Sen. Deb Fischer

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when reviewing discrimination complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. It specifically applies to cases involving discrimination based on Jewish ancestry or ethnic characteristics in schools and programs receiving federal funding. The bill clarifies that this guidance does not expand the Department’s authority, alter existing discrimination standards, or affect First Amendment rights. It aims to ensure consistent enforcement against antisemitism in federally funded education settings, building on existing Department practices since 2019.

Maddy summarySRES 186 designates April 29, 2025, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day to raise public awareness about the dangers of counterfeit fentanyl pills. The resolution specifically aims to inform families and young people about how fake pills - often disguised as legitimate medications - contribute to overdose deaths, citing that illicit fentanyl was involved in 81% of drug deaths among youth aged 14-23 in 2023. It does not create new laws or funding but formally supports existing efforts to combat counterfeit pills and encourages awareness campaigns. The resolution highlights alarming statistics, including 51,010 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2024 and low youth awareness (only 55% of teens knew about counterfeit pills).

Maddy summaryThe Combating Organized Retail Crime Act amends federal law to strengthen legal tools for addressing organized retail crime, including theft from stores, online, and supply chains. It establishes a new Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts. The Center will share information, assist with investigations, track crime trends, and provide training to combat these crimes. The bill expands legal definitions to include organized retail crime as a specific category and requires annual reports on the Center's activities. The Center will operate for 7 years before sunset.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies tax credits for clean fuel production under the Internal Revenue Code. It requires that feedstocks used for qualifying clean fuel must be produced in the United States (effective after 2024), directly affecting domestic biofuel producers who previously could use foreign feedstocks. It also excludes indirect land use change emissions from calculations when determining credit eligibility (effective after 2025), extends the clean fuel production credit deadline to 2034 (from 2027), and adjusts emissions factor rounding from 0.1 to 0.01 (effective after 2024). These changes aim to prioritize U.S. agricultural production and refine emissions accounting for tax credit purposes.

Maddy summaryS 1423, "Hammers' Law," expands a legal limitation on certain damages from commercial aviation accidents to include cruise ship voyages. It defines a "cruise ship" as a passenger vessel carrying at least 250 people with sleeping accommodations, embarking or disembarking in the U.S., and not on a coastwise voyage. The bill specifically extends the existing rule that limits claims for "nonpecuniary damages" (like loss of companionship or emotional harm) to apply to cruise ship incidents, just as it does for commercial aviation accidents. This change directly affects passengers involved in accidents on qualifying cruise ships by restricting their ability to seek compensation for certain non-monetary losses.

Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act of 2025 This bill requires that local school food service personnel receive annual training and certification on food allergies as part of the training provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture. Under current law, the mandatory training and certification for school food service personnel must include modules on (1) nutrition, and (2) health and food safety standards and methodologies. Under the bill, the training and certification must also include a module on food allergies, including information on the best practices to prevent, recognize, and respond to food-related allergic reactions. As part of the certification, the bill also requires that food service personnel demonstrate competence in the training provided.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 159) is a ceremonial Senate measure honoring the late Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr. (1932-2024), who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate from 1972 to 1997. It commemorates his career, including his work on energy policy, flood control, and Louisiana conservation efforts, and requests the Senate adjourn in his memory while sending condolences to his family. As a non-binding resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on any individuals or laws.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 45 seeks to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have allowed California to enforce its Advanced Clean Cars II vehicle emission standards. The resolution uses the congressional disapproval process under federal law to declare the EPA rule invalid, preventing California from implementing its stricter pollution controls for cars and trucks. If passed, this resolution would stop the rule from taking effect, meaning California could not override federal vehicle emission standards with its own requirements. The bill directly affects California's ability to set state-level environmental regulations for motor vehicles and the EPA's regulatory authority.

Maddy summarySJRES 46 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule concerning California's vehicle emission standards. The rule, submitted in 2023, relates to California's pollution control requirements for motor vehicles, including advanced clean trucks, zero-emission airport shuttles, and heavy-duty engine emissions. This resolution would block the rule from taking effect using a specific federal disapproval process under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. If passed, the rule would have no legal force, meaning California's current standards would remain without the EPA's formal approval for these specific provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 47) seeks congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that approved California's stricter vehicle pollution standards. Specifically, it targets the EPA's "Omnibus Low NOx Regulation" for motor vehicles and nonroad engines, which California had submitted for federal approval under waiver authority. If passed, the resolution would block this EPA rule from taking effect, preventing California's state-level pollution controls from being implemented under federal oversight.