Sen. Josh Hawley

Maddy summaryS 2736, the "In God We Trust Act," requires the Administrator of General Services to display the national motto "In God We Trust" on all federal public buildings within one year of the bill's enactment. This affects all federal buildings managed by the General Services Administration, including courthouses, post offices, and government offices. The bill mandates the motto be displayed prominently, referencing the existing legal definition of the motto in U.S. Code Section 36.302. The legislation is procedural, focusing solely on the physical display requirement without altering other laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThe Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 would prevent government shutdowns by automatically continuing funding for federal programs at previous year's levels if Congress fails to pass regular appropriations bills. If a lapse in appropriations occurs, the bill would provide automatic funding for 14 days, extendable for additional 14-day periods until a new appropriations bill is enacted, with funds charged to the appropriate account once legislation is passed. The bill also restricts official travel for certain government employees and congressional staff during a lapse, with limited exceptions for returning to Washington, D.C. or responding to national security events. It establishes procedures requiring Congress to prioritize appropriations legislation during a funding gap and would take effect on September 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryS 2702 requires K-12 schools receiving federal funds to obtain parental consent before accommodating students' gender identity expressions that differ from their biological sex. It prohibits schools from hiding such information from parents, encouraging students to conceal gender identity concerns, or facilitating referrals for gender transition procedures without consent. Schools must publicly post compliance policies and provide written policies to families, with violations allowing parents to sue for injunctive relief, attorney fees, and compensation for "harm" from gender transition treatments. The bill directly affects school districts, staff, and families of students under 18, mandating parental involvement in decisions about gender identity accommodations.

Maddy summaryS 2703, the Protecting Older Americans Act of 2025, prevents employers from requiring workers aged 40 or older to use pre-employment arbitration agreements or joint-action waivers in age discrimination cases. The bill makes such agreements invalid and unenforceable for disputes alleging age discrimination under federal, tribal, or state law. This means workers can choose to pursue age discrimination claims in court instead of binding arbitration. The law applies to all claims arising on or after its enactment date and ensures courts - not arbitrators - decide if the provision applies to specific agreements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution commemorates the one-year anniversary of the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. It condemns the attack and other threats against political officials, honors victims Corey D. Comperatore (who died shielding his family), David Dutch, and James Copenhaver (who were injured), and expresses gratitude to first responders. The resolution also condemns incitement of violence against elected officials and calls for unity against political violence. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or policies but formally states the Senate’s position.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a mandatory mental health and wellness program for all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement officers and agents across components like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ICE, TSA, and the Coast Guard. Key provisions require DHS to create a Peer-to-Peer Support Program Advisory Council, implement annual suicide prevention training for officers, improve access to confidential mental health resources, and reduce stigma through mandatory awareness campaigns. The law mandates confidential data collection on mental health and suicides to evaluate program effectiveness, while prohibiting the use of personally identifiable information for disciplinary purposes. DHS components must also develop family support services and ensure safeguards against adverse actions for personnel seeking mental health assistance.

Maddy summaryThe Warehouse Worker Protection Act creates new requirements for employers in specific warehouse facilities (defined by industry codes including 493, 423, 424, 454110, and 492110) that use performance quotas. It requires employers to provide written descriptions of quotas and workplace surveillance practices to workers, prohibits quotas that interfere with breaks, safety compliance, or discrimination protections, and gives workers the right to access their performance data. The bill mandates 15-minute paid rest breaks every 4 hours and establishes protections against retaliation for workers who exercise these new rights. Enforcement will be handled by the Department of Labor's new Fairness and Transparency Office and the Federal Trade Commission, with civil penalties for violations. This bill directly affects warehouse workers and employers in the warehousing, distribution, and delivery sectors.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how U.S. attorneys are appointed by removing provisions that allowed temporary appointments during vacancies. It requires that any U.S. attorney appointed under current rules serves until the President directly appoints a replacement. The bill affects U.S. Attorney positions nationwide and the process for filling vacancies in federal prosecutor roles. The key provision eliminates existing rules permitting interim appointments, making presidential appointment the standard procedure.

Maddy summaryS 2475, the American Worker Rebate Act of 2025, provides tax rebates to eligible U.S. workers using revenue from import tariffs. It offers rebates of at least $600 per person (or $1,200 for joint filers), plus $600 per qualifying child, based on either a fixed amount or a share of tariff revenue collected after January 20, 2025. The rebate phases out for higher earners ($75,000+ single filers, $112,500 head of household, $150,000 joint filers) and requires Social Security numbers for eligibility. Rebates are paid as advance refunds by 2026, with no interest on overpayments.

Maddy summaryThe TRAIN Act (S.2455) allows copyright owners to request court-issued subpoenas requiring developers of generative AI models to disclose records showing whether their copyrighted works were used to train the model. It directly affects AI developers who create or substantially modify generative AI systems (like those producing text, images, or audio) by making them subject to these disclosure requests. To obtain a subpoena, a copyright owner must submit a sworn declaration showing a good-faith belief that their specific works were used in training, and the records can only be used to protect their copyright. The bill includes safeguards, such as prohibiting requests for others' works, requiring confidentiality of disclosed records, and imposing sanctions for bad-faith requests.