Sen. Lisa Murkowski

Maddy summarySRES 220 is a Senate resolution recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Department of Defense State Partnership Program. The resolution acknowledges the program's 30-year history of building security partnerships with 100 nations and expresses gratitude to National Guard members for their service in fostering these international relationships. It does not create new policy but formally honors the program's role in strengthening global security cooperation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a federal grant program to fund training for law enforcement officers on interacting with people with disabilities and older adults with cognitive impairments. Nonprofit disability organizations will receive grants to develop training programs requiring at least 8 hours of mandatory training for new officers (including 4 hours of interactive learning with covered individuals) and 4 hours of annual refresher training for existing officers. The training covers communication strategies, de-escalation techniques, identifying disabilities, and community resources, with a requirement that covered individuals serve as instructors. Funded at $100 million annually through 2026, the program aims to reduce violent encounters based on findings that people with disabilities are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of violent crime and disproportionately affected by police violence.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Act of 2023 allocates federal funding to strengthen 211 information and referral services and 988 mental health crisis services nationwide. It requires states to coordinate these services to ensure 24/7 availability, improve accessibility for people with disabilities, and reduce inappropriate 911 calls by connecting individuals with human services instead of law enforcement. The bill authorizes $550 million annually for 2024-2025 (split between 211 and 988 services) and $450 million annually for 2026-2030, with states required to establish oversight bodies to monitor service quality and racial equity. States must use funds to expand access to mental health and human services, particularly in underserved communities, while tracking how many 911 calls are diverted to appropriate services.

Maddy summaryThe Reforming Disaster Recovery Act establishes a Long-Term Disaster Recovery Fund to provide grants for long-term recovery after major disasters, primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income households in communities most impacted by disasters. It creates a new Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program that requires grantees to allocate at least 70% of funds to help low- and moderate-income people, with funds distributed based on unmet needs for housing, economic revitalization, and infrastructure. The bill mandates detailed planning with public input before funds are distributed, requires grantees to prioritize mitigation activities in hazard-prone areas, and includes provisions for preliminary funding to speed up recovery before final assessments are complete. It also requires annual reporting on fund usage to ensure transparency and accountability, while coordinating with FEMA and other agencies to prevent duplication of benefits.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of May 14-20, 2023, as "National Police Week" to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. It recognizes 444 officers killed in 2022 (including specific names listed in the resolution) and acknowledges 32 officers killed in 2023, while expressing support for law enforcement personnel. The resolution encourages the public to observe this week by honoring law enforcement officers and promoting awareness of their essential service. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new policy or alter existing laws.

Maddy summaryS.1667, the America’s CHILDREN Act of 2023, creates a pathway to permanent residency for certain college graduates who entered the U.S. as children under specific visa categories. It directly affects noncitizens who: (1) were lawfully present as dependent children of nonimmigrant workers (excluding H-1B, L-1, etc.) for at least 8 years, (2) maintained lawful presence for 10+ years total, and (3) graduated from a U.S. college or university. Key provisions include age-out protections for dependents who turn 21 while waiting for visas and retention of priority dates for visa processing. The bill modifies immigration law to allow eligible individuals to file for permanent residency without numerical limits, using the date a petition was filed as the basis for age determination. This applies to those whose parents held employment-based nonimmigrant status (e.g., E-1, E-2, O-1), not tourist or student visas.

Maddy summaryThe EARN IT Act of 2023 establishes a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention to develop voluntary best practices for interactive computer services (such as social media platforms and messaging apps) to prevent, reduce, and respond to online child sexual exploitation. The Commission will create recommended practices considering different platform sizes and business models, including content moderation, reporting systems, and age verification measures. The bill updates federal law to replace the term "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" across numerous statutes and technical amendments. These best practices would be voluntary for platforms to adopt, not mandatory requirements, and must be supported by at least 14 of the Commission's 19 members. The Commission's recommendations will be updated every 5 years and published by the Department of Justice.

Maddy summaryS 1554, the National American Indian Veterans Charter Act, grants a federal charter to the existing nonprofit organization National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated. This charter formally recognizes the group as a federally chartered entity under Title 36 of the U.S. Code, authorizing it to operate as a nonprofit dedicated to serving American Indian veterans. Key provisions include granting the organization exclusive rights to its name and insignia, requiring it to maintain tax-exempt status, and mandating annual reports to Congress on its activities (though these reports are not public documents). The bill directly affects American Indian veterans by legally solidifying the organization’s role as their representative body for advocacy, outreach, and support services.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payments to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological disease. It changes the eligibility rule so that veterans diagnosed with ALS at any point before death - regardless of how long they had the disease - are treated as if they met the required duration for benefits. The change applies to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022, ensuring surviving spouses receive benefits they previously might have been denied due to timing. This directly affects the families of veterans with ALS who pass away, streamlining access to financial support.

Maddy summaryThe SAFE Banking Act of 2023 creates a legal safe harbor for financial institutions that provide services to state-sanctioned marijuana businesses and hemp-related legitimate businesses. It prevents federal banking regulators from taking adverse actions against depository institutions for serving these businesses solely because they operate within state-legal marijuana frameworks. The bill also ensures income from legal marijuana businesses can be considered for qualifying for federally backed mortgage loans and requires updated guidance for suspicious activity reporting related to these businesses. These provisions aim to address longstanding banking access barriers for businesses operating within state-legal marijuana and hemp industries.