Sen. Jeff Merkley

Maddy summaryThe Perinatal Workforce Act directs the Health and Human Services Secretary to issue guidance encouraging hospitals and insurers to recruit and retain diverse maternity care providers, incorporate midwives and other specialists into care teams, and provide culturally congruent care. It also authorizes grants to establish or expand training programs for physician assistants, perinatal health workers, and midwives, with priority given to institutions that recruit from minority and underserved communities and include implicit bias training in their curricula. A separate grant program provides scholarships to nursing students focused on maternal and perinatal health, prioritizing schools that serve diverse populations and address health disparities in shortage areas. The bill requires the Secretary and the Government Accountability Office to conduct studies and reports on barriers to maternal health education, access to care, and disparities in outcomes, with $15 million authorized annually for each program from 2027 through 2031.

Maddy summaryThe Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act creates a new grant program administered by the Department of Energy to help electric utilities improve power grid safety and reduce wildfire risks. Eligible entities, including public, municipal, cooperative, and investor-owned utilities, can apply for funding to implement projects like undergrounding power lines, installing fire-resistant equipment, and deploying early detection technology. The bill requires recipients to match federal funds with their own contributions and mandates that at least 40% of grants go toward wildfire risk reduction, while 20% is reserved for smaller utilities serving fewer than 4 million megawatt-hours annually.

Maddy summaryThe Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 increases Medicare reimbursement rates for psychologists by raising payment percentages from 75 percent to 85 percent of the standard fee schedule. This change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries and psychologists who provide mental health services under the Medicare program. The higher payment rates apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027, aiming to improve access to mental health care by increasing provider compensation.

Maddy summarySJRES 103 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rule on reproductive health services for veterans. The resolution, if passed, would block the VA rule from taking effect by invoking the Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code), meaning the rule published in the Federal Register (December 31, 2025) would have no legal force. This directly affects the VA’s ability to implement new guidelines for reproductive health services at its facilities, preserving existing policies instead. The resolution does not create new policy but halts a specific administrative rule.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, directs the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the discharge of pre-production plastic pellets and related materials into wastewater and runoff from specific industrial facilities. It requires the EPA to issue new rules within 60 days that prohibit these discharges from factories that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets, as well as from facilities regulated under existing federal water pollution regulations. The law mandates that these new restrictions be included in all wastewater and stormwater permits issued by the EPA and state programs, as well as in performance standards for affected industrial point sources. This legislation directly impacts manufacturers and distributors of plastic pellets and aims to prevent plastic pollution from entering water systems during the production and packaging stages.

Maddy summaryThe WIPPES Act (S 1092) requires manufacturers and retailers to label specific wipes with a clear "Do Not Flush" notice and symbol. It directly affects producers of baby wipes, antibacterial wipes, cleaning wipes, and personal care wipes (like makeup remover or feminine hygiene wipes) that could be flushed. The law mandates precise labeling on packaging - ensuring visibility, high contrast, and specific placement depending on package type - while banning all claims that these wipes are flushable. Enforcement falls to the Federal Trade Commission under existing consumer protection laws, and the federal standard preempts conflicting state regulations.

Maddy summaryThe FISH Act of 2025 establishes a U.S. government "blacklist" of foreign fishing vessels, fleets, and their beneficial owners engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing or fishing involving forced labor. The bill prohibits listed vessels from accessing U.S. ports, receiving supplies within U.S. waters, and having their seafood imported into the United States. It creates procedures for adding vessels to the list based on evidence from international organizations, U.S. authorities, or civil society, with mechanisms for removal after corrective actions are taken. The act also authorizes sanctions against entities supporting IUU fishing and requires reports on enforcement efforts and technological solutions to combat IUU fishing.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution commemorates Taiwan's 30th anniversary of its first direct presidential election in 1996 and expresses support for Taiwan's democratic institutions. The bill formally acknowledges Taiwan's democratic milestones, including peaceful transfers of power and the protection of civil liberties, while referencing existing U.S. policy frameworks like the Taiwan Relations Act. It states that the Senate regards Taiwan's democracy as a strategic strength and commits to supporting Taiwan's self-defense and the liberty of its people. The resolution clarifies that it does not authorize the use of military force.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution seeks to prohibit a specific foreign military sale of defense articles and services to the Government of Israel. It directly affects the proposed transaction by invoking the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the sale of 10,000 BLU-111 500-pound general purpose bombs and related logistics support. The bill uses the statutory authority under the Arms Export Control Act to block the sale without requiring new legislation. If passed, it would prevent the transfer of these specific weapons and associated services to Israel.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution seeks to prohibit the licensing of specific defense articles and services to Israel, including 5,000 Small Diameter Bomb Weapon Systems. The bill directly affects the proposed arms sales notification submitted to Congress on March 12, 2026, under the Arms Export Control Act. By passing this resolution, Congress would exercise its authority to disapprove the licensing of these particular defense items. The measure is currently referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations for consideration.