Sen. Mark Kelly

Maddy summaryS 1777, the Abraham Accords Cybersecurity Cooperation Act of 2023, directs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and State Department to strengthen cybersecurity collaboration with countries that signed the Abraham Accords (UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Israel). It authorizes joint threat information sharing, technical assistance for cyber incident response, and annual cybersecurity training exercises with these nations. The bill requires annual reports to Congress on implementation progress and plans to expand cooperation. It affects U.S. agencies and the cooperating countries by enhancing collaborative efforts to address shared threats like ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis resolution requires the Senate and House Budget Committees to hold an annual joint hearing within 45 days of the Treasury submitting the federal government's audited financial statement. The Comptroller General will present findings from the audit and analyze the government's financial position, including deficits, surpluses, and long-term fiscal projections. The hearing must follow nonpartisan GAO standards to provide objective, fact-based information to Congress. This procedural measure affects only the Budget Committees and the Comptroller General, creating a regular process for reviewing federal finances.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Medicare and Medicaid rules to improve oversight of nursing facilities. It gives the Health Secretary authority to disapprove a facility's nurse aide training program for up to two years if the facility received a $10,697+ civil penalty for substandard care and hasn't fixed the quality issues. Facilities can have disapproval lifted by proving all care deficiencies were corrected, avoiding patient harm issues for two years, and showing the penalty didn't cause immediate jeopardy. The bill also expands access to the National Practitioner Data Bank for background checks on nursing staff. These changes directly affect skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding.

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.

American Infrastructure Bonds Act of 2023 This bill allows the issuer of an American infrastructure bond a tax credit for 28% of the interest payable under such bond.

Maddy summaryThe Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2023 extends the timeframe for individuals to file claims related to radiation exposure from nuclear testing and uranium mining operations. It increases compensation amounts for certain claims from $50,000-$75,000 to $150,000, expands eligibility criteria for leukemia and other specified diseases, and adds medical benefits for claimants. The bill extends the fund's operational period from 2 years to 19 years after enactment, allows affidavits to support claims, and creates a new $3 million annual grant program to study uranium mining's health impacts. These changes primarily affect individuals exposed to radiation during atmospheric nuclear testing (1944-1962) or who worked in uranium mines/mills (1942-1990), including miners, millers, core drillers, and their family members.

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 summaryS 1735, the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act of 2023, establishes a federal grant program to support forest product manufacturing facilities. It directly affects manufacturers of wood products by providing grants for constructing, using, or retrofitting facilities focused on forest products. Key changes include increasing annual funding from $25 million to $50 million (for fiscal years 2024-2028), raising the maximum grant size to $5 million, and requiring facilities to meet a 15-megawatt thermal energy threshold instead of 5 megawatts. The bill also updates eligibility to prioritize cost-effectiveness and market competitiveness for forest products manufacturing projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends Medicare reimbursement rate increases for ground ambulance services through 2028. It adjusts specific payment percentages for ambulance providers: maintaining a 26.7% rate increase for "super rural" ambulance services and setting 4.3% and 3.4% increases for other ground ambulance services during 2025-2028. These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries using ground ambulance services and the ambulance providers who serve them, particularly in rural areas. The bill modifies existing Social Security Act provisions to adjust payment rates without altering Medicare eligibility or coverage rules. It provides temporary rate adjustments to help sustain ambulance service availability during this period.

Maddy summarySRES 215 is a Senate resolution designating May 9, 2023, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day. It supports raising public awareness about the dangers of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills, which are often disguised as legitimate medications and contribute to overdose deaths. The resolution encourages existing law enforcement efforts to combat counterfeit pill distribution and acknowledges the severe impact of fentanyl on young people, citing statistics on rising overdose deaths. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the issue through congressional support.