Rep. Susan Wild

Maddy summaryHR 5401, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act, provides a one-time federal grant of $5 million to $10 million to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum (operated by the World Trade Center Foundation). The grant funds the museum's operations, security, and maintenance, with specific requirements including free admission for veterans, first responders, and victims' families, dedicated weekly free public hours, and annual financial audits. The museum must also report annually to Congress on how the funds were used. This bill directly affects the museum's financial operations and access policies, not broader legislative changes.

Maddy summaryHR 3269, the Law Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act, exempts specific less-than-lethal projectile devices from federal firearm taxes and National Firearms Act restrictions. The bill defines these devices as those firing projectiles at under 500 feet per second and designed not to cause death or serious injury. This directly affects law enforcement agencies using such devices and manufacturers producing them, by removing tax burdens and registration requirements. The key change is creating a clear legal exemption for these devices under federal law, streamlining their use for de-escalation purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes legal rights for individuals to access fertility treatment without restrictions inconsistent with widely accepted medical standards. It requires health insurance plans, Medicaid, Medicare, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program to cover fertility treatment when they cover obstetrical services, defining fertility treatment broadly to include procedures like in vitro fertilization, genetic testing, and medication. The bill creates specific fertility treatment benefits for military members and veterans, including counseling and treatment without regard to sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. It also establishes enforcement mechanisms, allowing individuals to sue if their rights are violated or the Attorney General to take action against states implementing restrictive laws.

Maddy summaryThe SWIFT Act (HR 9234) amends Social Security provisions to benefit widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses. It eliminates reductions in benefits for those claiming survivors benefits before retirement age due to disabilities. The bill increases the age limit for child-in-care benefits from 16 to 18 (or 19 for full-time students). It also creates new provisions allowing beneficiaries who delay claiming benefits to receive increased amounts. These changes apply to benefits payable on or after January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThe PROVE IT Act of 2024 directs the U.S. Energy Secretary to study and publicly report on the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of key U.S. manufactured products (like steel, aluminum, lithium batteries, and critical minerals) compared to those produced in "covered countries" (including the EU, China, and major trading partners). It requires a transparent methodology for calculating emissions data, identifies gaps in existing data, and establishes a public online database showing U.S. emissions advantages for these products. The bill also mandates an annual report on foreign countries using forced labor or human rights abuses in the production of critical minerals or rare earths. Importantly, it clarifies the study does not create new taxes, fees, or mandatory reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 8866, the Advocates for Families Act of 2024, requires states to allow parents, foster parents, or legal guardians in child welfare cases to hire a family advocate to represent their interests. The bill mandates states to establish rules for these advocates, inform families about their right to use one, and notify federal authorities about implementation. Crucially, states are not required to fund or provide these advocates. It also requires the federal government to report to Congress every two years on how states are implementing this family advocate system. This bill directly affects families navigating child welfare systems and changes how states must handle family representation requests.

Maddy summaryHR 8796, the "Stop Comstock Act," removes outdated restrictions from federal law that previously banned the distribution of materials related to contraception and abortion as "obscene" or "indecent." The bill amends Title 18 and the Tariff Act by deleting references to "indecent," "immoral," "unlawful abortion," and "procuring abortion" from provisions governing obscene materials. It clarifies that the law only prohibits "obscene materials" in commerce, eliminating broad restrictions on reproductive health information. This directly affects internet platforms, healthcare providers, and individuals sharing reproductive health resources by removing legal barriers to their distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare Advantage plans to implement electronic prior authorization systems by 2027 and publish detailed data on their approval and denial rates for medical services by 2026. It directly affects Medicare Advantage plans (private insurers offering Medicare coverage) and their enrollees (seniors 65+), mandating transparency about prior authorization decisions, processing times, and appeal outcomes. Key provisions include requiring plans to report annual statistics on request approvals/denials, average processing times, and use of technology, with this data published publicly by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The bill also sets timelines for plan responses to prior authorization requests and mandates reports to Congress on implementation and impacts.

Maddy summaryThe Essential Caregivers Act of 2024 requires nursing homes and similar facilities to allow residents to designate essential caregivers who provide emotional support or assistance with daily activities. During emergencies when regular visitation is restricted, facilities must permit at least one essential caregiver access to residents daily and cannot deny access without following specific procedures. Facilities may deny access for a maximum of 7 days during emergencies (or 14 days with state approval), and must provide a written explanation and appeal process if access is denied. The bill establishes a 48-hour appeal process for residents and caregivers to challenge denials, with facilities required to prove violations during appeals. This law applies to Medicare skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and certain inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special enrollment period for people with COBRA health coverage who become eligible for Medicare Part B. It allows them to enroll in Medicare during the time they're on COBRA plus a 3-month grace period afterward, but only once in their lifetime. The bill also prevents COBRA coverage from reducing or ending benefits just because someone is eligible for Medicare but hasn't enrolled yet. It affects individuals transitioning from employer-sponsored COBRA plans to Medicare, particularly those turning 65 or becoming Medicare-eligible. The changes take effect for COBRA coverage beginning January 1, 2025.