Rep. George Santos

Maddy summaryHR 1613, the Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act of 2023, requires Medicaid programs to mandate pass-through pricing for covered outpatient drugs. This means pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and managed care entities must pay pharmacies directly for the drug's ingredient cost plus a fixed dispensing fee, eliminating "spread pricing" where PBMs keep profits from the difference between what they pay pharmacies and what Medicaid reimburses. The bill also establishes a national survey of retail pharmacy drug prices to determine average acquisition costs, requiring participating pharmacies to report pricing data to states. These changes apply to Medicaid contracts entered into or renewed 18 months after the bill's enactment, affecting states, PBMs, managed care organizations, and community pharmacies.

Equality and Fiscal Accountability Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits expending federal funds to provide assistance to any country that has enacted laws that criminalize or discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, including laws that criminalize homosexuality or same-sex marriage.

Maddy summaryHR 1703, the SECURE Flights Act, prohibits the use of specific immigration forms (like I-94 arrival records or I-200 warrants) as valid ID at airport security checkpoints. If such a document is presented, TSA must notify U.S. immigration and law enforcement agencies, and the individual may be barred from entering secure airport areas unless traveling for deportation or presenting a valid "covered ID" (e.g., passport, Global Entry card, or driver’s license). The bill also requires TSA to collect biometric data (like fingerprints or facial scans) from travelers who cannot verify U.S. citizenship and lack a covered ID, submitting this to the Homeland Security IDENT system. It directly affects travelers using non-standard immigration documents at airports, aiming to enhance security coordination between TSA and immigration authorities.

Maddy summaryThe Railway Safety Act of 2023 establishes new safety requirements for trains transporting hazardous materials, including advance notification to emergency response agencies and restrictions on blocked crossings. It mandates minimum 2-person crews for most freight trains (with specific exceptions for low-risk operations), requires rail carriers to install and maintain wayside defect detectors on tracks carrying hazardous materials, and increases civil penalties for violations based on a percentage of annual income rather than fixed amounts. The bill also sets a phase-out schedule for older DOT-111 tank cars by May 2025 and authorizes research into safer tank car designs. These provisions directly affect rail carriers, shippers of hazardous materials, and emergency response agencies responsible for planning and response.

Maddy summaryThe Build the Wall Now Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to immediately resume construction of physical barriers (such as reinforced fencing and levee walls), tactical infrastructure (including access gates and lighting), and border surveillance technology along the US-Mexico border that was underway or planned before January 20, 2021. It prohibits canceling existing contracts for border barrier projects and mandates using funds appropriated for border construction since October 2016. The bill grants the Secretary of Homeland Security new authority to waive numerous environmental, historic preservation, and land management laws to expedite construction, including exemptions from the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Policy Act. It also prohibits using federal funds to implement or enforce Presidential Proclamation 10142 from January 2021.

Mayorkas Must Fly Coach Until We Secure the Border Act This bill prohibits any officer or official of the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Secretary of DHS, from using any federal executive aircraft until certain conditions relating to the border have been met. Specifically, the prohibition shall apply until the number of encounters and apprehensions of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who have unlawfully crossed the border have been reduced to FY2020 numbers; DHS reports to Congress a plan to place 90% of deployed U.S. Border Patrol agents in duties in the field; and DHS reports to Congress a plan to offer resources, including financial support, to local communities and governments.

Maddy summaryHR 1528, the Executive Mental Competency Protection Act of 2023, requires the President's physician to conduct an annual cognitive evaluation covering 12 areas like memory, reasoning, attention, and mood. The results must be posted on the White House website, overriding standard HIPAA privacy rules. If the President misses the January 1 evaluation deadline, no federal funds may be used for their travel during that fiscal year. This bill directly affects the sitting President by mandating regular cognitive assessments and transparency, with a specific funding penalty for noncompliance. It creates a concrete policy requirement for the executive branch's health transparency.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. State Department to officially designate four specific Mexican drug cartels (Gulf Cartel, Cartel Del Noreste, Cartel de Sinaloa, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion) as foreign terrorist organizations under existing law. It mandates a 30-day report explaining why these groups meet the legal criteria for such designation, including justification if they don't. The report must be submitted to specified congressional committees and may lead to additional cartels being designated based on the findings. The bill also clarifies that this designation won't affect asylum eligibility for individuals fleeing these groups.

Maddy summaryHR 742, the TELL Act, requires U.S.-based websites and mobile apps that store user data in China to clearly inform users that their data is stored there and whether the Chinese government or state entities have access to it. The bill mandates two specific disclosures in plain language at the point of use, aiming to increase transparency about data handling. Violations would be treated as deceptive practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act, allowing the FTC to enforce the law using existing authority. This directly affects companies operating in the U.S. that store user data in China, giving users clearer information about data location and access.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that prohibits an individual who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in federal, state, or local elections for public office or voting on any ballot initiative or referendum held in the United States.