Rep. Jefferson Van Drew

Maddy summaryHR 1351, the "Promoting American Patriotism In Our Schools Act," requires public elementary and secondary schools receiving federal education funds to implement specific patriotism-related practices. The bill mandates that all students, teachers, and staff recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily (with an exception for religious or personal reasons), prominently display the American flag in every classroom and gymnasium, and incorporate age-appropriate flag history and significance into civics or history curricula. Schools must annually certify compliance with these requirements to state education agencies, which then report to the federal government. This bill directly affects all public K-12 schools receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program through 2032, extending funding for watershed restoration projects. It adds Maryland as a fifth Basin state (previously a 4-State program) and requires the program to prioritize projects benefiting small, rural, or disadvantaged communities. The bill also updates definitions and administrative provisions from the original 2016 program under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. This affects restoration efforts across the Delaware River Basin states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland).

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.

Maddy summaryHR 1269, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025, expands benefits for public safety officers (like police and firefighters) who develop certain cancers linked to their work. It adds 22 specific cancers - including lung, mesothelioma, and breast cancer - to the list of conditions presumed to be "exposure-related" and sustained in the line of duty. This presumption applies if the officer served at least 5 years, was diagnosed with the cancer within 15 years after last active duty, and the cancer directly caused death or permanent disability. The bill also establishes a process for adding new cancers every 3 years based on medical evidence from agencies like NIOSH, and allows claims to be filed within 3 years of the law's enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1256, the Long-Term Care Transparency Act, requires the federal Assistant Secretary to annually submit a consolidated report to Congress summarizing findings from state long-term care ombudsman programs. This report aggregates all state-level reports submitted under existing law and provides a summary of their key findings. The bill directly affects state ombudsman programs by requiring them to submit annual reports, and it affects Congress by mandating an annual summary of those reports for oversight purposes. This is a procedural requirement focused on transparency, not a change to long-term care services or regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 1274, the PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025, reauthorizes and updates key provisions of the 2008 PROTECT Our Children Act to strengthen efforts against child exploitation. The bill requires the Department of Justice to update its National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction every four years instead of every two years, with detailed requirements for analyzing trends, assessing resources, and reviewing Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force effectiveness. It establishes annual funding levels of $70 million for 2026, $80 million for 2027, and $90 million for 2028 for the ICAC Task Force Program, which directly affects federal, state, local, tribal, and military law enforcement agencies working on child exploitation cases. The legislation also includes limited liability protections for ICAC task forces and their personnel when making prioritization decisions about child exploitation cases. These changes aim to improve coordination, resource allocation, and effectiveness in combating child exploitation crimes across multiple jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits financial institutions and payment processors from using specific merchant category codes that separately identify businesses selling firearms or ammunition. It directly affects banks, credit card networks, and payment processors that handle transactions for firearm retailers. The key provision amends the Truth in Lending Act to require these covered entities to treat firearm merchants the same as other businesses for transaction categorization purposes. The law does not change gun ownership laws or restrict firearm sales, only addressing how financial transactions are classified.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Shelters Act of 2025 requires sex offenders mandated to register on the National Sex Offender Registry (under the Adam Walsh Act) to notify shelter staff if they enter a regular emergency shelter during a disaster. It prohibits these offenders from using undesignated shelters without immediate notification, with penalties including fines or up to 5 years in prison for noncompliance. The bill directs FEMA to designate specific federal buildings or prisons as shelters *only* for these offenders during disasters, requiring agencies to share lists of designated shelters with all shelter operators. This directly affects registered sex offenders and emergency shelter managers, creating a new system to separate shelter access during crises. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits non-consensual distribution of intimate images (like photos showing genitals or sexual activity) created in private settings without the subject's consent, if the distribution causes psychological, financial, or reputational harm. It specifically bans sharing nude images of minors with abusive intent. Exceptions cover law enforcement, journalism, medical use, and legal proceedings. Violations carry up to 2 years in prison for non-consensual adult images or 3 years for minor-related offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands tax-advantaged health accounts to cover specific oral care products. It adds toothbrushes (manual or electric), water flossers, and over-the-counter antiplaque/anticaries drugs (like certain mouthwashes or gels) to the list of qualified medical expenses for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer MSAs, and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs). The change allows people to use pre-tax dollars from these accounts to pay for these common oral healthcare products, directly affecting individuals managing their dental care costs through such accounts. The bill amends existing tax code provisions to include these items under "qualified medical expenses" without creating new government programs.