Maddy summaryThis bill (S 588) requires the U.S. President to impose sanctions on specific Chinese officials and block U.S. funding for joint research with China if China fails to allow a transparent international investigation into the origins of COVID-19 at Wuhan laboratories within 90 days of the bill’s enactment. It targets officials involved in concealing the outbreak or obstructing the investigation, including leaders of China’s Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and agencies like the Ministry of Health. Key provisions include blocking assets of sanctioned individuals, denying visas to them, and banning U.S. federal-funded researchers from collaborating with China on certain virus-related research. The bill aims to compel China to grant unrestricted access to labs, data, and personnel for an independent origin investigation.
Sponsored bills
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 summaryThe Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act prohibits "reverse payment" settlements where brand-name drug companies pay generic competitors to delay market entry, treating such agreements as anticompetitive violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The bill empowers the FTC to enforce these rules through civil penalties that can reach up to three times the value transferred in the settlement and allows for the forfeiture of a generic company's 180-day exclusivity period if they violate the new law. It also requires executives to certify that all settlement documents filed with regulators are complete and accurate, including any related oral agreements or contingent conditions. These provisions apply to both traditional generic drugs and biosimilar biological products to ensure that patent disputes do not unduly restrict consumer access to lower-cost alternatives.
This resolution designates National Assistive Technology Awareness Day. Assistive technology refers to tools, equipment, or products that help people with disabilities complete activities at school, home, or work, and in the community.
Maddy summaryThis resolution establishes a procedural requirement for the U.S. Senate to review international pandemic agreements negotiated under the World Health Organization (WHO). It mandates that any WHO agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness, or response - where the U.S. would make significant commitments - must be submitted to the Senate as a treaty requiring approval before implementation. The resolution requires the President to submit such agreements to the Senate within 60 days of signing, with the Senate declaring it "not in order" to fund or implement any such agreement without prior Senate ratification. This affects how the executive branch handles WHO pandemic agreements, ensuring Senate consultation and approval aligns with constitutional treaty procedures.
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 summaryThis bill aims to reduce European reliance on Russian energy by promoting U.S. natural gas exports to NATO allies and partners. It requires the State Department to develop a transatlantic energy strategy within 180 days and expedites LNG export approvals for qualifying countries, including NATO members and Japan. The bill also mandates sanctions on companies investing over $1 million in Russian energy pipelines, targeting projects like Nord Stream 2. These provisions directly affect NATO members, U.S. energy exporters, and entities involved in Russian pipeline development.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes how credit unions can serve as "agents" for the National Credit Union Administration's Central Liquidity Facility (CLF), which provides emergency funding. It replaces a current rule where the NCUA Board could decide which credit unions qualify as agents with a new rule making all credit unions automatically eligible. However, this change includes a 3-year "sunset," meaning it will expire 3 years after the bill becomes law unless renewed. The policy directly affects credit unions that access the CLF for liquidity support, altering their eligibility without ongoing NCUA discretion.
Maddy summaryS 541 establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Ukrainian Military, Economic, and Humanitarian Aid to independently oversee U.S. funding provided to Ukraine for military, economic, and humanitarian assistance. This office will conduct audits and investigations of all aid programs, monitor fund usage, and submit quarterly reports to Congress and the Secretaries of State and Defense detailing obligations, expenditures, and project costs. The Special Inspector General will have authority to conduct investigations without interference from other agencies, must publish reports in English, Ukrainian, and Russian, and is authorized $20 million for fiscal year 2024. The office will terminate when unexpended aid funds for Ukraine fall below $250 million.
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.