Sen. Susan M. Collins

Maddy summaryS 305 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell commemorative coins (gold, silver, and half-dollar denominations) to mark the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. Each coin sale includes a surcharge ($5 to $35 per coin) that will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with proceeds paid directly to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. The coins will be sold from January 1 to December 31, 2025, and the surcharge structure ensures no net cost to taxpayers by covering production expenses through sales. This bill directly affects the U.S. Mint (in coin production), the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (as recipient of funds), and the public (as potential buyers).

Maddy summaryThe John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act of 2023 establishes a program funding U.S. early- to mid-career individuals for 10-month international research or internships focused on nonviolent civil rights movements. Administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, it requires fellows to work with approved organizations in countries with Fulbright programs, attend a Washington, D.C. orientation, and present findings at an Atlanta summit. The bill mandates outreach to minority-serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities to recruit participants and requires annual congressional reports tracking fellow demographics, project topics, and diversity trends. This program directly supports U.S. citizens pursuing civil rights-focused international work while honoring John Lewis’s legacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal jury selection law (28 U.S.C. § 1862) to explicitly prohibit excluding potential jurors based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It directly affects individuals selected for federal jury service by ensuring these characteristics cannot be used as grounds for exclusion. The key mechanism adds "sexual orientation, gender identity" after "sex" in the existing exclusion criteria, making federal jury selection more inclusive. This change updates the law to align with broader protections against discrimination in civic participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes school lunch rules to allow schools to serve whole milk as part of the National School Lunch Program. It amends the law to explicitly include "whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free" milks as acceptable options. Crucially, it clarifies that milk fat in fluid milk provided under this rule will not count toward the meal's saturated fat limit for compliance purposes. This directly affects school nutrition programs nationwide by expanding milk choices and simplifying meal planning around fat content.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain grants provided to transportation service providers from federal taxation under the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act. It specifically states that grant amounts received by eligible providers won't count as taxable income, and it prevents related tax deductions or basis adjustments from being denied. The provision also clarifies tax treatment for partnerships and S corporations receiving these grants, treating the excluded grant amounts as tax-exempt income for partnership tax calculations. The bill directly affects transportation businesses that receive federal relief grants under the referenced act.

Maddy summaryThe Global Respect Act of 2023 requires the U.S. President to publicly list foreign officials or entities responsible for severe human rights violations against LGBTI individuals, including torture, arbitrary detention, or inciting violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity (Section 4). This list must be updated every 180 days and published in the Federal Register, with individuals added facing U.S. visa ineligibility and potential removal from the country (Section 5). The bill also mandates annual reports tracking additions/removals from the list and directs the State Department to monitor global violence against LGBTI people in country reports (Section 7). It directly affects foreign government actors accused of targeting LGBTI communities, using visa restrictions as a tool to increase accountability for human rights abuses.

Maddy summaryThe BUMP Act of 2023 (S 1909) prohibits the sale, possession, and transfer of devices that increase the rate of fire on semiautomatic firearms, including "bump stocks" and similar modifications. It directly affects owners of semiautomatic firearms modified to speed up firing or mimic machineguns, requiring them to register such weapons within 120 days of enactment. Key provisions ban devices designed to eliminate the need for separate trigger pulls per shot and define "semiautomatic firearm" to exclude machinegun-like modifications. The bill exempts government entities and pre-existing legal modifications from the ban, provided they are registered.

This resolution designates May 2023 as ALS Awareness Month. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new regulatory category for certain substances added to animal feed, called "zootechnical animal food substances." It defines these as products that affect digestion, reduce foodborne pathogens, or alter gut bacteria in animals - without treating disease or acting as drugs - while excluding hormones and veterinary drugs. The bill requires manufacturers to submit specific data about these substances to the FDA for review and mandates clear labeling stating they are "not for use in the diagnosis, cure, or treatment of animal disease." This changes how such feed additives are evaluated and labeled, without requiring their use in farming.

Maddy summaryThe Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2023 establishes a program to create 7 regional "Ocean Innovation Clusters" across coastal, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico areas, prioritizing geographic diversity and underserved communities. These clusters, led by non-profits and including businesses, tribes, academic institutions, and government partners, will receive federal grants to foster collaboration in sustainable ocean industries (the "Blue Economy"), such as fishing, tourism, renewable energy, and coastal resilience. The bill authorizes $50 million annually (2024-2029) for grants covering operational costs and one-time investments to build physical "Innovation Centers" that provide shared workspaces, training, and resources for entrepreneurs and workers. It directly affects regional economic development organizations, tribal entities, and small businesses in ocean-dependent sectors by creating structured opportunities for cross-sector partnerships and job growth.