Sen. Eric Schmitt

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of May 14-20, 2023, as "National Police Week" to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. It recognizes 444 officers killed in 2022 (including specific names listed in the resolution) and acknowledges 32 officers killed in 2023, while expressing support for law enforcement personnel. The resolution encourages the public to observe this week by honoring law enforcement officers and promoting awareness of their essential service. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new policy or alter existing laws.

Maddy summaryThe Employee Equity Investment Act of 2023 creates a new program to provide financial leverage to companies that invest in small businesses through employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) or worker-owned cooperatives. The bill sets specific requirements including minimum investment percentages (75% in covered investments, 50% in ESOP-related investments), the need for independent trustees to evaluate transactions, and detailed demographic reporting on plan participants. It also establishes a Protege EEIC program to help new investment companies with guidance from experienced managers, creates an Office of Employee Ownership for education and technical assistance, and modifies procurement rules to help employee-owned businesses access government contracts. The program has a sunset provision, ending 20 years after the first license is approved.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Back the Blue Act of 2023," strengthens federal protections for law enforcement officers by creating new criminal penalties for killing or assaulting them while on duty. It makes it a federal crime to kill or attempt to kill law enforcement officers, federal judges, or federally funded public safety officers (including firefighters and first responders) during official duties, with penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison or death if the victim dies. The bill also establishes a new federal offense for fleeing interstate to avoid prosecution for killing law enforcement officers and adds a new aggravating factor for death penalty cases involving officers. Additionally, it expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances and limits federal habeas corpus relief for murder convictions involving law enforcement officers.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Section 230 of the Communications Act to change how online platforms are treated for content moderation. It requires platforms to prove they are not publishers of user content in legal cases (an "affirmative defense"), and removes Section 230 protection if a platform restricts content based on a government request (or a non-governmental entity acting at government request) that targets political speech. The bill defines "legitimate law enforcement" and "national security" purposes to clarify when government communications about content aren't covered by the exception. This directly affects online platforms that moderate content and users whose content might be restricted based on government communications. The changes aim to limit Section 230 immunity when government entities influence content removal.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes most federal executive branch employees (non-political appointees) "at-will," meaning they can be terminated for any reason without cause or appeal, except for prohibited reasons like discrimination. It abolishes the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the long-standing appeals body for federal workers, and replaces it with agency heads having final authority over removals, with limited due process requiring only 14 days for employee response. Career employees affected include most regular government workers (excluding postal employees, who retain separate protections), and new appeal paths are created for whistleblowers and discrimination claims through the EEOC and courts. The law eliminates existing protections like Chapter 75 of Title 5 and changes how adverse actions (like firings) are handled.

Maddy summaryS 1419, the ERASER Act, requires federal agencies to repeal at least three existing regulations before issuing a new rule that affects businesses, states, or local governments. For major rules (those with significant economic impact), agencies must also demonstrate the new rule's cost does not exceed the cost of the repealed rules, with certification from the Office of Management and Budget. The bill applies to rules created through standard notice-and-comment rulemaking but excludes internal agency management rules. It aims to streamline regulations by mandating cost-neutral or cost-reducing rule changes, with the Government Accountability Office required to report on the number and economic cost of existing regulations every five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint three commemorative coins in 2026 to honor Golda Meir (Israel’s first female Prime Minister) and mark the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins bearing her image and inscriptions like "Golda Meir, Israel 75, 2026," with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 per coin respectively. All surcharge revenue will fund Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital in Israel, while the coins - minted only in 2026 - will be sold as collectibles with no net cost to the U.S. government.

Maddy summarySRES 169 is a symbolic Senate resolution expressing the chamber's lack of confidence in DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It states the Senate believes he does not have the confidence of the Senate or American people to carry out his duties, citing border enforcement challenges, alleged false testimony, and policy decisions like ending the Migrant Protection Protocols. The resolution does not change Mayorkas' position, alter border policies, or create new legal requirements - it is purely a formal statement of disapproval. As a procedural resolution, it has no binding effect on government operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits healthcare providers and transplant centers from denying organ transplants or related services solely because a person has a disability. It requires covered entities (like hospitals and transplant centers) to make reasonable policy changes - such as involving a patient's support network or providing accessible communication - to ensure qualified individuals with disabilities can access transplants. The law clarifies that providers may only consider a disability medically significant if a physician determines it directly affects transplant success, and it establishes enforcement through the Department of Health and Human Services or lawsuits. The bill does not replace existing disability protections like the ADA but specifies how they apply to organ transplant processes.

Maddy summaryS 1166, the Restore Public Health Institution Trust Act of 2023, requires the Comptroller General to produce a report assessing the CDC's public health messaging and guidance. The report must examine the data used by the CDC, the impact of inconsistent messaging on public trust and vaccine uptake (including for school-age children), and whether outside groups influenced recommendations. It also asks for specific recommendations to improve the CDC's future communication and decision-making processes. This procedural bill directly affects the CDC and Congress, as it mandates a review of past CDC actions without altering current policies.