Rep. David Kustoff

Maddy summaryHR 137, the TCJA Permanency Act, makes permanent many tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It permanently increases the standard deduction for individual taxpayers, modifies income tax brackets, and makes permanent the child tax credit increase. The bill also permanently limits deductions for state and local taxes, mortgage interest, and miscellaneous itemized deductions. These changes affect most individual taxpayers who file federal income tax returns.

Maddy summaryHR 163, the "Finish the Wall Act," mandates the immediate resumption of border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border within 24 hours of enactment. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to use all existing funds appropriated since 2016 for this purpose, prohibits canceling pre-January 2021 contracts, and sets a deadline of September 30, 2026, to complete the wall system. The bill directly affects the Department of Homeland Security, contractors with prior wall contracts, and border facilities, which must also comply with DNA collection requirements under federal law. It focuses on concrete policy actions - resuming construction, using existing funds, and meeting a specific timeline - without addressing broader policy impacts.

Maddy summaryHR 45 (FIND Act) requires federal government contractors to certify they do not discriminate against firearm businesses (including manufacturers, dealers, and trade associations) in their policies or practices. The bill mandates that contractors and subcontractors (for contracts over 10% of the prime contract value) certify they have no discriminatory policies and will not adopt them during the contract term. Violations could lead to contract termination and potential debarment. This applies to all federal procurement contracts awarded after the bill's enactment, excluding sole-source contracts. The law aims to ensure firearm businesses are treated equally in government contracting without restricting legitimate business criteria like creditworthiness or legal compliance.

Maddy summaryThe Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2023 expands Medicare coverage for obesity treatment by allowing a wider range of healthcare providers - including nurse practitioners, dietitians, psychologists, and community-based counseling programs - to deliver intensive behavioral therapy for obesity, provided they coordinate with primary care providers. It also adds Medicare Part D coverage for medications used to treat obesity or for weight loss management in overweight individuals with related health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries, particularly older adults (65+), who face higher obesity rates and associated costs, including $50 billion annually in Medicare spending for obesity-related care. The bill requires annual reports to Congress on implementation to improve coordination of obesity care across federal health programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how private colleges calculate a tax on investment income by excluding certain students from the tax threshold calculation. Specifically, it prevents colleges from counting students who don't meet eligibility requirements under the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1091(a)(5)) when determining if they owe the tax. Private colleges subject to this tax must also report both the pre-exclusion and post-exclusion student counts on their tax returns. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHR 1089, the VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act, requires each VA medical center director to submit annual and quarterly fact sheets to the VA Secretary, Congress, and the public. The annual reports must include statistics on veterans treated, appointments, common conditions, veteran satisfaction, facility comparisons, improvements made, specialized services (like mental health or women's care), and ongoing deficiencies. Quarterly reports must detail average wait times for veterans seeking care. These fact sheets must be posted publicly both at facilities and online, using a standardized format, to help veterans and Congress understand facility performance and access.

Maddy summaryHR 7513, the Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act, prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from implementing or enforcing a proposed rule that would have set minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding. The bill specifically blocks the September 2023 proposed rule (88 Fed. Reg. 61352-61429) and any substantially similar rule. This directly affects long-term care facilities that rely on federal healthcare program payments. The key mechanism is a clear statutory prohibition preventing the rule from taking effect, without altering existing staffing standards or requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Grown in America Act of 2024 creates a new tax credit for businesses that use predominantly domestically produced agricultural inputs in food manufacturing. It reduces tax liability for eligible food processors and manufacturers whose domestic input costs (expenses for U.S.-grown farm products used in food production) meet a minimum threshold, starting at 50% in 2025 and rising to 85% by 2032. The credit is capped at $100 million annually per taxpayer and requires a 3-year average of domestic input costs relative to total input costs. Cooperative businesses may elect to distribute the credit to their patrons based on business volume. The credit applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Medicare payment rules to provide additional funding to hospitals in low-wage areas. It directly affects hospitals with Medicare payment rates based on local wages that fall below the 25th percentile nationally. The key provision increases these hospitals' Medicare payment rates by half the difference between their current rate and the 25th percentile rate, applied in a budget-neutral way. This adjustment applies to patient discharges on or after October 1, 2019, and aims to support financially struggling hospitals in low-wage regions.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends Medicare payment adjustments for physicians and other practitioners through 2025 instead of ending in 2024. It specifically adds a 4.73% payment increase for services provided between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026. The legislation modifies existing Medicare payment rules to stabilize practice revenues during transition periods. It directly affects doctors and healthcare providers who bill Medicare for patient services. The key change is the extended timeframe and the defined 4.73% rate for the 2025-2026 period.