Sen. Joni Ernst

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to prevent, detect, and respond to foreign animal diseases like foot-and-mouth disease. It allocates $233 million annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation for fiscal years 2024-2028, broken into specific amounts: $10 million for prevention, $70 million for surveillance, and $153 million for rapid response. These funds directly support USDA’s animal health programs, benefiting livestock producers, agricultural markets, and food safety systems by strengthening disease preparedness. The bill updates previous funding levels and timeframes from the 2019-2023 period to cover the next five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes key restrictions on Medicare telehealth services for rural patients. It eliminates geographic limits on where telehealth can originate (allowing services from patients' homes starting January 2025), expands access to audio-only telehealth for specific services like behavioral health, and creates new payment rules for critical access hospitals and rural health clinics providing telehealth. These changes directly affect rural Medicare beneficiaries and healthcare providers in underserved areas by making telehealth more accessible and flexible. The policy changes take effect January 1, 2025, and apply to Medicare Part B services.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Thrift Savings Fund (TSP), which invests retirement savings for federal employees and retirees, from purchasing or holding any "security of concern." A "security of concern" includes stocks or investments tied to companies based in, or generating significant revenue from, countries identified as national security threats by the Director of National Intelligence. The rule bans these investments directly and through indirect methods like derivatives or mutual funds, with the TSP Executive Director required to consult the Securities and Exchange Commission biennially to ensure compliance. The policy change directly affects TSP investment options and participant retirement accounts.

Maddy summaryS.1667, the America’s CHILDREN Act of 2023, creates a pathway to permanent residency for certain college graduates who entered the U.S. as children under specific visa categories. It directly affects noncitizens who: (1) were lawfully present as dependent children of nonimmigrant workers (excluding H-1B, L-1, etc.) for at least 8 years, (2) maintained lawful presence for 10+ years total, and (3) graduated from a U.S. college or university. Key provisions include age-out protections for dependents who turn 21 while waiting for visas and retention of priority dates for visa processing. The bill modifies immigration law to allow eligible individuals to file for permanent residency without numerical limits, using the date a petition was filed as the basis for age determination. This applies to those whose parents held employment-based nonimmigrant status (e.g., E-1, E-2, O-1), not tourist or student visas.

Maddy summaryThe Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act of 2023 requires the Department of Defense to develop a strategy within 120 days to disrupt fentanyl trafficking by improving coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement, enhancing surveillance and intelligence sharing across borders, and strengthening international cooperation with Mexico and Canada. The strategy must detail how the Department will use existing authorities to monitor trafficking routes, train law enforcement, and build partner country capabilities to dismantle fentanyl production and distribution networks. The bill also mandates reports on past reimbursements for Department of Defense support to border law enforcement and on efforts to improve security cooperation with Mexico’s defense officials.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 23) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The rule, published in the Federal Register on June 24, 2022, established regulations for listing endangered/threatened species and designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. If passed, this resolution would nullify that rule, preventing it from having legal effect. The bill directly affects how the National Marine Fisheries Service implements species protection under federal law.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 213) expresses the U.S. Senate's support for designating May 2023 as "Renewable Fuels Month." It recognizes renewable fuels' role in reducing carbon emissions, lowering consumer fuel prices, supporting rural communities, and decreasing reliance on foreign energy sources. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges these benefits through symbolic recognition. It directly affects no specific group or policy, serving only as a statement of support.

Maddy summaryThe EARN IT Act of 2023 establishes a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention to develop voluntary best practices for interactive computer services (such as social media platforms and messaging apps) to prevent, reduce, and respond to online child sexual exploitation. The Commission will create recommended practices considering different platform sizes and business models, including content moderation, reporting systems, and age verification measures. The bill updates federal law to replace the term "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" across numerous statutes and technical amendments. These best practices would be voluntary for platforms to adopt, not mandatory requirements, and must be supported by at least 14 of the Commission's 19 members. The Commission's recommendations will be updated every 5 years and published by the Department of Justice.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Defense Secretary to survey U.S. aircraft shelters across the Indo-Pacific (including in the First, Second, and Third Island Chains) that are critical for responding to potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan but lack upgrades to withstand missile or drone attacks. Within 120 days of enactment, a classified report must identify these shelters, followed by a 60-day plan to implement protective improvements. The legislation directly affects U.S. military aviation assets in the region by mandating specific infrastructure upgrades to enhance aircraft survivability during attacks. It focuses solely on procedural defense planning, with no funding or policy changes beyond the survey and improvement plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal executive agencies to return to their pre-pandemic telework policies by December 31, 2019, effectively ending widespread remote work arrangements established during the COVID-19 emergency. It directly affects all federal employees in executive agencies by limiting remote work options until agencies submit a detailed study to Congress analyzing telework impacts on mission performance, costs (like underused office space and incorrect pay classifications), and employee productivity tools. Agencies must then submit a plan to expand telework, which the Office of Personnel Management must certify will improve mission performance, reduce costs, and ensure secure remote work capabilities before any changes can take effect. The law prohibits agencies from expanding telework until this study, plan, and certification process is completed.