Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to allow employers to claim a work opportunity tax credit for hiring spouses of active-duty military members. It adds "qualified military spouse" as a new category for the credit, defined as an individual certified by a local agency as married to a military service member at the time of hire. Employers who hire such individuals after the bill's enactment date can claim this credit for their wages. The change directly affects employers seeking tax incentives and military spouses seeking employment opportunities. The provision applies to hiring that occurs after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThe Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2023 establishes a nonprofit Foundation for Digital Equity to promote digital inclusion, broadband adoption, and digital literacy, particularly for underserved communities including rural populations, Tribal communities, and older individuals. The Foundation will operate through a Board of Directors with government agency representatives and community stakeholders, and can award grants, establish for-profit subsidiaries to attract investment, and collaborate with federal agencies like the FCC and NTIA. It must submit strategic plans and annual reports detailing its activities, funding sources, and progress toward increasing access to affordable broadband, digital literacy training, and technology resources. The bill authorizes funding for the Foundation's establishment and operations beginning in fiscal year 2024.

Maddy summaryS 617, the COAST Anti-Drilling Act, prohibits the federal government from issuing oil and gas leases in four specific offshore areas: the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas. The bill amends federal law to require the Secretary of the Interior to deny all permits for exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or minerals in these regions. This directly affects oil and gas companies seeking to operate in those federal waters and aims to prevent offshore drilling activities in these coastal zones.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain public-sector retirees. It eliminates the government pension offset (GPO), which currently cuts Social Security checks for people with government pensions, and removes the windfall elimination provision (WEP), which reduces benefits for those with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security. The changes directly affect public employees (like teachers, firefighters, and state/local government workers) who have pensions from jobs that didn't pay into Social Security. The bill takes effect for Social Security benefits paid after December 2023, restoring full benefits for eligible retirees.

Maddy summaryThe Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act (S 598) would repeal the Tiahrt Amendments, which currently require background check records to be destroyed within 24 hours and prohibit federal requirements for annual inventory audits of gun shops. By removing these restrictions, the bill would allow law enforcement to retain background check records, conduct regular inventory checks of firearms dealers, and make ATF firearm trace data more accessible for research on gun trafficking. This change directly affects federal agencies (like ATF), state/local law enforcement, gun dealers, and researchers studying gun violence patterns. The bill aims to improve tracking of illegal firearms and inform evidence-based policy decisions, without altering gun laws or ownership rights.

Maddy summaryThe Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act prohibits "reverse payment" settlements where brand-name drug companies pay generic competitors to delay market entry, treating such agreements as anticompetitive violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The bill empowers the FTC to enforce these rules through civil penalties that can reach up to three times the value transferred in the settlement and allows for the forfeiture of a generic company's 180-day exclusivity period if they violate the new law. It also requires executives to certify that all settlement documents filed with regulators are complete and accurate, including any related oral agreements or contingent conditions. These provisions apply to both traditional generic drugs and biosimilar biological products to ensure that patent disputes do not unduly restrict consumer access to lower-cost alternatives.

Maddy summaryS 148, the Stop STALLING Act, targets pharmaceutical companies that file sham petitions to delay generic drug approvals. It authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to penalize companies submitting objectively baseless petitions under FDA drug approval processes, which are deemed to interfere with competitors' business. Penalties include up to $50,000 per day a sham petition was under review or revenue from drug sales during the delay. The bill directly affects brand-name drug manufacturers (who may file such petitions) and generic drug developers (who face delays), with enforcement triggered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services' determination of delay intent. It applies to petitions filed after enactment and does not alter existing antitrust laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study and report on practices in the pharmaceutical supply chain, focusing on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their impact on drug pricing. The FTC must submit an interim report within 180 days and a full report within one year, examining issues like whether PBMs steer patients to pharmacies they own, use proprietary data for competitive advantage, or design formularies to favor higher-cost drugs. The reports will also assess competition in the supply chain, legal barriers to enforcement, and the FTC’s ability to address anticompetitive behavior by drug manufacturers. The goal is to identify transparency gaps and recommend policy changes to improve competition and ensure consumers benefit from cost savings.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 85), not a law. It formally congratulates the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) on its 85th anniversary and commends the union and its members for their service. The resolution highlights NTEU's history of advocating for federal employees, including securing civil service protections and promoting workplace policies like telework. It does not create new laws, affect any policies, or change government operations - it is solely a symbolic gesture of recognition.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 6-10, 2023, as "National School Counseling Week" in the U.S. Senate. It symbolically recognizes the role of school counselors in supporting students' academic, social, and emotional development. The resolution encourages public awareness of counselors' contributions to student success and school safety but does not create new policies, funding, or requirements. It directly affects school counselors and communities by highlighting their work during this designated week.