Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick

Maddy summaryThe Quality Broadband for Connected Communities Act updates minimum internet speed requirements for projects funded by the Community Connect Grant Program under the Rural Electrification Act. Specifically, it raises the minimum broadband capacity from 10-Mbps to 25-Mbps and from 1-Mbps to 3-Mbps for grant recipients. These changes apply to rural electrification projects and will take effect six months after the law is enacted. The bill directly affects organizations and communities receiving funding through this federal grant program to improve broadband infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of federal programs supporting rural areas to include cybersecurity support, digital literacy, workforce development, and job training alongside existing telemedicine and distance learning services. It amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to update the section heading and modify multiple subsections to explicitly incorporate these new categories of assistance. The changes apply to programs that provide technical support and educational resources to rural communities, with an effective date set for six months after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Labor to help create and expand registered apprenticeship programs focused on cybersecurity training. The program would provide funding to workforce intermediaries, which can be partnerships involving businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations, to develop apprenticeships that lead to specific cybersecurity careers. Grant recipients must use at least 85 percent of funds for program development, employer partnerships, and support services like mentorship and transportation assistance for apprentices, while up to 15 percent can be used for outreach and marketing. The apprenticeships would cover technical instruction and industry-recognized certifications in areas such as network security, ethical hacking, and system administration, targeting occupations like cybersecurity technicians and computer systems analysts.

Maddy summaryThe 9-8-8 Connect Act establishes a new federal funding program to provide follow-up services to individuals who have contacted suicide prevention and crisis intervention hotlines, directly affecting crisis centers that are part of the national network. The bill authorizes $30 million for fiscal year 2027 to help these centers offer check-ins, outreach, family collaboration, and care referrals to people who have recently interacted with crisis services. Additionally, the legislation requires the Federal Communications Commission to create rules ensuring all mobile phone calls and text messages to the 9-8-8 hotline are transmitted, including those from phones without service plans. The act also updates telecommunications laws to allow 9-8-8 to be dialed directly from multi-line telephone systems alongside emergency numbers like 9-1-1.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Veterans Benefits Information Protection Act, amends the Communications Act to strengthen protections against automated robocalls targeting government agencies. It specifically prohibits the use of automated telephone equipment that can make repeated calls to federal numbers and exchange information without human intervention when operated by someone other than the intended recipient. The primary effect is to prevent third parties from using automated systems to access or interact with federal departments and agencies, including those handling veterans benefits. This measure aims to reduce unwanted automated communications directed at government institutions while maintaining existing protections for individual consumers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires group health plans and health insurers that cover obstetrical services to also cover infertility and iatrogenic infertility treatments, including procedures like in vitro fertilization and egg freezing. It defines infertility as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected intercourse or after standard medical treatment, and iatrogenic infertility as fertility damage caused by medical procedures such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The legislation establishes coverage standards that cannot be more restrictive than those applied to other medical benefits, prohibits penalties against providers for offering these services, and requires annual compliance reporting to the federal government.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires large AI companies and organizations to disclose detailed information about their foundation models, including training data sources, model performance, and potential risks, before and during the model's use. The Federal Trade Commission will create specific rules outlining what information must be submitted to the agency and made publicly available, with exemptions for fully open-source models and special provisions for small businesses. Covered entities are defined as AI providers with over 10 million monthly users, significant computing power usage, or models that could pose security or safety risks, while the FTC will enforce compliance as unfair business practices.

Maddy summaryHR 3447, the Chip Security Act, requires manufacturers to equip specific advanced integrated circuits (classified under export control numbers like 3A090) with security mechanisms before exporting them. These mechanisms must verify location and prevent unauthorized access, diversion, or tampering. The law mandates this for covered chips within 180 days of enactment, with a follow-up assessment within one year to develop additional security requirements. It directly affects U.S. chip exporters and importers of these high-tech products, aiming to strengthen export control compliance and national security.

Maddy summaryHR 3420, the Words Matter Act of 2025, updates federal law to replace the terms "mentally retarded" and "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" across numerous statutes. It amends over 20 provisions in laws governing healthcare (like the Social Security Act and Indian Health Care Improvement Act), disability services, criminal justice, and federal programs to use more respectful and current terminology. The bill specifically targets definitions in areas such as medical care for families, nursing home regulations, legal sentencing, and grant programs, ensuring consistent language for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The legislation explicitly states this terminology change is purely linguistic and does not alter eligibility, coverage, or rights for affected individuals.

Love Lives On Act of 2025 This bill extends entitlement for various benefit programs and services for surviving spouses of deceased members of the Armed Forces or veterans. The bill provides that the remarriage of a surviving spouse must not bar the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation or special pension benefits to such spouse. Additionally, the Department of Defense may not terminate the payment of an annuity for a surviving spouse under the Survivor Benefit Plan solely because the surviving spouse remarries. The bill also expands the definition of a dependent under TRICARE to include a remarried widow or widower whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment.