Sen. John Boozman

Maddy summaryS 1092, the Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2023, creates federal grants to expand dual enrollment and early college high school programs. It directly affects high school students, particularly those from low-income families, rural communities, and first-generation college students, by enabling them to earn college credits while still in high school. The bill authorizes grants for institutions of higher education partnering with local school districts to cover tuition, fees, books, and up to 20% of costs for transportation. Grantees must develop partnerships, design curricula, and provide outreach to increase access, with evaluations required to measure program effectiveness.

Maddy summaryS 1077, the Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023, authorizes federal grants to expand mental health and substance use services for rural communities and workers in farming, fishing, and forestry (Triple-F) industries. The bill provides up to $10 million annually from 2023-2027 to fund demonstration projects where eligible providers deliver care directly to patients in their homes using telemental health technology. It requires grantees to develop metrics comparing home-based services to in-person care and mandates reports on program impact to Congress. This policy change specifically targets underserved rural populations facing barriers like geographic isolation, workforce shortages, and stigma in accessing mental health care.

Maddy summaryThe Recovering America's Wildlife Act of 2023 establishes new funding streams to prevent species from needing Endangered Species Act protection and aid recovery of already-listed species. It provides $850 million in 2024 (increasing to $1.3 billion annually after 2027) to states, territories, and tribes through a new Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount, with 15% required for endangered species recovery. The bill also creates a Tribal Wildlife Conservation Account ($97.5 million annually) and an Endangered Species Recovery Fund ($187.5 million annually), with funds to be used for habitat conservation, species management, invasive species control, and conservation education. States must use funds to implement their Wildlife Conservation Strategies, and all funding must supplement, not replace, existing conservation programs. The legislation requires annual reporting to Congress on how funds are used and progress on conservation goals.

Maddy summaryThe Rural Hospital Support Act (S 1110) changes how Medicare calculates payments for two types of rural hospitals: sole community hospitals (the only hospital in their area) and Medicare-dependent hospitals (which rely heavily on Medicare for revenue). It recalculates payments using a 2016 base year instead of previous periods, potentially increasing reimbursements for eligible hospitals if this results in higher payments. The bill also extends the Medicare-dependent hospital program and low-volume hospital payment increases beyond 2024, while prohibiting adjustments to these payments for years before 2015. This directly affects eligible rural hospitals by increasing their Medicare funding and providing long-term program stability.

Maddy summaryThe Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act creates a federal grant program to fund public parking facilities for commercial trucks along highways and near freight facilities. It authorizes $175 million for fiscal year 2024, increasing to $320 million by 2026, to address parking shortages that impact driver safety and traffic flow. Eligible projects include building rest areas, expanding parking at truck stops or ports, and improving existing facilities, all requiring free public access and no fees for drivers. The program mandates stakeholder input from trucking companies and safety officials, with annual reports to Congress on project effectiveness and parking availability.

Maddy summaryThe Access to AEDs Act (S 1024) provides $25 million in federal funding over five years (2024-2028) to help public elementary and secondary schools improve access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training. It authorizes grants for schools to purchase AEDs, train students and staff, develop emergency response plans, and partner with health organizations - such as local hospitals or fire departments - to implement these programs. The bill also requires the creation of a national database to track school AED access and share best practices, aiming to support immediate response during cardiac emergencies. This directly affects schools, students, and school staff by enhancing preparedness for sudden cardiac arrest, which the bill cites as a leading cause of death among young athletes and children.

Maddy summaryThis bill blocks new permits for carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor, and methane emissions from livestock farming. It amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit permits specifically for emissions resulting from natural biological processes in animal production. Livestock operations and producers would be directly affected, as they can no longer seek permits for these emissions under current programs. The change prevents these emissions from being regulated through standard Clean Air Act permitting processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 22) seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Education regarding federal student loan modifications. It targets the rule titled "Waivers and Modifications of Federal Student Loans," which included a one-time debt relief program announced in October 2022. The resolution requests Congress disapprove the rule under the Congressional Review Act, preventing the Department from implementing it. If approved, the rule would have no legal effect, directly affecting how student loan borrowers could access modifications or debt relief under that specific policy.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates April 5, 2023, as "Gold Star Wives Day" to honor the founding anniversary of Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. It recognizes the organization's mission since 1945 to support spouses of military members who died on active duty or from service-related causes. The resolution encourages the public to observe the day to raise awareness of the group's work in providing services and support to military families. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new programs or legal obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to require the U.S. Supreme Court to have exactly nine justices. Currently, Congress sets the Court's size through legislation, but this amendment would make the nine-justice structure a permanent requirement in the Constitution. It would need ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years to become part of the Constitution. If adopted, it would prevent Congress from changing the Court's size via ordinary legislation.