Maddy summaryS 973 requires federal contractors to certify they have not used racial hiring quotas in the past five years and prohibits them from implementing such quotas during contract performance. It directly affects all entities awarded federal contracts or subcontracts, including employers covered under specific labor certificates. The bill mandates that contracts include an equal opportunity clause banning race-based hiring systems, while explicitly excluding environmental, social, and governance (ESG), diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives from the definition of "national interest." Violations could lead to contract cancellation, termination, or debarment by the Department of Labor.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 959, the Stopping Traffickers and Their Accomplices Act of 2023, requires abortion providers to notify the National Human Trafficking Hotline within 24 hours if they reasonably suspect a patient is a trafficking victim. It mandates annual human trafficking training for all staff at abortion facilities and requires providers to submit certification of training completion. Violations of the reporting or training requirements incur penalties of $10,000 per violation for failure to report or $1,000 per day for training non-compliance. The bill directly affects abortion providers and their employees, with state attorneys general authorized to enforce these requirements through civil actions.
Maddy summaryThe NIH Reform Act (S 960) reorganizes the National Institutes of Health by splitting the existing National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) into three new institutes: the National Institute of Allergic Diseases, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute of Immunologic Diseases. This directly affects NIH leadership and research operations, requiring new director appointments with 5-year terms (allowing one reappointment) and updating federal references to replace NIAID with the new institute names. The bill mandates a transition plan for NIH leadership to shift responsibilities from the old NIAID structure to the new institutes, without altering funding or creating new research programs. It focuses on administrative restructuring to better align research priorities with specific disease areas.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. federal agencies from using government funds to purchase solar panels made or assembled by entities linked to the Chinese government. It bans such purchases through contracts, grants, and government credit cards within 180 days of enactment, requiring agencies to follow new OMB guidelines. Agencies may request waivers if a Chinese-linked supplier is the only option, but must get approval from the State and Homeland Security Secretaries and report requests to Congress quarterly. The bill also mandates a study on domestic solar manufacturing capacity and a report tracking federal solar panel purchases from covered entities within 275 days. It directly affects federal procurement officers and solar panel suppliers with ties to China’s government.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to require the U.S. Supreme Court to have exactly nine justices. Currently, Congress sets the Court's size through legislation, but this amendment would make the nine-justice structure a permanent requirement in the Constitution. It would need ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years to become part of the Constitution. If adopted, it would prevent Congress from changing the Court's size via ordinary legislation.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury to instruct American representatives at multilateral development banks (like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank) to oppose new loans to China. It is based on findings that China exceeded the income threshold for graduation from development assistance in 2016 and has since received over $20 billion in loans from these institutions. The bill requires annual reports tracking China's borrowing, U.S. voting efforts to end lending to countries that have surpassed graduation thresholds, and the status of China's eligibility. It directly affects China's access to multilateral development financing and the operational policies of these banks.
Maddy summaryThis bill would withdraw the U.S. "most-favored-nation" trade status (commonly called "normal trade relations") from China. After a two-year delay from enactment, Chinese goods would face higher tariffs based on the standard U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule rates, rather than the lower rates previously applied. The bill permanently blocks future restoration of this preferential trade status for China and allows the President to further increase tariffs on Chinese products. This directly affects Chinese exporters and U.S. importers of Chinese goods by raising their costs.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Director of National Intelligence to declassify specific information about the origin of COVID-19 within 90 days of enactment. It mandates the release of details including research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, activities involving the People’s Liberation Army, and medical records of researchers who fell ill in autumn 2019. The bill directs the Director to submit an unclassified report to Congress containing this information, with only minimal redactions for security reasons. It directly affects the Director of National Intelligence and the public by requiring transparency about potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the pandemic’s origins. The legislation is procedural in nature, focusing on declassification rather than new policy measures.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal, state, and local governments from enforcing any law that restricts the right to possess, carry, or transport firearms unless the law aligns with the U.S.'s historical tradition of firearm regulation. It directly affects states and localities that have enacted gun control measures, such as bans on carrying firearms across state lines or restrictions on commonly used firearms. Key provisions allow individuals or gun rights organizations to sue to block enforcement of such laws and require courts to award attorney fees to successful plaintiffs. The bill also clarifies that state laws offering stronger gun rights protections remain valid and unaffected.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 20) seeks to block a 2023 rule from the Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that classified certain firearms with stabilizing braces as rifles under federal law. If passed, it would nullify the rule, meaning firearms equipped with these braces would no longer be subject to the rule’s classification requirements. The resolution uses the congressional disapproval process under Title 5, U.S. Code, to stop the rule from taking effect, directly affecting firearm manufacturers and owners who use stabilizing braces on weapons.