Sen. Mark R. Warner

Maddy summaryThis proposed constitutional amendment would give Congress and states the authority to regulate campaign contributions and spending, including setting limits and prohibiting corporations from spending money to influence elections. It explicitly protects freedom of the press by stating the amendment cannot be used to abridge it. If ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, it would establish a new constitutional standard for campaign finance regulation.

Maddy summaryS 2789, the African Diaspora Heritage Month Act of 2023, would require the President to annually designate a month as "African Diaspora Heritage Month" through a formal proclamation. The proclamation would call on state and local governments and the public to observe the month with programs and activities celebrating the contributions of the African diaspora community. This bill does not create new government programs or funding but adds a recurring national observance to federal law. The African diaspora community - encompassing people of diverse African heritage living in the United States - would be the focus of this recognition.

Maddy summaryThe Workforce Investment Disclosure Act of 2023 (S 2751) requires public companies to disclose detailed workforce data in their annual SEC filings. It mandates reporting on demographics (including race, ethnicity, and gender), workforce stability (turnover rates), diversity composition, training programs, health/safety records, compensation structures, recruitment practices, and employee engagement. These disclosures must be disaggregated by employee status (full-time, part-time, contingent), wage quintiles, and demographic groups where feasible. The bill applies to all "covered issuers" (public companies filing SEC reports), with exemptions for emerging growth companies regarding certain sections. The law aims to standardize workforce transparency for investors without mandating specific outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the tax deduction available to eligible educators for out-of-pocket classroom expenses from $250 to $1,000 annually. It directly affects elementary and secondary school teachers who itemize deductions on their federal tax returns. The key change modifies Internal Revenue Code sections to raise the deduction limit and update reference years to align with current tax filing periods. The updated deduction applies to tax returns filed for 2023 and subsequent years.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Supreme Court to establish a code of conduct for justices within 180 days of enactment, with public access to these rules on the Court's website. It sets minimum disclosure standards for gifts, income, and reimbursements received by justices and their law clerks, and strengthens recusal requirements when justices have financial ties to parties in cases. The bill creates procedures for filing complaints about justices' conduct and establishes a judicial investigation panel to review such complaints, while also requiring parties and amicus curiae to disclose gifts to justices and lobbying activities related to the nomination of justices. These provisions aim to increase transparency and accountability in Supreme Court operations.

Maddy summaryThe American Security Drone Act of 2023 prohibits U.S. federal agencies from procuring or operating drones manufactured or assembled by "covered foreign entities," defined as entities from China, under foreign government control, or deemed national security risks. The law includes exemptions for national security research, counterterrorism, safety investigations, wildfire management, and specific agency missions like those of the Department of Homeland Security and Defense. Federal agencies must track existing drones from these entities within one year of enactment and the law requires a study on drone supply chains. The prohibition takes effect two years after enactment and will expire five years after enactment, with specific agencies having additional exemptions.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding Senate resolution expresses the chamber's support for nuclear power as a clean, reliable energy source critical to achieving a secure, low-emission grid. It commits the Senate to promoting nuclear energy development, including establishing domestic uranium production, strengthening the nuclear supply chain, and cultivating a skilled workforce. The resolution also highlights nuclear energy as an export opportunity for U.S. manufacturing expertise. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or directly affect policy implementation.

Maddy summaryThe Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2023 restricts how state officials can remove local election administrators who manage federal elections. It requires removals to be based only on proven inefficiency, neglect of duty, or misconduct - prohibiting politically motivated removals - and allows affected local officials to challenge improper removals in federal court. States must report removals to the Justice Department within 30 days (or 48 hours if near an election) for oversight. The bill also adds new rules to limit last-minute challenges to voter eligibility on Election Day, requiring documented, good-faith challenges with sworn statements.

Financing Our Energy Future Act This bill expands the types of partnerships that qualify for treatment as publicly traded partnerships instead of as corporations for tax purposes. Under current law, partnerships that meet certain gross income requirements (i.e., at least 90% of the partnership's gross income in a taxable year consists of qualifying income) are excepted from being treated as a corporation for tax purposes. This bill expands the sources of income that are considered qualifying income and make a partnership eligible for such an exception. Specifically, the bill provides that income derived from the generation of specified alternative energy, alternative fuel projects, or the associated property, storage, or transportation for such projects (e.g., the conversion of renewable biomass into renewable fuel or the storage or transportation of such fuel) is considered qualifying income.

Maddy summaryThe DETOUR Act (S 2708) prohibits large online platforms (those with over 100 million users) from designing interfaces to secretly manipulate user choices or collect data without clear, active consent. It requires platforms to obtain "affirmative express consent" for data use - meaning users must actively agree, not just click through pre-checked boxes - and bans features that cause compulsive usage, especially for children and teens. Platforms must also establish independent review boards to approve research involving users, disclose research purposes publicly every 90 days, and delete data if consent wasn’t properly obtained. The law targets deceptive design tactics like auto-playing videos without consent or segmenting users for hidden experiments, aiming to protect user autonomy and privacy.