Maddy summaryThe VA Billing Accountability Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to notify veterans of required copayments within 180 days for VA facility care and 18 months for non-VA care. If the VA fails to send this notification on time, it cannot collect the payment without providing veterans with options to apply for a waiver or set up a payment plan. The bill also allows the VA to waive copayments if a VA error caused the late notification beyond these deadlines (180 days for VA care, 18 months for non-VA care). Additionally, the VA must review and improve its billing procedures within 180 days of the law's enactment. This directly affects veterans receiving VA-covered care who might otherwise face unexpected billing delays.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe PRINTS Act requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to collect fingerprints from noncitizen children under 14 if they suspect trafficking during entry into the United States. It criminalizes using a minor (not a relative or guardian) to gain entry, punishable by fines or up to 10 years in prison. The bill also mandates sharing fingerprints of unaccompanied children with Health and Human Services and requires monthly public reporting on child trafficking apprehensions. These provisions aim to improve trafficking identification and enforcement through standardized data collection and criminal penalties.
Maddy summaryThe Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023 establishes the Iran Sanctions Enforcement Fund, initially funded with $150 million, to cover expenses related to seizures and forfeitures of property connected to sanctions violations by Iran or its designated proxies like Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The fund will pay for law enforcement costs including investigations, detention, equipment, and rewards for informants, with priority given to seizing oil and petroleum products that fund terrorist activities. The bill also creates an Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security to better coordinate federal agencies' efforts on sanctions enforcement. Annual reports to Congress will detail fund usage, seizures, and financial status, with the fund required to repay the Treasury $150 million by 2034 unless waived for national security reasons.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi group in Yemen) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization within 90 days of enactment, reversing a 2021 Biden administration decision that removed the designation. It mandates the President to impose existing sanctions under two executive orders: blocking assets of designated terrorists (E.O. 13224) and restricting travel for Yemeni nationals linked to terrorism (E.O. 13780). The sanctions directly target Ansarallah, its members, agents, affiliates, and any foreign entities owned or controlled by the group. This would restrict U.S. financial transactions with the Houthis and their networks, while also affecting Yemeni nationals subject to travel bans under the applicable sanctions.
Maddy summarySJRES 47 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a Department of Justice rule about home confinement for federal prisoners under the CARES Act. The rule, published in April 2023, would have established guidelines allowing the Justice Department to use home confinement as an alternative to prison for certain inmates during the pandemic. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, preventing it from taking effect. It follows the standard process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, for Congress to reject agency regulations.
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to families and businesses and would severely harm the economic and national security of the country.
Maddy summarySRES 435 is a Senate resolution designating October 30 through November 4, 2023, as "National Veterans Small Business Week." It formally recognizes the contributions of veterans who own small businesses, highlighting their role in the economy (over 1.7 million veteran-owned businesses employing 2.9 million people). The resolution expresses support for veterans' entrepreneurship, encourages policies reducing regulatory burdens for small businesses, and thanks veterans for their service through business ownership. This is a symbolic recognition with no new legal requirements or funding.
This resolution recognizes October 2023 as National Women's Small Business Month, honoring the role of women small business owners and entrepreneurs and encouraging the support and creation of women-owned small businesses.
Maddy summaryS 3061 revokes a waiver determination submitted to Congress on September 11, 2023, related to certain U.S. sanctions against Iran. The bill directs that this waiver, which had allowed exemptions under specific sanctions laws, no longer has effect after the bill is enacted. It specifically targets waivers issued under provisions from the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act or the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act. This change would directly affect how those Iran sanctions are applied, reinstating the original restrictions without the temporary exemption.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2854) requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to convey approximately 2.73 acres of land at Fargo National Cemetery in North Dakota to the city of Fargo, if the VA first acquires adjacent land. The city must pay the parcel’s market value (determined by a standard appraisal), and the proceeds will fund the National Cemetery Administration. The transfer is intended to improve visitor and volunteer experiences at the cemetery. The bill only applies to this specific parcel and does not mandate other land sales or agreements.