Maddy summaryThe Parent Plus Parity Act (S 5108) expands repayment and discharge options for parents who borrowed Federal Direct PLUS loans to pay for their dependent children's education. It removes previous restrictions that barred these borrowers from income-driven repayment plans (like Pay as You Earn and Saving on a Valuable Education), making these available starting July 2024. The bill also adds new discharge options, including for the student's total and permanent disability, eligibility for public service loan forgiveness, automatic discharge if the student's loan is discharged, and a hardship discharge based on factors like income, debt-to-income ratio, and other financial indicators. These changes directly affect Parent PLUS borrowers who previously faced limited relief options.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill expands the boundaries of Vermont's Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park using a specific map dated August 2023. It creates two designated zones: a historic zone (including the mansion and Mt. Tom area) and a protection zone (including Billings Farm), with the King Farm divided between them. The bill also establishes a National Park Service Stewardship Institute at the park to promote conservation education, workshops, and sharing of resource management practices. These changes directly affect the park's management, land use, and public access within the expanded boundaries.
Maddy summarySRES 828 is a non-binding Senate resolution expressing the chamber’s position that every person has the right to emergency health care, including abortion care, during medical emergencies. It highlights that abortion restrictions in emergencies force providers to choose between treating patients or risking criminal charges, disproportionately harming Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, low-income individuals, and LGBTQI+ patients. The resolution specifically notes that such bans create dangerous uncertainty for life-threatening conditions like severe hemorrhage, sepsis, or placenta previa. As a symbolic statement, it does not create new law or alter existing policies.
Maddy summaryThe Homes Act of 2024 establishes a new Housing Development Authority within HUD to create permanently affordable, climate-resilient housing that's shielded from market speculation. The Act requires at least 40% of new units to be reserved for extremely low-income families, with rents set at 25% of household income, and includes strong tenant protections including just-cause eviction standards. It creates new requirements for community control, ensuring residents have a direct role in management and decision-making for housing developments. The Act also establishes specific labor provisions requiring prevailing wages and local hiring for construction projects.
Maddy summaryThe BASIC Act (S 5091) helps college students access federal benefit programs that support basic needs like food, housing, healthcare, and childcare. It requires federal agencies to securely share data to identify students who might qualify for programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, and the Earned Income Tax Credit, then notifies students of their eligibility. The bill provides $1 billion in funding for planning grants (up to $75,000 for 2 years) to help colleges research student needs and develop strategies, followed by implementation grants (up to $1 million for 5 years) to address these needs through on-campus services and partnerships. This directly affects all colleges participating in federal financial aid programs, with special priorities for community colleges, historically Black colleges, and institutions serving many low-income students.
Maddy summaryThis resolution designates September 2024 as "National Voting Rights Month" to highlight historical and ongoing voting rights issues in the U.S. It encourages all Americans to support voting access and urges Congress to pass specific voting rights legislation, including the Freedom to Vote Act and the Democracy Restoration Act. The resolution also recommends that schools teach about voting history, voter suppression, and current voting restrictions. As a symbolic measure, it does not create new laws but aims to raise awareness about voting rights challenges.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows the U.S. Postal Service to mail alcoholic beverages under specific conditions, primarily affecting registered businesses like wineries, breweries, and retailers. It requires shipments to be delivered directly to individuals aged 21+ with photo ID, prohibits resale, and mandates businesses to register with the Postal Service and prepay state taxes. The bill explicitly states it does not override state, local, or tribal laws banning or regulating alcohol shipments. These changes take effect once USPS issues implementing regulations or within two years of the bill's passage.
Right to IVF Act This bill provides a statutory right to access fertility treatments (e.g., in vitro fertilization). Specifically, under the bill, individuals have the right to access fertility treatments and to make decisions about the use of their reproductive genetic material (e.g., embryos) without limitation or interference. Health care providers and insurers have the right to provide and cover these services, respectively. Manufacturers of applicable drugs or devices also have the right to provide these drugs or devices. The bill supersedes state laws that limit or otherwise interfere with the provision of fertility treatments as set out under this bill, including laws that require medically unnecessary procedures or services in conjunction with fertility treatments or that restrict the ability of individuals to receive fertility treatments based on marital status or sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity). The bill does not affect state health and safety regulations for medical facilities or health care providers that are in accordance with widely accepted and evidence-based medical standards and for which the purpose cannot be achieved in another, nonrestrictive manner. The Department of Justice may bring civil actions against states, individuals, or entities that implement or enforce limitations or requirements that violate this bill. Individuals and health care providers may also bring civil actions. In addition, the bill provides for coverage of fertility treatments under Medicare and Medicaid and for members of the uniformed services and veterans. It also requires private insurers that cover obstetrical services to also cover fertility treatments.
Maddy summaryThe Carbon Scoring Act of 2024 requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to develop new modeling capabilities to track greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors (power, transportation, industry, buildings) by specific deadlines, starting with power sector models by 2025. The CBO must publish annual reports on these models and an annual emissions baseline estimate starting in 2025, including projections for climate-related costs. For bills containing climate-related provisions (like emissions taxes or caps), the CBO must provide estimates of their emissions impact and climate cost savings or expenses, calculated using the "social cost" of greenhouse gases. This bill directly affects the CBO (which receives $20 million annually for this work) and lawmakers who will use these analyses when considering climate-focused legislation.
Maddy summaryThe Ranked Choice Voting Act would require all states to use ranked choice voting for federal elections of Senators and Representatives, including primaries and general elections, beginning with elections held on or after January 1, 2027. Under this system, voters would rank candidates in order of preference, and ballots would be tabulated by eliminating the lowest-ranked candidate in each round until one candidate achieves majority support. The bill prohibits separate runoff elections and provides federal funds to help states implement the system, including for voter education and election system updates. It also establishes civil enforcement mechanisms, allowing lawsuits against states that fail to comply with the requirements.