Rep. Joe Wilson

Maddy summaryHR 1088, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968) and the first Black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image, which will be presented by Congress and then permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. This bill commemorates Chisholm's legacy and achievements without creating new laws or affecting any current policies.

Maddy summaryHR 972, the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act of 2023, updates Medicare payment rules for outpatient surgery centers and hospital outpatient departments. It requires Medicare to publicly compare quality data for these facilities in the same geographic area on Medicare.gov, allows facilities to review data before release, and mandates that the Secretary cite specific criteria when excluding procedures from coverage. The bill also caps patient out-of-pocket costs for outpatient surgery at the hospital deductible amount and aligns annual payment updates between surgery centers and hospitals. These changes aim to improve transparency for beneficiaries and standardize payment adjustments.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act (HR 830) changes how health insurance plans calculate patient cost-sharing. It requires that payments made by third parties (like pharmacies, charities, or discount programs) toward medical costs count toward a patient's deductible, copay, or out-of-pocket limit. This directly affects insured individuals who receive financial assistance, discounts, or product vouchers for healthcare expenses. The law ensures these external payments reduce the patient's actual out-of-pocket costs more quickly, aligning with existing Affordable Care Act and Public Health Service Act requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor all U.S. Army Dustoff crews who served during the Vietnam War (1962-1973). It recognizes their critical role in evacuating nearly 900,000 wounded personnel, including U.S., South Vietnamese, and allied forces, under extreme combat conditions. The medal, designed with input from the Secretary of Defense, will be presented to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum for permanent display. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover costs, but the primary action is the commemorative recognition of these crews' service.

Maddy summaryHR 987 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Golda Meir, Israel's first female Prime Minister, and the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 50,000), $1 silver coins (max 400,000), and half-dollar clad coins (max 750,000), with detailed weight and composition requirements. All coins will include Golda Meir's image, her name, and commemorative inscriptions, and will be sold during 2026. A surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) will be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc. to support its hospital operations.

Revoking Entry Granted to Iranian Mullahs and Elites Act of 2023 or the REGIME Act of 2023 The bill requires the Department of State to conduct a review of certain Iranian officials and government employees, as well as their immediate family members, who currently have visas or who have applied for visas. If such individuals are determined to be ineligible for entry into the United States under specified laws, the State Department must revoke their visas.

This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents. The resolution also expresses support for the people of Iran who are legitimately defending their rights for freedom against repression and condemns the killing of Iranian protesters by the Iranian regime.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 13 is a concurrent resolution expressing Congress's support for maintaining the current policy that prohibits imposing new fees on local radio stations for playing music. It states that Congress should not impose any performance fee, tax, royalty, or charge on local radio stations for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on businesses like bars and restaurants that play music publicly. The resolution argues that such fees would harm local radio stations - critical sources for emergency information and community programming - and jeopardize the economic model that has supported both radio and the music industry for decades. This resolution does not create new law but formally opposes potential legislative changes to the existing fee structure.

Maddy summaryHR 558 amends the Defense Production Act to prohibit China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia (and entities they control) from purchasing or leasing property within 10 miles of designated sensitive sites. These sites include U.S. military bases, ports, government facilities, and other locations where foreign access could threaten national security through intelligence collection or surveillance. The bill requires the Committee to notify Congress of any violations and applies to transactions occurring after its enactment. It directly affects foreign entities from the listed countries seeking real estate near critical U.S. infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting School Milk Choices Act of 2023 requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer both flavored and unflavored milk to students. Schools may also choose to provide lactose-free milk as an optional offering. This bill directly affects all public and private schools receiving federal funding for school meals, which serves millions of students nationwide. The amendment changes existing milk requirements under the National School Lunch Act to expand student choices while maintaining mandatory options.