Sen. Roger Marshall

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Public Health Service Act to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services authority to temporarily restrict people and property entering the U.S. from specific foreign countries. It directly affects border crossings from nations identified as sources of significant fentanyl smuggling that poses a serious public health danger. The key provision allows the Secretary to prohibit or limit these entries for a set period, based on their determination that such restrictions are necessary to avert the risk of fentanyl introduction. The measure focuses on public health protection related to fentanyl trafficking, not broader immigration policy.

Maddy summarySRES 161 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating April 22-30, 2023, as "National Park Week." It does not create new laws or affect specific groups, but formally recognizes the National Park System's significance. The resolution highlights the parks' historical value, visitor impact (312 million visits in 2022), and economic contributions ($42.5 billion in 2021). It encourages public engagement with national parks but contains no funding, regulatory changes, or policy mechanisms. As a procedural resolution, it serves purely to honor the parks' legacy.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 1184 requires the U.S. Comptroller General to study sister city partnerships between American local governments (like cities or counties) and foreign communities from countries scoring 45 or lower on Transparency International’s 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index. The study will examine partnership criteria, activities, transparency of contracts, economic risks, and potential security concerns like foreign espionage or coercion. It will assess how these partnerships affect freedom of expression, U.S. economic security, and whether they enable foreign malign activities. The Comptroller General must submit findings and recommendations to Congress within six months.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal agencies from banning lead ammunition or tackle for hunting and fishing on federal lands and waters managed by the Interior Department or Agriculture Department. It directly affects hunters and anglers using these public areas by preventing federal restrictions on lead products, except in limited cases. The exception allows restrictions only on specific federal sites where state wildlife data shows lead use is harming wildlife, and only if approved by the state's fish and wildlife agency. The bill requires federal agencies to explain in public notices how any exception meets these state approval and wildlife harm criteria.

Maddy summaryS 1166, the Restore Public Health Institution Trust Act of 2023, requires the Comptroller General to produce a report assessing the CDC's public health messaging and guidance. The report must examine the data used by the CDC, the impact of inconsistent messaging on public trust and vaccine uptake (including for school-age children), and whether outside groups influenced recommendations. It also asks for specific recommendations to improve the CDC's future communication and decision-making processes. This procedural bill directly affects the CDC and Congress, as it mandates a review of past CDC actions without altering current policies.

Maddy summarySRES 120 is a ceremonial Senate resolution designating March 23, 2023, as "National Women in Agriculture Day." It recognizes the significant contributions of women in U.S. agriculture, citing that they represent over one-third of agricultural producers and generated $148 billion in sales in 2017. The resolution encourages citizens to acknowledge women in the field and supports their roles as producers, educators, mentors, and leaders. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or funding but aims to highlight their impact on the agricultural workforce and food systems.

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 Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2023 requires the federal health agency to study how to more accurately identify areas with shortages of general surgeons, particularly in underserved rural and urban communities. The study will compare current designation methods with a new approach using hospital service areas and surgeon-to-population ratios, considering factors like wait times and transportation access. Based on the findings, the agency may establish a new system to formally label areas with critical shortages of general surgeons. The agency must complete the study and report to Congress within one year, with any new designations reviewed annually.

Maddy summaryThe English Language Unity Act of 2023 declares English as the official language of the U.S. federal government (Section 3). It requires all federal government functions - such as laws, regulations, and public communications - to be conducted in English, with specific exceptions for language teaching, disability education, national security, census activities, and public health. The bill also mandates that naturalization ceremonies and English language testing for citizenship must be conducted in English (Section 164). These changes directly affect federal agencies and the naturalization process, but do not apply to state governments or the private sector.

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.