Maddy summaryThe CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing geographic restrictions, allowing services to be provided from home and other locations, and expanding who can offer telehealth services. The bill repeals the six-month in-person visit requirement for telemental health and allows telehealth use in hospice care recertification. It also includes program integrity measures to address inappropriate billing patterns and requires posting of telehealth service data to improve transparency. This legislation directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and telehealth technology vendors by making telehealth more accessible, particularly for rural and underserved populations, those with mobility challenges, and individuals in areas with healthcare workforce shortages.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2023 expands tax benefits for low-to-moderate income workers and families with children. It lowers the minimum age for the Earned Income Credit from 25 to 19 (with exceptions for students, former foster youth, and homeless youth), removes the age 65 maximum, and increases credit amounts and income thresholds. The bill also establishes a permanent system for monthly advance payments of the Child Tax Credit, with higher payments ($300 monthly) for children under age 6 compared to $250 for older children. It includes inflation adjustments to maintain the value of these credits over time and creates mechanisms for determining eligibility and recapturing payments in certain circumstances. The provisions apply to all states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and American Samoa.
Maddy summaryThe Right to Contraception Act (S 1999) establishes a federal statutory right for individuals to access contraceptives and related information without government interference, directly affecting all people seeking reproductive care and health care providers who offer these services. Key provisions prohibit state or federal laws that restrict contraceptive access, single out contraceptive services, or allow provider refusals based on personal beliefs, while requiring any restrictions to be narrowly tailored to advance access. The bill preempts conflicting state laws, allows enforcement through lawsuits by affected individuals or the Attorney General, and explicitly protects access for historically marginalized groups facing barriers. It does not alter existing insurance coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act but ensures contraceptive access remains protected from restrictive state policies.
Maddy summaryS 305 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell commemorative coins (gold, silver, and half-dollar denominations) to mark the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. Each coin sale includes a surcharge ($5 to $35 per coin) that will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with proceeds paid directly to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. The coins will be sold from January 1 to December 31, 2025, and the surcharge structure ensures no net cost to taxpayers by covering production expenses through sales. This bill directly affects the U.S. Mint (in coin production), the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (as recipient of funds), and the public (as potential buyers).
Maddy summaryS 1948, the Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2023, creates a federal grant program to help low-income households with high-risk members (like those with health conditions, disabilities, or older adults) during wildfire smoke events. The bill authorizes $30 million over three years to fund air pollution control agencies, requiring them to establish free "clean air centers" in smoke-prone areas and distribute at least 1,000 certified air filtration units per program to eligible households at no cost. These units must meet strict standards (like HEPA filtration and Energy Star certification), and agencies must partner with community organizations, provide education, and conduct follow-up surveys to assess effectiveness. The program mandates annual reporting to Congress on implementation and outcomes to evaluate potential expansion.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes school lunch rules to allow schools to serve whole milk as part of the National School Lunch Program. It amends the law to explicitly include "whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free" milks as acceptable options. Crucially, it clarifies that milk fat in fluid milk provided under this rule will not count toward the meal's saturated fat limit for compliance purposes. This directly affects school nutrition programs nationwide by expanding milk choices and simplifying meal planning around fat content.
Maddy summaryThe SECURE Act would allow certain foreign nationals to adjust their immigration status to lawful permanent residence. It specifically targets individuals who are nationals of countries designated under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or who were in TPS, and who have been continuously present in the U.S. for at least three years. The bill includes provisions for work authorization while applications are pending, fee exemptions for vulnerable applicants (such as minors, low-income individuals, and those in foster care), and a "stay of removal" for those with pending applications. It also contains confidentiality protections for application information and requires detailed reporting when countries lose TPS status. The bill aims to streamline the process for eligible TPS holders to obtain permanent residency without having to file motions to reopen prior removal orders.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1922) would expand Medicare coverage to include wigs as "durable medical equipment" for beneficiaries experiencing hair loss due to medical conditions like cancer treatment. It directly affects Medicare recipients who require cranial prostheses (wigs) as part of medically necessary rehabilitation, as certified in writing by a dermatologist, oncologist, or attending physician. The key mechanism adds a specific provision to the Social Security Act defining "durable medical equipment" to include such prostheses when a doctor confirms their medical necessity. This change would allow Medicare to cover these wigs under existing program rules, reducing out-of-pocket costs for qualifying beneficiaries.
Maddy summaryS 1885 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to remove annual numerical limits on employment-based visas for a new category (J). This change would directly affect immigrants in category J, allowing them to obtain visas without facing yearly caps. The bill modifies two sections of the law (201(b)(1)(A) and 203(b)(4)) to include category J in the list of exempt categories. The bill's title references "vulnerable immigrant youth," but the provided text does not specify that category J relates to youth or vulnerability.
Maddy summaryThe BUMP Act of 2023 (S 1909) prohibits the sale, possession, and transfer of devices that increase the rate of fire on semiautomatic firearms, including "bump stocks" and similar modifications. It directly affects owners of semiautomatic firearms modified to speed up firing or mimic machineguns, requiring them to register such weapons within 120 days of enactment. Key provisions ban devices designed to eliminate the need for separate trigger pulls per shot and define "semiautomatic firearm" to exclude machinegun-like modifications. The bill exempts government entities and pre-existing legal modifications from the ban, provided they are registered.