Sen. Michael F. Bennet

Maddy summaryThe Washington, D.C. Admission Act would admit Washington, D.C. as a new state called "Washington, Douglass Commonwealth," granting it full representation with two U.S. Senators and one U.S. Representative. The bill would establish the new state's boundaries, with the area serving as the seat of government (the "Capital") remaining under federal jurisdiction for specific purposes. It would repeal the District of Columbia's congressional delegate position and its participation in presidential elections, while providing for a transition period overseen by a Statehood Transition Commission to handle the shift from district to state governance.

Maddy summaryThe VALOR Act of 2025 establishes criteria for determining when a democratically elected government is in power in Venezuela, requiring free and fair elections with international observer oversight, respect for human rights, and the release of political prisoners. The bill authorizes U.S. sanctions against the Maduro regime, including blocking transactions involving Venezuelan debt instruments, cryptocurrency, and government property, while prohibiting support for nondemocratic governments. It also creates mechanisms for U.S. assistance to Venezuelans under a democratically elected government, including humanitarian aid and support for democratic institutions, with specific reporting requirements for sanctions and assistance programs. The sanctions remain in place until the President certifies a democratically elected government is in power, at which point the U.S. would work to terminate sanctions and coordinate international support for Venezuela's transition.

Maddy summaryThe Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2024 would establish a federal commission to investigate and document the historical impacts of Indian boarding school policies on American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. The Commission would hold public hearings for survivors, families, and tribal representatives, work to locate unmarked graves and document records from these schools, and develop recommendations for healing and preventing similar practices today. It would include 10 diverse members representing tribal communities, experts in boarding school history, and healing practitioners, with an Advisory Committee composed of tribal organizations and survivors. The Commission would issue an initial report within three years and a final report within five years, making recommendations for federal action to address historical trauma and support mental health and cultural healing. This bill focuses on documenting the government's role in cultural termination and developing concrete steps for acknowledgment and healing.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands a tax credit for manufacturers by redefining "advanced manufacturing facility" to specifically include facilities producing semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, or essential materials for those products. It directly affects semiconductor manufacturers and related suppliers by making them eligible for the expanded investment tax credit under the Internal Revenue Code. The key provision amends existing tax code language to clarify this scope, aligning with the CHIPS Act of 2022. The changes take effect as if they were part of the CHIPS Act.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 895) commemorates the second anniversary of the November 2022 mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ bar in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It formally recognizes the attack that killed 5 people (Raymond Green Vance, Ashley Paugh, Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, and Derrick Rump) and injured 17 others, while expressing the Senate's solidarity with survivors, families, and the Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ community. As a symbolic gesture with no policy changes, the resolution serves to honor the victims and affirm support for the community's healing efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes Innovation Grants to support evidence-based programs that improve access, retention, and completion rates for high-need students in higher education. It defines high-need students broadly to include first-generation college students, low-income students, students of color, working students, adult learners, and students with disabilities. The grants operate in three phases: early-phase for developing new programs, mid-phase for evaluating promising programs, and expansion-phase for scaling proven programs. Recipients must conduct rigorous evaluations measuring outcomes like degree completion, remedial course enrollment, and post-graduation employment and earnings. The bill also authorizes "pay for success initiatives" where funding is tied to achieving specific outcomes, with requirements for public reporting of results.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the existing Colorado River Basin System Conservation Pilot Program by updating its expiration dates. It revises the program's authorization to run through 2026 (instead of 2024) and extends the deadline for program implementation to 2027 (instead of 2025). The bill does not create new conservation requirements or change how the pilot program operates - only prolongs the current timeline. It directly affects federal agencies and water management entities administering the pilot program in the Colorado River Basin.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Historic Greenwood District - Black Wall Street National Monument in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to preserve and interpret the history of the Greenwood District (known as "Black Wall Street") and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The monument, defined by a specific map, protects private property rights and allows the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land via donation, purchase, or exchange. It creates an 11-member Advisory Commission (including 7 descendants of 1921 residents, 3 preservation experts, and one appointed with Tulsa Mayor input) to advise on management. The bill ensures private property owners retain land use rights and zoning authority within or near the monument boundary.

Maddy summaryThe Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (S 3502) limits how consumer credit reports can be shared during mortgage applications. It prevents credit reporting agencies from sending these reports to third parties solely based on a mortgage-related request, unless the third party has the homebuyer's explicit authorization or is directly involved in the loan (like the mortgage lender, loan servicer, or their bank holding the homebuyer's account). This directly affects homebuyers applying for residential mortgages by restricting unauthorized sharing of their credit data. The bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to add these privacy protections without creating new government programs or altering existing mortgage processes.

Maddy summaryS 5546, the SMART Community Policing Act, amends federal funding rules to allow Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funds to support new mental health crisis response programs. It directly enables communities to establish mobile crisis teams (with mental health professionals and paramedics responding to 911 calls), co-responder teams (officers paired with clinicians), and case management teams for follow-up care. These programs aim to reduce police involvement in non-violent mental health crises, connect individuals to services, and decrease repeat emergency contacts. The bill changes how existing COPS funds can be used, focusing on community-based mental health support rather than law enforcement-led responses.