Maddy summaryThe Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S 1448) modifies federal grant programs to prioritize organizations serving racial and ethnic minority communities for mental health funding, increasing annual grant allocations from $60 million to $80 million starting in 2026. It mandates a National Institutes of Health study within 9 months of enactment to identify mental health disparities in minority groups, assessing impacts of trauma and bias, and requires a report with specific recommendations. The bill also establishes new training requirements for health professionals (including social workers, psychologists, and counselors) to develop culturally competent practices addressing mental health disparities. Additionally, it authorizes $20 million annually for 2026-2031 to fund a public outreach strategy reducing stigma and promoting culturally appropriate mental health services, alongside $150 million yearly for NIH clinical research on health disparities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for home modifications for veterans with service-connected disabilities. It raises the maximum VA payment from $6,800 to $10,000 per modification, depending on when a veteran applied for benefits (before or after the law's enactment). The payment amount will adjust annually based on construction cost changes, and veterans can receive no more than three modifications total. The law directly affects disabled veterans needing home accessibility improvements under VA home health services.
Maddy summaryThis bill bans the commercial provision of conversion therapy - defined as paid attempts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity - as it is deemed ineffective and harmful. It directly affects therapists, clinics, and any commercial entity offering such services, while exempting gender transition support and non-discriminatory counseling. Key mechanisms include prohibiting paid conversion therapy, banning deceptive advertising (e.g., claiming it’s harmless), and empowering the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to enforce penalties. The law focuses on preventing fraud by stopping profit-driven practices with no scientific basis, aligning with professional consensus on the risks.
Maddy summarySRES 205 is a Senate resolution condemning President Donald J. Trump’s specific actions targeting press freedom, including accusing media outlets without evidence, excluding major news organizations from White House access, suing CBS News, and seeking to defund public broadcasters. It reaffirms that a free press is essential to democracy and government accountability, as protected by the First Amendment. The resolution calls on the executive branch to respect journalists’ rights, urges continued efforts to secure the release of 11 U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) journalists imprisoned abroad, and expresses solidarity with journalists facing threats. This is a symbolic statement, not a binding law, reflecting the Senate’s position on press freedom.
Maddy summaryThe PATCH Act modifies how Medicare calculates payment rates for physicians providing services in Hawaii starting January 1, 2026. It requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to set the work geographic index at a minimum of 1.5 for Hawaii, even if the calculated rate would be lower. This change directly affects physicians who bill Medicare for services in Hawaii by ensuring their reimbursement rates meet a specific threshold. The bill does not apply to other payment systems or states.
Maddy summarySRES 201 is a non-binding Senate resolution designating the week of May 4-10, 2025, as "National Small Business Week." It honors small businesses and entrepreneurs across all U.S. communities for their economic contributions, citing that small businesses support over 59 million jobs. The resolution recognizes their resilience and celebrates their role in strengthening local economies. This symbolic gesture, consistent with annual presidential proclamations since 1963, does not create new laws or affect any specific group through policy changes.
Maddy summarySRES 202 is a Senate resolution recognizing April 2025 as "Community College Month" to celebrate the role of U.S. community colleges. It highlights how over 1,000 community colleges - serving 10.2 million students - support affordable higher education, workforce training, and economic growth, citing their $898 billion annual economic impact. The resolution has no binding effect; it is a symbolic acknowledgment intended to honor these institutions' contributions to education and prosperity.
Maddy summaryThis resolution designates May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" to honor victims and support families. It calls on the public to commemorate affected individuals and demonstrates solidarity with their families. The resolution also recommends the Department of Justice commission a new study on the crisis, noting that a previous study (2016) is outdated. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or funding but aligns with existing efforts like Savanna’s Act.
Maddy summaryS.1601, the Journalist Protection Act, creates new federal criminal penalties for assaulting journalists during their work. It defines "journalist" broadly to include employees, contractors, or agents of news organizations (like newspapers, websites, TV/radio stations, or digital platforms) who regularly gather news about public interest matters. The bill makes it a crime to intentionally assault a journalist causing bodily injury (penalty: up to 3 years in prison) or serious bodily injury (penalty: up to 6 years in prison), specifically when the assault occurs while the journalist is gathering news or intended to intimidate their reporting. This directly affects journalists working across all media formats and anyone who assaults them under these defined circumstances.
Maddy summaryThis resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withdraw a March 2025 Federal Register notice (90 Fed. Reg. 11029) that proposed reducing public comment periods for HHS regulations. It seeks to restore the previous standard of public participation in rulemaking, which HHS had followed for 54 years under the Administrative Procedure Act. The resolution emphasizes that public input is critical for fair policy decisions affecting millions of Americans through HHS regulations, including those impacting beneficiaries, state governments, and health service providers. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses the Senate’s position but does not alter HHS policy.