Sen. Deb Fischer

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to allow schools to use existing federal funds for student sports clubs, teams, training, and related outdoor wellness activities. It directly affects K-12 schools by removing a previous restriction that barred such uses of ESEA funds. The key mechanism is an exception added to Section 8526(7), explicitly permitting these activities before the period ending that section. The change applies to funds already allocated under the ESEA, not creating new spending.

Maddy summarySRES 326 is a procedural Senate resolution (not a law) designating August 23, 2023, as "National Poll Worker Recruitment Day." It formally recognizes the importance of poll workers in elections and encourages eligible citizens to volunteer for this role in the 2023 elections. The resolution has no binding effect but aims to raise awareness about the need for poll workers. It directly affects the public by inviting them to participate in election administration.

Maddy summaryS 2687, the "Protecting America's Property Rights Act," requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to only purchase conventional mortgages for one- to four-family homes if the mortgage lien priority is insured by a licensed title insurance company in the property's state. This directly affects these government-backed mortgage entities and the mortgage market for single-family homes. Key provisions include amending their charters to add this title insurance requirement for eligible mortgages, mandating prior approval from the FHFA Director and Treasury Secretary for new programs, and requiring semi-annual congressional reports on such programs. The bill updates the definition of "conforming mortgage" to include this title insurance standard.

Maddy summaryThe SCRUB Act of 2023 establishes a Retrospective Regulatory Review Commission to identify federal regulations that impose unnecessary costs on the economy, with a goal of reducing regulatory costs by 15% while maintaining effectiveness. The Commission will review regulations using specific criteria including cost-benefit analysis, outdated provisions, regulatory duplication, and disproportionate burdens on small businesses. Federal agencies would be required to repeal identified regulations within 60 days after Congress approves the Commission's recommendations, and new regulations would need to offset their costs by repealing existing ones. The Commission would issue annual reports to Congress detailing its findings and recommendations for regulatory repeal. This bill aims to streamline federal regulation by systematically identifying and removing burdensome rules that no longer serve their intended purpose.

Maddy summaryThe DETOUR Act (S 2708) prohibits large online platforms (those with over 100 million users) from designing interfaces to secretly manipulate user choices or collect data without clear, active consent. It requires platforms to obtain "affirmative express consent" for data use - meaning users must actively agree, not just click through pre-checked boxes - and bans features that cause compulsive usage, especially for children and teens. Platforms must also establish independent review boards to approve research involving users, disclose research purposes publicly every 90 days, and delete data if consent wasn’t properly obtained. The law targets deceptive design tactics like auto-playing videos without consent or segmenting users for hidden experiments, aiming to protect user autonomy and privacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to prioritize projects that provide multiple environmental and community benefits. It requires at least 50% of annual funding to go toward "multibenefit works of improvement," defined as projects that provide two or more specific benefits like improved fish habitat, better water quality, water conservation, or flood-risk reduction. The bill ensures that at least 20% of project benefits directly support agriculture or conservation in rural communities, while establishing new definitions for terms like "water conservation" and "multibenefit work of improvement." It also creates new notification requirements for Congress regarding major projects exceeding certain cost thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2647, SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023) provides federal funding to improve stillbirth data collection, research, and education. It authorizes $5 million annually for states to collect stillbirth data using existing health records while protecting privacy, $1 million for developing standardized data collection guidelines and public educational materials, and $3 million for specialized training programs in perinatal pathology and stillbirth research. The bill directly affects state health departments, medical professionals (like obstetricians and pathologists), and families impacted by stillbirth through improved data systems and educational resources. Key provisions require standardized data reporting, consultation with affected families and healthcare providers, and mandatory reports on program progress within five years of enactment.

Maddy summaryS 2706 amends the National Agricultural Research Act to require the USDA Secretary to fund multiyear cooperative agreements (up to 5 years) with eligible research centers for drought-focused policy research. It directs these centers - such as state agricultural experiment stations, universities, or public institutions - to study how policies affect agriculture, rural economies, and drought response, with priority given to centers with drought mitigation expertise. Key activities include supporting the U.S. Drought Monitor, developing drought resilience tools for western U.S. and Tribal lands, and creating communications products to improve drought preparedness. The bill authorizes $19 million for fiscal years 2024-2028 to support this research, aiming to inform federal drought programs without direct beneficiary assistance.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Clean Air Act to adjust fuel standards and support small refineries. It changes how the EPA grants waivers for fuel additives (allowing fuels similar to certified vehicles or meeting specific waiver conditions) and modifies Reid Vapor Pressure limits from "10 percent" to "10 to 15 percent" for certain fuels. Small refineries that retired credits for 2016-2018 compliance years and had pending or denied petitions by December 2022 can now have those credits returned or applied to future compliance. The bill directly affects fuel retailers, ethanol producers, and small refineries by altering compliance rules and credit eligibility under the renewable fuel program.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which helps local law enforcement reduce violent crime, through fiscal years 2024-2028. It allows funding to be used for hiring crime analysts, covering overtime for officers and prosecutors, and purchasing crime-fighting technology. The bill also requires the Attorney General to annually report to Congress on how funds are spent, prosecution outcomes, community outreach, and specific violent crime statistics (like murder and assault) in each participating area. This directly affects all 94 federal judicial districts across the U.S. and their law enforcement partners.