Rep. Derrick Van Orden

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to permanently establish a 7-year depreciation period for motorsports entertainment complexes, replacing a temporary provision. It directly affects businesses operating these facilities by allowing them to deduct the cost of qualifying assets over seven years instead of a shorter period. The key change is removing a temporary rule (subparagraph D) from the tax code, making the longer recovery period permanent for these specific properties. The bill focuses solely on clarifying and extending this tax treatment without additional policy changes.

Maddy summaryHR 2146 creates a refund process for businesses that paid tax on certain dyed diesel fuel or kerosene later determined to be exempt from tax under the Internal Revenue Code. Specifically, it allows businesses to receive a refund equal to tax paid under Section 4081 for "eligible indelibly dyed" fuels that are exempt under Section 4082(a). The bill amends tax code provisions to treat these refunds like standard tax credits, requiring the IRS to process them without interest. This applies to fuel removed from terminals 180 days after the bill’s enactment. It directly affects fuel distributors and retailers who previously paid tax on exempt dyed fuels.

This bill treats Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad as combat zones for purposes of determining eligibility for certain federal tax benefits available to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. (Conditions apply.) Specifically, under the bill, a qualified hazardous duty area is treated as a combat zone for purposes of determining the filing status of an individual whose spouse is missing in action; excluding compensation received by a member of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone from gross income and wages subject to withholding; forgiving the income tax liability of a member of the Armed Forces who dies in a combat zone; certain estate tax rules applicable to a member of the Armed Forces who dies in a combat zone or as a result of an injury, wound, or disease suffered while in a combat zone; the exemption from the federal excise tax imposed on certain telephone services for telephone calls originating from a combat zone by a member of the Armed Forces; and postponing certain federal tax deadlines (e.g., filing a tax return, paying taxes, and claiming a tax refund) for a member of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone. The bill defines a qualified hazardous duty area as Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad if any member of the U.S. Armed Forces is entitled to special pay (e.g., hostile fire pay and imminent danger pay) for services performed in such locations.

Maddy summaryHR 2098, the "Deliver for Democracy Act," requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to meet specific on-time delivery targets for periodicals (including newspapers) to receive annual rate increases. The bill mandates that the Postal Regulatory Commission must confirm USPS achieved either a 95% on-time delivery rate for periodicals or a 2-percentage-point improvement over the prior year before authorizing new rates. It also requires the Postmaster General to submit annual public reports tracking on-time delivery performance for newspaper mail in-county and out-of-county, using stakeholder feedback and alternative data methods if needed. Additionally, the bill directs the GAO to study alternative pricing options for periodicals and submit a report within two years.

Maddy summaryHR 2095, the Postal Police Reform Act of 2025, amends existing law to clarify the roles of USPS police officers and their authority over property. It explicitly includes "Postal Service police officers" alongside Postal Inspectors in Section 3061 of Title 18, U.S. Code, and gives the Postmaster General new authority to create rules for protecting USPS-owned or controlled property. These rules can include fines or up to 30 days in jail for violations, with penalties clearly defined under the law. The bill directly affects USPS police officers and individuals on USPS property by standardizing their regulatory framework.

Safe Routes Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to waive vehicle weight limits for covered logging vehicles, thus allowing logging vehicles to travel on interstate highways in certain circumstances. The term covered logging vehicle means a vehicle that (1) is transporting raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or wood chips; (2) is traveling a distance not greater than 150 air miles on interstate highways from origin to a storage or processing facility; and (3) meets state legal weight tolerances and vehicle configurations for transporting raw or unfinished forest products within the state boundaries in which the vehicle is operating.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the 2018 Farm Bill to extend funding for dairy business innovation programs. It increases the annual funding from $20 million to $36 million and allows for up to four innovation initiatives (previously limited to three) to be funded each year. These changes directly affect dairy producers and cooperatives seeking grants to support new business models, processing, or market development. The key provision is the funding boost and expanded program capacity, enabling more dairy businesses to access federal support for innovation. The bill makes no changes to eligibility rules or application processes beyond these adjustments.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer (i.e., breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body). Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. Under current law, individuals generally must wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.

Maddy summaryHR 2081, the Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the 627 women who served as Red Cross volunteers in the Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program during the Vietnam War. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, which will be presented by Congress and then given to the Smithsonian Institution for display. It also allows the sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint fund. This commemorative act recognizes the volunteers' service supporting over 280,000 troops through recreation programs across Vietnam from 1965 to 1973.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to transition its workforce from a special personnel management system to the standard federal personnel system under Title 5 of the U.S. Code by December 31, 2025. It protects TSA employees by ensuring no reduction in pay, benefits, or retirement rights during the transition, while preserving collective bargaining rights for screening agents. The legislation also mandates consultation with labor unions during the process and requires several reports on workforce issues including recruitment, harassment policies, and workplace safety.