Rep. Jefferson Van Drew

Maddy summaryThis bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the 761st Tank Battalion (known as the "Black Panthers"), the first predominantly Black armored unit in World War II's European Theater. It recognizes their combat service from 1944-1946, including key roles in the Battle of the Bulge and breaking the Siegfried Line, despite facing racial prejudice during and after the war. The medal will be displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, with bronze duplicates available for sale to cover costs. The bill commemorates the battalion's 130,000 enemy casualties inflicted, 50% casualty rate, and their 1978 Presidential Unit Citation. It does not create new laws or affect current policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Medicare rules to allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to certify diabetic shoe coverage for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, expanding the current requirement that only physicians could provide this documentation. It directly affects Medicare patients needing specialized footwear due to diabetes and healthcare providers like NPs and PAs who would now be authorized to meet the certification requirement. The key change modifies Section 1861(s)(12) of the Social Security Act to insert "nurse practitioner, or physician assistant" in all relevant sections of the documentation rules. This update simplifies access to covered diabetic shoes by broadening which healthcare professionals can issue the necessary certification.

Maddy summaryHR 1582, the Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act of 2025, increases the mileage reimbursement rate for volunteers driving for qualifying organizations. It amends IRS Code section 170 to set a minimum rate of 14 cents per mile for volunteer driving, with the Secretary of the Treasury allowed to set a higher rate for transportation of persons or property on behalf of tax-exempt organizations (like charities or religious groups). This directly affects volunteers who drive for these organizations, allowing them to deduct higher mileage costs on their taxes. The change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHR 1551, the Protect and Serve Act of 2025, creates a new federal criminal offense for intentionally harming law enforcement officers under specific circumstances. It imposes harsher penalties, including up to 10 years in prison for serious injury or life imprisonment if death occurs, kidnapping is involved, or a firearm is used. The law applies when the crime crosses state lines, involves interstate weapons, occurs on federal property, or targets federal officers. Prosecutions require the Attorney General’s written certification, considering factors like prior state convictions and public safety impact. The bill directly affects law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors by expanding federal jurisdiction for certain violent crimes against them.

Maddy summaryThe Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act extends and reauthorizes a program that allows foreign medical graduates to work in underserved U.S. communities after completing their training. It extends the program through 2021 (with retroactive effect), adds protections for physicians who have completed service requirements, and makes changes to visa requirements to better support physicians working in underserved areas. The bill requires states to maintain a 90% utilization rate of waivers to keep receiving the full allocation, and adds reporting requirements for the program. This bill directly affects foreign physicians seeking to work in underserved areas and the health care facilities that employ them.

Maddy summaryThe Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2025 amends the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy to expand its role in representing small businesses. Specifically, it adds a new duty requiring the Office to advocate for small business interests before foreign governments and international entities on regulatory and trade issues that affect them. The bill also makes minor technical corrections to existing statutory language, such as updating "serviced-disabled" to "service-disabled" and adjusting phrasing in the Office's primary functions. This change directly affects the Office of Advocacy and small businesses seeking international regulatory and trade support. The bill focuses on clarifying and broadening the Office's existing advocacy responsibilities rather than creating new programs.

New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease Act This bill establishes regional centers of excellence, postgraduate fellowships, and training for health professionals relating to the diagnosis and treatment of rare kidney disease. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct various studies on rare kidney disease. Specifically, it authorizes the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to award funding to public and private nonprofit entities for establishing regional centers of excellence that will increase public awareness, conduct research, and develop resources for diagnosing and treating rare kidney diseases. A center may receive such funding for up to five years, unless extended by the institute.  The bill also requires health professions schools receiving a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Centers of Excellence program to award fellowships for training on preventing, diagnosing, and treating rare kidney disease in disproportionately impacted populations. Also, the bill expands the priorities of HRSA’s Primary Care Training and Enhancement program to include training for health care workers to care for individuals with kidney disease. Additionally, HHS must conduct several studies and report to Congress on topics such as treating rare kidney disease in disproportionately affected populations, eliminating the need for dialysis or kidney transplants, and increasing public awareness of rare kidney disease.

Maddy summaryHR 1547 (SSA Reform Act of 2025) requires the Department of Homeland Security to notify the Social Security Administration within 180 days of any change in an individual's citizenship, immigration status, or work authorization. This triggers a requirement for the Social Security Administration to suspend benefits for non-citizens or non-nationals during months they lack valid status, as specified in Section 4(a). The bill also mandates annual joint reports from DHS and SSA detailing notification volumes, processing times, fraud prevention effectiveness, and data-sharing challenges. It directly affects immigrants holding Social Security numbers who lose citizenship or work authorization, restricting their access to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other benefits administered by the SSA during affected periods.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows physical therapists to use temporary replacement staff (locum tenens) under Medicare, similar to how physicians currently can. It directly affects physical therapists providing outpatient services and Medicare beneficiaries relying on those services. The key change modifies Medicare rules to apply the same provisions for physical therapy services as are already used for physician services. This means physical therapists can more easily fill temporary staffing gaps without disrupting patient care. The amendment applies to services provided after the bill's enactment date.

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.