Sen. Jeff Merkley

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits grocery stores from charging unreasonably high prices (defined as 120% or more of a product’s average price over the prior six months) unless they prove the increase stems from uncontrollable costs like supply chain issues. It bans using personal data - such as facial recognition or purchase history - to set different prices for individual shoppers and requires clear signage about facial recognition use at store entrances. Large grocery stores (over 10,000 sq ft) must replace electronic shelf labels with physical price tags. The Federal Trade Commission enforces these rules, allowing states and consumers to seek $3,000 per violation in court for price gouging or data misuse.

Maddy summaryThe Federal Jobs Guarantee Development Act of 2026 establishes a 3-year pilot program providing competitive grants to up to 15 eligible entities (such as states, tribes, or rural areas with unemployment at least 150% of the national rate) to create job guarantee programs. These programs must offer jobs to all residents aged 18+ in the service area, with wages meeting or exceeding federal/state minimums, health coverage comparable to federal employee benefits, and mandated paid leave. The bill requires grantees to provide training support, report demographic data, and comply with specific job access standards for individuals with disabilities and criminal records. Funds are limited to new jobs not displacing existing workers, with annual audits to ensure proper use of resources.

Maddy summary# Summary of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Legislation This comprehensive bill expands protections against workplace discrimination and harassment while strengthening enforcement mechanisms for workers. Key provisions include: 1. **Expanded Protections (Section 301)**: - Extends anti-discrimination protections to independent contractors, interns, fellows, volunteers, and trainees under major civil rights laws - Creates "covered establishment" definition for entities engaging these workers 2. **Nondisclosure/Nondisparagement Clause Ban (Section 302)**: - Prohibits employers from requiring workers to sign nondisclosure or nondisparagement clauses covering harassment or discrimination - Establishes strict requirements for settlement agreements (including 21-day consideration period, 7-day revocation period, and clear written disclosure) - Protects workers' right to report harassment to the EEOC without penalty 3. **Arbitration Restrictions (Section 303)**: - Bans mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements that prevent class or collective actions - Establishes new requirements for post-dispute arbitration agreements - Allows workers to sue employers who violate these provisions 4. **Federal Contractor Compliance (Section 304)**: - Requires federal contractors to disclose past violations of labor and civil rights laws - Establishes Labor Compliance Advisors at executive agencies - Creates a system for monitoring contractor compliance with labor laws 5. **Grant Programs (Sections 401-436)**: - Creates national grants to prevent and address employment discrimination - Establishes grants for legal assistance for low-income workers facing discrimination - Creates a system of state advocacy for workers' rights through state-level systems The bill aims to strengthen worker protections against discrimination and harassment while expanding access to legal remedies and creating new mechanisms for enforcement and prevention. It also includes provisions to ensure federal contractors comply with labor and civil rights laws and establishes new reporting requirements for contractors with past violations.

Maddy summarySRES 606 is a U.S. Senate resolution condemning the Iranian government for violently suppressing peaceful protests and the right to assemble, which has resulted in at least 6,126 reported deaths and 41,800 arrests since December 2025. It highlights Iran's use of internet blackouts, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and censorship to crush nationwide demonstrations sparked by economic hardship. The resolution calls on Iran to hold free elections, allow citizens to determine their future, and hold human rights violators accountable, while commending protesters' courage. As a symbolic resolution (not a law), it expresses the Senate's stance without imposing new legal requirements.

Maddy summaryThis is a Senate resolution (SRES 604), not a bill, expressing the Senate's non-binding view that the federal government should create a Transgender Bill of Rights. It calls for protections including equal access to healthcare (specifically affirming gender-affirming care), anti-discrimination measures in employment and housing, easier legal gender recognition on documents, and safety improvements for transgender and nonbinary people in custody. The resolution outlines detailed policy goals but does not create new law or mandate government action. It serves as a statement of principle, not a legislative proposal.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates financial disclosure reporting thresholds for federal employees under Title 5, U.S. Code. It revises the dollar amounts requiring disclosure for certain financial interests (like dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains) by adding new higher-value brackets, ranging from $5 million to $1 billion. The bill also modifies asset value reporting categories, introducing new tiers from $50 million up to $1 billion. These changes apply to financial disclosure reports filed on or after the bill's enactment date. The bill directly affects federal employees required to submit financial disclosure reports under Chapter 131 of Title 5.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new criminal and civil penalties for corporate entities whose actions contribute to patient harm in healthcare settings. It targets "covered parties" including executives, directors, shareholders, and private equity firms that receive "covered compensation" (such as salaries, bonuses, or equity) from a healthcare organization experiencing a "triggering event" like financial distress leading to patient harm. The bill establishes a clawback mechanism allowing the Attorney General or state attorneys general to recover compensation received by these entities during the 10 years before or after the triggering event, with recovered funds to be used for employee benefits or community health services. It also requires healthcare entities to report ownership information and mandates a study on profit-driven practices in healthcare delivery.

Maddy summaryThe Soil CARE Act of 2026 requires the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to create a training program for its staff and third-party providers (like farming consultants and nonprofits) on soil health management practices. This training, delivered through online courses and in-person workshops twice yearly in each region, covers topics such as regenerative farming, soil biology, tribal considerations, and supporting small or underserved producers. The program must include specific curriculum units on soil health principles, organic production, diversified systems, and conservation practices that improve soil, water, and climate resilience. The law authorizes $10 million annually from 2027 to 2032 to fund this initiative, directly affecting how NRCS and its partners support agricultural producers.

Maddy summaryThe SHADOW Fleet Sanctions Act of 2026 imposes sanctions on vessels and foreign entities supporting Russia's shadow fleet - vessels used to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil exports. It targets foreign vessels engaging in unsafe maritime behavior, lacking proper insurance, or evading the crude oil price cap, as well as foreign persons facilitating such activities through ship-to-ship transfers, insurance, or port services. The bill requires sanctions on port terminals in China or India accepting oil from sanctioned vessels and establishes a public database of vessels suspected of sabotage activities. It also creates reporting requirements and a strategy to counter China's role in evading sanctions on Russian energy products.

Maddy summaryS 3803, the Right to Redress Act, allows individuals to request a jury trial when filing civil claims against the U.S. government for property damage, personal injury, or death caused by negligent or wrongful acts of federal law enforcement officers during official duties. It directly affects people harmed by federal officers (such as FBI agents or border patrol agents) while they are performing their jobs. The bill adds a new provision (28 U.S.C. § 2675(d)) requiring courts to provide jury trials for these specific claims upon the claimant's request. This changes the existing process by giving claimants a choice between administrative review or a jury trial, while clarifying that "federal law enforcement officer" includes agents and employees authorized to enforce federal law.