Sen. Eric Schmitt

This resolution supports the designation of February 17-February 24, 2024, as National FFA Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America) in developing the next generation of globally conscious leaders who will change the world; and (2) celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Give the Gift of Blue program, which has donated more than 17,000 FFA blue jackets to FFA members in need.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop standardized skill and role frameworks for critical technology fields like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. It requires NIST to create these frameworks - including guidance on non-traditional career paths, professional skills, and support roles like ethics and supply chain security - and update them every three years. The frameworks will be made available to employers, educational institutions, and workers, with NIST mandated to report progress to Congress and publish resources in multiple languages. The law specifically requires NIST to develop an AI workforce framework within 540 days of enactment.

Maddy summaryS 3755 amends the CARES Act by removing subsection (c) from Section 4024 (15 U.S.C. 9058). This procedural change eliminates a specific federal housing regulation that may have conflicted with state housing laws. The bill directly affects entities subject to CARES Act housing provisions, such as housing providers or agencies receiving federal funds. The key mechanism is the deletion of the specified subsection, aligning the law with state housing regulations as indicated by the bill's title.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a specific regulation (described in a proposed rule from the Federal Register) that would affect funding for pregnancy centers. It defines "pregnancy centers" as organizations supporting maternal and fetal life and providing services like counseling, pregnancy testing, diapers, and baby clothes. The law directly affects federally funded pregnancy centers by blocking a regulatory change that could restrict their eligibility for federal expenditures. The key mechanism is a statutory prohibition preventing HHS from advancing the proposed rule, preserving existing funding pathways for these centers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a comprehensive report on maternal health care access for military families within two years. The report will analyze staffing shortages (like obstetricians and nurses), challenges in accessing care (including wait times and travel), and continuity issues during military relocations. It will also track funding and out-of-pocket costs over a decade, identifying gaps in facilities located in "maternity care deserts." The bill directly affects military service members' spouses and dependents who rely on TRICARE or military medical facilities for prenatal, birthing, and postpartum care. Its key mechanism is mandating this detailed assessment to inform future improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) starting from its enactment date, ending all U.S. financial support for the agency in fiscal year 2024 and prior years. It also bans entry to the United States for individuals affiliated with UNRWA (except U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or those covered by a specific UN headquarters agreement) and revokes tax-exempt status for UNRWA USA under U.S. tax law. These provisions directly affect UNRWA's operations, its staff and partners, and individuals linked to the agency seeking U.S. entry or tax benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) to strengthen reporting requirements for foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. It requires foreign individuals or entities holding at least 1% interest (directly or through multiple ownership layers) to report holdings, and directs the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center (FPAC-BC) to validate data and ensure compliance. The bill also mandates coordination with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), updates the Farm Service Agency handbook using GAO recommendations, and analyzes streamlining electronic reporting. These changes aim to improve transparency and national security oversight of foreign agricultural land investments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Census Bureau to add a citizenship status question to the 2030 and future decennial censuses, asking households to identify each member as a U.S. citizen, U.S. national (not citizen), lawfully residing alien, or unlawfully residing alien. It mandates that the Census Bureau publicly release state-level population data broken down by these four categories after each census. The bill also changes apportionment rules to exclude noncitizens from the population count used to determine the number of House seats and electoral votes each state receives, starting with the 2030 census. This directly affects how congressional representation and electoral votes are allocated among states based on population data.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to add restrictions on drawing down petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It prevents the Secretary of the Interior from selling reserve oil if land has been withdrawn from oil/gas leasing by the President, Interior Secretary, or Agriculture Secretary, requiring the Interior Inspector General to make a determination within 30 days and publish it in the Federal Register. The restriction does not apply during severe energy emergencies caused by sabotage, war, terrorism, or natural disasters. The bill does not directly lower gas prices but limits when the government can sell oil from the reserve under specific land withdrawal circumstances.

Maddy summaryS.1108, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2023, repeals the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of people who die after the bill's enactment. It also modifies the gift tax by establishing a $10 million lifetime exemption (adjusted for inflation) and creating a new tax rate schedule for gifts. This bill directly affects high-net-worth individuals who would have paid estate or gift taxes on large transfers of wealth. The changes take effect after the bill's passage, with the exemption adjusted annually for inflation.