Sen. Katie Boyd Britt

Maddy summarySRES 756 is a Senate resolution designating June 19, 2024, as "Juneteenth Independence Day" to commemorate June 19, 1865 - the date Union troops announced the end of slavery in Texas. This symbolic resolution recognizes the historical significance of Juneteenth, when news of emancipation reached enslaved people in the Southwestern U.S. after the Civil War. It does not create new laws or affect any group; it solely serves to honor this date as part of U.S. history and encourage nationwide observance.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 99) is a congressional resolution seeking to block a specific environmental regulation. It targets the Council on Environmental Quality's "National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions Phase 2" rule, which was published in the Federal Register on May 1, 2024. If passed, the resolution would formally disapprove this rule, preventing it from taking effect and halting its implementation by federal agencies. The rule would have modified how agencies conduct environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), but the resolution directly stops that change without altering NEPA itself.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 739) introduced by Senators Rubio, Tuberville, and others on June 18, 2024. It commemorates the second anniversary of the Supreme Court's June 24, 2022, *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization* decision, which overturned *Roe v. Wade*. The resolution expresses support for the Court's ruling that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion, and it includes statements about protecting "unborn life" and supporting families. As a symbolic measure, it does not create new laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThe Secure Payments Act of 2024 requires the Federal Reserve to study the impacts of its proposed "Reg II" rule on debit card transaction fees. The study must examine effects on consumers (including access to low-cost bank accounts), merchants' costs, fraud mitigation, and small banks' finances. The Federal Reserve must complete this analysis and submit a report to Congress before finalizing the Reg II rule, ensuring the report informs the final decision. This bill directly affects consumers, merchants, and small financial institutions by delaying the rule's finalization until the study is complete.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 97) seeks to block a Department of Labor rule finalized in April 2024 that redefined overtime exemptions for certain white-collar workers. The rule would have changed how employers classify executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees for overtime pay purposes. By invoking Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, this resolution aims to nullify the rule, preventing it from taking effect. It directly affects employers and workers covered by the rule, but the resolution itself does not change existing labor standards - it only prevents the rule from being implemented.

Ensuring Nationwide Access to a Better Life Experience Act or the ENABLE Act This bill makes permanent three tax provisions relating to ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Accounts established to assist disabled individuals, specifically provisions allowing increased contributions to such accounts, the allowance of a retirement savings contribution tax credit up to $1,000, and allowing a tax-free rollover from a qualified tuition (529 plan) to an ABLE account.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 96 seeks to block a Department of Education rule that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools (e.g., colleges, K-12 programs receiving federal aid). If approved, it would invalidate the rule published April 29, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 33474), preventing it from taking effect under a congressional disapproval process. This would maintain existing nondiscrimination standards for education programs instead of implementing the new rule. The resolution directly affects all schools and programs receiving federal education funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4521) changes how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is funded by requiring it to seek annual appropriations through Congress, rather than receiving automatic funding from the Federal Reserve's budget. It also modifies civil penalty handling: if the CFPB collects fines and pays victims, any leftover funds must be transferred to the U.S. Treasury's general fund. These changes directly affect the CFPB's budget process and financial management, shifting oversight to Congress. The provisions take effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThe Poarch Band of Creek Indians Parity Act retroactively applies the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, making them subject to the IRA's protections as if they had been included from June 18, 1934. It confirms that all lands taken into trust for the tribe by the U.S. government before the bill's enactment are legally recognized as trust lands and validates the Secretary of the Interior's prior actions in placing those lands into trust under the IRA. This bill directly affects the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, a federally recognized tribe in Alabama, by securing their land rights under federal law without requiring new land acquisitions or administrative changes.

Maddy summarySRES 728 is a Senate resolution honoring the University of South Alabama on its 60th anniversary and recognizing its service to Alabama and the U.S. It commends the university for its educational, research, and healthcare contributions, particularly noting its role as the Gulf Coast's academic health system. The resolution requests that a copy be transmitted to the university president, provost, and medical leadership. This is a ceremonial resolution with no new policy or funding changes.