Sen. Ted Budd

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Fertilizer Transparency Act of 2026, would require manufacturers and wholesalers of fertilizer to report weekly price and quantity data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The reporting would apply to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and fertilizer products sold in the United States, with separate data categories for domestic and foreign companies. Cooperatives and non-manufacturer retailers would be exempt from mandatory reporting but could choose to report voluntarily. The collected information would be published weekly on a public dashboard to help farmers and market participants make more informed marketing decisions and promote competition in the fertilizer industry.

Maddy summaryThe Homegrown Fertilizer Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants and loans to help American businesses build or expand domestic fertilizer production facilities. This funding supports various activities such as constructing new plants, purchasing equipment, and improving manufacturing efficiency, with priority given to projects that increase competition and reduce fertilizer prices for farmers. Eligible recipients include independent businesses, cooperatives, nonprofits, and tribal organizations located within the United States, provided they do not already control a large market share in fertilizer production. Grants can reach up to $100 million and require matching funds from recipients, while loans follow existing federal farm program terms. The program also includes conditions requiring repayment if the funded facility is sold to a large market player within 10 years.

Maddy summaryS 2903, the Safe Step Act, requires health insurance plans and employers offering health coverage to establish a clear, timely process for patients or doctors to request exceptions when step therapy protocols (where insurers require trying cheaper drugs first) would harm a patient. It mandates approval for exceptions if prior drugs failed, delay would cause severe harm, a drug is unsafe, or a patient is stable on their current medication. Plans must respond to requests within 72 hours (or 24 hours in emergencies) and cover the requested drug without extra cost-sharing. The bill also requires annual reports to the government on exception requests, approvals, denials, and trends by medical condition or specialty. This directly affects patients on health plans with step therapy, their doctors, and the insurers managing those plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public colleges and universities receiving federal funding from denying religious student groups access to campus facilities or official recognition solely because of their religious beliefs, practices, or standards. It directly affects public higher education institutions and religious student organizations seeking equal treatment alongside secular groups. The key mechanism requires institutions to provide religious groups with the same rights, benefits, and privileges - such as meeting space, event scheduling, and official status - as non-religious student organizations. This policy change ensures religious groups cannot be discriminated against in campus activities through the threat of withheld federal funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Conscience Protection Act of 2025, strengthens protections for healthcare providers and organizations that refuse to participate in certain medical procedures (including abortion, assisted suicide, and sterilization) based on religious, moral, or ethical beliefs. It creates a private right of action allowing affected entities to seek legal remedies when their conscience rights are violated, addressing a gap in current law where victims could not defend their rights in court. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit discrimination against such healthcare entities and establishes clearer enforcement mechanisms through the Department of Health and Human Services, including administrative investigations and civil actions. It directly affects healthcare providers, hospitals, insurers, and other health-related organizations operating under federal funding. The bill aims to address inconsistent enforcement of existing conscience protections like the Weldon Amendment, which has been challenged in cases such as California's abortion coverage mandate.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act requires that financial assistance from non-profit organizations or prescription drug manufacturers counts toward patients' annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing limits (like deductibles and copays) for certain prescription drugs. It directly affects individuals enrolled in group health plans or individual insurance who receive such assistance, ensuring payments from these sources reduce their total out-of-pocket spending. The bill amends key healthcare laws to include these payments in calculating cost-sharing thresholds, specifically for specialty drugs and drugs subject to utilization management (like prior authorization). It takes effect for plan years beginning in 2026 and does not change how utilization management tools are applied.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow federal law enforcement officers, including retired officers, to purchase firearms that have been retired from federal service. It requires the General Services Administrator to create a program where officers can buy these surplus weapons within six months of retirement, provided they are in good standing with their agency. The firearms would be sold at salvage value, which reflects their age and condition, and the program must be established within one year of the bill's enactment. The legislation defines eligible officers and firearms using existing legal definitions while excluding certain machineguns that were not lawfully possessed before specific federal restrictions took effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create standards and guidelines for making federal government data easier for artificial intelligence systems to use. It requires federal agencies to make their open data available in machine-readable formats, ensure data quality and documentation, and address privacy and intellectual property concerns. The bill mandates a public comment process and requires the President to issue requirements for agencies to adopt these standards within one year of enactment. Additionally, it specifically requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to prepare its weather and climate data for AI and machine learning applications in forecasting.

Maddy summaryThis bill would remove the federal approval for the drug mifepristone, which is used in combination with other medications to end pregnancies, and would make it illegal to distribute the drug for that purpose. It also creates a new federal lawsuit option allowing individuals to sue drug manufacturers for physical or mental harm they claim resulted from using mifepristone. The law would take effect 14 days after passing, with the new lawsuit provision becoming active 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the PREDICT Act, directs the federal government to provide funding to states, tribes, and local health departments for wastewater surveillance programs designed to detect and monitor infectious diseases. The legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants and contracts to eligible entities that submit detailed plans for wastewater sampling, data sharing, and response strategies. Funds can be used to establish new testing capabilities, expand surveillance in rural areas and facilities without proper wastewater treatment, and implement evidence-based monitoring practices. The bill also mandates the creation of technical assistance programs and standardized testing guidelines to ensure consistent data collection and reporting across all participating jurisdictions.