Sen. Kevin Cramer

Maddy summaryThe ReConnecting Rural America Act of 2023 provides $650 million annually (2024-2028) in federal grants and loans to expand high-speed broadband access in rural areas. It requires projects to serve locations where at least 75% of households lack 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream internet service, with priority given to areas where 90% of households lack such access. Eligible applicants include tribes, cooperatives, local governments, and nonprofits, all required to meet minimum speed standards (100 Mbps both ways) and commit to long-term service. The bill aims to reduce rural broadband gaps by funding infrastructure deployment, with funds expiring after 2028.

Maddy summaryS.1667, the America’s CHILDREN Act of 2023, creates a pathway to permanent residency for certain college graduates who entered the U.S. as children under specific visa categories. It directly affects noncitizens who: (1) were lawfully present as dependent children of nonimmigrant workers (excluding H-1B, L-1, etc.) for at least 8 years, (2) maintained lawful presence for 10+ years total, and (3) graduated from a U.S. college or university. Key provisions include age-out protections for dependents who turn 21 while waiting for visas and retention of priority dates for visa processing. The bill modifies immigration law to allow eligible individuals to file for permanent residency without numerical limits, using the date a petition was filed as the basis for age determination. This applies to those whose parents held employment-based nonimmigrant status (e.g., E-1, E-2, O-1), not tourist or student visas.

Maddy summaryThis bill recognizes women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps (1943-1948) as veterans for specific benefits. It amends veterans' law to count their service as "active duty" for eligibility to benefits under Chapters 23 and 24 of Title 38 (including headstones), excluding Arlington National Cemetery interment. The Secretary of Defense must issue honorable discharges to qualifying individuals within one year of the bill’s enactment and may create commemorative medals or plaques. It clarifies that recipients gain veteran status for these specific benefits but do not qualify for other VA benefits solely based on this service. The bill directly affects women who were honorably discharged from the Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 23) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The rule, published in the Federal Register on June 24, 2022, established regulations for listing endangered/threatened species and designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. If passed, this resolution would nullify that rule, preventing it from having legal effect. The bill directly affects how the National Marine Fisheries Service implements species protection under federal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding - including Medicaid, ACA subsidies, and other federal health programs - from covering gender transition procedures. It specifically bans taxpayer dollars from being used for medical services like hormone therapy, surgery, or puberty-blocking drugs related to gender transition, except for cases involving disorders of sex development or complications from such procedures (as defined in Section 306). The bill also clarifies that ACA premium credits and cost-sharing reductions cannot apply to health plans covering these procedures, though individuals or states may purchase separate non-federal coverage for them. It directly affects federal health programs and beneficiaries relying on government-funded healthcare.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits healthcare professionals from performing or referring minors (under 18) for gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries like genital or non-genital transition surgeries. It imposes criminal penalties (fines, up to 5 years imprisonment) on providers who violate this prohibition, while protecting minors from prosecution for the procedures. The bill explicitly excludes medical treatments for disorders of sex development or emergencies where surgery is needed to prevent death or serious harm. It defines key terms like "gender transition procedure" and "biological sex" to clarify the scope of the ban. The law does not affect adults or medical care for conditions unrelated to gender transition.

Maddy summarySRES 195 is a ceremonial Senate resolution congratulating students, parents, teachers, and leaders of charter schools nationwide for their contributions to education. It formally supports the 24th annual National Charter Schools Week (May 7-13, 2023), encouraging public recognition of charter schools' role in providing diverse educational options. The resolution does not create new policies, funding, or obligations - it solely expresses legislative support for charter schools as part of a symbolic observance. It directly affects the charter school community by acknowledging their work during a designated national week.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows states to retain 25% of funds recovered from fraudulent unemployment claims (particularly pandemic-era claims) to strengthen fraud prevention systems. States can use these funds for modernizing unemployment systems, hiring fraud investigators, covering administrative costs for fraud detection, and other program integrity activities. The bill requires states to implement specific data-matching systems to prevent fraud, including cross-checking claims against employment records, databases of incarcerated individuals, and deceased individuals. It also extends emergency staffing flexibility for fraud detection through 2030 and establishes a 10-year window for prosecuting unemployment fraud.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal executive agencies to return to their pre-pandemic telework policies by December 31, 2019, effectively ending widespread remote work arrangements established during the COVID-19 emergency. It directly affects all federal employees in executive agencies by limiting remote work options until agencies submit a detailed study to Congress analyzing telework impacts on mission performance, costs (like underused office space and incorrect pay classifications), and employee productivity tools. Agencies must then submit a plan to expand telework, which the Office of Personnel Management must certify will improve mission performance, reduce costs, and ensure secure remote work capabilities before any changes can take effect. The law prohibits agencies from expanding telework until this study, plan, and certification process is completed.

Maddy summaryS 1583 requires the Secretary of State to submit to Congress any classified State Department cables expressing dissent about the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan within 30 days of the bill's enactment. It also mandates that the Secretary publicly release unclassified versions of these cables within 60 days, while redacting all personally identifiable information about the cable authors. This bill directly affects the Secretary of State, Congress, and the public by establishing a timeline for transparency regarding internal government disagreements on the Afghanistan withdrawal. The key mechanism is the mandatory submission and public release of dissenting cables, with protections for author privacy.