Sen. David McCormick

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to research insurance options for mushroom production or revenue. It mandates the Corporation to conduct or contract research on developing mushroom-specific insurance policies and submit a report to Congress within one year. The research would directly affect mushroom farmers by exploring pathways to access crop insurance similar to other agricultural producers. The bill focuses on initiating this study, not creating immediate insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryThe Improper Payments Transparency Act (S 747) requires U.S. executive agencies to include detailed explanations in the President’s annual budget about improper payments in their programs. It mandates agencies to provide narrative descriptions explaining why improper payment rates increased, decreased, or stayed stable over the past three years for each affected program, along with status updates on incomplete corrective actions. This directly affects agencies already required to submit improper payment reports under existing law (Section 3351). The bill aims to increase transparency by making budget submissions more informative about payment error trends and agency efforts to address them.

Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to (1) assess cybersecurity threats in the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector, and (2) conduct annual crisis simulation exercises for food-related emergencies or disruptions. The agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector includes (1) any activity relating to the production, processing, distribution, storage, transportation, consumption, or disposal of agricultural or food products; and (2) any entity involved in any of these activities. Specifically, USDA, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, must conduct a risk assessment every two years on the cybersecurity threats to, and security vulnerabilities in, this sector. The risk assessment must include any recommendations for federal legislative or administrative actions to address related threats and vulnerabilities. USDA must also conduct an annual simulation exercise relating to a food-related emergency or disruption in coordination with DHS, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Among other things, the exercise must (1) involve a realistic and plausible scenario that simulates a food-related emergency or disruption that affects multiple sectors and jurisdictions, and (2) incorporate input from experts and stakeholders from various disciplines and sectors (e.g., agriculture, public health, emergency management, transportation, and energy).  USDA, in consultation with DHS, HHS, and ODNI, must submit a report to Congress on each simulation exercise, including recommendations to enhance the cybersecurity and resilience of the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a streamlined process for out-of-state healthcare providers to enroll in Medicaid or CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) in a state. It directly affects children under 21 enrolled in these programs and healthcare providers located in other states who already meet low fraud risk standards. The key provision requires states to adopt a simplified enrollment process using only basic provider information (like name and National Provider Identifier), granting eligible providers a 5-year enrollment period without repeated screening. This reduces administrative barriers for providers serving out-of-state children under 21 who qualify for Medicaid or CHIP coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the fund supporting victims of state-sponsored terrorism by directing specific funds into the compensation pool. It requires $898 million from the Binance forfeiture case and annual transfers of 50% of excess balances from DOJ and Treasury forfeiture funds to the Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. Payments to eligible claimants must be distributed by March 14, 2025, for the fifth round, with future annual payments starting in 2026. The bill mandates detailed annual reports on fund activity from the Attorney General and a GAO report on forfeiture proceeds, focusing on transparency and accountability for victims.

Maddy summaryThe Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act establishes special rules for handling successive antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, requiring the Department of Commerce to consider prior injury determinations when making new findings. It addresses market distortions from foreign government subsidies and currency undervaluation by expanding how the U.S. calculates fair trade values for imported goods. The bill also creates new procedures to prevent circumvention of existing duties (such as by changing product descriptions to avoid tariffs) and requires importers to certify that merchandise isn't subject to existing duties. These changes primarily affect U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Commerce, and importers of goods from countries that may be engaging in trade-distorting practices.

Maddy summaryS 655, the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025, prevents U.S. citizens wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad from facing tax penalties during their detention. It postpones tax deadlines and refunds penalties paid for tax years during detention (starting January 2021), directly affecting individuals identified under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery Act. Key mechanisms include requiring the State Department and Attorney General to provide Treasury with lists of affected individuals by January 2026, and enabling refunds for penalties paid during detention via a new Treasury program. The law applies to tax years ending before the bill's enactment, with refunds processed like standard overpayment refunds.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. federal funds from supporting two international environmental agreements until specific reclassifications of China occur. It blocks funding for the Montreal Protocol (regarding ozone-depleting substances) until China is removed from the "developing country" category in that agreement, and blocks funding for the UN Climate Change Convention until China is added to Annex I (which lists developed nations). The restrictions remain in place until the President certifies to congressional committees that these reclassifications have been made by the relevant international bodies. The bill directly affects U.S. government funding for these global environmental programs.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 84) is a ceremonial Senate measure congratulating the Philadelphia Eagles football team for winning Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025. It formally recognizes their victory over the Kansas City Chiefs (40-22) and highlights key game details as context for the congratulation. The resolution directs the Senate Secretary to send a copy to Eagles leadership, including owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman, and head coach Nick Sirianni. As a symbolic gesture with no policy impact or funding, it does not affect any individuals or entities beyond expressing official recognition.

Maddy summaryS 618 prohibits entities controlled by the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States, including both public land managed by federal agencies and private land. It also bars such entities from participating in most Department of Agriculture programs if they own or lease agricultural land, with exceptions for food safety, health, and labor safety programs. The bill amends existing disclosure rules to require reporting on leases and security interests related to foreign ownership, and mandates public online data sets showing foreign ownership details. Additionally, it requires annual reports to Congress on risks of foreign ownership and the effectiveness of monitoring efforts.