Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Department of Defense from using military funds to cover travel, lodging, meals, or transportation expenses related to abortions for service members or their dependents, except in cases where the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life, results from rape, or results from incest. It also terminates a 2022 Department of Defense memo that allowed access to abortion-related care and bans using medical convalescent leave or administrative absences for abortion-related travel under the same limited exceptions. The bill directly affects active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their dependents who might seek abortion care. It modifies existing travel and leave regulations under U.S. Code titles 37 and 10 to restrict these benefits, aligning with existing federal law that limits abortion funding. The policy change removes prior allowances for abortion-related travel expenses and leave under military benefits programs.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCONRES 15) calls on media organizations to voluntarily change their reporting practices following mass public murders. It urges media to minimize coverage of perpetrators' names, photos, and motives - prioritizing victim stories, first responders, and avoiding sensational headlines - based on research suggesting such coverage may contribute to copycat incidents. The resolution specifically requests media avoid naming suspects unless actively at large, omit flattering social media images of perpetrators, and cover incidents with the same sensitivity as suicide. It cites studies (like those from the American Psychological Association and American Journal of Public Health) linking sensational reporting to potential "media contagion effects" but does not create binding legal requirements. The resolution is a non-binding request, not a law, targeting media behavior rather than government action.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes how biosimilar drugs are approved by automatically considering them interchangeable with brand-name drugs, removing a previous requirement for separate approval. It requires the FDA to brief congressional health committees before demanding certain safety studies on switching between biosimilars and reference drugs. The law affects drug manufacturers seeking FDA approval for biosimilars and the FDA itself. These changes apply only to new applications approved after the bill's enactment.
Maddy summaryThe Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2023 would require the President to appoint the Director of the Bureau of Prisons with the advice and consent of the Senate, replacing the current system where the Director is appointed by the Attorney General. It also establishes a 10-year term for the Director, with the current Director permitted to continue serving until three months after the bill’s enactment. This change directly affects the leadership of the federal prison system, which manages 122 facilities and oversees over 159,000 inmates and 34,000 employees. The bill aligns the appointment process for the Bureau of Prisons Director with other senior Justice Department positions that require Senate confirmation.
Maddy summaryS 2230, the Protecting Investors’ Personally Identifiable Information Act, prevents the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from requiring financial exchanges and their members to report investors' personal details like names, addresses, or Social Security numbers under routine data reporting rules. The SEC may only request such information during an investigation into suspected securities law violations, and must destroy it within 24 hours after the investigation concludes. This directly affects national securities exchanges, associations, and their members who handle market participant data. The bill aims to limit unnecessary collection and retention of sensitive investor information while maintaining enforcement capabilities.
Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 36) seeks congressional disapproval of a Department of Labor rule (88 Fed. Reg. 12842, March 1, 2023) that would have removed religious exemption provisions from the Equal Opportunity Clause requirements for federal contractors. If approved, it would prevent the rule from taking effect, meaning federal contractors would continue to be required to comply with the Equal Opportunity Clause without the religious exemption previously allowed. The bill directly affects federal contractors subject to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) regulations. It is a procedural disapproval measure under Title 5, U.S. Code, not a new policy change.
Maddy summarySJRES 11 is a joint resolution seeking to cancel an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that set new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks and buses. The rule, published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2023, would have required manufacturers to meet specific pollution control measures for new vehicles. This resolution uses a congressional disapproval process under the Congressional Review Act to nullify the EPA rule, meaning it would have no legal effect if enacted. If passed, the EPA's emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles would be voided, removing requirements for manufacturers to comply with those specific pollution controls.
Maddy summaryThis non-binding Senate resolution states that military action taken under NATO's mutual defense clause (Article 5) does not override Congress's constitutional duty to declare war before U.S. forces engage in hostilities. It clarifies that the President cannot use NATO obligations as justification for military action without prior Congressional authorization. The resolution directly addresses how NATO commitments interact with the Constitution's war powers requirement. As a formal Senate expression of opinion, it has no legal effect but aims to reinforce Congress's role in military decisions.
Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 272) commemorates the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24, 2022, *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization* decision, which overturned *Roe v. Wade*. It expresses the Senate's support for the Court's ruling that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion and affirms the return of abortion regulation authority to state legislatures. The resolution celebrates the decision as a step toward protecting "unborn life" and commits to supporting families and "proclaiming the humanity of the unborn." As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any individuals directly.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which serves federal employees and retirees, from offering investment funds that base decisions on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. It bans mutual funds or exchange-traded funds marketed using ESG factors - such as climate policies, diversity metrics, gun manufacturing ties, or political affiliations - from the TSP's investment options. The bill requires the TSP board to remove existing ESG-linked funds within 90 days of enactment and gives participants 90 days to switch their investments to other TSP funds, with unselected funds automatically moving to a government securities fund. The law directly affects federal employees' retirement savings by restricting their investment choices based on ESG considerations.