report detailed pay data by race, sex, and job category. It also establishes training programs for employers on eliminating pay bias and creates a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to coordinate enforcement efforts. This legislation directly affects employers, particularly those with 100+ employees, and aims to address pay disparities impacting women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups.

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 80 would declare the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) part of the U.S. Constitution, asserting it has been ratified by 38 states (three-fourths of the states) despite the original 1972 deadline. If passed, this resolution would formally establish the ERA as a constitutional amendment, requiring all federal and state laws to align with its gender equality protections. The bill does not create new laws but confirms the ERA's status as part of the Constitution, affecting how laws are interpreted and enforced. It is a procedural step to resolve the legal dispute over the ERA's validity after decades of debate.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to permanently establish a 7-year depreciation period for motorsports entertainment complexes, replacing a temporary provision. It directly affects businesses operating these facilities by allowing them to deduct the cost of qualifying assets over seven years instead of a shorter period. The key change is removing a temporary rule (subparagraph D) from the tax code, making the longer recovery period permanent for these specific properties. The bill focuses solely on clarifying and extending this tax treatment without additional policy changes.