Sen. Ted Budd

Maddy summaryThe Safe Step Act requires health insurance plans and employer-sponsored health coverage to create a transparent process for patients or their doctors to request exceptions to medication step therapy protocols. These protocols typically mandate trying a lower-cost drug first before covering a more expensive alternative. Exceptions must be approved if previous treatments failed, delaying coverage would cause severe harm, the required drug is unsafe, or the patient is stable on the requested drug. Health plans must respond to requests within 72 hours (or 24 hours in emergencies) and make the process details available online.

Maddy summaryThe ATF Transparency Act requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to provide applicants with background check transaction numbers when firearm transfer applications are denied, allow appeals of denials (with attorney fee reimbursement for successful cases), and automatically approve applications if decisions aren’t made within 90 days. It directly affects firearm buyers and manufacturers whose applications face delays or denials under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill also mandates reports on unresolved background checks and improvements to NICS processing, including a joint agreement between the ATF and FBI. These changes aim to reduce processing delays and errors in firearm transfer approvals.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federally funded schools and athletic programs from allowing individuals assigned male at birth to participate in women's or girls' sports teams. It defines "sex" for this purpose solely based on biological sex assigned at birth, including reproductive anatomy and genetics. The law amends Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to make such participation a violation of federal civil rights law. It directly affects all schools, colleges, and organizations receiving federal funds that operate athletic programs for women or girls.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how often federal credit unions must hold board meetings based on their performance ratings. For all federal credit unions, boards must meet at least monthly for the first 5 years after their charter is approved. After that, credit unions rated 1 or 2 (highest performance) must meet at least 6 times yearly (with one per quarter), while those rated 3-5 must meet monthly. The bill directly affects all federal credit unions by adjusting their board meeting requirements according to their Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System score. These changes aim to align meeting frequency with credit union performance and oversight needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study and report on practices in the pharmaceutical supply chain, focusing on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their impact on drug pricing. The FTC must submit an interim report within 180 days and a full report within one year, examining issues like whether PBMs steer patients to pharmacies they own, use proprietary data for competitive advantage, or design formularies to favor higher-cost drugs. The reports will also assess competition in the supply chain, legal barriers to enforcement, and the FTC’s ability to address anticompetitive behavior by drug manufacturers. The goal is to identify transparency gaps and recommend policy changes to improve competition and ensure consumers benefit from cost savings.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award a single gold medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment collectively, recognizing their service during the Revolutionary War. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be permanently displayed at the Rhode Island State Library, with Congress encouraging its use for research and potential display at other historically significant locations. Bronze duplicates may be sold to cover production costs, and all medals are classified as national medals under U.S. law. The bill directly honors the regiment, which in 1778 became one of the first integrated units in American history by recruiting over 200 Black and Indigenous soldiers.

Maddy summaryS 566, the "Charitable Act," modifies tax deductions for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize their deductions on federal income taxes. It allows these taxpayers to deduct up to one-third of their standard deduction amount for 2023 and 2024 tax years, instead of the usual itemized deduction. The bill also removes references to a repealed penalty provision (Section 6662(b)(10)) and adjusts related penalty language in the tax code. This directly affects non-itemizing taxpayers who make charitable contributions, providing a new deduction option for those years only. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2022.

Maddy summaryThe National Right-to-Work Act would amend federal labor law to prohibit requiring employees to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. It removes existing provisions in the National Labor Relations Act that allowed for "union security agreements" (such as agency shops) and similarly amends the Railway Labor Act for railroad workers. This change would mean private sector and railroad workers nationwide would not face mandatory union fees to retain their jobs, applying to all new or renewed employment agreements after enactment. The bill directly affects all covered employees in the private workforce and railroad industry by eliminating forced financial contributions to labor unions.

Maddy summaryThe FOCA Act (S 537) requires federal agencies and recipients of federal construction funds to prohibit bid specifications or project agreements from mandating or banning contractor agreements with labor organizations (like unions), or discriminating against contractors based on such affiliations. It applies to all federal construction contracts and subcontracts awarded after the law's enactment, aiming to ensure open competition, reduce costs, and expand opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses. Federal agencies must update their regulations within 60 days to implement these rules, with limited exemptions only for urgent public health, safety, or national security threats - not labor disputes. This law directly affects contractors, subcontractors, and federal construction projects funded by the government.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCONRES 4) sets strict 30-day deadlines for the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library to review and act on North Carolina’s proposal to place a statue of Reverend Billy Graham in the National Statuary Hall. The Committee must approve or deny the clay model design within 30 days of receiving required submissions (photos, dimensions, engineering details), then approve or deny the completed statue within another 30 days of receiving final materials. If approved, the Committee must also designate a permanent Capitol location within 30 days. The bill directly affects North Carolina (as the submitting state), the Architect of the Capitol (as the recipient of submissions), and the Joint Committee (as the decision-maker), streamlining a standard procedural step for statue placements.