Maddy summaryThe Improving Federal Building Security Act of 2024 requires Facility Security Committees at federal buildings to respond within 90 days to security recommendations from the Federal Protective Service, including justification and financial analysis if a recommendation is rejected. The Secretary of Homeland Security must monitor compliance and submit annual reports to Congress detailing acceptance rates, financial impacts, and risk mitigation efforts for rejected recommendations. The law applies to General Services Administration facilities and other federal buildings that pay for security services through the Federal Protective Service. The bill expires after five years, with a follow-up report from the Government Accountability Office required to assess its effectiveness.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe "Strengthening the Commercial Driver's License Information System Act" (S. 3475) allows the Secretary of Transportation to designate a qualified entity to operate, maintain, develop, modernize, and enhance the commercial driver's license information system. The authorized operator would collect reasonable fees for system use, with all fees required to be used exclusively for system operations, maintenance, development, and related administrative costs. The Secretary would retain free access to the system and receive quarterly fee statements, while states operating the system would no longer need to wait for a Secretary-established deadline to begin operations. This bill affects how the commercial driver's license information system is managed and funded, changing the administrative structure for this critical transportation safety system.
Maddy summaryThe Executive Branch Accountability and Transparency Act requires federal agencies to create searchable public databases containing ethics records for noncareer government employees, including financial disclosures, ethics waivers, and recusal agreements. Agencies must compile these records within 270 days of guidance from the Office of Government Ethics, including all records from the previous 9 years. The databases must be accessible on agency websites without registration, comply with accessibility standards, and remain publicly available for at least 10 years. This bill directly affects thousands of federal appointees in noncareer positions, making previously hard-to-find ethics information more transparent to the public.
Maddy summaryThe Disaster Contract Improvement Act establishes an advisory working group to improve collaboration on debris removal during disaster recovery. The group will include FEMA, Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resources Conservation Service, state and local government representatives, and debris removal industry experts. Within one year of enactment, the FEMA Administrator must develop new guidance requiring states and localities to take primary oversight of debris removal contracts, streamline reimbursement processes, and reduce duplication across government levels. The bill also mandates a GAO study examining advance contracts for debris removal, reimbursement rates, and fraud prevention in the debris removal program.
Maddy summaryThe Federal Acquisition Security Council Improvement Act of 2024 amends the Federal Acquisition Security Council structure to strengthen national security protections in government procurement. It redefines key terms like "covered source of concern" (a foreign entity posing security risks) and establishes a more structured Council within the Executive Office of the President with specific agency representatives. The Council will develop a prioritization scheme for evaluating security risks, issue "designated orders" to exclude certain foreign sources from government contracts, and monitor compliance with these orders. The bill creates a Program Office within the Office of the National Cyber Director to support these functions and establishes procedures for reviewing and modifying exclusion orders.
Maddy summaryS 4679, the Permitting Council Improvement Act of 2024, streamlines federal environmental review processes for infrastructure projects by strengthening the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. It requires agencies to mediate disputes over project timelines, establish alternative completion dates if deadlines are missed, and publish agency performance on a public Dashboard. The bill directly affects federal agencies (like the Department of Transportation and Army Corps of Engineers), project developers, and the public through enhanced transparency. Key mechanisms include mandatory dispute resolution procedures, strict deadlines for agency responses, and a new fee structure (capping at 1% of project costs) to fund the Council’s operations. Annual reports to Congress will track permitting trends, workforce needs, and Dashboard improvements, with $12-21 million authorized annually for the Council’s activities.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive framework for federal agencies to responsibly develop, procure, and use artificial intelligence. It requires agencies to implement risk classification systems for AI use cases, categorizing them as unacceptable, high, medium, or low risk based on potential impacts to rights, safety, and critical infrastructure. Agencies must conduct impact assessments, collect specific documentation from AI developers, and establish governance structures including Chief AI Officers and governance boards. The bill prohibits certain AI uses like emotion mapping from facial biometrics and sets specific requirements for high-risk AI applications, including pre-deployment testing and ongoing monitoring. It also mandates public transparency through AI use case inventories and annual reporting to Congress.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes public health veterinary services within the Indian Health Service to reduce zoonotic disease risks in Native communities, Alaska Native villages, and Indian reservations. It authorizes funding for spaying/neutering, vaccinations, disease surveillance, and prevention services to address issues like rabies, canine distemper, and dog bite injuries documented in Alaska Native areas. The bill requires deploying veterinary public health officers from the Public Health Service and coordinating with the CDC and Agriculture Department. It also mandates a study on oral rabies vaccines for wildlife in Arctic regions and biennial congressional reports on program implementation. The legislation directly affects tribes and communities facing endemic zoonotic disease threats, particularly in Alaska.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire at least 600 additional officers annually until staffing targets are met, plus support staff for administrative functions. It mandates a report identifying infrastructure improvements at ports of entry to enhance drug interdiction (specifically for opioids), including detection equipment and officer safety gear. CBP must submit quarterly reports on temporary staff reassignments, notify port directors before redeployments, and provide annual updates on staffing progress and agreement assessments. The bill authorizes $136 million for fiscal year 2024 and $157 million annually through 2029 to fund these provisions.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals to legally transport knives across state lines for lawful purposes, directly affecting travelers who possess knives legally in their origin and destination states. It requires knives transported by vehicle to be stored securely (not accessible in the passenger area or in a locked container), and permits emergency escape tools (like seatbelt cutters) without needing secure storage. The law prevents state arrests for compliant knife transport and mandates record expungement if used successfully as a defense in court. It does not override federal knife possession bans or apply to aircraft cabin transport, which remains subject to TSA rules.