Sen. John Boozman

Maddy summaryThe Gerald’s Law Act expands burial and funeral allowances to veterans who die at home or in a hospice setting, provided their hospice care was immediately preceded by VA hospital or nursing home care. This change adds a new eligibility category for veterans transitioning from VA institutional care to hospice at home or in a facility, directly affecting veterans and their families in these end-of-life care scenarios. The bill amends existing law to include these cases under the same benefits previously available only to veterans who died in VA facilities. The amendment takes effect as if included in the 2020 Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act.

Maddy summaryS 1382, the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act of 2023, increases penalties for obstructing justice near Supreme Court justices' residences or workplaces. It amends federal law to raise the maximum prison sentence for picketing or parading that obstructs justice from one year to five years. This change directly affects individuals who engage in disruptive protests near justices' homes or offices. The bill focuses solely on strengthening criminal penalties for obstruction, not on judicial decisions or court procedures.

This resolution supports the designation of April 2023 as the Month of the Military Child and urges the observation of the month with appropriate activities that show appreciation for military children.

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. Current law also provides for an additional increase of up to 200 positions for FY2026, with at least 100 of these positions for psychiatry or related specialties; each hospital may receive up to 10 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2025-FY2031; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens penalties for individuals or organizations charging veterans unauthorized fees when assisting with VA benefit claims. It directly affects veterans who might be targeted by unscrupulous representatives and the representatives themselves who attempt to charge such fees. The key provision adds a new subsection (b) to Section 5905, making it illegal to solicit, charge, or receive any fee for preparing or submitting VA claims - except as allowed under specific other sections. Violations can result in fines, up to one year in prison, or both.

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 summaryThe Caring for Survivors Act of 2023 (S 414) increases monthly payments for surviving spouses of veterans. It changes how dependency and indemnity compensation is calculated, replacing a fixed amount with 55% of another veterans' compensation rate, and ensures survivors whose veterans died before January 1, 1993, receive the higher of the old or new payment amount. The bill also modifies rules for survivors of veterans who were totally disabled at death, reducing the required continuous disability rating period from 10 to 5 years, with payments adjusted proportionally for shorter periods. These changes directly affect surviving spouses of veterans, particularly those with veterans who died prior to 1993 or who had shorter disability ratings before death. The bill takes effect six months after enactment.

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.

Maddy summaryThe Love Lives On Act of 2023 restores survivor benefits for veterans' spouses who remarried before age 55 and before the bill's enactment, which they previously lost due to remarriage. It removes an expiration date for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship for surviving spouses and expands access to military commissaries and exchanges for remarried surviving spouses. The bill also extends TRICARE coverage to include remarried widows or widowers whose subsequent marriage ended.

Maddy summaryThe Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act (S 1237) would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exclude specific family-owned assets from being counted when calculating a student's financial need for federal aid. It directly affects students from families owning a farm where they reside or a small business (with 100 or fewer full-time employees) that is family-controlled. The bill adds explicit exemptions for these assets in the financial aid formula, removing their value from asset calculations. This change would increase eligibility for need-based aid like Pell Grants for affected students without altering other aid program rules.