Maddy summaryThe Empowering Law Enforcement Act of 2023 would expand state and local law enforcement authority to enforce federal immigration laws by allowing them to investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain, or transfer individuals without authorization to federal custody. The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to add information about certain immigration violators to the National Crime Information Center database and establishes procedures for transferring apprehended individuals to federal custody, with reimbursement for states' detention and transportation costs. It includes new detention provisions for certain individuals and mandates training for law enforcement officers on immigration enforcement procedures. The bill also provides legal immunity for state and local officers who enforce immigration laws within the scope of their official duties.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 1641, the USPS Act, requires the Comptroller General to investigate nationwide mail and postal property theft annually for five years. The reports must detail current Postal Service security measures and offer recommendations for improving theft prevention, submitted to the House Oversight Committee and Senate Homeland Security Committee. This bill directly affects the U.S. Postal Service and Congress by mandating regular, detailed oversight of theft patterns. It does not create new security policies but establishes a reporting mechanism to inform future decisions. The focus is on transparency and data collection, not on immediate operational changes.
Maddy summaryThis bill makes the Feral Swine Eradication Program permanent by removing "pilot" language from the 2018 Agriculture Act and extending its funding period to 2024-2028. It directly affects agricultural producers in areas with feral swine and USDA agencies (APHIS and NRCS), requiring them to monitor eradicated areas for one year and report progress. Key provisions include annual monitoring after eradication, expanded funding for eligible counties, and mandatory reports to Congress detailing program activities, cost savings, and effectiveness. The reports must quantify reductions in agricultural damage, health risks, and improvements from swine removal.
Maddy summarySRES 195 is a ceremonial Senate resolution congratulating students, parents, teachers, and leaders of charter schools nationwide for their contributions to education. It formally supports the 24th annual National Charter Schools Week (May 7-13, 2023), encouraging public recognition of charter schools' role in providing diverse educational options. The resolution does not create new policies, funding, or obligations - it solely expresses legislative support for charter schools as part of a symbolic observance. It directly affects the charter school community by acknowledging their work during a designated national week.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires retirement plan managers (fiduciaries) to primarily consider financial factors like risk and return when selecting investments for employee benefit plans, such as 401(k)s. It allows using non-financial factors (like environmental or social concerns) only if financial factors are insufficient to choose between options, and then mandates detailed documentation explaining why financial factors weren't decisive and how the non-financial choice still serves participants' retirement interests. The rule applies to investments made 60 days after the bill becomes law. It directly affects plan managers overseeing retirement savings, not individual investors.
Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Back the Blue Act of 2023," strengthens federal protections for law enforcement officers by creating new criminal penalties for killing or assaulting them while on duty. It makes it a federal crime to kill or attempt to kill law enforcement officers, federal judges, or federally funded public safety officers (including firefighters and first responders) during official duties, with penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison or death if the victim dies. The bill also establishes a new federal offense for fleeing interstate to avoid prosecution for killing law enforcement officers and adds a new aggravating factor for death penalty cases involving officers. Additionally, it expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances and limits federal habeas corpus relief for murder convictions involving law enforcement officers.
Maddy summarySRES 115 is a Senate resolution designating April 2023 as "Countering International Parental Child Abduction Month" to raise public awareness about the issue. It urges Congress to educate the public on the emotional, psychological, and physical harm caused to children and parents when children are abducted across international borders. The resolution references statistics showing over 9,800 U.S. children were abducted internationally between 2010-2020 and notes U.S. legal frameworks like the Hague Convention and the Sean and David Goldman Act. It does not create new laws or funding but emphasizes symbolic recognition and public education efforts.
Maddy summaryThe College Transparency Act requires the development of a new, secure data system to collect and share detailed, aggregate information about college students' enrollment, progression, costs, financial aid, and post-graduation outcomes like earnings and employment. This system will make publicly accessible, non-personally identifiable information through an easy-to-use website to help students and families make informed college decisions. Institutions participating in federal student aid programs must submit data to the system, while the bill prohibits collecting sensitive information like health data, discipline records, or exact addresses. The law also includes strong privacy protections, requires data minimization, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or selling it to third parties. The system aims to reduce reporting burdens on institutions while improving transparency about college outcomes.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the VA Secretary to respond to written questions from Senate and House Veterans' Affairs committees within 45 business days. If delays are expected, the VA must notify the committee member in advance, explaining the reason, providing a new timeline, and detailing steps needed to answer. It also mandates other federal agencies to promptly assist the VA when requested to meet these deadlines. The bill directly affects the VA Secretary, congressional committees, and other federal agencies involved in VA oversight.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 25) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific Department of Labor rule regarding wage rates for H-2A agricultural workers. It targets the rule published in the Federal Register (88 Fed. Reg. 12760) that established a methodology for calculating "Adverse Effect Wage Rates" (AEWR) for temporary H-2A nonimmigrant workers in non-range occupations. If passed, the resolution would block this rule from taking effect, directly affecting agricultural employers who rely on H-2A visas and the workers themselves by preventing the implementation of the new wage calculation method. The resolution does not create new policy but aims to halt an existing rule through the congressional disapproval process under U.S. Code.