Sen. Brian Schatz

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Equal COLA Act (S 624), equalizes cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for federal retirees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). It directly affects current and future FERS retirees, who currently receive less favorable COLAs than CSRS retirees. The key provision amends federal law to apply the same annual COLA calculation method - based on the previous year's price index change - to both systems, effective December 1 each year. This change ensures FERS annuities receive the same adjustment percentage as CSRS annuities, regardless of when the annuity began. The bill applies to all affected annuities commencing before, on, or after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the National Mesonet Program to enhance weather and flood forecasting by expanding environmental data collection. It directly affects state and local governments, agricultural businesses, and private weather monitoring networks by requiring them to share soil moisture, weather, and water data through upgraded local sensor networks. Key provisions include funding 15% of annual program funds to help states and private entities build or improve monitoring stations, prioritizing remote or underserved areas, and mandating annual congressional briefings on progress. The law aims to improve forecast accuracy for severe weather, droughts, and agricultural planning by integrating more real-time environmental data into federal systems like the National Weather Service.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the Department of Justice to coordinate federal efforts addressing gun violence. The Office, led by a Director appointed by the Attorney General, will integrate existing Justice Department programs (like background checks and victim services), evaluate their effectiveness, identify data gaps, and develop evidence-based recommendations for Congress and the President. It will also conduct public education campaigns on safe firearm storage and suicide prevention, assist communities after gun violence incidents (such as mass shootings), and coordinate with other federal agencies including Health and Human Services and Education. The Office must issue annual reports detailing gun violence trends and policy recommendations, supported by an Advisory Council including survivors, public health officials, and community representatives.

Maddy summaryThe Age 21 Act (S 597) would prohibit individuals under 21 years old from purchasing certain firearms and related items. The bill specifically targets semiautomatic assault weapons, certain pistols, shotguns, and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices by amending Section 922 of Title 18. It defines detailed categories of firearms that would be covered, including specific models like AR-15s and AK-47s, as well as features like detachable magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. The bill would require sellers to verify that buyers are at least 21 years old for these specific firearms and ammunition types. This would directly affect young adults aged 18-20 who would no longer be able to purchase these defined firearms.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for critical access hospitals (CAHs) located in noncontiguous states (like Alaska or Hawaii) to 105% for specific services, up from the current 101%. It directly affects CAHs in these states by raising payments for inpatient care, outpatient services, ambulance transport, and skilled nursing facility services starting January 1, 2026. The key mechanism amends existing Social Security Act provisions to insert the higher 105% rate for services provided by CAHs in noncontiguous states. This policy change aims to address cost disparities for rural healthcare providers in geographically isolated areas.

Maddy summaryThe Ensuring Outpatient Quality for Rural States Act (S 551) adjusts Medicare payments for outpatient hospital services in Alaska and Hawaii to address their higher operating costs. Starting in 2026, it allows the government to modify the non-labor portion of payment rates (covering expenses like rent and equipment) for these states, similar to adjustments made elsewhere. The bill specifies these changes should not be budget neutral, meaning they won’t be offset by cuts to other Medicare payments. It directly affects Medicare-certified hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii providing outpatient care.

Maddy summaryS 553, the SOLES Act, requires increased Medicare payments for sole community hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii. If a hospital's payment under Medicare's outpatient system is less than 94% of its reasonable costs, the payment must be raised to cover the shortfall. This directly affects the 11 sole community hospitals in these states that are the only providers of acute care in their communities. The bill mandates that these extra payments don't count toward budget neutrality rules or affect patient copayments, and requires the Secretary to issue implementing regulations within six months of enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Carried Interest Fairness Act of 2025 would change how investment fund managers are taxed on their "carried interest" - the share of profits they earn for managing investment funds. Currently, this is often taxed at lower capital gains rates, but the bill would require it to be taxed as ordinary income instead. It creates new rules for "investment services partnership interests" and specifies that gains and losses from these interests must be treated as ordinary income or loss. The bill directly affects investment fund managers and aims to align their tax treatment more closely with how other business income is taxed.

Protecting Sensitive Locations Act This bill prohibits immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a sensitive location except in exigent circumstances, such as the imminent risk of death, violence, or physical harm to any person. Sensitive locations include  health care facilities; schools and school bus stops; places that provide assistance for people such as children, pregnant women, and abuse victims; child care facilities; places that provide disaster or emergency services; places of worship; courthouses and lawyers’ offices; facilities used as polling places; certain labor union facilities; and public assistance offices. The prohibition shall apply to Department of Homeland Security officers and agents, as well as state employees pursuing immigration enforcement actions. If an enforcement action is carried out in violation of this prohibition (1) no information resulting from the action may be entered into the record in a resulting removal proceeding, and (2) the affected individual may move to immediately terminate such a proceeding. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall annually report to Congress about enforcement actions taken at sensitive locations in the preceding year.

Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2025 This bill exempts from immigrant visa limitations the children of certain individuals who were naturalized due to their military service during World War II. Specifically, this applies to the children of veterans who served honorably during World War II in the U.S. Armed Forces or in Filipino military units such as the Philippine Army, Philippine Scouts, or recognized guerilla units.