Maddy summaryThis bill imposes sanctions on foreign individuals, entities, and governments that provide significant financial or material support to Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or their affiliates. It requires the President to block transactions with those supporting these groups and to suspend U.S. aid to governments providing material support for their terrorist activities. The bill also mandates regular reports on foreign countries' efforts to disrupt Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fundraising, financing, and money laundering networks. Specific exceptions include military use and humanitarian aid for medicine and food. The bill includes a sunset provision, terminating either after 3 years or when Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are no longer designated as terrorist organizations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill allows state and local governments to adopt measures divesting public funds from entities engaging in boycotts targeting Israel or businesses in Israeli-controlled territories, while requiring specific procedural safeguards. Key provisions include a 90-day notice period to affected entities, an opportunity for entities to dispute the designation, and verification requirements to prevent erroneous targeting. It explicitly states that such state actions are not preempted by federal law and includes a safe harbor for investment managers adjusting policies. The bill directly affects public pension funds, municipal investments, and government contractors that meet the defined boycott criteria. It does not create new federal mandates but clarifies that states retain authority to implement these measures under their existing legal frameworks.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes how the Federal Reserve's regional bank boards are structured and operated. It limits Class A directors (representing banks) to those from institutions with under $50 billion in assets, requires the Board of Governors to appoint Class B directors (previously elected), and sets a two-term limit for all directors. The bill also mandates public disclosure of director candidate lists, voting records on major settlements, and standardized ethics rules for all Fed officials, including investment disclosures. These changes aim to increase transparency and reduce potential conflicts of interest among Fed governance roles.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Thrift Savings Fund (TSP), which invests retirement savings for federal employees and retirees, from purchasing or holding any "security of concern." A "security of concern" includes stocks or investments tied to companies based in, or generating significant revenue from, countries identified as national security threats by the Director of National Intelligence. The rule bans these investments directly and through indirect methods like derivatives or mutual funds, with the TSP Executive Director required to consult the Securities and Exchange Commission biennially to ensure compliance. The policy change directly affects TSP investment options and participant retirement accounts.
Maddy summaryThe ASK Act requires tech companies to obtain explicit parental consent before offering any artificial intelligence features (like chatbots) to minors under 18. It directly affects minors, their parents/guardians, and companies providing digital products or services. Key provisions mandate that companies must get affirmative parental permission to activate AI features for minors, allow parents to revoke consent at any time without fees, and remove the AI feature promptly upon revocation. The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission must issue these rules within 180 days of the bill's enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates new authorities for the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to detect, identify, monitor, and mitigate drone threats to designated high-risk facilities including critical infrastructure, government buildings, airports, and other security-sensitive locations. It establishes a 5-year pilot program allowing select state and local law enforcement agencies to use specific drone detection technologies, with strict requirements for privacy protections, training, and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. The bill limits the use of technologies that disrupt radio or electronic signals, requires intercepted communications to be maintained for no more than 180 days, and mandates annual congressional reporting on the use of these authorities. It also includes detailed provisions for risk-based assessments, privacy safeguards, and coordination with transportation authorities to ensure national airspace safety.
Maddy summaryS 780, the Duplication Scoring Act of 2023, requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess new federal bills for risks of creating duplicate or overlapping government programs. For bills reported by congressional committees, the GAO must identify if a new program, office, or initiative would duplicate an existing one previously flagged in GAO reports, noting where in the bill the duplication occurs and referencing the relevant GAO report. The GAO must then share this analysis with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the bill's reporting committee, and publish it online. The CBO must include this assessment as a supplement to its budget estimates for the bill. This process aims to prevent new legislation from adding unnecessary duplication to existing federal programs.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. federal agencies from entering contracts for goods or services with businesses that knowingly engage in significant commercial activities (like leasing facilities or equipment) with Venezuela's government, as recognized by the U.S. However, it allows exceptions for humanitarian aid, national security needs, disaster relief, evacuations, and contracts supporting U.S. government operations or embassies in Venezuela. The ban applies to all federal contracts entered into during the three years following the bill's enactment. It directly affects federal contractors and businesses operating in Venezuela that might otherwise work with the Venezuelan government.
Maddy summaryS 1598, the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights Act of 2023, clarifies that military department secretaries - not the Defense Health Agency - hold final authority over medical separation decisions for service members in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). It requires military commanders to provide a full due process hearing within 90 days if a service member requests one during their IDES evaluation. The bill mandates that commanders maintain control over the process from start to finish, including pausing or withdrawing a member if procedures aren’t followed. This directly affects service members undergoing medical evaluation for potential separation due to injury or illness. The law also requires the Secretary of Defense to report on implementation to Congress by February 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding - including Medicaid, ACA subsidies, and other federal health programs - from covering gender transition procedures. It specifically bans taxpayer dollars from being used for medical services like hormone therapy, surgery, or puberty-blocking drugs related to gender transition, except for cases involving disorders of sex development or complications from such procedures (as defined in Section 306). The bill also clarifies that ACA premium credits and cost-sharing reductions cannot apply to health plans covering these procedures, though individuals or states may purchase separate non-federal coverage for them. It directly affects federal health programs and beneficiaries relying on government-funded healthcare.