Sen. Jeff Merkley

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new process for suspending the U.S. debt ceiling. The Treasury Secretary must certify when borrowing will be needed after a suspension period ends, requiring Congress to disapprove the suspension via a simple joint resolution within 45 days. If Congress fails to act, the suspension continues automatically, and the debt limit adjusts upward to cover obligations issued during the suspension period. The bill also mandates expedited procedures for Congress to consider disapproval resolutions, with strict timelines for debate and voting in both chambers.

Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act or the PRIME Act This bill exempts from federal inspection requirements animals and meats that are slaughtered and prepared at custom animal slaughter facilities for distribution within the state. Under current law, a custom slaughter exemption applies if the meat is slaughtered exclusively for personal, household, guest, or employee uses. Specifically, the bill expands the federal inspection exemption to include the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, meat, and meat food products that are slaughtered and prepared at a custom slaughter facility in accordance with the laws of the state where the facility is located; and prepared exclusively for distribution to household consumers in the state or restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments in the state that either prepare meals served directly to consumers or offer meat and food products for sale directly to consumers in the state. The bill does not preempt any state law concerning (1) the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, meat, and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility; or (2) the sale of meat or meat food products.

Maddy summaryThe ICBM Act (S 2422) pauses the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program and redirects its funding to the Department of Education. It mandates the transfer of funds from the Sentinel program and the W87-1 warhead program to education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, while prohibiting future funding for these defense initiatives. The bill also requires an independent study by the National Academy of Sciences to assess extending the Minuteman III missile's operational life until at least 2050. This reallocation shifts billions in defense spending toward education, with the study aiming to inform future nuclear modernization decisions.

Maddy summaryThe 340B PATIENTS Act of 2025 clarifies that drug manufacturers must offer discounted prices under the 340B program to covered entities - such as community health centers, hospitals, and clinics - regardless of how or where drugs are dispensed, including through contracted pharmacies. It prohibits manufacturers from imposing restrictions on covered entities, such as limiting delivery locations, requiring extra data, or restricting how discounted drugs are used. The bill also establishes civil penalties for violations, including daily fines of up to $2 million, and allows covered entities to file claims for breaches of these rules. This ensures that covered entities can continue using contract pharmacies to access specialty drugs for patients with chronic or serious conditions.

Maddy summaryS 2377, the EACH Act of 2025, requires all federal health programs - including Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Indian Health Service - to cover abortion services without restrictions based on income or insurance type. It repeals the Hyde Amendment (Section 1303 of the ACA), which previously barred federal funds from covering most abortions, and prohibits state or private insurance plans from restricting abortion coverage. This directly affects millions enrolled in federal health programs, particularly low-income individuals, women of color, and young people, who face barriers to abortion access under current laws. The bill mandates that all federally funded health programs provide comprehensive abortion coverage as a standard benefit.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts federal law enforcement's use during protests by requiring officers to visibly display their agency and name or rank during crowd control, riot control, or arrests at demonstrations. It limits federal involvement to Federal property or immediate adjacent areas (sidewalks/public streets), with exceptions for written state/local requests or when the Insurrection Act is invoked. The bill also prohibits unmarked vehicles for civilian arrests and mandates public websites publish deployment details within 24 hours, including locations of detained individuals. It makes arrests unlawful if officers violate these identification or location rules. The bill directly affects federal law enforcement officers and military personnel responding to public demonstrations.

Maddy summaryThe Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025 makes it unlawful for businesses to sell goods or services at grossly excessive prices during exceptional market shocks like natural disasters, public health emergencies, or other major disruptions. The bill establishes specific thresholds (such as $100 million in annual revenue for small businesses) and requires businesses to demonstrate that price increases were due to uncontrollable costs, rather than exploiting market conditions. It creates a presumption of violation for businesses with "unfair leverage" (defined as having significant market dominance or revenue), and requires companies to disclose pricing strategies in SEC filings during market shocks. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general would enforce the law, with civil penalties up to 5% of a company's revenue. The law includes annual inflation adjustments for certain financial thresholds starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to keep all personal information from DACA applications confidential. It prohibits sharing this data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or state/local law enforcement for any purpose other than administering the DACA program. Limited exceptions allow sharing only to prevent fraud, address specific national security threats, or investigate felonies unrelated to immigration status. The law directly protects DACA applicants and recipients by preventing their personal details from being used against them by law enforcement.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates the FDA to study how microplastics in food and water affect human health, specifically examining exposure pathways and impacts on children’s health, the endocrine system, cancer, chronic illness, and reproductive health. The study must identify major exposure routes and assess health effects across these areas. Within one year of the bill’s enactment, the FDA must submit a report to Congress detailing its findings and recommending potential legislative or administrative actions. The bill focuses solely on gathering scientific data to inform future decisions, without imposing new regulations or directly affecting specific groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate federal efforts addressing climate change's health impacts, with special focus on environmental justice communities and medically underserved populations. It requires the development of a National Strategic Action Plan within one year of enactment, to be updated annually, that identifies climate-related health risks and outlines strategies to protect vulnerable communities. The bill also establishes a science advisory board of experts and authorizes $10 million annually for the Office through fiscal year 2031 to support activities including tracking climate health risks, developing preparedness plans, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the health sector.