Sen. Mike Rounds

Maddy summaryS 1732 (Know Your App Act) requires major U.S. app stores (with over 20 million U.S. users) to prominently display the "primary country of origin" of each app on its store page - defined as where the developer is headquartered or where key owners exercise control. It also mandates app stores to let users filter out apps from "countries of concern" (nations with laws enabling government control over apps) and add clear disclaimers about potential foreign government access to data. Developers must annually certify their app’s country information, with app stores removing apps for repeated inaccuracies after warnings. The bill directly affects app store platforms and developers distributing apps to U.S. users, aiming to increase transparency about data privacy and national security risks.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of May 14-20, 2023, as "National Police Week" to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. It recognizes 444 officers killed in 2022 (including specific names listed in the resolution) and acknowledges 32 officers killed in 2023, while expressing support for law enforcement personnel. The resolution encourages the public to observe this week by honoring law enforcement officers and promoting awareness of their essential service. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new policy or alter existing laws.

Maddy summaryS 1654, the Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2023, allows credit bureaus to include positive payment history for utility and telecommunications services in consumer credit reports. It directly affects consumers who pay utility bills (electric, gas) or telecom services on time, as well as utility and telecom companies that may now report these payments to credit bureaus. The bill permits reporting of payment performance under lease agreements for housing, utility payments, and telecom contracts, but only includes payment-related details - not usage data - and prohibits reporting late payments if a consumer is on a valid payment plan. A GAO study on the bill's impact is required within two years of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve how it processes disability claims for veterans with service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It mandates that VA update and standardize annual training for claims processors on stressor development and verification, starting 180 days after enactment. The VA must also establish annual processes to analyze processing errors, conduct studies on PTSD claims trends, and update procedural guidance to better support claims processing. These changes directly affect VA claims processors and veterans seeking PTSD disability compensation.

Maddy summaryThe SOAR Act amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to create a new "special recreation permit" system for outdoor recreation providers operating on federal lands. It establishes clear definitions, fee structures (either predetermined fees or a percentage of gross receipts), and streamlined processes including online applications. The bill creates transitional permits for outfitting and guiding services that can become long-term permits after meeting performance requirements, while providing mechanisms for surrendering unused visitor-use days. It also includes provisions to improve permitting efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and clarify insurance and liability requirements for recreation service providers.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 213) expresses the U.S. Senate's support for designating May 2023 as "Renewable Fuels Month." It recognizes renewable fuels' role in reducing carbon emissions, lowering consumer fuel prices, supporting rural communities, and decreasing reliance on foreign energy sources. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges these benefits through symbolic recognition. It directly affects no specific group or policy, serving only as a statement of support.

Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023 This bill allows additional hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) that receive special payment under Medicare. Currently, in order to qualify as a CAH under Medicare, a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area. The bill allows a hospital to also qualify if the hospital is a small, rural hospital that (1) serves a health professional shortage area, or a high number of low-income individuals or Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries; (2) has experienced financial losses for two consecutive years; and (3) attests to having a strategic plan to address financial solvency. The Government Accountability Office must study the effects of the bill's implementation. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must subsequently establish a mechanism and issue guidance on how newly designated CAHs may transition to different payment models under Medicare.

Maddy summaryS 1554, the National American Indian Veterans Charter Act, grants a federal charter to the existing nonprofit organization National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated. This charter formally recognizes the group as a federally chartered entity under Title 36 of the U.S. Code, authorizing it to operate as a nonprofit dedicated to serving American Indian veterans. Key provisions include granting the organization exclusive rights to its name and insignia, requiring it to maintain tax-exempt status, and mandating annual reports to Congress on its activities (though these reports are not public documents). The bill directly affects American Indian veterans by legally solidifying the organization’s role as their representative body for advocacy, outreach, and support services.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payments to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological disease. It changes the eligibility rule so that veterans diagnosed with ALS at any point before death - regardless of how long they had the disease - are treated as if they met the required duration for benefits. The change applies to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022, ensuring surviving spouses receive benefits they previously might have been denied due to timing. This directly affects the families of veterans with ALS who pass away, streamlining access to financial support.

Maddy summaryThe Classification Reform Act of 2023 aims to modernize how the U.S. government classifies and declassifies information to reduce unnecessary secrecy while protecting national security. It establishes the Director of National Intelligence as Executive Agent for Classification and Declassification, requiring agencies to declassify information after 25 years unless specific national security reasons justify longer classification, with automatic declassification for records over 50 years old. The bill creates a Declassification Working Capital Fund to support technological solutions for declassification, mandates written justifications for classification decisions, and requires agencies to identify records of public interest through transparency officers. This reform directly affects all federal agencies that handle classified information, including intelligence agencies and executive departments. The law also includes provisions for security reviews of Presidential records and mandatory counterintelligence risk assessments for mishandling of classified information.