Sen. Pete Ricketts

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4302, "No HAMAS Act") suspends eligibility for federal student financial aid (grants, loans, work assistance) under the Higher Education Act of 1965 for students convicted of specific protest-related offenses at colleges. It directly affects students convicted under federal or state law for trespassing, damaging campus property, or participating in unlawful assemblies/riots during protests at higher education institutions. The key provision denies all Title IV financial aid to these individuals for aid provided on or after July 1, 2025. The bill amends Section 484 of the Higher Education Act to add this restriction, targeting conduct occurring during campus protests.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends two existing laws to prevent U.S. funding for United Nations agencies that grant Palestine any status, rights, or privileges beyond its current observer status. It directly affects U.S. foreign aid decisions by requiring the State Department to withhold funds from UN bodies that elevate Palestine's standing. The key mechanism replaces "full membership" with "any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status" in two funding provisions. The bill explicitly excludes Taiwan from these restrictions. (Procedural bill; 4 sentences)

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. government to strengthen enforcement of existing sanctions against Iran by targeting Chinese entities involved in evading oil sanctions. It mandates a 120-day strategy report detailing how China’s oil refining, transportation, and storage networks enable Iran’s oil smuggling, including specific assessments of Chinese refineries and smuggling patterns. The bill also directs the President to impose new sanctions within 180 days on Chinese companies and individuals facilitating Iran’s oil trade, expanding current sanctions to cover storage, shipping, and refining operations. The focus is on disrupting the flow of Iranian oil revenue that funds Iran’s government and its proxies, directly affecting Chinese oil companies and their supply chains.

Maddy summaryThe MAHSA Act (S 2626) requires the U.S. President to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and entities linked to human rights abuses or terrorism, specifically targeting the Supreme Leader, President, and their offices, as well as affiliated entities. Within 90 days of enactment (and annually thereafter), the President must determine which individuals or entities meet sanction criteria under existing U.S. programs, then impose or pursue sanctions and submit detailed reports to Congress. These reports must list targeted persons, the sanctions applied or planned, and justifications for any waivers, with Congress having 60 days to request reviews of specific cases. The bill aims to hold Iranian leadership accountable for human rights violations and terrorism support through enforceable U.S. sanctions.

Maddy summaryS 2336, the MISSILES Act, aims to prevent Iran from proliferating missile technology by imposing U.S. sanctions on foreign entities involved in prohibited transfers. It targets foreign persons (individuals or organizations outside the U.S.) that knowingly transfer covered technology - defined as items listed in the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex - to Iran or Iran-aligned groups, regardless of whether UN restrictions expire in October 2023. Key mechanisms include blocking property of sanctioned entities, denying visas, and prohibiting transactions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The bill also requires the State Department to submit annual reports detailing diplomatic efforts to extend UN missile restrictions, assessing Iran’s proliferation risks, and identifying violators. This law directly affects foreign entities engaging in missile-related activities with Iran, aiming to constrain Iran’s ballistic missile program and associated arms transfers.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes sanctions on foreign entities that knowingly facilitate Iranian petroleum trade. It targets foreign port owners, vessel operators, refineries, and related individuals (including family members or entities owned by them) involved in transactions with Iranian oil, such as docking vessels carrying Iranian crude or conducting sea-to-sea transfers of petroleum products. Sanctions include banning sanctioned vessels from U.S. ports for up to two years, blocking U.S. assets of targeted entities, and denying visas to involved individuals. The bill also requires a detailed report on Iranian petroleum exports within 120 days, analyzing export volumes, revenue, and key participants.

Maddy summaryThis bill would establish the United States Foundation for International Conservation, a non-governmental organization that would fund long-term conservation projects in eligible countries. The Foundation would accept private sector and government donations to support the management of protected areas, requiring projects to have local community support, cost-matching from non-US sources, and adherence to environmental and social safeguards. Eligible countries must be low-income or middle-income economies with high biodiversity, and projects must provide at least 10 years of stable funding for effective conservation management. The Foundation would operate for 10 years with $100 million authorized annually from 2024-2033, and could not fund projects in countries that support terrorism or violate human rights.

Maddy summarySRES 673 is a commemorative Senate resolution honoring the late David Hampton Pryor, who served as a U.S. Senator for Arkansas from 1978 to 1997. The resolution expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" at his death and directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with the House and deliver a copy to his family. It does not create new laws or policies - it is purely ceremonial, recognizing Pryor’s career as a legislator, governor, and public servant. The resolution concludes with the Senate adjourning as a mark of respect for his legacy.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 668) is a ceremonial Senate measure honoring the late Senator Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham of Florida, who died on November 9, 2023. It formally expresses the Senate's "profound sorrow" over his death and directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with the House of Representatives and deliver a copy to his family. The resolution commemorates Graham's career as a Florida senator (1987-2005), governor (1979-1987), and his work on the 9/11 intelligence inquiry, but does not create any new laws or affect constituents. As a commemorative resolution, it serves solely to memorialize his service.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 76) seeks congressional disapproval of a Department of Labor rule published on April 3, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 23338), which established regulations for "Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance and Independent, Noncoordinated Excepted Benefits Coverage." If passed, the resolution would block this rule from taking effect, preventing it from governing temporary health insurance plans that don't meet Affordable Care Act standards. The rule directly affects insurers offering these short-term plans and consumers who purchase them, as it would have set new requirements for such coverage. The resolution uses the Congressional Review Act process to halt the rule without changing existing law.