Maddy summaryThe American Security Drone Act of 2023 prohibits U.S. federal agencies from procuring or operating drones manufactured or assembled by "covered foreign entities," defined as entities from China, under foreign government control, or deemed national security risks. The law includes exemptions for national security research, counterterrorism, safety investigations, wildfire management, and specific agency missions like those of the Department of Homeland Security and Defense. Federal agencies must track existing drones from these entities within one year of enactment and the law requires a study on drone supply chains. The prohibition takes effect two years after enactment and will expire five years after enactment, with specific agencies having additional exemptions.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 2623, the Protecting Small Business Information Act of 2023, delays the implementation of certain Treasury rules under the Corporate Transparency Act. It requires the Treasury Secretary to certify to Congress that all required rules have been issued and will take effect simultaneously before any rule can go into effect. This directly affects small businesses that would otherwise have faced new beneficial ownership reporting requirements, by postponing those obligations until the Treasury completes its rulemaking process and certifies synchronization. The bill does not create new requirements but changes the timing for existing rules.
Maddy summaryThe Opioid RADAR Act (S 2699) creates federal grants to improve data collection and response to opioid overdoses. It directs the Health and Human Services Secretary to fund states and localities for better postmortem testing, data linkage, and electronic death reporting. The bill also reforms the Office of National Drug Control Policy (making it Cabinet-level), mandates standardized national data reporting across agencies, and requires states to record non-self-induced overdose deaths as homicides when evidence supports it. Additionally, it authorizes school-based grants for emergency opioid overdose kits (like naloxin), requires training for school personnel, and explicitly includes fentanyl test strips under the Controlled Substances Act. These provisions directly affect state/local health agencies, schools, and federal drug policy offices.
Maddy summaryThe AMERICAN DRUGS Act (S 2683) requires federal health programs to prioritize domestically-manufactured generic drugs starting January 1, 2025. It creates a notification system for the FDA to alert Medicare, Veterans Affairs, and Defense when domestically-manufactured generic drugs are in short supply or when fewer than two domestic options exist for a particular drug. The bill prohibits Medicare Part B and Part D from covering foreign-made generic drugs after 2025 unless there's a shortage or the drug is essential for patient health. Medicaid states must exclude coverage for foreign-made generic drugs if a domestically-made version is available, and the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense must only procure domestically-manufactured generic drugs after 2025, with exceptions for shortages or essential health needs.
Maddy summaryThis bill revises federal aviation rules to allow pilots to conduct specific maneuvers - like go-arounds, inspection passes, practice approaches, and qualified instrument approaches - without adhering to standard minimum altitude requirements. It directly affects pilots operating aircraft in remote "backcountry" areas, where low-altitude maneuvers are common for landing site evaluation or training. The key mechanism requires the FAA to update regulations within 180 days of enactment, prohibits enforcement actions against these maneuvers for one year after enactment, and shifts the burden of proof to the FAA in any enforcement case. The bill does not mandate these maneuvers but clarifies that pilots may safely perform them under defined conditions without violating existing altitude rules.
Maddy summaryThe SMASH 2.0 Act reauthorizes the Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health program through fiscal year 2028, providing $100 million annually for mosquito control efforts. It allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to consider innovative technologies for mosquito prevention when awarding grants and permits recipients to use up to 5% of funds for staff training. The bill also requires coordination with the Strategic National Stockpile to develop emergency stockpiling plans for vector-borne disease control products and mandates incorporating this strategy into the national vector-borne disease plan. This directly affects state/local public health agencies receiving program grants for mosquito control and prevention activities.
Maddy summaryThe Medical License Verification Act requires the federal government to create an automated system that checks whether healthcare providers applying for a unique health identifier are licensed and in good standing in the state they claim. This verification must be completed within 30 days of the bill's enactment and must occur before the identifier is issued. The bill directly affects healthcare providers seeking a unique health identifier by adding a mandatory step to confirm their active state license. The key provision mandates this pre-issuance check to ensure only currently licensed providers receive the identifier.
Maddy summaryThe Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (S 2629) creates a new simplified federal student loan program while phasing out most traditional student loans by September 30, 2028. It establishes specific borrowing limits and interest rates for "Federal Direct simplification loans" (capping undergraduate annual loans at $15,000 for independent students), eliminates most student loan forgiveness programs for loans made after July 1, 2024, and requires colleges to publicly report detailed data on student outcomes, debt levels, and financial aid. The bill also allows states to create alternative accreditation systems for colleges and introduces a "default rate fine" for institutions with high student loan default rates. These changes would directly affect students seeking federal loans, colleges and universities, and the federal student loan program.
Maddy summaryThe INDEX Act requires investment advisers managing passively managed funds (like index funds) to follow voting instructions from the fund's actual investors for non-routine corporate proposals (e.g., major mergers, governance changes). It applies when an adviser controls over 1% of a company's voting shares through such funds, mandating they distribute voting materials and wait 5 business days for instructions. Advisers may still vote freely on routine matters (e.g., board elections) or use a "mirror voting" exception for majority-approved proposals. This directly affects retail investors in index funds and the advisers managing them, ensuring investor preferences shape votes on significant corporate issues.
Maddy summarySRES 166 is a symbolic Senate resolution honoring the U.S. Coast Guard for its maritime border security work. It recognizes the Coast Guard's 2022 achievements, including interdicting over 330,000 pounds of narcotics, intercepting 12,500 illegal immigrants, and patrolling over 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline. The resolution expresses the Senate's gratitude to Coast Guard personnel for their "exemplary service" in safeguarding borders. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes.