Sen. Kevin Cramer

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 64) seeks to block a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule published in the Federal Register (89 Fed. Reg. 4128, January 22, 2024) that implements provisions from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act related to preventing digital discrimination. It requests Congress disapprove the rule under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, which would prevent the rule from taking effect. The resolution directly affects the FCC's ability to enforce digital discrimination prevention measures under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. If passed, the rule would have no legal force or effect, halting the FCC's regulatory action on this specific issue.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 65) seeks to disapprove an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have revised national air quality standards for tiny air particles (particulate matter), which are pollutants linked to health issues like asthma and heart disease. The EPA rule, published on March 6, 2024, proposed updating these standards to tighten pollution limits. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, maintaining the current standards without changes. This directly affects the EPA’s ability to implement the proposed revisions to air quality regulations, impacting public health protections and industry compliance requirements.

Maddy summaryThe SAFE Act (S 3961) reforms surveillance practices under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to better protect U.S. persons from warrantless surveillance. It requires the FBI to implement new training, approvals, and written justifications for queries of U.S. person data, prohibits warrantless access to communications of U.S. persons except in specific circumstances, and mandates enhanced reporting to Congress. The bill establishes accountability procedures for FBI employees who violate query protocols, reforms FISA Court procedures to include amicus curiae with privacy expertise, and limits how intelligence agencies can acquire and use personal data. These provisions directly affect the FBI, other intelligence agencies, and U.S. persons whose communications may be collected under FISA authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill withholds federal crime prevention grants from states or local governments that maintain policies prohibiting cash bail for all offenders or fail to use pretrial detention for every violent offender (including juveniles). It directly affects state and local governments that have such bail or pretrial detention policies. The key mechanism requires these entities to change their policies to qualify for federal grants under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. Failure to comply results in ineligibility for these specific grants starting the fiscal year after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryS 3923 requires state and local law enforcement to hold criminal aliens for up to 48 hours to transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), if ICE issues a detainer. It mandates that states cannot restrict sharing immigration status information with ICE and prohibits local agencies from blocking detainer compliance. The bill also creates a federal compensation program, funding states $750 million in 2025 (rising to $950 million annually through 2031) for detaining eligible criminal aliens - defined as those convicted of felonies or multiple misdemeanors who entered without inspection or violated visa status. States must comply with detainer requests to receive funding, with non-compliant jurisdictions losing eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal transportation funding rules to change how transit agencies can pay for new buses. It allows recipients of federal bus funding to make advance payments to manufacturers (up to 20% of the total cost) without needing prior government approval or requiring manufacturers to provide performance bonds. Transit agencies must still have a signed contract with advance payment terms, preaward authority, and meet other existing requirements. The change directly affects local transit agencies receiving federal funds under Title 49, streamlining their purchasing process while capping early payments to protect public funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a private right for victims (or their families) of serious crimes committed by aliens to sue states or local governments that failed to comply with federal immigration detainer requests. It allows lawsuits for compensatory damages if a state/local entity did not follow DHS requests regarding an alien convicted of murder, rape, or a felony (1+ year sentence), and the victim would not have been harmed had the alien been detained. States accepting certain federal grants (like community development funds) must waive sovereign immunity to be sued under this law, with a 10-year statute of limitations from the crime or victim's death. The bill directly affects states or localities with "sanctuary policies" that restrict sharing immigration status or complying with detainers.

Maddy summaryS 3933, the Laken Riley Act, amends immigration law to require mandatory detention for non-citizens charged with certain crimes like theft or burglary, rather than allowing release. It directly affects individuals facing these charges and gives state attorneys general the legal standing to sue federal agencies (like DHS or the State Department) if they claim immigration policies caused the state or residents financial harm exceeding $100. Key provisions include requiring Homeland Security to take custody of such individuals and establishing new court procedures for states to seek injunctions against federal immigration enforcement actions. The bill does not change border policies but focuses on detention requirements and state legal challenges to federal immigration enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program, which helps low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities afford housing in the private market. It creates three main incentives: one-time payments to landlords (up to 200% of monthly housing payments) for accepting vouchers in low-poverty neighborhoods (census tracts with less than 20% poverty rate), security deposit payments to landlords on behalf of tenants, and bonus payments to public housing agencies that employ dedicated landlord liaisons. The bill establishes a $100 million annual "Herschel Lashkowitz Housing Partnership Fund" to finance these initiatives, with specific requirements to prioritize high-opportunity neighborhoods that have good access to schools, jobs, and transportation. It also includes reporting requirements for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to track the program's effectiveness in recruiting landlords in these areas.

Maddy summaryThe Appraisal Industry Improvement Act establishes new standards for real estate appraisers working on federally insured mortgages. It requires appraisers to be certified or licensed by the state where the property is located (with exceptions for federal employees), meet competency requirements, and complete specific education on FHA appraisal standards. The bill creates a new category of "State credentialed trainee appraisers" who can work under certified appraisers, and modifies annual registry fees for appraisal management companies. Appraisers must comply with these requirements when conducting appraisals for mortgages insured under Title II of the National Housing Act, with implementing regulations to be issued by HUD within 240 days of enactment.