Maddy summaryThe Disaster Survivors Fairness Act of 2024 amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act to improve assistance for individuals and households affected by major disasters. It introduces new hazard mitigation assistance to help reduce future damage, expands direct repair assistance for those unable to access financial aid, and creates a state-managed housing pilot program with transparency requirements. The bill requires FEMA to publish an interactive dashboard showing application status and approval rates, and mandates reports on assistance disparities between homeowners and renters. It also includes provisions to improve rental assistance by considering local post-disaster rent increases and requires studies on damage assessment practices and challenges faced by rural and impoverished communities. These changes aim to make disaster assistance more accessible, transparent, and equitable for all survivors, particularly those with lower incomes and renters.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal contractors with significant contracts (over $250,000) or those managing government systems to implement standardized processes for reporting security vulnerabilities in their systems. It mandates updates to federal procurement rules (FAR and DFARS) to align with NIST cybersecurity guidelines, ensuring contractors systematically address security flaws in systems used for government contracts. The changes must follow industry best practices and existing federal standards for vulnerability disclosure. Contractors may be exempt only if a federal agency head justifies a national security waiver, requiring congressional notification.
Maddy summaryThis bill defines "remote work" as typically performing duties from home and "telework" as a broader term including remote work. It requires federal agencies to annually review telework agreements with employees, mandates annual manager training on reporting telework usage, and sets new requirements for agencies to submit detailed reports on telework statistics, cost savings, productivity, and cybersecurity needs. The changes directly affect all federal agencies and their employees who participate in telework or remote work programs. Agencies must report on remote work participation levels, potential cost savings, and infrastructure changes within 180 days to one year of enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Historic Greenwood District - Black Wall Street National Monument in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to preserve and interpret the history of the Greenwood District (known as "Black Wall Street") and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The monument, defined by a specific map, protects private property rights and allows the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land via donation, purchase, or exchange. It creates an 11-member Advisory Commission (including 7 descendants of 1921 residents, 3 preservation experts, and one appointed with Tulsa Mayor input) to advise on management. The bill ensures private property owners retain land use rights and zoning authority within or near the monument boundary.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 122) seeks to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that established procedures for calculating emissions charges on petroleum and natural gas operations, including how companies can net emissions or claim exemptions. It directly affects oil and gas companies that would have been subject to the EPA's new compliance framework. If passed, the resolution would nullify the EPA rule under a specific legal process (chapter 8 of title 5, U.S. Code), preventing it from taking effect. The rule, published November 18, 2024, aimed to streamline how the industry reports and manages emissions-related charges. The resolution does not change the underlying emissions requirements but stops this specific procedural rule from being implemented.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting fraud related to pandemic relief programs from 5 years to 10 years. It specifically applies to offenses involving funds from major pandemic-era laws like the CARES Act, Paycheck Protection Program, and American Rescue Plan. The key provision changes the deadline for filing charges, allowing prosecutors more time to pursue cases involving misuse of these specific relief funds. This affects federal prosecutors and individuals accused of fraud related to these programs. The bill does not create new offenses but adjusts the timeframe for existing prosecutions.
Maddy summaryS 5548, the "Eliminate Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Benefits Act," requires states to withhold unemployment benefits from claimants whose ineligibility is under appeal until the appeal concludes and eligibility is confirmed. If a claimant is later deemed eligible, states must pay withheld benefits within 5 business days. The bill also mandates the Labor Secretary to issue guidance within 270 days on preventing fraud, including definitions of "dishonest responses" and "synthetic identities" (using fake or misleading personal details). This directly affects state unemployment agencies and claimants, aiming to reduce fraudulent payments while ensuring timely payments for eligible individuals.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal financial management requirements to improve government accountability and efficiency. It requires federal agencies to develop and update 4-year financial management plans (replacing the previous 5-year requirement) and establish performance-based metrics for assessing financial management. The bill mandates that agencies link performance and cost information to support better decision-making and requires the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a governmentwide 4-year financial management plan. Annual reports on financial management status must be submitted to Congress, including assessments of agency compliance with financial management standards and progress on implementing the governmentwide plan.
Maddy summaryThe Stop Secret Spending Act of 2024 requires federal agencies to increase transparency around certain spending. It mandates that agencies create unique identifiers for "other transaction agreements" (special contracts) within 90 days and publish an annual report detailing unreported spending, including reasons like national security concerns or spending by legislative/judicial branches. This affects all federal agencies and components required to post spending data on the public website. The law also adds new rules to ensure posted data is complete, accurate, and displayed consistently, with agencies needing to be formally listed as required reporters within a year.
Maddy summaryThe Executive Branch Accountability and Transparency Act requires federal agencies to create searchable public databases containing ethics records for noncareer government employees, including financial disclosures, ethics waivers, and recusal agreements. Agencies must compile these records within 270 days of guidance from the Office of Government Ethics, including all records from the previous 9 years. The databases must be accessible on agency websites without registration, comply with accessibility standards, and remain publicly available for at least 10 years. This bill directly affects thousands of federal appointees in noncareer positions, making previously hard-to-find ethics information more transparent to the public.