Maddy summaryThe Promoting Free and Fair Elections Act (S 1398) prohibits federal agencies from using government funds to partner with non-profits for voter registration or mobilization activities on agency property or websites. It delays implementation of certain voter registration initiatives under Executive Order 14019 until agencies submit reports to Congress about their plans, with an exception for activities already permitted under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The bill also requires agencies to submit detailed reports within 30 days of enactment about their voter registration activities and amends the Higher Education Act to prevent work-study programs from being used for voter registration or mobilization. These provisions directly affect federal agencies, non-profit organizations collaborating with them, and institutions participating in federal work-study programs.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Independent Financial Technology Working Group, chaired by the Treasury Secretary, to research and address terrorist and illicit financial activities using new technologies like digital assets. The group includes federal agency representatives (Treasury, DOJ, DHS, State, CIA) and five private-sector members from fintech, blockchain, financial institutions, and research organizations. Key provisions require the group to develop regulatory proposals, submit annual reports to Congress on findings, and produce a final report after its 4-year term. The bill also mandates a presidential report within 180 days detailing digital asset risks to national security and a congressional briefing after two years. The Working Group terminates after four years, with ongoing activities allowed to complete.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a strategy for building an integrated maritime security capability in the Middle East, focusing on protecting allies from Iranian naval threats, piracy, and extremist groups. It mandates a 60-day strategy report to Congress detailing threat assessments, existing partnerships (like Combined Maritime Forces), efforts to integrate Israel, and intelligence coordination gaps. The bill also directs a 90-day feasibility study on funding this capability through contributions from Middle Eastern allies. The strategy and study directly affect U.S. military operations in the region and partner nations' security cooperation with the U.S. Navy.
Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act (S 1375) changes how health insurance plans calculate patient cost-sharing. It requires that discounts, financial assistance, or third-party payments (like drug manufacturer coupons) count toward a patient’s deductible, copayment, or out-of-pocket limit. This directly affects individuals enrolled in group or individual health insurance plans who receive such assistance. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act and Affordable Care Act to ensure these payments reduce the actual out-of-pocket costs patients face, rather than being treated as separate expenses.
Maddy summaryS.1295, the Federal Employee Student Debt Transparency Act, requires certain high-level federal employees to publicly disclose their student loan debt. Specifically, it mandates that Senior Executive Service (SES) employees and Schedule C appointees (confidential/policy roles) file annual reports by February 28 detailing all outstanding balances on federal student loans under the Higher Education Act. These reports, including total debt and names of non-compliant employees, must be submitted to Congress by May 1 each year. The bill creates a transparency mechanism for Congress and the public to track student debt among senior federal leadership, without altering debt relief policies or obligations.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 25) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific Department of Labor rule regarding wage rates for H-2A agricultural workers. It targets the rule published in the Federal Register (88 Fed. Reg. 12760) that established a methodology for calculating "Adverse Effect Wage Rates" (AEWR) for temporary H-2A nonimmigrant workers in non-range occupations. If passed, the resolution would block this rule from taking effect, directly affecting agricultural employers who rely on H-2A visas and the workers themselves by preventing the implementation of the new wage calculation method. The resolution does not create new policy but aims to halt an existing rule through the congressional disapproval process under U.S. Code.
Maddy summaryThe Save Local Business Act (S 1261) clarifies when businesses can be held jointly liable for labor violations under federal law. It amends the National Labor Relations Act and Fair Labor Standards Act to define "joint employer" status strictly: an employer must directly and immediately control essential employment terms like hiring, pay, scheduling, and discipline for another employer’s workers. This directly affects businesses operating under multi-employer structures (e.g., franchises, staffing agencies) by limiting joint liability to cases where control is demonstrable and immediate. The bill does not change existing labor protections but sets clearer, more specific criteria for determining joint employer responsibility.
Maddy summarySRES 169 is a symbolic Senate resolution expressing the chamber's lack of confidence in DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It states the Senate believes he does not have the confidence of the Senate or American people to carry out his duties, citing border enforcement challenges, alleged false testimony, and policy decisions like ending the Migrant Protection Protocols. The resolution does not change Mayorkas' position, alter border policies, or create new legal requirements - it is purely a formal statement of disapproval. As a procedural resolution, it has no binding effect on government operations.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, a U.S. Army soldier who saved approximately 200 Jewish-American soldiers during WWII by refusing Nazi orders to separate them. It directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, which will be presented posthumously to Edmonds' family (specifically to Christopher Waring Edmonds). The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to the public to offset costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure with no direct policy impact on current laws or regulations.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 10) seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding reproductive health services for veterans. It requests Congress disapprove the rule (published September 2022) under a process in federal law that allows Congress to halt agency regulations. If approved, the VA rule would be nullified and could not take effect, meaning the VA could not enforce its provisions on reproductive health services for veterans. The bill directly affects the implementation of this VA policy for veterans receiving care at VA facilities.