Sen. Thom Tillis

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 21-28, 2026, as "National FFA Week" to honor the National FFA Organization’s work in agricultural education. It recognizes FFA’s role in developing leadership and career skills for students (with over 1 million members nationally) and celebrates the 50th anniversary of Alaska’s State FFA Association, which has 19 chapters and 493 members. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal effect but formally expresses Senate support for FFA’s mission.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 617) designates February 2026 as "Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month" to symbolically recognize CTE programs nationwide. It supports CTE's role in preparing students for high-demand careers by promoting workforce readiness through academic and technical skills training. The resolution encourages educators, counselors, parents, and school administrators to advocate for CTE as a valid educational pathway. As a non-binding Senate resolution, it does not create new laws or allocate funds but affirms bipartisan support for CTE's importance in workforce development.

Maddy summarySRES 618 is a Senate resolution recognizing the vital role of career and technical education (CTE) educators and work-based learning coordinators in preparing students for careers, classrooms, and life. It highlights that these professionals deliver hands-on skills training, support workforce pipelines in critical economic sectors, and address persistent shortages in CTE staffing (reported in 25 states for the 2025-2026 school year). The resolution formally commends CTE educators and coordinators for their contributions and emphasizes that improving their wages, benefits, and working conditions would help reduce staffing gaps. It does not create new programs or funding but serves as a symbolic endorsement of CTE’s importance to U.S. economic competitiveness.

Maddy summarySRES 615 is a Senate resolution celebrating Black History Month, acknowledging the historical contributions of African Americans to U.S. society across fields like civil rights, arts, science, and leadership. The resolution encourages all citizens to reflect on this history as part of the nation's ongoing journey toward equality, without creating new laws or policies. It specifically recognizes figures such as Frederick Douglass, Maya Angelou, and Rosa Parks, and emphasizes the importance of Black History Month in February as a time for communal learning and inspiration. This ceremonial resolution was introduced by multiple senators and passed unanimously by the Senate in 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new task force within the Commerce Department to proactively identify foreign government subsidies, unfair pricing (dumping), and ways to bypass existing U.S. trade duties that harm U.S. industries. The task force will monitor trade data, research foreign company practices, and consult with affected U.S. industries to prioritize cases impacting small and medium-sized businesses. It will recommend initiating formal investigations under existing trade laws when potential violations are found, but will not disclose its findings until an investigation begins. The bill directly affects U.S. manufacturers and businesses facing unfair foreign competition by creating a dedicated mechanism to uncover and address these trade issues.

Maddy summarySRES 612 is a non-binding Senate resolution acknowledging the fourth anniversary of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It reaffirms U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its 1991 borders, condemns Russia’s attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and emphasizes the need for sustained U.S. and transatlantic security guarantees. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but expresses congressional support for Ukraine’s defense and calls for continued international cooperation. It specifically highlights Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian children and U.S. companies as part of its aggression. As a symbolic gesture, it has no legal effect on policy or funding.

Maddy summaryThe SAVES Act of 2025 establishes a five-year pilot program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to fund nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans with specific disabilities, such as blindness, mobility issues, PTSD, or traumatic brain injury. Nonprofits must apply competitively, meet training and animal welfare standards (including ADA compliance), and provide service dogs at no cost to veterans, with the VA covering all program expenses. The VA will also provide ongoing veterinary insurance for the dogs, which continues even after the pilot ends. This program is funded with $10 million annually for five years, targeting veterans as defined by VA medical criteria.

Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act This act requires the Architect of the Capitol to create a congressional time capsule in honor of the 250 th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to be buried in the Capitol Visitor Center on or before July 4, 2026. The time capsule shall contain a joint letter from congressional leadership (the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate) and such other contents as they shall determine.  The act directs the Architect of the Capitol to also install a plaque about the time capsule, subject to the approval of the Committee on House Administration of the House and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. The time capsule shall be sealed until July 4, 2276. On that date, the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader shall present the time capsule to the 244th Congress.

Maddy summarySRES 611 is a procedural Senate resolution authorizing the use of the atrium in the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building for a one-time dog-themed event called "Bipawtisan Doggi Gras Pawrade" on February 25, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. It does not create new laws or affect policy; it simply grants permission for this specific event space and time. The resolution is a ceremonial authorization with no substantive legislative impact.

Maddy summaryS 3859 amends the 1993 settlement act for the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina by removing a specific requirement for future tribal membership. Currently, the law states that new members must be direct descendants of individuals on the original membership roll and must have maintained ongoing political ties with the tribe. This bill eliminates that requirement, allowing the Catawba Indian Nation to establish its own membership criteria without federal constraints. The change directly affects the Catawba Indian Nation by altering how it determines eligibility for tribal membership.