Rep. Sharice Davids

Maddy summaryThe Truth in National Parks Act requires that interpretive and educational materials in national parks be historically and culturally accurate and consistent with the parks' foundational documents. It restricts the National Park Service from removing, editing, or obscuring such materials unless they are being updated or new exhibits are being added, a process that must include consultation with relevant groups like Indian Tribes. The law also mandates that any historically accurate materials altered between January 20, 2025, and the bill's enactment be restored within 180 days. Additionally, the bill directs a government report on co-stewardship agreements between Indigenous communities and federal agencies to be submitted to Congress within one year.

Maddy summaryThe Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 aims to speed up care decisions and increase transparency for Medicare Advantage enrollees and providers. Starting in 2028, the bill requires insurance plans to respond to most prior authorization requests within 72 hours and to provide real-time decisions for low-risk services, while also banning requirements for re-authorization when a treatment plan is clinically modified. The legislation introduces a new compliance scoring system that will publicly rank plans and reduce payments to those with poor performance, alongside stricter rules ensuring medical necessity standards match those of traditional Medicare.

Maddy summaryThe Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act expands federal support for certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) by modifying how these facilities are funded under Medicaid and Medicare. Under the new rules, states and the federal government will use a prospective payment system to pay CCBHCs based on the cost of providing care rather than per-visit fees, while also extending coverage to additional services like primary health care. The legislation establishes a new grant program to help clinics operate and expand, creates a national data system to track clinic performance, and introduces an accreditation requirement to ensure quality standards are met. Additionally, the bill extends liability protections to clinicians working in these clinics and removes certain financial barriers for Medicare patients seeking care at CCBHCs.

Maddy summaryThis bill modernizes housing assistance programs for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiians by streamlining environmental reviews, extending funding authorization through 2032, and expanding loan guarantee options. Key provisions include consolidating environmental review requirements to reduce paperwork for tribes, allowing 99-year leasehold interests on trust lands for housing, and creating new rental assistance specifically for homeless or at-risk Native American veterans. The legislation also clarifies rent rules, waives certain housing counseling certifications for tribal entities, exempts tribal housing projects from some federal civil rights and Buy America requirements, and establishes a direct loan guarantee process for tribal housing projects.

Maddy summaryThe Homegrown Fertilizer Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide grants and loans to domestic businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, tribes, and local governments that manufacture, process, or store fertilizer and nutrient alternatives. To qualify, recipients must be independently owned, located within the United States, and certify that they do not hold a market share equal to or greater than the fourth-largest company in the fertilizer industry. Funds can be used for building or expanding facilities, purchasing equipment, improving production efficiency, reducing emissions, and training workers, with grants capped at $100 million requiring matching non-Federal funds. The program prioritizes projects that enhance innovation, increase domestic production capacity, and improve competition to reduce fertilizer prices and volatility for American farmers, while requiring repayment if the recipient facility is sold to a larger competitor within 10 years.

Maddy summaryThe Rural Child Care Access Act establishes a federal grant program to assist child care facilities in rural areas with fewer than 50,000 residents. The Department of Health and Human Services can award up to $4 million per facility for projects that upgrade infrastructure or improve provider recruitment and training. Congress has authorized $250 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, requiring the agency to report on project progress and ensure funds are distributed equitably across regions. Additionally, the bill mandates a study to assess the ongoing construction and renovation needs of child care facilities nationwide.

Maddy summaryHR 5543, the Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025, requires the U.S. State and Defense Departments to submit a report within 180 days of enactment. The report will assess emerging military, cyber, hybrid, and political threats to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including the roles of Russia, Belarus, China, Iran, and other actors. It will also evaluate U.S. and NATO military presence in the region, opportunities for defense cooperation, and recommendations to strengthen deterrence, cybersecurity, and democratic resilience in the Baltic countries. This bill directly affects U.S. foreign policy and defense planning regarding the Baltics, but does not create new programs or funding.

Maddy summaryThe SERVE Act extends various Veterans Affairs benefits to former military members who were discharged specifically due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This legislation amends existing laws to include these individuals in access to hospital care, mental health counseling, burial in national cemeteries, post-9/11 education assistance, and VA housing loans. The bill also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to notify affected service members about available benefits and mandates a report within 15 months detailing how many individuals have received these services.

Maddy summaryThe 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act directs the Small Business Administration to develop and implement an entrepreneurship curriculum for students in community learning centers, primarily targeting youth from disadvantaged communities. The bill requires the SBA to work with the SCORE program, which consists of retired business executives, to create teaching materials and train volunteers to deliver this curriculum in partnership with education specialists and other business groups. Additionally, the legislation amends existing laws to formally include entrepreneurship education in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and mandates that the SBA submit biennial reports to Congress on program implementation, funding usage, and student outreach.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to help vulnerable mothers and babies in areas with high climate-related health risks, such as extreme heat and air pollution. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award up to $105 million over four years to community groups, healthcare providers, and local organizations for initiatives that provide cooling resources, health education, and support services. The program prioritizes areas with high rates of maternal and infant health disparities and requires grantees to address racial and ethnic inequities. Additionally, the bill creates a research consortium at the National Institutes of Health to study climate impacts on birth outcomes and funds training programs for health profession schools to better prepare providers for these risks.