Maddy summaryThe Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act creates a new grant program providing financial aid to students enrolled in short-term, career-focused educational programs (150-600 clock hours, 8-15 weeks) that prepare students for high-demand jobs. To qualify, programs must meet specific standards including alignment with industry needs, minimum job placement rates of 70%, and median earnings that exceed local wage benchmarks. The bill requires institutions to collect and publicly report data on program outcomes including completion rates, job placement, and student earnings through the College Scorecard website. It also establishes new accreditation standards for agencies evaluating these workforce programs, with $40 million authorized for fiscal year 2025 and $30 million for each of the next four years.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHR 6848 prohibits colleges and universities from requiring students, employees, or applicants to endorse ideologies promoting racial discrimination or to provide statements about their race, ethnicity, or views on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. It specifically bans institutions from compelling such disclosures or offering preferential treatment based on unsolicited statements about these topics. The bill exempts academic research, voluntary disclosures, and requirements for applicants to discuss research content, comply with antidiscrimination laws, or address teaching approaches for students with disabilities. It directly affects higher education institutions receiving federal funding under the Higher Education Act.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Corporation for National and Community Service from establishing any "Civilian Climate Corps" or similar program, including those referenced in Executive Order 14008. It directly affects the Corporation and its partners by banning specific climate-related activities, such as promoting environmental justice, restoring land damaged by extractive industries, organizing community resiliency groups, conducting energy audits, and educating students on climate issues. Key provisions mandate that the Corporation cannot create such programs, direct others to create them, or provide guidance for any of the listed activities. The bill blocks federal funding and support for these climate-focused initiatives at the program level. It does not affect existing climate programs outside this specific framework.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to produce a 90-day intelligence assessment on the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels' fentanyl operations. The assessment must detail the cartels' structures, cross-border smuggling routes, chemical suppliers, how they tailor fentanyl to attract U.S. users (including unwitting consumers), and their revenue breakdown by drug type. It will be submitted to specific congressional committees focused on intelligence, foreign affairs, and homeland security. The bill aims to provide Congress with concrete data to inform U.S. counter-narcotics strategies against transnational fentanyl trafficking.
Maddy summaryHR 6734 prohibits the use of federal funds to finalize, implement, or enforce the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' (ATF) proposed rule (2022R-17) defining "engaged in the business as a dealer in firearms." This bill directly affects the ATF by blocking funding for this specific regulatory rule, which was proposed in August 2023. The legislation does not create new requirements but prevents federal resources from being used to advance this particular ATF regulation.
Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes and extends funding for programs addressing substance use disorders and opioid addiction, including residential treatment for pregnant and postpartum women, first responder training, and community recovery initiatives. It increases funding levels for these programs, adds xylazine to Schedule III of controlled substances, and requires a study on remote monitoring for patients prescribed opioids. The bill also expands Medicaid coverage requirements for medication-assisted treatment and mandates reporting on mental health condition data alongside substance use disorder data, directly affecting individuals with substance use disorders, healthcare providers, and state and tribal governments.
Maddy summaryHR 357, the Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act, requires federal agencies to have rules signed by Senate-confirmed appointees (or senior appointees for initiation), aiming to increase oversight of regulatory decisions. It directly affects all federal agencies creating rules under standard procedures (covered by 5 U.S.C. § 553), ensuring higher-level accountability for rulemaking. Exceptions exist only if an agency head certifies that compliance would impede public safety/security, with required notifications to the OIRA Administrator and Federal Register publication. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) will monitor agency compliance with these requirements.
Maddy summaryHJRES 88 is a resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment options for federal student loan borrowers. The rule, published in the Federal Register on July 10, 2023, targeted the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. This resolution uses the Congressional Review Act process to disapprove the rule, preventing it from taking effect and preserving the current repayment structure. If enacted, it would stop the proposed changes to repayment terms without altering existing loan policies.
Maddy summaryHR 6619, the PATROL Act, prevents the federal government from suing states for building border barriers. It specifically blocks the Attorney General from filing civil lawsuits under the 1899 Act against states that construct physical barriers (like walls, fences, or buoys) along the border to stop illegal entry or protect state territory. The law directly affects states building such barriers and the federal government’s legal authority to challenge those actions. This is a procedural change that removes a legal obstacle for states pursuing border security measures.
Maddy summaryHR 6600, "Tyler’s Law," requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study how often hospital emergency departments test for fentanyl during overdose cases, along with the costs, benefits, risks, and patient privacy impacts. The study must be completed within one year of the bill’s enactment, followed by guidance issued within six months on whether fentanyl testing should become routine. This guidance will address how hospitals can inform clinicians about testing protocols and how fentanyl testing might affect future overdose risks and patient health outcomes. The bill directly affects hospitals and emergency departments treating overdose patients, focusing on improving data-driven practices for fentanyl detection.