Maddy summaryThe National Prescribed Fire Act of 2024 establishes $300 million annually in dedicated funding for prescribed fire programs on Federal lands, requiring the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to develop regional implementation strategies prioritizing areas at high wildfire risk. It creates a $10 million annual Collaborative Prescribed Fire Program to support multi-jurisdictional landscape-scale projects with specific planning, reporting, and performance metrics requirements. The bill includes liability protections for certified prescribed fire managers, requiring states to adopt gross negligence standards for civil suits, and establishes new training programs to build a skilled prescribed fire workforce focused on ecological outcomes and smoke management. Additional provisions streamline environmental reviews, improve smoke management practices, and mandate annual reporting to track prescribed fire acreage and effectiveness across Federal lands.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill adjusts the boundary of California's Mojave National Preserve to include approximately 20,920 acres of land previously designated as Castle Mountains National Monument (established by Presidential Proclamation 9394 in 2016). The added land, located adjacent to the preserve, will be administered as part of the Mojave National Preserve under the National Park Service. The bill does not change land use or management policies but formally integrates this area into the existing preserve boundary. This directly affects the management of federal lands in the Mojave Desert region, consolidating two protected areas under a single administrative unit.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 to expand Joshua Tree National Park's boundaries. It adds approximately 17,842 acres of land, specifically depicted on a map dated April 29, 2024, to the park's existing area. The change directly affects the park's physical boundaries and the land management responsibilities of the National Park Service. The expansion is a procedural update to the park's legal description, not a new policy.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4228) simply renames the Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park to the "Senator Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center." It directly affects the visitor center and all official references to it in federal documents, maps, or records. The change is purely ceremonial, with no new policies, funding, or substantive changes to park operations or visitor services.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the 1928 Boulder Canyon Project Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to spend recovered funds (specifically from account XXXR5656P1) on Hoover Dam operations, maintenance, cleanup, and capital improvements. It directly affects the Department of the Interior and Hoover Dam contractors, requiring their review and approval for fund use. The key provision allows flexible spending of non-reimbursable recovered funds for authorized activities within the Boulder Canyon Project area. This is a procedural amendment to existing law, not a new policy. (3 sentences)
Maddy summaryThe RISEE Act of 2023 establishes a National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund to support coastal conservation, infrastructure, and research through grants to states, tribes, and organizations. It creates a new revenue-sharing system for offshore wind projects, directing 37.5% of operating fees to eligible coastal states based on proximity to project sites. States receiving these funds must use them for coastal protection, habitat restoration, or related projects and submit annual reports detailing fund usage to the Department of Interior. The bill also updates reporting requirements for Gulf of Mexico energy revenue funds to ensure transparency about how states use these funds.
Maddy summarySRES 901 is a non-binding Senate resolution supporting Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence against transgender people in the U.S. It memorializes 38 transgender individuals, including transgender women of color, who were killed between October 2023 and September 2024. The resolution affirms the need for solutions to this violence while upholding the dignity of all transgender people. As a symbolic measure, it does not enact new policies or laws.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands disaster assistance eligibility under FEMA for individuals without documented property ownership but who have occupied land or housing in declared disaster areas (e.g., Hurricane Maria victims). It allows FEMA to use funds for title acquisition costs (like surveys and taxes) and creates a self-certification form using common documents (utility bills, pay stubs, school records) to prove occupancy - without requiring notarization. The bill amends the Stafford Act to replace "uninhabitable" with "damaged" in eligibility criteria and prioritizes habitable housing recovery over temporary solutions. It also mandates multilingual forms, 30-day implementation timelines for FEMA, and retroactive access for cases since 2017.
Maddy summaryThe Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act directs NOAA to create a program that enhances forecasts of atmospheric rivers - narrow corridors of moisture that can cause severe flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage, particularly affecting communities along the West Coast and mountainous regions. The program will develop improved forecast models using machine learning and new data sources (like aircraft, satellites, and ocean buoys), establish coastal observatories for real-time monitoring, and create clearer public communication tools about atmospheric river risks. NOAA must submit a detailed implementation plan to Congress within 270 days, including research partnerships and timelines for deploying these upgrades. The goal is to reduce property damage and loss of life by providing more accurate, actionable forecasts for communities vulnerable to extreme weather events.
Maddy summaryThis bill, the Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act of 2024, creates a 4-year period during which Medicare must cover innovative medical devices designated as "breakthrough" by the FDA, unless they are not used as labeled or pose an undue risk. It requires the FDA to make breakthrough device designation decisions within 6 months and mandates that Medicare issue final coverage decisions before the 4-year period ends. The bill also appropriates $10 million annually from 2025 to 2030 to fund these new Medicare coverage processes. This primarily affects Medicare beneficiaries, FDA, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.