Sen. Thom Tillis

Maddy summaryThis bill reimburses North Carolina communities for repairing private roads and bridges damaged by Tropical Storm Helene, specifically for those serving as the sole access to homes or essential services (like clinics or grocery stores). It allows reimbursement without considering pre-existing damage, requiring inspections to verify repair needs and costs. Communities must document expenses, keep roads open during repairs, and comply with federal regulations. Homeowners who previously received aid for the same repairs can use that assistance without it counting toward their aid limits. The bill applies to areas covered under FEMA disaster declaration FEMA-4827-DR-NC.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution expresses Congress's sense that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies - organizations providing life, health, and accident benefits to members - have historically and continue to deliver significant community benefits through charitable programs, volunteer efforts, and mutual aid. It highlights their role in addressing unmet community needs, supporting financial security for members, and contributing an estimated $3.8 billion annually in social value. The resolution affirms that their tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code is essential to sustaining these services. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new law but formally recognizes these societies' contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires abortion providers to obtain patient consent for disposal of fetal tissue after an abortion, offering options to take the tissue or have the provider arrange interment or cremation within 7 days. It mandates providers to document consent, report annual abortion statistics and disposal methods to the Health Secretary, and face penalties including up to $50,000 fines or 5 years in prison for violations. The law directly affects abortion providers (clinics and doctors) and patients undergoing abortions, with no change to abortion access itself. Key provisions include standardized consent forms, disposal requirements aligned with state laws for human remains, and annual federal reporting on abortion procedures and tissue disposal.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes permanent Medicare coverage for telehealth-based cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services (including cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehab) provided in patients' homes. It removes geographic restrictions for these services after January 1, 2026, allowing Medicare to cover home-based telehealth visits for eligible patients. The law requires the Health Secretary to establish standards for home-based rehab programs by 2026. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries needing ongoing heart or lung rehabilitation, ensuring they can access these services remotely without location-based limitations. The bill codifies pandemic-era flexibilities into permanent policy for these specific healthcare programs.

Maddy summaryS 199 would create special tax rules for "qualified residents of Taiwan" with income from U.S. sources. It would lower tax rates on interest, dividends, and royalties from 30% to 10% (15% for some dividends), provide tax relief for certain wages paid to Taiwan residents working in the U.S., and exempt income from entertainment or athletic activities up to $30,000. The bill establishes specific requirements for entities to qualify for these benefits, including ownership and income criteria. It also creates a process for the U.S. to negotiate a formal tax agreement with Taiwan to further address double taxation concerns.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates. It directly affects Planned Parenthood by banning all federal money from being allocated to them under any circumstances. The key provision is a clear, explicit ban on using federal funds for these organizations, overriding any other existing laws that might allow such funding. This is a straightforward policy change that would immediately halt federal financial support to Planned Parenthood.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends immigration law to make non-citizens subject to deportation if convicted of assaulting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or first responder while they were performing official duties, due to their duties, or because of their status. It defines "assault" under local law and expands "law enforcement officer" to include those preventing, investigating, or prosecuting crimes. The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security to annually report the number of such deportations to Congress and the public. The policy directly affects non-citizens convicted of qualifying assaults against covered personnel, with no new enforcement mechanisms beyond existing deportation procedures.

Maddy summaryS 213, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, makes the qualified business income deduction permanent for small business owners. It directly affects pass-through business owners (like sole proprietors and small partnerships) who currently benefit from this tax break. The bill removes the temporary expiration of Section 199A of the tax code, providing long-term certainty for these taxpayers by ensuring they can continue deducting up to 20% of their qualified business income.

Maddy summaryThe FREE Act (S 238) changes how federal agencies issue permits by replacing discretionary, lengthy reviews with a "permitting by rule" system. Agencies must first report on all permit types, then establish clear written standards applicants certify they meet - eliminating detailed agency reviews for qualifying permits. If applicants meet all standards, permits auto-approve after 180 days unless the agency disapproves with specific reasons. This directly affects federal agencies (like the EPA or Corps of Engineers) and permit applicants (e.g., businesses, developers), shifting oversight to post-approval audits instead of pre-approval gatekeeping.

Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025 This bill provides a private right of action against state and local jurisdictions with certain policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts, and contains additional provisions related to such jurisdictions. Currently, such cooperation is generally not required. An individual (or certain relatives of such an individual) who is the victim of any felony for which an alien has been arrested, convicted, or sentenced to a prison term of at least one year may sue a state or local jurisdiction if the jurisdiction failed to comply with (1) certain Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requests related to arresting and detaining aliens, and (2) a DHS request to detain the alien in question or provide a notification about the release of the alien. A jurisdiction that accepts certain federal grants may not assert immunity in such a civil action. A jurisdiction (or employee of a jurisdiction) that complies with certain DHS detainer requests shall be deemed to be acting as an agent of DHS. A complying jurisdiction or employee of the jurisdiction shall not be liable in any lawsuit relating to compliance with such requests. In a lawsuit against an employee of the jurisdiction, the United States shall be substituted in as the defendant, and remedies shall be limited to provisions for bringing tort claims against the federal government.