Rep. Mike Gallagher

Maddy summaryHRES 955 is a resolution commending Taiwan for its democratic election history and supporting Taiwan's democratic institutions. It recognizes Taiwan's transition to democracy since the late 1980s, including 7 presidential and 9 legislative elections held since then, all deemed free and fair. The resolution specifically expresses support for Taiwan's upcoming January 13, 2024, elections and condemns interference by the Chinese Communist Party. It affirms U.S. commitment to a strong partnership with Taiwan across multiple domains and supports Taiwan's self-defense and liberty. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new law but formally expresses congressional support for Taiwan's democratic development.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan within one year of enactment to ensure the military health system has a 180-day supply of essential medications during conflicts or supply disruptions. The plan must specifically address stockpiling these medications and reduce reliance on foreign sources for key medicine ingredients (active pharmaceutical ingredients). It directly affects the military health system by targeting vulnerabilities in medication supply chains. The bill mandates these specific actions but does not create new stockpiles or funding.

Maddy summaryHR 6897 establishes a three-year pilot program for the Department of Defense to evaluate using synthetic biology for domestic manufacturing of specific strategic pharmaceutical ingredients and materials. It targets "covered" active pharmaceutical ingredients and "covered key starting materials" that are not sufficiently available domestically and are deemed critical to U.S. national security. The program, to launch by January 2025, aims to reduce reliance on foreign sources for these items by testing novel technologies. The pilot will end three years after the bill's enactment, with no further action specified.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress by March 30, 2024, detailing Department of Defense restrictions on former employees working for countries deemed adversarial to U.S. interests. The report must include the current policy on such restrictions, the specific Department positions affected, and any documented cases where former employees violated these rules. It does not change existing laws but mandates transparency about current employment safeguards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health plans and insurers to calculate patient cost-sharing (like coinsurance) based on a drug's net price - after rebates and discounts - not its full list price. It directly affects enrollees in group health plans or individual insurance who pay coinsurance for prescription drugs, particularly when deductibles aren't met. Key provisions mandate that coinsurance percentages must reflect the actual price paid by the plan (net price), not the manufacturer's list price, though fixed copayments remain allowed. The rule takes effect for plan years starting January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 6855, the Timely Bills for Patients Act, requires healthcare facilities and practitioners to provide patients with a list of services rendered within 5 days of discharge and send final billed amounts within 45 days. Patients cannot be charged before 30 days after receiving their bill. Violations trigger mandatory refunds, interest, and civil penalties up to $10,000 per day for repeated failures, with limited exceptions for address errors or disasters like hurricanes. The law applies directly to healthcare providers, hospitals, and group health plans, aiming to clarify billing timelines and reduce patient confusion over medical bills.

Maddy summaryHR 6524, the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Expansion Act, creates a new federal apprenticeship program to address the cybersecurity workforce shortage by training individuals for cybersecurity roles within federal agencies. The program partners with community colleges, career and technical schools, and other educational institutions to provide training aligned with federal cybersecurity needs. It also establishes a pilot program specifically for veterans and military members transitioning to civilian life, offering cybersecurity training with portable credentials that can be used across the job market. The bill requires coordination with multiple federal agencies and includes reporting requirements to assess program effectiveness and track participant employment outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023, allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole milk as an option during lunch. It amends the school lunch law to explicitly permit schools to serve flavored and unflavored whole milk alongside reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk choices for students. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust meal regulations to account for saturated fat from whole milk, ensuring it doesn't count against meal fat limits. This change directly affects participating schools and the students who receive school lunches, expanding their milk beverage options.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires intelligence community personnel to serve in multiple elements (agencies) throughout their careers, including making such service mandatory for promotion to certain positions. It also mandates the Director of National Intelligence to create and maintain a detailed, centralized staffing document listing all positions within their office, including required skills, security clearances, pay grades, and representation needs. The bill directly affects intelligence community employees by changing career assignment rules and standardizing position requirements across the intelligence community. These provisions aim to improve cross-agency experience and coordination within the intelligence workforce.

Maddy summaryThe 2 for 1 Act requires federal agencies to identify and repeal two existing regulations whenever they propose or issue a new rule. This ensures that the net regulatory cost to private entities does not increase - new rules must offset their costs by eliminating at least two other rules. Agencies must submit cost details to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which sets annual cost allowances for each agency. The law excludes national security, military, and agency management rules from these requirements.