Sen. Joni Ernst

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 492) honoring the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter. It expresses the Senate's condolences for her passing and recognizes her lifetime of humanitarian work, including her advocacy for mental health care, founding of caregiver support programs, and service with The Carter Center. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is purely a commemorative statement. It was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators and adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides retroactive pay, benefits, and seniority for senior military officers (O-7 and above) whose promotions were delayed due to a suspension of Senate confirmation hearings starting in February 2023. It specifically applies to officers confirmed to their ranks between December 5 and December 31, 2023. The Secretary of Defense must pay retroactive compensation starting 30 days after the appointment was placed on the Senate Executive Calendar, use that date for seniority calculations, and waive any negative impacts from the confirmation delay. This addresses a specific backlog of promotions affected by the Senate's temporary suspension of its advice-and-consent process.

Maddy summaryThe DETERRENT Act requires colleges and universities to disclose foreign gifts and contracts worth $50,000 or more, including details about the foreign source, purpose, and value, with a public database for transparency. It establishes a waiver process for institutions seeking to contract with "foreign countries of concern" or "foreign entities of concern" while imposing fines up to 100-200% of investment value for non-compliance. The law primarily affects institutions receiving federal funds, particularly those with significant research funding, and mandates policies for faculty and staff regarding foreign gifts. It also requires interagency sharing of information with intelligence and law enforcement agencies to address potential national security concerns.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes specific roles within the Department of Defense to advance Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) capabilities, directly affecting DoD offices and combatant commands (prioritizing the Indo-Pacific Command). It assigns the Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Mission Capabilities to identify new technologies and run experiments, the Executive Director for Acquisition to manage cross-system integration, and the Chief Digital and AI Officer to develop software for battlefield data sharing and targeting. Key mechanisms include requiring regular congressional briefings (every 180 days until 2026) and mandating a 2024 report detailing plans to deploy a joint data integration layer in the Indo-Pacific Command and scale it across other combatant commands. The bill focuses on streamlining internal DoD processes for faster development and fielding of JADC2 systems, without creating new agencies or altering public programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax code to treat certain recreational trailers and campers the same as other vehicles for business financing purposes. It adds a specific definition to the tax code, including trailers or campers designed for temporary living (recreation, camping, or seasonal use) that are towed by or attached to a motor vehicle. This change directly affects RV dealerships and owners of qualifying vehicles by allowing them to use standard business financing tax rules. The policy change applies to tax years starting after December 31, 2022.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state and federal governments from denying contracts, funding, or licenses to child welfare service providers (including religious organizations and individuals) who decline to provide services conflicting with their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. It specifically protects providers from adverse actions like refusing to renew contracts or canceling funding when their religious objections prevent them from offering certain services, such as foster care placements or adoption assistance. The law allows affected providers to sue for violations and requires states that violate the law to forfeit 15% of their federal child welfare funding. It applies to all federally funded child welfare services under Title IV of the Social Security Act, covering services like foster care, adoption support, and family preservation.

Maddy summarySRES 470 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating November 16, 2023, as "National Rural Health Day." It commemorates rural communities' contributions to health care and acknowledges the unique challenges rural health providers and patients face, including access barriers and hospital closures. The resolution recognizes the efforts of rural health care workers and the millions they serve, while expressing a commitment to future policy improvements for rural health care. It does not create new laws, funding, or direct obligations - it serves solely as a formal acknowledgment of rural health issues.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 43) is a joint resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans. It targets a specific rule (88 Fed. Reg. 43820, July 10, 2023) affecting borrowers in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. If passed, the resolution would make this rule void, preventing it from taking effect. The resolution uses a specific procedural mechanism under Title 5 of U.S. Code to achieve this disapproval. It directly impacts student loan borrowers who rely on income-driven repayment options.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to certify service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) instead of allowing self-certification for federal contracts. It mandates that all prime contracts and subcontracts counting toward federal procurement goals for SDVOSBs must be awarded only to businesses certified by the SBA as meeting SDVOSB criteria. Existing self-certified SDVOSBs have one year from the bill’s enactment to apply for formal SBA certification; those who don’t apply will lose their self-certified status after that period.

Maddy summaryThe Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2023 (S 38) establishes the "Boots to Business Program" to provide entrepreneurship training to military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents. It directly affects eligible individuals, including active-duty personnel, those in Transition Assistance Programs, veterans with honorable discharges, and their families. The program offers online self-study courses, in-person classes, and business planning tools to help participants start small businesses, with materials integrated into existing Department of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs resources. Administered through the Small Business Administration until 2028, it requires annual reports tracking participation, completion rates, and outcomes like business startups.