Sen. John Cornyn

Maddy summaryThe Strengthening the Medical Examiner and Coroner System Act of 2024 provides federal grants to address staffing shortages in medical examiner and coroner offices. It funds forensic pathology fellowships for medical graduates, training for death investigators to obtain certification, and education for toxicology staff to advance their skills. The $13 million annual grant funding (2025-2029) prioritizes rural areas and communities with high opioid use, with a minimum of 40 fellowships per year. Payments to fellows are tax-free, and grants cover up to 15% for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryS 4163, the Ammunition Supply Chain Act, requires the Secretary of the Army to submit a report within 180 days of enactment on U.S. supply chain vulnerabilities for nitrocellulose and related components used in ammunition manufacturing. The report must address improving sourcing of smokeless gunpowder materials, reducing single-point failure risks in facilities, mitigating disruptions from global demand, and leveraging private sector capacity. This bill directly affects the Department of Defense and ammunition manufacturers by mandating an assessment of supply chain risks. It does not enact new policy but requires a detailed evaluation to strengthen ammunition production reliability.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $4.6 billion in funding for 11 specific construction and renovation projects at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities across 10 states and Puerto Rico during fiscal year 2024. It directly affects veterans who receive care at these facilities by enabling improvements such as new specialty care buildings, mental health space expansions, seismic safety upgrades, parking facilities, and replacement of aging infrastructure. Key provisions include $759 million for a new health center in El Paso, $528 million for mental health and parking in Dallas, and $370 million for seismic corrections and new buildings in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The bill does not change VA benefits or eligibility but funds physical infrastructure upgrades to modernize healthcare delivery.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the U.S. lend-lease authority for defense articles to Ukraine through fiscal year 2026 (previously ending in 2023). It requires the Secretary of Defense, with the Secretary of State, to submit a report to Congress within 90 days of using this authority, detailing the specific defense articles provided to Ukraine or affected Eastern European countries and outlining a strategy for recovering and returning those items. The bill directly affects the U.S. government’s military support to Ukraine and its regional neighbors impacted by Russia’s invasion, while adding new transparency requirements for Congress. It modifies existing law without changing the core purpose of providing defense assistance.

Maddy summaryS 4183 amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to give U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) clearer authority to consolidate, modify, or reorganize its customs revenue functions. The bill specifically allows CBP to restructure these duties - such as by adding functions to existing roles, creating new positions, or adjusting job classifications - with consultation from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It also adds requirements for CBP to avoid reducing staffing below optimal levels determined by a specific resource model and includes new roles like National Account Managers and International Trade Analysts. This change directly affects CBP’s operational structure and personnel management for revenue-related work.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 72) seeks congressional disapproval of a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule requiring companies to standardize climate-related financial disclosures for investors. If passed, it would block the SEC’s rule (published March 28, 2024) from taking effect, directly affecting public companies subject to SEC reporting requirements. The resolution uses a specific legal process under Title 5, U.S. Code, to invalidate the rule without altering its content. It does not create new regulations but halts the implementation of the SEC’s existing climate disclosure proposal.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint and sell commemorative coins honoring the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. It specifies three coin types: $5 gold coins (max 100,000), $1 silver coins (max 500,000), and half-dollar coins (max 750,000), all with designs reflecting soccer and the World Cup. A surcharge is added to each coin sale ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars), with all surcharge revenue going directly to FWC2026 US, Inc. to fund U.S. soccer programs, particularly youth initiatives and underserved communities. The coins may only be sold during 2026 and must cover all costs to avoid government expense.

Maddy summaryS 4150, the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Extension Act, extends a temporary provision in bankruptcy law by adding two more years to its current duration. It modifies Section 2(i)(1) of the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act (Public Law 117-151) to change the timeframe from 2 years to 4 years. This adjustment directly affects the mechanism that temporarily sets bankruptcy filing thresholds, providing continued stability for bankruptcy courts and filers under the existing framework.

Maddy summaryThe Fusion Energy Act of 2024 clarifies regulatory definitions for fusion energy technology, specifically defining a "fusion machine" as a device that fuses atomic nuclei to produce energy and captures resulting heat or radiation. It requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to develop a new regulatory framework for fusion machines by December 2027, including rules for licensing new fusion projects. The bill also mandates an NRC report to Congress within one year of enactment, evaluating risk-based licensing models (like the FAA's aircraft certification process) for mass-producing fusion machines. This directly affects fusion energy developers and the NRC, streamlining future regulatory pathways for commercial fusion technology.

Maddy summaryS 4136 would amend tax law to revoke the tax-exempt status of organizations providing material support to designated terrorist groups. It defines "terrorist supporting organizations" as those giving funds or resources (beyond a minimal amount) to groups listed under terrorism laws within the past three years. The bill requires the IRS to notify such organizations, giving them 90 days to prove they didn’t provide support or commit to stopping future support before tax-exempt status is terminated. Organizations can challenge the designation through IRS Appeals or federal court, with courts having exclusive jurisdiction to review final decisions. This directly affects tax-exempt groups meeting the bill's specific definition of supporting terrorism.