Sen. Josh Hawley

Maddy summaryThe U.S. Senate passed SRES 58 to formally congratulate the Kansas City Chiefs on winning Super Bowl LVII. This symbolic resolution directly honors the Chiefs organization (including chairman Clark Hunt, president Mark Donovan, head coach Andy Reid, and players Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Harrison Butker), as well as Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The resolution directs the Senate Secretary to deliver a copy to these recipients, recognizing the team's victory and their 2022 NFL season achievements. As a non-binding gesture, it has no legal effect but publicly celebrates the Chiefs' championship win.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 12) seeks congressional disapproval of the District of Columbia Council’s approval of the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-789). It directly affects D.C. residents and local government, as the resolution targets the District’s newly enacted criminal code. The mechanism is a formal congressional disapproval under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, requiring passage by both chambers to block the D.C. law from taking effect. The resolution does not alter the D.C. code itself but aims to halt its implementation through federal action.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the PROTECT Act of 2023, changes sentencing rules for people convicted of child pornography offenses. It requires courts to impose a minimum sentence based on facts proven beyond a reasonable doubt during trial or admitted by the defendant, rather than relying on facts found by the judge alone. The bill specifically applies to violations of sections covering child pornography production, distribution, and possession under federal law. It ensures sentences cannot fall below the minimums determined by these proven facts or existing statutory minimums.

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 joint resolution seeks congressional disapproval of a Department of Labor rule published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 73822), which addressed "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights." If enacted, it would block the rule from taking effect, directly affecting retirement plan fiduciaries (such as those managing 401(k) plans) who must follow these standards. The resolution uses a specific disapproval process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, to nullify the rule without altering its content. This is a procedural action targeting the rule's implementation, not a new policy.

Maddy summaryThe Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2023 requires large cattle packers to report detailed information about their cattle purchases and contracts to improve market transparency. The bill establishes mandatory minimums requiring packers to purchase a certain percentage of cattle through transparent pricing mechanisms like negotiated deals, rather than private contracts. Packers must also report daily slaughter schedules and carcass weights more frequently, and create a public library of all cattle purchase contracts. These requirements directly affect major cattle packers and aim to give cattle producers more information about market prices.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow individuals with valid concealed carry permits from their home state to carry concealed handguns in other states that either permit concealed carry for residents or don't ban it. It requires permit holders to have a government-issued ID, meet federal firearm possession rules, and carry only handguns (excluding machineguns or destructive devices). Carrying would still follow local restrictions in the destination state, such as bans in schools or government buildings. The bill does not change how states issue permits but creates automatic recognition of valid permits across participating states.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCONRES 3) is a symbolic statement affirming religious freedom as a fundamental human right protected under the U.S. Constitution. It specifically recognizes the 237th anniversary of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (enacted January 16, 1786) and affirms that religious freedom allows all people - of any faith or no faith - to live, work, and worship according to their beliefs. The resolution emphasizes that religious freedom is a unifying principle essential to American democracy, citing historical documents like the First Amendment and presidential proclamations. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any specific group, but serves to publicly affirm this principle on Religious Freedom Day.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 6) disapproves of the District of Columbia Council's approval of the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-640). It directly affects D.C. residents by challenging a local law that would have expanded voting rights for non-resident property owners in D.C. elections. The resolution uses a procedural mechanism under federal law to formally reject the D.C. Council's action, requiring Congress to vote on disapproval within a set timeframe.

Maddy summaryThe Keep Our Promises Act (S 213) ensures Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries receive full, timely payments even if the federal debt limit is reached. It directly affects millions of retirees and disabled individuals who rely on these programs. The bill allows the Treasury Secretary to temporarily bypass the debt limit to pay these benefits without counting those payments against the debt ceiling. Specifically, it exempts the face value of these payments from the debt limit calculation during the period between when payments begin and when Congress passes a new debt limit increase. This creates a temporary mechanism to prevent disruptions in benefit payments.