Sen. Pete Ricketts

Maddy summaryS 5183, the "BE GONE Act," amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to expand the definition of "aggravated felonies" by adding "sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence." This change directly affects non-citizens (immigrants without citizenship) convicted of these specific crimes, making them subject to mandatory deportation under current immigration law. The bill adds these offenses to the existing list of serious crimes triggering deportation, without creating new penalties or programs. It is a definitional change within existing immigration enforcement mechanisms.

No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act  This bill treats gains and dividends derived from transactions involving countries of concern as ordinary income. The bill defines countries of concern to include China (including Hong Kong and Macao and excluding Taiwan), Russia, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea.

Maddy summaryS 5234, the *Protecting Endowments from Our Adversaries Act*, imposes a 50% excise tax on private colleges and universities that acquire certain investments and a 100% tax on income or gains from those investments. It directly affects large private institutions with endowments exceeding $1 billion in non-exempt assets (excluding those used for their core educational purpose). The bill defines "listed investments" as holdings in entities on government threat lists (e.g., Commerce Department's Entity List or FCC's Covered List), taxing both the acquisition value and annual income from such investments. Key mechanisms require institutions to calculate taxes based on fair market value of these investments, with specific rules for pooled funds like mutual funds. The tax applies to taxable years beginning after the first calendar year following enactment or 60 days after the Secretary of the Treasury establishes the "listed persons" list.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits index funds (investment vehicles tracking market indices) from holding shares in companies designated as "Chinese companies" under the law. It directly affects index funds and their managers, requiring them to divest from qualifying Chinese companies within 180 days of enactment (with a grace period for existing holdings). Key provisions define "Chinese company" broadly - covering entities incorporated in China, controlled by China's government, or heavily reliant on Chinese operations - and impose civil penalties of up to $250,000 or twice the transaction value for violations. The law focuses on restricting institutional investment flows rather than individual trading.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans U.S. investors from buying, selling, or holding stocks or other investments in Chinese companies listed under U.S. sanctions for military ties, human rights violations, forced labor, or trade violations. It requires the President to create a single public list of these entities within 90 days and gives U.S. investors 180 days to sell existing holdings. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $250,000 per transaction or criminal fines of up to $1 million. The bill directly affects U.S. financial institutions, mutual funds, and individual investors holding securities tied to the listed Chinese entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to publish annual reports starting in 2025, tracking how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is applied to federal projects. The reports will detail lawsuits alleging NEPA non-compliance (including agency defendants and case outcomes), the length of environmental impact statements and assessments, and the timelines for completing environmental reviews. These reports must include disaggregated data by agency and show trends over time, with all underlying data made publicly available. The bill directly affects federal agencies responsible for NEPA reviews (like the Army Corps or EPA) and provides transparency for the public and Congress on project review processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates an annual assessment by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to evaluate the nation's dependency on critical agricultural inputs - such as fertilizers, seeds, veterinary drugs, and equipment - that could be vulnerable if supply chains were disrupted by the People's Republic of China. The study requires identifying current domestic production capacity, supply chain bottlenecks, and recommending actions to reduce reliance on foreign sources through onshore or nearshore production. It includes strict confidentiality rules, ensuring companies sharing data are protected from disclosure and that information is used only for aggregated reporting. The bill does not create new programs but directs the Department of Agriculture to report findings to Congress annually, focusing on supply chain resilience without altering existing policies.

Maddy summaryThe Visa Integrity Preservation Act of 2024 (S 5291) requires in-person interviews with consular officers for certain non-citizens unlawfully present in the U.S. who are deemed inadmissible under specific immigration grounds. It directly affects applicants for visas who are currently in the U.S. without legal status and face inadmissibility due to violations listed in Section 212(a)(6) or (9) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The key mechanism amends existing law to mandate these in-person interviews as part of the visa application process for this group. This change applies to consular officers processing visa applications for individuals meeting these criteria.

Maddy summarySRES 851 is a Senate resolution designating November 2, 2024, as National Bison Day. It encourages the American public to observe the day with ceremonies and activities to recognize bison's cultural, historical, and economic significance. The resolution highlights bison's role in Indigenous traditions, conservation efforts, and U.S. heritage, as detailed in its preamble. It does not create legal obligations but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of bison's importance.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to require that clean fuel production credits only apply to fuels made from U.S.-grown raw materials (feedstocks), effective after December 31, 2024. It also extends the clean fuel production tax credit from 2027 to 2034. The policy directly affects clean fuel producers who currently use foreign-sourced raw materials, requiring them to source domestically to qualify for the credit. This change aims to support domestic agricultural and fuel production by making U.S. feedstocks a mandatory requirement for the tax incentive.