Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Maddy summaryThe PBM Price Transparency and Accountability Act requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to be more transparent about drug pricing and ensure accurate payments to pharmacies. It establishes national average drug acquisition cost benchmarks for Medicaid, prohibits PBMs from keeping excessive profits through "spread pricing," and mandates detailed reporting of drug pricing, rebates, and fees. The bill affects Medicaid programs, Medicare Part D plans, and the PBMs that negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurers. It includes enforcement mechanisms like civil penalties for non-compliance and requires PBMs to report detailed pricing information to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Maddy summaryThe HUSTLE Act creates tax-advantaged investment accounts for student athletes to save income from name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. Eligible student athletes at participating colleges can contribute NIL earnings (like endorsements and social media content) to these accounts, which are tax-exempt for the athlete. Distributions before graduation are taxed as ordinary income, but distributions after graduation or transfer qualify for lower long-term capital gains tax rates. The accounts have annual contribution limits based on the gift tax exclusion and require management by banks or approved entities. The bill also includes new rules for sports agents, such as a 5% fee cap on endorsement contracts and registration requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Cargo Security Innovation Act establishes a pilot program to test advanced security technologies at up to six high-risk cargo transportation hubs, such as ports, airports, and rail yards, with elevated cargo theft rates. The Transportation Security Administration will provide grants to partnerships between transportation companies, rail police, and local law enforcement to deploy and evaluate these technologies. The bill prohibits using technology from "foreign entities of concern" and requires grantees to track fund usage for audits. After two years, the TSA must report on the technologies' effectiveness, and the pilot will end three years after initial deployment, followed by a GAO evaluation.

Maddy summaryThe Back the Blue Act of 2025 creates new federal criminal offenses for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers, judges, and certain public safety personnel (including firefighters and first responders) while they are on duty or because of their official status. It increases penalties for these crimes, including minimum 10-year prison terms for killing officers and longer sentences for assaults causing serious injury, with the death penalty possible for killings. The bill also adds a "flight to avoid prosecution" provision for those fleeing to evade charges for killing officers, expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances, and limits federal habeas corpus relief for individuals convicted of killing law enforcement officers. This legislation directly affects law enforcement officers, judges, and public safety personnel, as well as individuals who commit violence against them.

Maddy summaryS 3301, the Chip EQUIP Act, restricts federal funding for semiconductor manufacturing projects using certain foreign-made equipment. It defines "ineligible semiconductor manufacturing equipment" as completed, fully assembled systems (like lithography or etching machines) manufactured, assembled, or refurbished by foreign entities of concern. The bill prohibits covered entities receiving federal assistance from procuring, installing, or using such equipment for 10 years, with limited waivers allowed if the equipment isn't available from U.S. or allied sources, meets export controls, or is deemed critical for national security. This directly affects companies and institutions receiving federal funds for semiconductor manufacturing.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that states can use direct primary care arrangements under Medicaid, where patients pay a fixed monthly fee for primary care services (like check-ups and preventive care) instead of traditional billing. It directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries, primary care providers, and state Medicaid agencies by allowing states to contract with providers for this model through managed care organizations. Key provisions require the Health Secretary to issue implementation guidance within one year and submit a report to Congress within two years analyzing how states use these arrangements and their impact on care quality and costs. The bill does not change existing Medicaid requirements for cost-sharing or the scope of covered services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Veterans Health Administration to expand its existing informed consent directive (currently covering long-term opioid therapy) to include written consent for five additional medication categories: antipsychotics, stimulants, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and narcotics. It directly affects Veterans receiving VA care for these specific medications, mandating that providers obtain written informed consent before prescribing them. The key mechanism is updating VA Directive 1005 to explicitly apply to these new medication types, ensuring consistent consent processes across VA treatment. This change applies only to VA healthcare settings, not to civilian medical practices.

Maddy summaryS 3299, the "DSH in Tennessee Act," permanently restores federal funding for hospitals in Tennessee that serve many low-income patients, directly affecting those hospitals. For fiscal year 2026, it sets Tennessee's funding level equal to its 2015 amount, adjusted annually for inflation using the consumer price index. Starting in 2027, Tennessee will be treated as a "low DSH state," receiving annual funding increases based on the same inflation adjustment used for similar states. This bill specifically changes how Tennessee's Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding is calculated and allocated.

Maddy summaryThe ANCHOR Act of 2025 (S 3300) creates a new state option to provide medical assistance to uninsured individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders who have incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. It defines "specified individuals" as those meeting income limits, being uninsured, and having a qualifying condition (like opioid use disorder or serious mental illness), as determined by healthcare providers or designated state entities. States choosing to adopt this program must ensure enrollees receive a care plan within 60 days and report on behavioral health quality measures. The assistance covers the same scope as standard Medicaid for this group, initially for one year with potential annual renewals after redetermination. This bill directly affects uninsured adults with specific health conditions in states that implement the new option.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop guidance for upgrading federal and critical infrastructure systems to quantum-resistant encryption (post-quantum cryptography) within 180 days. It mandates a National Quantum Cybersecurity Upgrade Strategy for federal agencies within 360 days, including risk assessments and performance metrics for prioritizing upgrades. The bill also establishes a voluntary pilot program to support high-risk entities (like critical infrastructure operators and federal agencies) in testing quantum-resistant system upgrades, with annual reporting to Congress. It directly affects federal agencies, critical infrastructure sectors (such as energy and finance), and private sector entities through NIST guidance. The focus is on concrete policy actions to prepare systems for future quantum computing threats.