Sen. Peter Welch

Maddy summaryThe Student Loan Interest Elimination Act would eliminate interest on existing Federal Direct student loans and set the interest rate for new Federal Direct student loans to zero starting July 1, 2026. The bill also establishes an Education Affordability Trust Fund financed by loan repayments to fund these zero-interest loans and provide additional Pell Grants. Under the program, borrowers could opt out of automatic interest elimination and refinancing, and the bill includes provisions for calculating qualifying payments toward loan forgiveness programs.

Maddy summaryThe FARM Home Loans Act of 2026 modifies the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to expand financing options for rural homeowners. It allows Farm Credit institutions to provide loans for accessory dwelling units in addition to traditional home improvements. The bill also increases the maximum loan amount for these rural housing projects from $2,500 to $10,000. These changes directly affect rural property owners seeking financing for secondary living spaces on their land. The legislation aims to increase access to home improvement funding in rural markets through existing Farm Credit programs.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution seeks to prohibit a specific foreign military sale of defense articles and services to the Government of Israel. It directly affects the proposed transaction by invoking the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the sale of 10,000 BLU-111 500-pound general purpose bombs and related logistics support. The bill uses the statutory authority under the Arms Export Control Act to block the sale without requiring new legislation. If passed, it would prevent the transfer of these specific weapons and associated services to Israel.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution seeks to prohibit the licensing of specific defense articles and services to Israel, including 5,000 Small Diameter Bomb Weapon Systems. The bill directly affects the proposed arms sales notification submitted to Congress on March 12, 2026, under the Arms Export Control Act. By passing this resolution, Congress would exercise its authority to disapprove the licensing of these particular defense items. The measure is currently referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations for consideration.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates March 21, 2026, as "National Women in Agriculture Day" to recognize the contributions of women in the agricultural sector. The bill directly affects women working in farming, research, education, and related industries by formally acknowledging their roles as producers, leaders, and mentors. It highlights that women represent over one-third of U.S. agricultural producers and generated $222 billion in agricultural sales in 2022. The designation encourages citizens to celebrate and support women in agriculture during National Ag Week, which coincides with the date. This is a commemorative measure rather than a policy change that alters laws or programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the No Bailout for Crypto Act, prohibits the U.S. government from providing financial assistance to companies and systems involved in digital asset activities to prevent their failure or bankruptcy. It specifically bars Federal agencies from using emergency liquidity facilities, the Exchange Stabilization Fund, or other taxpayer resources to support digital asset intermediaries, decentralized finance protocols, or regulated financial service providers operating in the digital asset space. The legislation aims to establish a clear rule that digital asset market participants cannot receive taxpayer-funded bailouts, while maintaining the Federal Reserve's existing authority to lend to traditional depository institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the AI Research and Oversight in Courts Task Force to study how artificial intelligence speech-to-text and automatic speech recognition technologies are used in federal and state courts across the United States. The 15-member task force, composed of government officials and independent experts, will assess issues related to accuracy, privacy, civil liberties, and costs associated with these technologies in the judicial system. Within 18 months of enactment, the group must submit a final report to Congress with findings and recommendations on whether these technologies affect court record integrity, alter speech from individuals with accents or speech impediments, and pose cybersecurity risks. The task force will also examine whether court records should include watermarks or metadata to indicate AI involvement and provide guidance on vendor selection for these technologies.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act, amends the Clayton Act to broaden the federal prohibition against price discrimination. It expands the law's scope to cover products and services rather than just physical goods, and extends its reach to include activities that affect commerce beyond direct commercial transactions. The bill also clarifies definitions of purchasing and adds liability for entities that induce or benefit from price discrimination, while providing a higher sales threshold for smaller businesses. Additionally, it strengthens legal remedies for victims of price discrimination by establishing a presumption of injury and allowing for additional damages beyond the amount of the discrimination itself.

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 summaryS 2287, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, establishes federal funding to expand training for health professionals in palliative and hospice care. The bill creates multiple programs including grants for education programs, fellowships for faculty to gain specialized training, and career incentive awards for students pursuing palliative care specialties. It prioritizes training in rural and underserved areas, for pediatric populations, and for racial and ethnic minorities. The bill authorizes $15 million annually through 2030 to build a more skilled palliative care workforce for patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses.