Sen. Bill Cassidy

This resolution designates August 11, 2023, as Hip Hop Celebration Day, August 2023 as Hip Hop Recognition Month, and November 2023 as Hip Hop History Month. The resolution also recognizes the 50 years of contributions of hip hop to art and culture.

Maddy summaryThe SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2023 extends funding for numerous substance use disorder and mental health programs through 2028. Key provisions include training for first responders, opioid recovery centers, treatment for pregnant women with substance use disorders, and new requirements for safe at-home drug disposal systems. The bill also updates mental health parity reporting requirements and strengthens fetal alcohol spectrum disorder programs. These changes directly affect healthcare providers, state health departments, and individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders or mental health conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicare coverage for obesity treatment. It allows more healthcare providers - including nurse practitioners, dietitians, and clinical psychologists - to offer intensive behavioral therapy for obesity, with requirements for coordination with primary care physicians. It also adds Medicare Part D coverage for FDA-approved medications used to treat obesity or manage weight in adults with related health conditions (like diabetes or high blood pressure). These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries with obesity, aiming to improve access to proven treatment options. The bill requires annual reports to Congress on implementation progress.

Maddy summaryThe PELL Act (S 2442) creates a new "Workforce Pell Grants" program under the Higher Education Act, providing federal grants to students enrolled in short-term, career-focused training programs. It directly affects students seeking workforce credentials (not full degrees) and institutions offering qualifying programs that meet strict criteria: programs must be 150-600 clock hours (8-15 weeks), lead to industry-aligned credentials, achieve 70% completion and job placement rates, and have tuition costs tied to verified student earnings data. The bill requires the Department of Education to collect and publish annual data on program outcomes, including completion rates, job placement, and 3-year median earnings for graduates. This program replaces traditional Pell Grants for these specific short-term programs starting July 2024, with no double-benefits allowed for the same enrollment period.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to hold at least four offshore oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico within two years of enactment (by August 2025), each offering a minimum of 74 million acres. It mandates that these sales follow specific terms from prior lease sales (Gulf of Mexico Sale 257) and waives delays under existing law. The bill also prevents environmental lawsuits from halting lease issuance or delaying drilling permits, requiring courts to remand environmental issues to the Secretary instead of vacating leases. This directly affects oil and gas companies bidding on leases and federal agencies managing offshore leasing.

Maddy summaryThis bill refunds additional duties paid by importers on specific EU goods entered during two narrow time periods: October 18-December 17, 2019 (for goods under HTS subheadings 9903.89.10-9903.89.49) and January 12-March 12, 2021 (for goods under HTS subheadings 9903.89.57-9903.89.59). Importers must request refunds within one year of the bill’s enactment, and refunds must be processed within 180 days of a valid request. The bill does not change current tariff rates but provides retroactive relief for duties collected under specific tariff classifications during those periods. It directly affects importers who paid extra duties on covered goods during the defined windows.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a framework for qualifying news organizations to form groups to negotiate with large online platforms about fair payment for their content. It allows these groups to jointly deny platforms access to their content during negotiations and use binding arbitration to determine fair compensation based on the content's market value. The bill provides antitrust immunity for these negotiations, requires platforms to pay based on the value of news content rather than platform benefits, and includes transparency requirements for how funds support journalism. It defines specific eligibility criteria for news organizations and platforms, and sets a 6-year expiration for the law.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes funding for three key health programs through fiscal year 2029. It extends annual funding for teaching health centers (increasing to $175 million for 2024-2025 and $225 million for 2026-2027), community health centers ($4.2 billion annually for 2024-2025, then $1.058 billion for late 2025), and the National Health Service Corps ($350 million annually for 2024-2025). The bill ensures continued operation of these programs by specifying exact funding amounts for each fiscal period. It directly affects community health centers, teaching hospitals with graduate medical education programs, and health care professionals participating in the National Health Service Corps.

Maddy summaryS 2327, the Afghan Adjustment Act, creates a pathway to permanent residency for Afghans who directly supported U.S. missions in Afghanistan between October 1, 2001, and September 1, 2021. The bill allows eligible individuals already in the U.S. (or paroled into the U.S.) to adjust their status to lawful permanent residents without being subject to visa numerical limits. It establishes a new category of special immigrant visas for at-risk Afghan allies and their relatives, requiring a vetting process equivalent to refugee vetting. The bill prohibits application fees, provides benefits similar to those for refugees, and sets a deadline for applications with authorized funding for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. It specifies four coin types ($5 gold, $1 silver, half-dollar clad, and proof silver $1) with set mintage limits, design requirements (including "2028" and "Liberty" inscriptions), and a 1-year issuance window starting January 1, 2028. All coins include surcharges ($5-$50 per coin) that fund the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee for the Games and legacy programs like youth sports promotion. The coins are legal tender but sold at face value plus surcharge and production costs, with no net cost to the federal government.