Sen. Chris Van Hollen

Maddy summarySRES 142 is a Senate resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women. It highlights specific achievements, including over 4,400 women serving in the military as of 2025, more than 11,600 women owning businesses as of 2024, and historical roles in fields like science, medicine, and cultural preservation. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or allocate funds but publicly honors these women’s contributions to communities, tribal sovereignty, and U.S. history without mandating policy changes.

Maddy summaryThe Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act of 2025 extends protections to federal employees, job applicants, and workers for government contractors who report wrongdoing. It updates existing law to provide clear administrative processes for seeking remedies against retaliation, with tailored procedures for different groups (e.g., FBI staff or intelligence community workers). If administrative remedies aren't resolved within 180 days, whistleblowers can sue in federal court for double back pay, reinstatement, legal fees, or other damages. This bill aims to strengthen accountability by making it easier for covered individuals to seek redress for retaliation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 38) declares the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) valid under the U.S. Constitution, despite an expired 1972 ratification deadline. It asserts that the ERA, approved by 38 states (three-fourths of the total), is now part of the Constitution as if the deadline had never existed. The resolution specifically overrides the time limit set in the 1972 congressional resolution that originally proposed the ERA. It does not alter the ERA's content or create new rights, but formally recognizes its constitutional status based on existing state approvals.

Maddy summaryThe SHARE Act of 2025 updates federal rules for sharing criminal background check data used in professional licensing. It requires the FBI to provide criminal history record information to state licensing authorities for background checks when states are part of an interstate compact. States must use this data solely for licensing decisions and cannot share the full records with other states, commissions, or the public. Instead, they may only share a binary result (e.g., "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory") regarding the background check. This directly affects state licensing boards and professionals seeking licenses across participating states.

Maddy summaryThe Paycheck Fairness Act strengthens equal pay protections by modifying the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to require employers to prove that non-sex factors used in pay decisions are job-related, consistent with business necessity, and account for the entire pay difference. It prohibits employers from relying on salary history when setting pay for new hires and enhances protections for workers who discuss wages or file pay discrimination claims. The bill requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to collect and publish compensation data disaggregated by sex, race, and ethnicity to better enforce pay discrimination laws. These provisions directly affect workers in the private and public sectors, particularly women and women of color who face the largest pay gaps. The act also establishes a National Award for Pay Equity to recognize employers making significant efforts to eliminate pay disparities.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution expresses strong support for public K-12 schools and condemns any efforts to defund public education or dismantle the Department of Education. It highlights the federal government’s critical role in providing equitable funding - particularly for students in underserved communities, including those with disabilities, from low-income families, and in rural areas - and opposes diverting funds to private schools. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws but formally states the Senate’s position on protecting public education funding and oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires foreign private issuers (foreign companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges) to disclose their stock transactions under the same rules as U.S. companies. It amends securities law to explicitly include these foreign entities in disclosure requirements for directors, officers, and major shareholders. The Securities and Exchange Commission must issue new rules within 90 days to implement this change, overriding any conflicting existing regulations. The policy directly affects foreign companies and their executives who own or trade shares in U.S. markets.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the District of Columbia to use local funds from its General Fund for fiscal year 2025, matching the programs and spending levels set in the District's Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act (D.C. Law 25-218). It sets a strict spending cap, limiting total operating expenses to either the budgeted amount or the District's total projected revenues for 2025, whichever is lower. The bill allows limited one-time increases for emergencies or unexpected needs, but only if approved by local law and following reserve rules. It also prohibits reprogramming funds from bond proceeds (used for capital projects) to cover regular operating costs, requiring the Chief Financial Officer to manage fund distribution accordingly.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to reinstate eligible probationary employees who were terminated during mass layoffs (defined as 15+ separations in 30 days) between January 20, 2025, and the bill's enactment. It mandates reinstatement to similar positions with matching benefits (health insurance, retirement, etc.) and back pay covering the period from termination to reinstatement. Employees must accept reinstatement within 30 days, and agencies must process payments within 90 days. The bill also requires agencies to report on mass terminations and reinstatement outcomes to Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to close a loophole that previously allowed certain tar sands oil to be taxed differently than conventional crude oil. It expands the definition of "crude oil" under federal excise tax rules to explicitly include oil derived from tar sands, bitumen, and oil shale. This change directly affects oil producers and refiners handling these specific unconventional oil sources, requiring them to pay the standard crude oil excise tax. The key mechanism is the updated tax code definition, which also grants the Secretary regulatory authority to include other pipeline-transported petroleum products meeting specific environmental risk criteria.