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.
Sponsored bills
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 summaryThis bill (S 1677, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act) requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary treatments for congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. It mandates coverage for reconstructive services, dental/orthodontic care, and related treatments during the course of medical treatment, while excluding purely cosmetic procedures not medically necessary. Plans may apply cost-sharing requirements similar to those for other medical services but must provide notice about these coverage requirements to participants by January 1, 2026. The bill also directs a study on provider network adequacy and cost impacts related to these coverage requirements, to be completed by December 2027.
Maddy summaryS. Res. 650 is a Senate resolution that formally recognizes the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States. The resolution highlights their achievements in military service, business ownership, healthcare, science, arts, and civil rights advocacy through specific examples of individual women. It does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of their historical and ongoing contributions to American society.
Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Stop Insider Trading Act, would restrict Members of Congress and their spouses and dependents from purchasing stocks in publicly traded companies. It requires these individuals to provide advance public notice at least seven days before selling any covered investments, with the notice filed with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate. The law includes exceptions for certain occupational transactions and reinvested dividends, and establishes penalties including fees and mandatory sales for violations.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows Purple Heart veterans who served after September 11, 2001, to transfer unused Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to family members. Specifically, veterans can transfer up to 36 months of benefits to eligible dependents (like spouses or children) without affecting their own remaining benefits. It sets rules for when dependents can use transferred benefits - children must complete high school or turn 18 first, and benefits expire by age 26 unless used for caregiving or due to school closures. The bill also ensures transferred benefits aren’t treated as marital property and includes special provisions for caregivers of injured veterans or emergency school closures.
Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, acknowledging the ecological and economic importance of these lands to the United States. The bill highlights that rangelands cover a significant portion of U.S. territory and support domestic production of food, fiber, and energy while providing critical ecosystem services like carbon storage and wildfire risk reduction. It encourages federal agencies, universities, and organizations to engage in education, research, and outreach activities related to sustainable rangeland management during the designated year. The measure does not create new laws or funding but serves to raise awareness and promote collaboration among stakeholders involved in rangeland stewardship.
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, known as the Geo POWER Act, creates a new government program to fund geothermal energy projects in areas where such power has not been previously generated. It directs the Department of Energy to provide milestone-based financing to projects in low-permeability rock formations and regions with limited geothermal activity, including areas on or near Indian lands. The program requires projects to achieve specific technical and financial goals to receive funding, with a minimum of three projects awarded across at least three different states. Each funded project must have the potential to generate at least 30 megawatts of electricity or advance innovative drilling technologies that could enable larger-scale commercial geothermal power.
Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that the federal government, specifically the Bureau of Reclamation, must retain sole ownership, operation, and funding responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel - a federally constructed channel designed to help pallid sturgeon migrate past a dam. It prohibits shifting any operational or financial burden for this channel to the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District or Project, which are state-local entities managing agricultural water delivery. The bill authorizes $1 million annually for federal operations and maintenance of the channel and requires regular reports to Congress. It explicitly states this does not alter the irrigation project’s water rights, contracts, or the district’s existing responsibilities.