Rep. Mark Pocan

Maddy summaryHR 5731, the School Food Modernization Act, provides funding to help schools upgrade facilities and equipment for healthier meal programs. It authorizes $300 million in loan guarantees (covering up to 80% of costs) and $35 million annually for grants to support kitchen renovations, equipment purchases, and food safety improvements for local schools and tribal organizations. The bill also allocates $10 million yearly to fund training programs for school food service staff, developed by third-party organizations, to meet nutrition standards. These provisions directly affect public school districts, tribal schools, and their food service operations by enabling infrastructure upgrades and staff training.

Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 This bill expands the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) authority with respect to research on rare pediatric diseases, including by permitting the FDA to take enforcement action against drug sponsors that fail to satisfy pediatric study requirements and by reauthorizing programs that support pediatric research.  Specifically, the bill modifies requirements relating to molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigations to permit research on new drugs in combination with active ingredients that have already been approved, provided certain conditions are met; permits the FDA to take enforcement action against drug sponsors that fail to comply with pediatric study requirements, if such sponsors demonstrated a lack of due diligence in satisfying the requirement; renews the FDA’s authority to award priority review vouchers to sponsors of new products intended to treat rare pediatric diseases through September 30, 2029; and reauthorizes through FY2027 certain funding for the National Institutes of Health to support priority pediatric research.  The bill also provides statutory authority for the FDA’s interpretation of the orphan drug exclusivity period. The bill specifies, consistent with FDA regulations, that the seven-year market exclusivity period for drugs for rare diseases or conditions (i.e., orphan drugs) prohibits the approval of the same drug for the same approved use or indication with respect to the disease or condition. (In Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Becerra , a court rejected the FDA’s interpretation and held that orphan drug exclusivity extends to all uses or indications for the disease or condition.)

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding for White House construction or renovations during any government shutdown (funding gap), except for projects directly related to health or safety. It directly affects White House maintenance and development projects by blocking non-essential work when Congress fails to pass a budget. The key provision bans all non-essential spending on White House grounds during budget lapses, with explicit health/safety exceptions. The bill aims to prevent new projects from starting during shutdowns without altering existing contracts or ongoing work.

Maddy summaryThe FRESHER Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of the Interior to study stormwater runoff impacts from oil, gas, and mining operations on groundwater and aquifers. It mandates a specific analysis of measurable contamination, groundwater resources, and aquifer susceptibility to contamination in affected areas. The study must be completed within one year of the bill's enactment, with results reported to Congress. This bill directly affects oil, gas, and mining operations by establishing new federal study requirements for their stormwater runoff.

Maddy summaryHR 6318, the No GOUGE Act, prohibits large businesses from excessively raising prices on goods affected by tariffs or planned tariffs (e.g., imports subject to new tariffs) for five years after the tariff takes effect. It specifically targets companies with over $100 million in U.S. revenue, banning price hikes that exceed the actual cost of the tariff plus legitimate operational expenses (excluding executive pay or stock buybacks). The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces this by presuming violations if large firms (over $1 billion revenue) raise prices beyond pre-tariff averages during "tariff shock" periods, though companies can rebut this by proving costs were genuinely tied to the tariff. The law aims to prevent price gouging by ensuring tariff costs - not profit motives - drive price changes for consumers.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution (HRES 907) honors the six victims of the November 21, 2021, Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade attack - Wilhelm Hospel, Virginia Sorenson, LeAnna Owen, Tamara Durand, Jane Kulich, and Jackson Sparks - and extends condolences to their families. It recognizes the community’s healing efforts, including existing memorials like the 2023 parade memorial and 2025 park sculpture, while applauding first responders and the "Waukesha Strong" resilience. The resolution has no policy or funding provisions - it is purely ceremonial, acknowledging past tragedy and community response without creating new government action.

Maddy summaryHRES 899 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing the Transgender Day of Remembrance and memorializing transgender people killed by violence in 2024-2025. It directly affects transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color, by acknowledging the epidemic of violence against them - citing 27 U.S. victims (including names like Rick Alastor Newman and Kyla Jane Walker) and 241 global cases in 2025. The resolution’s key provisions include formally recognizing the violence epidemic, memorializing specific lives lost, and affirming the need for solutions to protect transgender people. It does not create new laws but expresses congressional support for addressing systemic violence and discrimination faced by transgender communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill would expand Medicare Part B coverage to include medical nutrition therapy for beneficiaries with a wider range of chronic conditions beyond current limits (diabetes and kidney disease). It specifically adds conditions like obesity, hypertension, eating disorders, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, and HIV to the list of covered illnesses, allowing coverage for prevention, management, or treatment. The bill also allows more healthcare providers - including dietitians, nurse practitioners, and clinical psychologists - to deliver these services. This change would directly affect millions of Medicare beneficiaries managing these conditions who previously lacked coverage for medically necessary nutrition therapy.

Maddy summaryThe Healthy MOM Act (HR 6242) would require health insurance plans to provide a special enrollment period for pregnant individuals beginning when pregnancy is reported to the insurer. It mandates that group health plans and health insurance issuers cover maternity care, including childbirth and postpartum care, for all dependents regardless of age. The bill would extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant individuals and infants to 12 months postpartum (instead of ending at 60 days postpartum) and make this 12-month coverage permanent. These provisions would directly affect pregnant individuals, women with dependent children who are pregnant, and health insurance plans and Medicaid programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicare's drug price negotiation program to cover 50 drugs (up from 20) and requires health insurers to apply negotiated prices to cost-sharing for beneficiaries. It establishes annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing limits for prescription drugs under group health plans and insurance coverage, with specific limits of $2,000 for self-only coverage in 2027 that will increase annually. The bill also sets specific cost-sharing limits for insulin products, requiring coverage with no deductible and cost-sharing of no more than $35 per 30-day supply or 25% of the negotiated price. These provisions affect Medicare beneficiaries, people with group health plans, and health insurers across the country. The bill applies to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.