Sen. Chuck Grassley

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts federal funding for state and local governments that qualify as "sanctuary jurisdictions" under its definition. A sanctuary jurisdiction is defined as any state or local area that prohibits sharing immigration status information or refusing to comply with federal immigration detainers (with an exception for crime victims/witnesses). The bill blocks funding for Economic Development Administration grants and Community Development Block Grants if projects are located in such jurisdictions or if recipients become sanctuary jurisdictions during the grant period. Recipients must return funds if they become sanctuary jurisdictions, and the U.S. government will reallocate those funds to non-sanctuary areas.

Maddy summaryThe Health Care PRICE Transparency Act requires hospitals to publicly disclose detailed pricing for at least 300 healthcare services that consumers can schedule in advance (including 70 Medicare-specified services) in plain language and machine-readable format. This includes showing gross charges, negotiated rates with insurers, discounted cash prices, and billing codes for each service, all accessible free of charge on hospital websites. Health insurers must also provide consumers with an online tool and paper option to see cost-sharing estimates for in-network and out-of-network care, including historical drug prices and out-of-network allowed amounts. Non-compliance by hospitals could result in daily civil penalties of up to $300.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1159) extends compliance timelines for small lenders under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. It requires the Bureau to grant a 3-year period for lenders to meet new data reporting rules, followed by a 2-year safe harbor where lenders aren't penalized for non-compliance during that time. The bill defines "small business" as entities with under $1 million in annual revenue and "financial institution" as lenders originating at least 500 small business loans annually over the prior two years. It directly affects small lenders (those meeting the 500-loan threshold) and small businesses (under $1M revenue), reducing immediate regulatory pressure through phased implementation.

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 summaryThis bill clarifies existing whistleblower protections for employees of the Department of Energy (DOE) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by updating outdated language in the law. It changes references from "person" to "employer" throughout Section 211 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, making the protections align with current workplace terminology. The bill does not create new protections or change who is covered - it simply ensures the legal text accurately reflects that protections apply to employees reporting wrongdoing to their employer. This is a technical amendment to improve clarity in existing law.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals two specific legal authorizations for U.S. military force against Iraq: the 1991 authorization (Public Law 102-1) and the 2002 authorization (Public Law 107-243). If enacted, it would end the legal basis for military operations in Iraq under these two resolutions. The repeal directly affects the executive branch’s authority to use military force against Iraq under these specific laws. It does not create new policy but removes existing legal permissions.

Maddy summaryThe Livestock Consolidation Research Act of 2023 requires the USDA's Economic Research Service to publish a report on consolidation trends in the livestock industry within one year of the latest Census of Agriculture release. The report must analyze changes in farm/facility size and location, and assess impacts on farmers, ranchers, and consumers - including financial effects, market access, resource availability, and dietary impacts - specifically for beef, dairy, pork, and poultry (including broilers, eggs, and turkeys). It mandates using existing USDA data sources like the Census of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service records, and Packers and Stockyards data, while separating beef cattle data by cow-calf and fed operations and excluding confidential business information. This research will inform stakeholders about industry consolidation patterns but does not create new regulations or alter existing policies.

Maddy summaryThe Define WOTUS Act of 2023 redefines "navigable waters" under the Clean Water Act to clarify which water bodies fall under federal regulation. It explicitly includes rivers, lakes, and wetlands connected to major waterways but excludes temporary streams, groundwater, man-made ditches, agricultural fields, and most artificial water features like ponds or stormwater basins. This directly affects landowners, farmers, and developers who need permits for projects near water, as it limits federal oversight to specific water types and creates a new process for property owners to get binding regulatory determinations. Key provisions require the Army Secretary to issue a final determination within 60 days of a request, with non-response automatically deeming the water unregulated, and set a 5-year limit for "regulated" findings.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to change how discrimination claims are proven. It establishes that a claim is valid when a worker shows age, disability, race, or other protected characteristic was a "motivating factor" for an employment action - even if other factors were also involved - without needing to prove it was the sole cause. For cases meeting this standard, courts can only award non-monetary remedies like injunctions or attorney fees, not back pay or reinstatement. The law applies to all pending and future claims under these statutes, affecting workers covered by ADEA (age 40+), Title VII (race/color/religion/etc.), and ADA (disability) protections.

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.