Sen. Bill Cassidy

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint and sell commemorative coins honoring the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 100,000), $1 silver coins (max 500,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), all with designs reflecting soccer and the World Cup. A surcharge is added to each coin sale ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars), with all surcharge revenue going directly to FWC2026 US, Inc. to fund U.S. soccer programs, particularly youth initiatives and underserved communities. The coins may only be sold during 2026 and must cover all costs to avoid government expense.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges all NATO members to oppose any candidate for Secretary General who previously led a country that failed to spend 2% of its GDP on defense. It directly affects NATO's selection process for its top official, requiring that the next Secretary General not be a former leader of a nation that missed this spending target. The resolution cites NATO's 2006 and 2014 commitments to the 2% defense spending goal, noting only 11 members met it by 2022. It argues that leadership by someone from a country that didn't fulfill this commitment undermines the alliance's unity and goals.

Maddy summarySRES 645 is a ceremonial Senate resolution designating April 20-28, 2024, as "National Park Week." It does not create new laws or affect any group directly; instead, it formally recognizes this week to highlight the National Park System. The resolution encourages the public to responsibly visit, experience, and support national parks, referencing the system’s history, visitor statistics (325 million visits in 2023), and economic impact ($50.3 billion in 2022). As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect but serves to promote awareness of national parks.

Maddy summaryThis bill enhances affordable housing bond programs by raising the financing limit for qualified home improvement loans from $15,000 to $50,000 (with annual inflation adjustments), eliminating restrictions on refinancing mortgages for certain homeowners, and extending the validity period for mortgage credit certificates. It also modifies reporting requirements for housing bond usage and simplifies administrative processes for state and local housing authorities. These changes primarily affect state and local housing authorities that issue affordable housing bonds and homeowners who qualify for mortgage credit certificates. The bill aims to increase access to affordable housing finance while streamlining administrative processes for housing bond programs.

Maddy summaryThe Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023 updates the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to create more affordable housing options. Key provisions include increasing state funding allocations through revised per capita and minimum amount calculations, modifying tenant eligibility rules to better protect vulnerable populations (including domestic violence victims), and expanding the program's reach to Native American communities and rural areas. The bill also changes the program's name from "Low-income Housing Credit" to "Affordable Housing Credit" and makes administrative improvements to enhance transparency and accountability. These changes aim to make it easier for developers to create and maintain affordable housing units for low- and moderate-income households.

Maddy summaryThis bill permanently extends the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, which incentivizes private investment in low-income communities. It modifies the tax code to keep the credit available indefinitely (replacing the previous 2020-2025 timeframe) and adds automatic annual inflation adjustments to the credit amount. The extension specifically benefits community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and investors who make qualified equity investments in designated low-income areas. It also provides relief from the alternative minimum tax for credits tied to investments made after December 2022.

Maddy summarySJRES 61 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a Federal Highway Administration rule that established performance measures for the National Highway System, including a requirement to track greenhouse gas emissions from highway activities. The rule, published in December 2023, would have mandated that states and federal agencies assess highway performance using this emissions metric. If enacted, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preventing the implementation of the emissions tracking measure. This action is pursued under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to reject federal regulations with a simple majority vote.

Maddy summaryThe Revoke Iranian Funding Act of 2023 revokes existing licenses and exemptions that permitted U.S. funds to be released to Iran for humanitarian purposes, including the $6 billion South Korea transfer in September 2023, and blocks the Treasury from issuing new such licenses for one year. It also rescinds a specific waiver issued by the State Department in September 2023 that allowed humanitarian funding. The bill requires the Treasury to report within 30 days on Iranian assets held in the U.S. and current licenses related to Iran sanctions, directly affecting Iran's government and entities linked to its military, nuclear program, or terrorist groups like Hamas. This targets financial transactions involving Iran's accounts in Qatar and aims to prevent funds from being diverted to support terrorism.

Maddy summaryThe FEND Off Fentanyl Act authorizes sanctions against foreign individuals and entities involved in trafficking fentanyl and its precursors into the United States, with specific focus on transnational criminal organizations like Mexican cartels and the flow of precursor chemicals from China. It requires the President to submit annual reports to Congress on actions taken under the law and designates fentanyl-related transactions as a primary money laundering concern for financial institutions. The bill also repeals a prohibition on imposing sanctions related to importation of goods under previous fentanyl sanctions law. It aims to increase financial costs for traffickers by blocking assets and prohibiting transactions involving sanctioned persons.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends veterans' education law to help veterans transition into truck driving careers. It allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve multi-state trucking apprenticeship programs as a "State approving agency," eliminating the need for separate state approvals. This directly affects veterans seeking trucking training by expanding access to approved programs across state lines. The key change simplifies program approval, making it easier for veterans to enroll in qualifying interstate trucking apprenticeships using their education benefits.