Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto

Maddy summaryThe STEAM Act amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include geothermal energy projects in the streamlined environmental review process currently applied to gas projects. This change would reduce regulatory requirements for geothermal developers on federal lands, allowing them to follow a simplified permitting path similar to gas projects. The bill directly affects geothermal energy companies and federal agencies like the Department of the Interior that manage land use and environmental reviews. By updating the exemption list to include "geothermal," it aligns geothermal project reviews with existing gas project procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Bahsahwahbee National Monument on approximately 25,000 acres of federal land in White Pine County, Nevada, to protect culturally significant sites and natural resources. It directly affects the Western Shoshone tribes (Duckwater Shoshone, Confederated Tribes of the Goshute, and Ely Shoshone), who have historical and spiritual ties to the area, as well as ranchers, recreational users, and local communities. Key provisions include requiring the Secretary of the Interior to develop a management plan with tribal consultation, permit continued grazing under regulations, allow temporary closures for tribal ceremonies, and preserve existing water rights and infrastructure corridors. The monument permanently protects the landscape’s cultural heritage, ecosystems, and rare species like swamp cedar trees while ensuring tribal access for traditional practices.

Maddy summaryS 4830, the Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act of 2024, expands law enforcement tools to address money laundering tied to cybercrime. It directly affects the U.S. Secret Service and financial institutions by updating the Secret Service’s investigative authority to include cyber-related money laundering under Section 1960 and adding "structured transactions" to their scope. Key provisions include extending FinCEN’s data retention period from 5 to 10 years and increasing sanctions timelines for international financial institutions from 6 to 10 years. The bill also mandates a Government Accountability Office report within one year to assess how effectively law enforcement identifies and deters cybercrime money laundering.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases paid leave for federal employees serving in the National Guard or Reserves. It amends federal law to provide 40 days of paid leave per fiscal year, allowing unused days to accumulate (capped at 20 days at year's start), instead of the current system. The change directly affects federal workers with military service obligations, giving them more flexible time off. The policy takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThe Mining Schools Act of 2023 creates a Department of Energy grant program to strengthen domestic mining education at eligible colleges and universities. It authorizes up to 10 annual grants for institutions with accredited mining programs or specific geology/engineering departments in states with significant mining economies, focusing on recruiting students and advancing education in critical minerals, sustainable extraction, and environmental reclamation. Grant funds must support concrete educational initiatives like improving mineral processing technology, reducing environmental impacts, and developing domestic supply chains for critical minerals. An advisory board of industry and academic experts will help select grantees and ensure funds are used as intended, with $10 million annually allocated for fiscal years 2024-2031. The bill repeals a 1984 law related to mining research but centers on building U.S. workforce capacity for domestic mineral production.

Maddy summarySRES 765 is a Senate resolution honoring the late Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma following his death on July 9, 2024. The resolution commemorates his 28-year Senate service (1994-2023) and 52 years in public office, highlighting his work on defense policy, aviation legislation, infrastructure projects, and support for military bases in Oklahoma. This procedural resolution expresses the Senate's condolences and formally recognizes his legacy, rather than enacting any policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award a single Congressional Gold Medal to Jens Stoltenberg, former Secretary General of NATO, recognizing his leadership during his nine-year tenure. It directs the Treasury to strike the medal and allows for the sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs. The medal honors Stoltenberg's role in strengthening NATO's defense spending, enlargement, and unity - particularly during Russia's invasion of Ukraine - though the bill itself creates no new policy or obligations. The award is purely ceremonial and affects only Stoltenberg as the recipient.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new 20% federal tax credit for property owners converting non-residential buildings (at least 20 years old) into affordable housing. It requires that 20% of units be rent-restricted for residents earning 80% or less of the area median income for 30 years, with higher rates (30% or 35%) for distressed areas or historic preservation projects. The credit is funded through a $12 billion national cap, administered by state housing agencies that must allocate funds based on specific criteria like neighborhood revitalization and local support. It directly affects developers of qualifying conversions and future residents of the resulting affordable housing units.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Federal Power Act to enhance security for defense-related energy infrastructure. It updates definitions to apply uniformly across all states (replacing outdated references to "48 contiguous States") and adopts a standard definition of "resilience" from existing energy law. The key provision (new subsection (g)) authorizes the Secretary of Energy to fund contracts with energy providers to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities at designated defense facilities. It directly affects military installations reliant on electricity and energy companies potentially awarded these contracts. The bill creates a new federal program to strengthen the energy supply chain for national defense.

Maddy summaryThe Keep Families Together Act (S 4723) limits the separation of children from parents or legal guardians at or near the U.S. border or within 100 miles of it. It prohibits separation solely to deter migration or enforce immigration laws, allowing separation only under specific conditions: a state court order, a child welfare agency’s safety determination, or documented findings by border officials regarding trafficking, parentage, or immediate danger to the child. The bill requires agencies to document separations, provide monthly updates to families on children’s well-being, develop a public system for locating separated children, and mandate training for border agents on child welfare and trauma. It directly affects children under 18 without permanent U.S. immigration status and their families, applying to border enforcement agencies like Customs and Border Protection.