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.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Back the Blue Act of 2023," strengthens federal protections for law enforcement officers by creating new criminal penalties for killing or assaulting them while on duty. It makes it a federal crime to kill or attempt to kill law enforcement officers, federal judges, or federally funded public safety officers (including firefighters and first responders) during official duties, with penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison or death if the victim dies. The bill also establishes a new federal offense for fleeing interstate to avoid prosecution for killing law enforcement officers and adds a new aggravating factor for death penalty cases involving officers. Additionally, it expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances and limits federal habeas corpus relief for murder convictions involving law enforcement officers.
Maddy summarySRES 115 is a Senate resolution designating April 2023 as "Countering International Parental Child Abduction Month" to raise public awareness about the issue. It urges Congress to educate the public on the emotional, psychological, and physical harm caused to children and parents when children are abducted across international borders. The resolution references statistics showing over 9,800 U.S. children were abducted internationally between 2010-2020 and notes U.S. legal frameworks like the Hague Convention and the Sean and David Goldman Act. It does not create new laws or funding but emphasizes symbolic recognition and public education efforts.
Maddy summaryS. RES. 23 is a symbolic Senate resolution demanding the immediate release of Mark Swidan, a U.S. citizen from Texas detained in China since 2012. The resolution cites U.S. and UN findings that his detention is arbitrary, noting no evidence was found linking him to drug charges, his passport records contradict the alleged timeline, and China denied his family contact and consular access. It calls on the U.S. government to prioritize securing his release and highlights China's violation of international norms regarding his treatment. This resolution does not create new legal obligations but expresses the Senate's position on the case.
Maddy summaryThe FIGHT Act of 2023 prohibits sponsoring, exhibiting, attending, or live-broadcasting animal fighting events, and bans transporting roosters for such purposes. It directly affects individuals and organizations involved in animal fighting, including those who broadcast events online. The bill allows any person to file a civil lawsuit to stop violations after 60 days' notice, with potential fines up to $5,000 per violation, and permits seizure of property used to facilitate these activities. The law does not override state laws banning animal fighting, except in cases of direct conflict.
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.
Maddy summaryThe Sensible Classification Act of 2023 aims to reform how the U.S. government classifies and declassifies information to reduce unnecessary secrecy. It requires federal agencies to review and reduce the number of personnel with access to classified information, particularly at Top Secret and Secret levels, and mandates studies on whether security clearances are truly necessary. The bill mandates training to prevent over-classification and promotes classifying information only at the minimum level required for national security. Agencies must report on the number of personnel with access to classified information at different levels and how they will maintain the smallest possible number of clearances. Additionally, the bill directs the development of technology using machine learning and AI to improve classification and declassification processes across government agencies.
Maddy summaryS 1480, the Equitable Access to School Facilities Act, creates a federal grant program to help states improve charter schools' access to affordable facilities. It authorizes $100 million annually (2024-2028) for competitive grants to states that develop or expand programs providing charter schools with better access to public buildings, funding for facility acquisitions/renovations, and tax-exempt financing options. The bill requires states to prioritize reducing funding gaps between charter schools and traditional public schools, especially for schools in low-income and rural communities, and to ensure equitable treatment in land-use policies. This directly affects charter schools and state education agencies administering the grant programs.
Maddy summaryThe SPACE Act (S 1483) requires the National Space Council to report on Chinese and Russian space investment activities, including their military-civil fusion efforts and space technology development. It bans federal funds from purchasing certain telecommunications or aerospace goods/services from entities linked to the Chinese government, Communist Party, military, or specific state-owned corporations like China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The bill also mandates new SEC disclosures for foreign investors owning over 2% of U.S. space-related companies and requires annual reports on foreign investment in U.S. space activities. These provisions directly affect U.S. government spending, covered entities (U.S. businesses in space/telecom sectors), and foreign investors in the U.S. space industry.