Sen. John Fetterman

Maddy summaryThe Court Legal Access and Student Support Act of 2023 (CLASS Act) prohibits higher education institutions from requiring students to agree to mandatory arbitration or other legal restrictions when pursuing claims against the school. It specifically bans clauses that limit students' choices of court, venue, or jury trials in lawsuits, applying to all enrollment agreements between students and institutions of higher education as defined by federal law. The bill amends the Higher Education Act to ensure students can seek legal remedies in court without pre-dispute restrictions. It will take effect one year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Schools Improvement Act (S 3105) requires states receiving federal education funding to mandate public elementary and secondary schools to adopt comprehensive anti-bullying policies. These policies must prohibit bullying based on protected characteristics like race, gender identity, disability, or religion, include annual parent/student notices, establish complaint procedures, and collect anonymized data on incidents. Schools must publicly report annual data on bullying frequency at the school and district levels. The law also requires states to submit biennial reports on implementation and triggers a federal evaluation to assess the policy's impact on reducing bullying. It explicitly states the law supplements, but does not replace, existing civil rights protections like Title IX.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Medicaid program specifically for disaster survivors, creating a 2-year "relief coverage period" starting from when a major disaster is declared by the President. It simplifies enrollment by removing documentation requirements, allowing survivors to self-attest to eligibility based on income (up to 133% of poverty line or home state standard), and providing continuous coverage without redeterminations during the relief period. The program includes special provisions for mental health services, home and community-based care, and retroactive coverage for medical services provided during the disaster. It also provides 100% federal funding for this coverage, with states required to provide medical assistance equal to what would be available under their regular Medicaid program.

Maddy summaryS. RES. 420 designates Betty K. Koed as Historian Emerita of the U.S. Senate, effective October 21, 2023, honoring her 25-year career as the Senate's first female Historian (serving from 2015-2023 after roles as Assistant and Associate Historian). The resolution recognizes her work preserving Senate archives, producing historical publications, and supporting educational programs about Senate history. It is a ceremonial honor with no policy changes or direct impact on legislation or constituents.

This resolution states that the Senate stands with Israel as it defends itself, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, and calls on all countries to unequivocally condemn Hamas' war on Israel. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to Israel's security, supports emergency resupply and certain other types of assistance to Israel, and calls on the United States to lead an international effort to deprive Hamas of Iranian and other sources of funding and lethal assistance. Furthermore, the resolution states that nothing in it may be construed as a declaration of war or an authorization for the use of military force.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to define "medical debt" as debts from medical services and prohibits credit bureaus from including medical debt in credit reports. It also requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to update regulations within one year, banning creditors from using medical debt information when making credit decisions. The law directly affects consumers with medical debt (such as unpaid hospital bills) and creditors who rely on credit reports for lending. Key changes include removing medical debt from credit reports and preventing its use in credit evaluations, aiming to reduce how medical costs impact credit scores.

Maddy summaryThe Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2023 increases federal funding for school meals by raising reimbursement rates for school food authorities. Starting July 1, 2024, schools serving lunches will receive an additional 45 cents per meal, and schools serving breakfasts will receive an additional 28 cents per meal (for free, reduced-price, and standard meals). These increased rates will adjust annually for inflation beginning July 1, 2025, as specified in the bill. The bill directly affects public school districts and other school food authorities participating in federal meal programs under the National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act.

Maddy summaryThe Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2023 ensures that SNAP recipients who have had benefits stolen from their EBT cards through skimming fraud receive full replacement for the exact amount stolen. It amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to require that replacement benefits equal the stolen amount, rather than potentially less under previous rules. This directly affects SNAP households victimized by EBT skimming, guaranteeing they are fully compensated for their losses. The bill makes a concrete policy change to the benefit replacement process without altering SNAP eligibility or broader program administration.

Maddy summarySRES 412 is a symbolic Senate resolution supporting approximately 150,000 United Auto Workers (UAW) members negotiating new contracts with General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (the "Big Three" automakers"). It expresses the Senate's backing for UAW demands for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions, citing corporate profits and stagnant worker pay. The resolution specifically calls on the automakers to negotiate in good faith and offer a fair contract, without creating new legal requirements or funding. As a non-binding resolution, it serves as a statement of support rather than a policy change.

Maddy summaryS. Res. 406 is a Senate resolution honoring the late Richard Clarence Clark, a former U.S. Senator from Iowa (served 1973-1979), who died in 2023. The resolution expresses the Senate’s sorrow at his passing, requests that the House of Representatives and Clark’s family be informed, and directs the Senate to adjourn for the day as a mark of respect. This is a purely commemorative measure with no policy or legal effect, reflecting the Senate’s collective tribute to a former member.