Maddy summaryS 3563 requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a roadmap by June 2026 for adopting open technical standards to verify the origin and history of digital media (like photos or videos) released by the Department of Defense, military branches, and field activities. The roadmap must assess existing standards, outline processes for embedding and verifying content credentials, identify acquisition approaches, and establish metrics for evaluating these technologies. It also mandates a congressional briefing by July 2026 on feasibility, stakeholder input, and next steps. This bill directly affects how the DoD handles public digital content to ensure authenticity. The focus is on creating verifiable digital content provenance systems, not on mandating specific technologies or outcomes.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Where’s WALDO Act (S 3553) requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create a public website showing detailed information about every federal civil service employee, including their job title, duties, agency, work location, pay, and hire date. It also mandates an annual report from OPM detailing the total number of contract employees and associated costs, broken down by federal agency. This bill directly affects all federal agencies and their workforce by increasing transparency around federal hiring and compensation. The website must be searchable and updated annually, while reports must be publicly available each year after enactment. (Note: The bill does not affect contractor employees directly but requires reporting on their numbers and costs.)
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a single online application system for all federal disaster assistance programs, replacing multiple separate applications. It requires FEMA to establish a unified platform by 360 days after enactment, allowing survivors to apply once for aid like housing, small business loans, or food benefits, track their application status, and receive updates. The system mandates data security standards and allows FEMA to waive certain paperwork rules during disasters while requiring transparency through public notices. This directly affects disaster survivors seeking aid and federal/state agencies administering disaster assistance programs.
Maddy summaryThe PRIMED Act (S 3511) streamlines federal permitting for specific mining and processing projects supporting national defense and energy security. It treats certain Department of Defense actions - like funding feasibility studies for existing mines, modernizing operations, or using byproducts from waste facilities - as "covered projects" under the FAST Act, automatically including them in the federal Permitting Dashboard. This directly affects mining and processing companies working on defense supply chain projects authorized under the Defense Production Act. The bill bypasses standard eligibility checks for these projects, aiming to accelerate permitting while requiring project sponsors to opt out if they prefer not to be included.
Maddy summaryS 3173, the Stop 8(a) Contracting Fraud Act, imposes a temporary pause on the Small Business Administration (SBA) awarding sole-source contracts under the 8(a) business development program. The moratorium begins when the bill is enacted and ends only after the SBA completes an audit of the 8(a) program ordered for June 2025 and submits its findings to Congress. The bill allows limited waivers for national security reasons, requiring written justification and approval from the SBA Administrator or Deputy Administrator, but prohibits delegating this waiver authority. This directly affects the SBA’s contracting process and contractors seeking sole-source 8(a) contracts during the moratorium period.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to report detailed payment information - including the purpose, funding source, and payment type - to the Treasury before disbursing funds. It mandates agencies to verify recipient bank account details and cross-check payment records to prevent errors or fraud. The Treasury gains access to databases like the National Directory of New Hires and tax/Social Security data (with privacy safeguards) to identify and recover improper payments. These requirements apply to all agencies using Treasury payment systems, aiming to improve transparency and reduce wasteful spending.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs federal agencies to alter how American history is presented at national sites like the Smithsonian museums and Independence National Historical Park. It requires removing exhibits or content that the bill claims "divide Americans based on race," "recognize men as women," or "degrade shared American values," including specific mentions of the Smithsonian's "Shape of Power" exhibit and plans for the American Women's History Museum. The bill mandates restoring pre-2020 monuments and funding infrastructure at Independence National Historical Park by 2026. It also directs the Vice President to work with the Smithsonian Board to enforce these changes, including restricting funding for exhibits promoting "gender-affirming medicine for minors" or male athletes in women's sports. The bill does not create new funding but directs existing agencies to realign current operations with its stated policy.
Maddy summaryThe Back the Blue Act of 2025 creates new federal criminal offenses for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers, judges, and certain public safety personnel (including firefighters and first responders) while they are on duty or because of their official status. It increases penalties for these crimes, including minimum 10-year prison terms for killing officers and longer sentences for assaults causing serious injury, with the death penalty possible for killings. The bill also adds a "flight to avoid prosecution" provision for those fleeing to evade charges for killing officers, expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances, and limits federal habeas corpus relief for individuals convicted of killing law enforcement officers. This legislation directly affects law enforcement officers, judges, and public safety personnel, as well as individuals who commit violence against them.
Maddy summaryThis bill transfers unused funds from the Internal Revenue Code's Section 9006(a) fund to the Unemployment Trust Fund's Employment Security Administration Account. The funds will support state programs providing reemployment services and eligibility assessments for unemployment benefits. It directly affects state unemployment agencies administering these services by providing additional resources for job training and benefit verification. The change involves reallocating existing unobligated funds without creating new taxes or spending.
Maddy summaryThe FAIR Leave Act (S 3321) repeals a 12-month waiting period requirement under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for spouses seeking leave. It directly affects spouses of employees covered by FMLA, removing a previous barrier to immediate eligibility. The key provision eliminates Section 102(f) of the FMLA, which had required spouses to work for 12 months before qualifying for leave. This change allows spouses to access FMLA leave from their first day of employment, without waiting for a year. The bill makes no other changes to FMLA provisions.