Maddy summaryS 399, the "Saving the Civil Service Act," limits how federal agencies can move positions between the competitive service (where hiring is open and based on merit) and the excepted service (where hiring is more flexible). It restricts transferring positions to excepted service without meeting specific criteria, requires employee consent for any transfer between service types, and caps transfers during a presidential term at either 1% of an agency's workforce or five employees, whichever is greater. Agencies must also report all such transfers to Congress annually with justifications, and the Office of Personnel Management must issue implementing regulations within 90 days of the bill's enactment. This directly affects federal employees whose positions may be moved between service types and all federal agencies managing personnel transfers.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 390, the Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act, helps communities near federal recreation areas (like national parks) manage tourism impacts. It requires the Interior and Agriculture Secretaries to collaborate with local governments, tribes, and businesses to address housing shortages, infrastructure strain, and sustainable visitation. Key provisions include providing financial/technical assistance to businesses (e.g., hotels, campgrounds), launching a pilot program to share real-time visitation data and promote lesser-known sites, and establishing digital recreation passes by 2024. The bill directly affects "gateway communities" adjacent to high-visit federal lands and aims to diversify tourism benefits.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides targeted support for smaller and very small poultry and meat processing facilities to comply with federal food safety regulations. It requires the USDA to create a free database of validation studies and publish model HACCP plans tailored to different facility types (slaughter-only, processing-only, and both), while increasing federal funding for state inspection programs from 50% to 65%. The bill also establishes a $20 million annual grant program to help small processors improve safety, capacity, and resilience, with priority given to facilities serving farmers within 200 miles. Additionally, it creates training programs for meat processing workers at community colleges and through simplified grant applications for small facilities. These provisions aim to make compliance with food safety standards more accessible for small local processors.
Maddy summaryS 347, the ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act, would prohibit U.S. transactions with social media companies deemed to be controlled by "countries of concern" like China, Russia, or Iran. It specifically targets companies meeting criteria such as being based in those countries, having significant foreign ownership, or being subject to foreign influence over data sharing or content moderation - directly affecting platforms like TikTok and its parent company Bytedance. The bill authorizes the President to block all U.S. financial transactions with these companies under existing economic sanctions law (IEPA), effectively preventing their commercial operations in the U.S. market. Exemptions cover intelligence activities and physical goods imports, but the core provision would require immediate action against covered social media firms upon enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Communications Act to clarify that "franchise fees" paid by community television providers must be monetary (not in-kind). It specifically changes the definition in Section 622(g)(1) to require that fees be "other monetary assessment," preventing non-monetary payments. The change directly affects community television stations that pay these fees to local governments. It is a technical adjustment to fee requirements, not a new program or funding change.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows veterans with combat-related disabilities and less than 20 years of service to receive both military retired pay and VA disability compensation simultaneously. Previously, such veterans had their retired pay reduced to avoid "concurrent receipt" of both benefits. The bill removes the 20-year service requirement for this group, applying specifically to those retired under Chapter 61 of Title 10 with a combat-related disability as defined in existing law. It does not change eligibility for veterans with non-combat disabilities or those with 20+ years of service.
Maddy summaryThis bill excludes certain federal broadband grants from recipients' taxable income, directly affecting internet service providers, local governments, tribes, and other entities receiving qualifying grants under specific programs. Key provisions clarify that grant money from programs like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (Section 60102) or State Digital Equity Grants (Section 60304) is not counted as income. It also prevents double tax benefits by disallowing deductions for expenses covered by these grants and reducing the adjusted basis of related property. The rule applies to grants received after March 11, 2021, and covers grants funded through federal broadband initiatives or state/local programs using specific federal funds.
Maddy summaryS 292 reauthorizes the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) through 2032 with updated governance rules and new grant programs for the Northern Forest region (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont). The bill creates a new $5 million annual State Capacity Building Grant Program to support economic development, infrastructure, broadband access, and workforce initiatives in eligible counties. It also establishes demonstration health projects with special emphasis on substance use disorder treatment, including opioid and methamphetamine programs, and allows NBRC to accept funds from other federal agencies. The NBRC’s annual funding is set at $50 million (2023-2027) and $60 million (2028-2032) for these programs.
Maddy summaryThe Keep Americans Safe Act bans the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of large capacity ammunition magazines (defined as holding more than 10 rounds) for most civilians, while exempting law enforcement officers, retired officers, and certain security personnel. It requires new magazines to have serial numbers and manufacturing dates, and allows federal funding for buy-back programs to remove these magazines from circulation. The law grandfathered existing magazines owned before enactment and excludes specific uses like campus law enforcement or nuclear facility security. This directly affects civilians owning high-capacity magazines but not police, military, or authorized security personnel.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 25) recognizes January 2023 as "National Mentoring Month" to highlight the importance of mentoring relationships for young people. It acknowledges that one in three U.S. youth lacks a mentor outside their home and emphasizes mentoring's role in improving academic success, mental health, career development, and reducing delinquency. The resolution promotes expanding quality mentoring programs nationwide but does not create new laws or allocate funding. It serves as a symbolic gesture to encourage community, school, and workplace efforts supporting youth development through mentoring.