Maddy summarySRES 932 designates October 2024 as "National Military Toxic Exposures Awareness Month" to highlight historical and ongoing health impacts of toxic exposures on veterans, military families, and civilian workers at military sites. The resolution calls for public recognition of affected veterans, encourages use of existing Department of Veterans Affairs resources, and urges continued efforts to prevent future toxic exposures. It does not create new benefits or policies but focuses on raising awareness and honoring those impacted by exposures like Agent Orange, burn pits, and contaminated water. This symbolic resolution follows the PACT Act (2022), which expanded veterans' access to healthcare for toxic exposure-related conditions.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill, the EMPSA Act, modifies Supplemental Security Income (SSI) rules to remove a "marriage penalty" for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It directly affects married individuals aged 18+ who have these disabilities and meet income and resource limits. Key changes include: (1) creating new eligibility for these individuals regardless of spouse status, (2) ensuring their SSI benefit amount isn't reduced by their spouse's income or resources, and (3) adjusting how income and assets are calculated under SSI rules. The policy change ensures married individuals with qualifying disabilities receive full benefits without financial penalties tied to their spouse's income.
Maddy summaryThis bill, S 690 (the NET Act), requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to assess and report on telecommunications supply chain impacts. Specifically, it amends the Communications Act to mandate that the FCC include in its annual reports whether shortages of network equipment significantly hindered the deployment of advanced telecommunications services (like 5G) during the reporting period. The key mechanism is a new reporting requirement for the FCC, adding subsection (d) to Section 13 of the Communications Act. This directly affects the FCC (as the reporting body) and indirectly impacts telecommunications providers whose supply chains are evaluated.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress (1968-1982) and the first African American to seek a major party's presidential nomination (1972). The bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to design and strike a gold medal featuring Chisholm's image and name, which will be presented to her family by congressional leaders. After presentation, the medal will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution for public viewing and research. The bill also authorizes the production and sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs. This is a commemorative measure honoring Chisholm's historic contributions to American politics and civil rights.
Maddy summaryThe Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act (S. 91) authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to 60 diplomats who risked their careers and safety to save Jewish lives during the Holocaust. These diplomats, representing countries including Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, and others, issued visas and provided safe passage to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution despite strict orders from their home governments. The medal will be presented collectively to the next of kin of each diplomat, along with representatives from their home countries, and then permanently displayed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The act recognizes these individuals' bravery without implying they represent all who performed similar humanitarian acts during the Holocaust. The medal serves as a permanent tribute to their sacrifice and will be available for public display and research.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Title 28 of the U.S. Code to add "peace officer standards and training agencies" (state agencies that set hiring and training standards for law enforcement officers) to the list of entities authorized to access criminal history records. It requires the Attorney General to update federal regulations within 180 days to implement this change. The bill does not create new policy requirements or directly affect individuals; it only modifies existing legal access provisions for specific state law enforcement oversight agencies.
Maddy summarySRES 925 is a Senate resolution honoring the late Senator Fred R. Harris of Oklahoma, who died on November 23, 2024, at age 94. The resolution expresses the Senate’s sorrow at his passing, requests that his family be notified, and directs the Senate to adjourn in his memory. It does not create new laws or affect any policies - it is a formal expression of respect for a former senator’s legacy.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand research on veterans' brain health, specifically focusing on repetitive low-level blast exposure injuries (common in military service). It requires four key research types: big-data assessments of effective treatments, large-scale implementation studies, growth hormone therapy trials for cognitive improvement, and diagnostic quality improvements for affected veterans. The bill allocates $5 million annually (2025-2034) for this research and mandates regular reports to Congress on progress, including collaboration with the National Academies on biomarker validation. It directly affects veterans with potential blast exposure injuries, particularly those in high-risk military occupations, by funding studies to improve future diagnosis and care.
Maddy summaryS 5414, the Small Business Reporting Flexibility Act, delays the enforcement of beneficial ownership reporting requirements for small businesses. It requires the Treasury Secretary to withhold funding for enforcement unless FinCEN postpones the reporting deadline by at least one year, finalizes all related rules, and allows businesses to submit reports by mail. This directly affects small businesses subject to the beneficial ownership reporting rules under Section 5336(a) of Title 31. The bill changes the implementation timeline and method, giving businesses an extended deadline and a paper filing option instead of requiring online submission.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands career services under the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program to include specific spouses. It directly affects spouses of disabled veterans (as defined in section 4101(5) of Title 38) and spouses of service members who died while serving in the Armed Forces (Gold Star spouses). The key change adds "eligible persons" to the program's eligibility criteria throughout the relevant section, allowing these spouses to access career counseling, job placement, and other support services previously available only to veterans themselves. This is a concrete policy change that broadens access to existing career assistance programs for these two groups of military spouses.