Sen. John Cornyn

Maddy summaryThis bill blocks federal airport improvement grant funds from being used for passenger boarding bridge contracts with companies linked to China or found guilty of stealing U.S. intellectual property. It requires a publicly updated list of prohibited entities - those owned by China, convicted of IP theft, or connected to such entities - updated quarterly for six months then annually. The restriction applies specifically to contracts for airport infrastructure or equipment under existing federal grant programs. This policy directly affects airports seeking funding and manufacturers of boarding bridge equipment.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new "Revised Pay As You Earn" (REPAYE) student loan repayment plan, effective July 1, 2024, which automatically enrolls borrowers 75 days past due. It adjusts loan forgiveness timelines based on total borrowed amount (e.g., 120 payments for $10,000 or less) and expands qualifying payments to include certain deferments for cancer treatment, military service, and unemployment. The bill also requires colleges to certify that undergraduate and graduate programs meet minimum earnings standards (comparing program graduates' median earnings to those with equivalent degrees), with institutions facing penalties if programs fail this test. These changes directly affect student loan borrowers and educational institutions offering federally funded programs.

Maddy summaryThe Lowering Education Costs and Debt Act establishes a national data system to track college costs, student outcomes, and graduate earnings, requiring institutions to collect standardized data on enrollment, costs, and post-graduation results. It mandates that colleges provide students with clear, standardized financial aid offers showing full costs, grants, scholarships, and loan details in plain language, with specific requirements for loan amounts and repayment terms. The bill reforms student loan repayment with a new "Revised Pay As You Earn" plan, phases out income-based repayment, and sets new borrowing limits for graduate students. It also prevents federal funding for programs where graduates earn less than those with only a high school diploma (for associate programs) or bachelor's degree (for bachelor's programs). The bill affects all institutions receiving federal financial aid and their students, with implementation beginning 4 years after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 305 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell commemorative coins (gold, silver, and half-dollar denominations) to mark the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th anniversary in 2025. Each coin sale includes a surcharge ($5 to $35 per coin) that will fund the Marine Corps Heritage Center's educational programs, with proceeds paid directly to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. The coins will be sold from January 1 to December 31, 2025, and the surcharge structure ensures no net cost to taxpayers by covering production expenses through sales. This bill directly affects the U.S. Mint (in coin production), the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (as recipient of funds), and the public (as potential buyers).

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. government to oppose treating China as a "developing nation" in international treaties and organizations where both the U.S. and China are members. It requires the Secretary of State to report within 180 days on current treaties with development-based rules and identify international organizations using such classifications. The bill mandates the U.S. to pursue changing China’s status to "developed" in relevant organizations, or propose new mechanisms to do so. This primarily affects U.S. diplomatic efforts and international negotiations involving China’s economic classification.

Maddy summaryS 1907, the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2023, increases penalties for crimes committed against licensed firearm businesses. It amends federal law to impose a maximum 20-year prison term for knowingly violating firearm licensing rules or attempting to do so. If a burglary or robbery occurs on a licensed dealer’s, manufacturer’s, or importer’s business premises, the law mandates minimum sentences of 3 years for burglary and 5 years for robbery. This bill directly affects federal firearms licensees by strengthening criminal penalties for attacks on their business locations.

Maddy summaryS 1903, the CCP Act, requires the Director of National Intelligence to assess threats to U.S. ports from cranes made by "countries of concern" (as defined in existing law) and their commercial entities, including China's ZPMC. The assessment must evaluate risks like intelligence collection, port disruptions, and impacts on national security. Within 180 days of enactment, the Director must submit an unclassified report to Congress (with a possible classified annex) detailing these findings. This bill directly affects port security protocols and intelligence oversight, but does not enact new regulations or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a framework for researchers to access certain data from large social media platforms for academic research. It requires platforms with at least 50 million monthly U.S. users to provide "qualified data" to approved researchers under strict privacy and security safeguards, after review by the National Science Foundation and Federal Trade Commission. The bill also mandates platforms to publicly disclose information about content dissemination, advertising, algorithms, and content moderation practices through searchable, real-time repositories. Researchers must use the data only for noncommercial public-interest research and cannot identify individual users, while platforms gain legal immunity for complying with these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the COPS on the Beat Grant Program to better support rural and low-income communities in hiring and retaining law enforcement officers. It increases federal funding coverage for qualifying jurisdictions (rural areas or those with median household income below 80% of national average) from 75% to 90% in the first year, gradually decreasing to 75% by year four. The bill also caps federal funding for officer compensation at $75,000 annually, with a higher limit of 80% of national median income for qualifying rural areas. Additionally, it requires a GAO report in 2027 and 2032 to assess police diversity, officer residency rates, and pay relative to local cost of living. The changes directly affect local law enforcement agencies in rural or economically disadvantaged areas seeking COPS funding for hiring or salary increases.

Maddy summaryS 1836, the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Enhancement Act of 2023, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to contract with agricultural colleges (like land-grant universities) to review the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. The review will assess the program's effectiveness in preventing tick spread, evaluate benefits and compliance burdens for cattle producers, examine treatment protocols, and analyze funding allocation. Within one year of the contract, the Secretary of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress detailing findings and recommendations for improving the program, specifically aiming to reduce producer burdens. This bill directly affects cattle producers in tick-affected areas and the federal/state agencies managing the tick eradication program.