Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Director of National Intelligence to declassify specific information about the origin of COVID-19 within 90 days of enactment. It mandates the release of details including research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, activities involving the People’s Liberation Army, and medical records of researchers who fell ill in autumn 2019. The bill directs the Director to submit an unclassified report to Congress containing this information, with only minimal redactions for security reasons. It directly affects the Director of National Intelligence and the public by requiring transparency about potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the pandemic’s origins. The legislation is procedural in nature, focusing on declassification rather than new policy measures.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 864, the TASK Act, requires the Securities and Exchange Commission to mandate reporting by publicly traded U.S. companies with operations in China. It directly affects these companies by requiring them to disclose: (1) supply chain sourcing linked to products imported from Xinjiang using forced labor; (2) transactions with companies on U.S. government blacklists (like the Commerce Department’s Entity List or Treasury’s Chinese Military-Industrial Complex list); and (3) annual details about whether Chinese Communist Party committees operate in their Chinese facilities and the committee’s role in business decisions. The bill creates specific, annual disclosure obligations focused on supply chain transparency and foreign ownership ties. This policy change shifts reporting requirements to address specific supply chain and foreign entity risks.
Maddy summaryS 852, the STOP CCP Act of 2023, bans U.S. investors (including citizens, residents, and U.S.-based entities) from buying or selling stocks in Chinese companies operating in defense or surveillance technology sectors. It requires the Treasury Secretary to expand the existing sanctions list to include companies supporting China's military-industrial complex and their successors or affiliates. The bill also mandates that if sanctions apply under one law, they must apply under all relevant laws unless the President specifically waives them and reports the reason to Congress within 20 days. This law directly affects U.S. investors and financial institutions managing portfolios containing securities of targeted Chinese entities.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. Code to establish new requirements for foreign port security assessments. It requires the Secretary to certify that a foreign government or international organization conducted an assessment according to specific standards (including providing sufficient information) and that the government is not a state sponsor of terrorism before the U.S. can accept that assessment. The bill also prohibits agreements with state sponsors of terrorism and automatically applies sanctions to any port under such a government's jurisdiction, deeming it lacking effective antiterrorism measures. These changes directly affect U.S. Coast Guard operations regarding port security evaluations and foreign port access.
Maddy summaryS 860, the Protecting American Capital Act of 2023, requires the U.S. Treasury Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress on U.S. portfolio investments (like stocks and bonds) in China. These reports must detail the types of U.S. investors involved (including state pension funds), specific Chinese sectors receiving investments (like housing), and entities receiving over $100 million. The first report covers investments from 2008 onward, with subsequent reports covering the prior year. The bill affects U.S. investors and Chinese entities receiving such investments by mandating transparency around these financial flows.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal, state, and local governments from enforcing any law that restricts the right to possess, carry, or transport firearms unless the law aligns with the U.S.'s historical tradition of firearm regulation. It directly affects states and localities that have enacted gun control measures, such as bans on carrying firearms across state lines or restrictions on commonly used firearms. Key provisions allow individuals or gun rights organizations to sue to block enforcement of such laws and require courts to award attorney fees to successful plaintiffs. The bill also clarifies that state laws offering stronger gun rights protections remain valid and unaffected.
Maddy summaryThe TICKER Act (S 855) requires U.S. stock exchanges and brokers to clearly warn investors about specific risks tied to foreign-based variable interest entities (VIEs), particularly those from jurisdictions like China. It directly affects investors buying shares of these entities listed on U.S. exchanges, as well as the exchanges themselves and brokers facilitating these trades. Key provisions mandate that exchanges mark covered entities’ ticker symbols with visible risk indicators and require brokers to provide explicit warnings that investors may lack legal recourse. The law applies to entities classified as "covered entities" under the bill’s definitions, aiming to standardize risk disclosure for transparency.
Maddy summaryS 854, the SAFE Act, requires companies listing securities on U.S. exchanges to disclose specific ties to the Chinese government. It directly affects issuers seeking initial listings or filing annual reports, mandating them to report: (1) any Chinese government financial support (like subsidies or tax benefits), (2) conditions attached to that support (such as export requirements), (3) Chinese Communist Party committees within the company, and (4) officers/directors with Chinese government ties. The Securities and Exchange Commission must implement these rules within 180 days of the bill’s enactment. The law aims to increase transparency about foreign government influence on U.S.-listed companies.
Maddy summaryS 861, the PATRIA Y VIDA Act of 2023, directs U.S. government agencies to establish capacity for transmitting internet access in foreign countries where governments restrict online access and during emergencies in the U.S. It authorizes the State Department and other agencies to maintain this transmission capability and identifies eligible U.S. companies providing "circumvention tools" (software to bypass government internet blocks) to receive rapid funding during foreign censorship crises. The bill requires the FCC and U.S. Agency for Global Media to report to Congress within 60 days on current capabilities and needed resources for these internet access services. This legislation directly affects federal agencies, eligible technology companies, and individuals in countries facing internet censorship.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 20) seeks to block a 2023 rule from the Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that classified certain firearms with stabilizing braces as rifles under federal law. If passed, it would nullify the rule, meaning firearms equipped with these braces would no longer be subject to the rule’s classification requirements. The resolution uses the congressional disapproval process under Title 5, U.S. Code, to stop the rule from taking effect, directly affecting firearm manufacturers and owners who use stabilizing braces on weapons.