Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $25 million annually from 2024 to 2029 for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study barriers to gender-affirming care and how those barriers affect health outcomes. It does not change existing healthcare access or services but focuses solely on research funding. The research aims to identify obstacles faced by individuals seeking gender-affirming care and their health impacts. This funding is in addition to existing appropriations for similar purposes.

Maddy summaryThe Root and Stem Project Authorization Act of 2023 allows local communities and private groups to fund environmental reviews for projects on federal lands (like national forests and BLM lands) through a collaborative process. The Secretary of Agriculture or Interior can then use this private funding to hire pre-approved contractors for the reviews, and repay the funders from project revenues if possible. The bill requires annual lists of eligible contractors and expires in 2033. It directly affects rural communities developing projects, federal land managers, and private contractors.

Maddy summaryThe Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act would expand the recreation area to include specific lands and waters in Oregon, directly affecting management of these areas and communities and tribes in the affected regions. It designates 24 river segments in Oregon as "wild" or "recreational" under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, with detailed descriptions of each segment's location and length. The bill requires a 5-year study of the expanded area, including assessments of natural values like streams, wetlands, and plant species, followed by management plan revisions to protect these values. It also includes provisions for tribal access to cultural sites and maintains existing protections under the Northwest Forest Plan and Roadless Rule for the expanded area.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends over 30 sections of the Internal Revenue Code to replace gendered language like "husband and wife" with gender-neutral terms such as "married couple" or "spouses." It directly affects all married taxpayers by ensuring the tax code refers to married couples in inclusive language, regardless of gender. The key mechanism is updating specific tax code provisions to use neutral terminology throughout, including changing "his spouse" to "the individual's spouse" in numerous sections. This is a technical correction to modernize the language of the tax code, not a change to tax rates, deductions, or policy. The bill does not alter tax obligations or benefits for married couples.

Maddy summarySRES 282 is a non-binding Senate resolution recognizing June 2023 as "LGBTQ Pride Month" to honor the contributions and resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals across the United States. It does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges historical challenges faced by the LGBTQ community, including discrimination, hate crimes (such as the Pulse and Club Q shootings), and barriers to equality in employment, healthcare, and housing. The resolution encourages all Americans to learn about the LGBTQ community's history of struggle and achievement during June 2023. Introduced by 44 bipartisan senators, it serves as a symbolic gesture of support without altering any legal rights or obligations.

Maddy summarySRES 276 is a non-binding Senate resolution opposing state laws that criminalize or punish individuals for seeking or providing essential health care, including abortion, contraception, and gender-affirming care. It specifically condemns state actions that penalize people for pregnancy outcomes (such as miscarriages or self-managed abortions) and criminalize health care providers who support access to these services. The resolution affirms that people should access sexual and reproductive health care without fear of legal repercussions and notes that such criminalization disproportionately impacts marginalized groups, including people of color, low-income individuals, and LGBTQI+ people. As a formal statement of Senate opposition, it does not change existing laws but highlights concerns raised by medical and human rights organizations.

Maddy summarySRES 274 is a non-binding Senate resolution expressing the chamber's commitment to achieving zero traffic fatalities by 2050. It calls on Congress and the Department of Transportation to adopt a "safe systems approach" focusing on data-driven policies, improved crash data collection, and addressing safety disparities affecting communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. The resolution specifically urges federal agencies to replace the term "accident" with "crash" in official communications and prioritize proven safety countermeasures like speed management and vehicle safety technologies. It does not create new laws but sets a goal and outlines policy priorities for federal transportation agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans the provision and advertising of conversion therapy for compensation, targeting therapists, clinics, and anyone offering paid services claiming to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. It prohibits advertising that falsely claims such therapy is harmless, effective, or without risk, and makes it unlawful to profit from these practices. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general through civil actions. The law directly affects providers of paid conversion therapy while protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from potentially harmful and ineffective treatments.

Maddy summaryThe Pollinator-Friendly Plant Labeling Act establishes a voluntary USDA certification program for plants that support pollinators like bees and butterflies. Producers (nurseries or farmers) can apply for certification if their living plants are native to the U.S., known to provide habitat and forage for pollinators, and grown without pesticides restricted in organic farming. To be labeled as "USDA pollinator-friendly," plants must meet these criteria and display specific labeling details, including the plant’s scientific name, native region, producer name, and a warning against pesticide use. The program uses existing organic law enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance, without overriding state or federal plant protection programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an Office for Gender Equity within the Department of Education to support schools and colleges in fully implementing Title IX. It authorizes $160 million annually to fund grants for educational entities to develop programs addressing gender equity gaps in athletics, STEM fields, career education, and campus safety. The bill provides training and resources for Title IX coordinators and "Title IX allies" to address sex discrimination, with specific attention to students facing discrimination based on multiple characteristics like race and gender. It also requires the Department to research and share evidence-based best practices for reducing sex discrimination in education.