Sen. Bill Hagerty

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 492) honoring the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter. It expresses the Senate's condolences for her passing and recognizes her lifetime of humanitarian work, including her advocacy for mental health care, founding of caregiver support programs, and service with The Carter Center. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is purely a commemorative statement. It was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators and adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires key U.S. financial regulators - including the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, FDIC, NCUA, FHFA, and SEC - to document and report on interactions with nongovernmental international financial organizations (like the Basel Committee and Financial Stability Board). Regulators must maintain detailed records of meetings and recommendations related to policies, then submit annual reports to specific congressional committees. These reports must include all meeting minutes, recommendations, and funding sources of each international organization engaged with during the prior year. The bill focuses solely on transparency requirements, not on changing financial regulations or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. federal agencies from contracting for or obtaining "covered biotechnology equipment or services" from entities designated as "biotechnology companies of concern," primarily targeting Chinese-owned or controlled firms like Wuxi AppTec, BGI Group, and MGI Group. It applies to all executive agencies, banning purchases, contracts, or use of grant/loan funds for such equipment or services, with exceptions for intelligence activities, overseas health care for U.S. personnel, and commercially available genetic data. Agencies may seek limited waivers (up to 180 days, extendable once) for specific cases like overseas health care, but must get OMB approval and notify Congress. The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to evaluate Chinese biotech entities within 90 days and mandates new regulations within 180-270 days to implement the restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows livestock producers and their employees to take (capture, kill, or disperse) black vultures that are causing or likely to cause harm to livestock, as defined under federal law. It directly affects livestock operations in areas where black vultures threaten animals, permitting this action under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act exemptions. Key provisions prohibit using poison to take vultures and require annual reports to the Fish and Wildlife Service using a simplified form developed within 180 days of enactment. The bill aims to balance livestock protection with conservation requirements by adding reporting obligations while restricting harmful methods.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends existing U.S. sanctions and restrictions on Venezuela until December 31, 2025, by updating expiration dates in four related laws. It directly affects Venezuelan government entities, businesses, and individuals subject to current U.S. sanctions under the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act, Venezuelan Arms Restriction Act, Venezuela Emergency Relief Act, and Venezuela Defense of Human Rights Act. The key mechanism is amending specific sections to replace 2023 with 2025 as the end date for these measures. This reauthorization maintains current policy without creating new restrictions. The bill focuses solely on extending existing sanctions and aid provisions, not altering their scope or targets.

Maddy summaryS 3347 requires the President to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) as a foreign terrorist organization within 30 days of the bill becoming law. It mandates imposing existing U.S. sanctions under Executive Order 13224 on Ansarallah and any foreign person determined to be its official, agent, or affiliate. The bill also requires the President to submit a determination within 30 days about whether specific individuals - Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim - are connected to Ansarallah. This bill directly affects Ansarallah and those designated as its officials or affiliates, triggering automatic sanctions without requiring new legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state and federal governments from denying contracts, funding, or licenses to child welfare service providers (including religious organizations and individuals) who decline to provide services conflicting with their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. It specifically protects providers from adverse actions like refusing to renew contracts or canceling funding when their religious objections prevent them from offering certain services, such as foster care placements or adoption assistance. The law allows affected providers to sue for violations and requires states that violate the law to forfeit 15% of their federal child welfare funding. It applies to all federally funded child welfare services under Title IV of the Social Security Act, covering services like foster care, adoption support, and family preservation.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 471) expresses formal support for National Adoption Day (observed November 18, 2023) and National Adoption Month (November 2023). It promotes awareness about children in foster care awaiting adoption, celebrates adoption success stories, and encourages U.S. citizens to support efforts securing permanent, safe homes for all children. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to highlight adoption needs. It specifically references foster care statistics (e.g., 114,000 children awaiting adoption) to underscore its purpose.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 43) is a joint resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans. It targets a specific rule (88 Fed. Reg. 43820, July 10, 2023) affecting borrowers in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. If passed, the resolution would make this rule void, preventing it from taking effect. The resolution uses a specific procedural mechanism under Title 5 of U.S. Code to achieve this disapproval. It directly impacts student loan borrowers who rely on income-driven repayment options.

Maddy summarySJRES 50 is a joint resolution seeking to block a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule on cybersecurity risk management and incident disclosure. The rule, published in August 2023, would have required public companies to establish specific cybersecurity practices and disclose incidents to investors. This resolution uses a congressional disapproval process under federal law to prevent the rule from taking effect. If passed, it would halt the SEC's requirements, meaning companies would not face new cybersecurity reporting obligations.