Sen. Joni Ernst

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act (S 1375) changes how health insurance plans calculate patient cost-sharing. It requires that discounts, financial assistance, or third-party payments (like drug manufacturer coupons) count toward a patient’s deductible, copayment, or out-of-pocket limit. This directly affects individuals enrolled in group or individual health insurance plans who receive such assistance. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act and Affordable Care Act to ensure these payments reduce the actual out-of-pocket costs patients face, rather than being treated as separate expenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1361) amends the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to authorize the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to fund floodplain easement restoration and management. It directly affects landowners who hold existing floodplain easements under current programs by enabling USDA to provide financial and technical assistance for restoring natural plant cover and wetland functions on those lands. Key provisions include authorizing the Secretary to restore hydrologic functions (natural water flow and wetland health) and granting them sole discretion to negotiate management agreements with landowners or groups for maintaining restored areas. The bill does not change landowner obligations but adds new USDA responsibilities for long-term floodplain ecosystem health.

Maddy summaryThe College Transparency Act requires the development of a new, secure data system to collect and share detailed, aggregate information about college students' enrollment, progression, costs, financial aid, and post-graduation outcomes like earnings and employment. This system will make publicly accessible, non-personally identifiable information through an easy-to-use website to help students and families make informed college decisions. Institutions participating in federal student aid programs must submit data to the system, while the bill prohibits collecting sensitive information like health data, discipline records, or exact addresses. The law also includes strong privacy protections, requires data minimization, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or selling it to third parties. The system aims to reduce reporting burdens on institutions while improving transparency about college outcomes.

Securing our Border Act This bill addresses issues concerning border security and immigration, including by transferring funds from the Internal Revenue Service to certain border-related projects. Specifically, the bill transfers certain funds previously appropriated for tax enforcement activities (e.g., collecting owed taxes and conducting criminal investigations) to fund (1) nonintrusive inspection systems along the northern border and southwest border of the United States, and (2) the construction of a border wall system along the southwest border. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to pay recruitment, retention, and relocation bonuses, subject to various requirements and limitations. For example, a relocation bonus may not exceed 15% of the agent's annual basic bay and must be conditioned on the agent agreeing to serve for at least three years at the new duty station. The bill also modifies the treatment of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) arriving by land from a country next to the United States. Specifically, if such an individual is not clearly entitled to admission into the United States, the Department of Justice must (1) return the individual to that neighboring country or a safe third country while removal proceedings are pending, or (2) detain the individual while the individual's asylum application is under consideration. (Current law authorizes DOJ to return the individual to the neighboring country but does not require such action or detention.)

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 25) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific Department of Labor rule regarding wage rates for H-2A agricultural workers. It targets the rule published in the Federal Register (88 Fed. Reg. 12760) that established a methodology for calculating "Adverse Effect Wage Rates" (AEWR) for temporary H-2A nonimmigrant workers in non-range occupations. If passed, the resolution would block this rule from taking effect, directly affecting agricultural employers who rely on H-2A visas and the workers themselves by preventing the implementation of the new wage calculation method. The resolution does not create new policy but aims to halt an existing rule through the congressional disapproval process under U.S. Code.

Maddy summaryThis bill blocks federal funding for new transit or rail projects that either exceed their original budget by at least $1 billion or project operational costs to consistently outpace rider revenue by more than $1 billion annually over the next decade. It directly affects transit agencies and local governments seeking federal grants for rail or transit projects. The law prevents the Transportation Secretary from approving new funding for projects meeting either financial threshold, aiming to stop projects deemed financially unsustainable. It does not create new programs but restricts federal assistance based on specific cost and revenue metrics.

Maddy summaryThe Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act (S 1237) would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exclude specific family-owned assets from being counted when calculating a student's financial need for federal aid. It directly affects students from families owning a farm where they reside or a small business (with 100 or fewer full-time employees) that is family-controlled. The bill adds explicit exemptions for these assets in the financial aid formula, removing their value from asset calculations. This change would increase eligibility for need-based aid like Pell Grants for affected students without altering other aid program rules.

Maddy summaryS 1228, the Coin Metal Modification Authorization and Cost Savings Act of 2023, allows the U.S. Mint Director to change the metal makeup of circulating coins if a study shows it will reduce taxpayer costs while keeping coins the same size, weight, and compatible with existing coin acceptors. It directly affects the U.S. Mint (which would implement changes) and coin manufacturers/stakeholders who might be impacted by composition shifts. Key provisions require the Mint to conduct a study with industry input, certify changes meet cost-saving and seamless criteria, and provide Congress 90 days' notice before implementation, during which Congress could block changes via disapproval resolution. The bill focuses on procedural cost savings for the federal government without altering coin functionality or public use.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 10) seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding reproductive health services for veterans. It requests Congress disapprove the rule (published September 2022) under a process in federal law that allows Congress to halt agency regulations. If approved, the VA rule would be nullified and could not take effect, meaning the VA could not enforce its provisions on reproductive health services for veterans. The bill directly affects the implementation of this VA policy for veterans receiving care at VA facilities.

Maddy summarySRES 120 is a ceremonial Senate resolution designating March 23, 2023, as "National Women in Agriculture Day." It recognizes the significant contributions of women in U.S. agriculture, citing that they represent over one-third of agricultural producers and generated $148 billion in sales in 2017. The resolution encourages citizens to acknowledge women in the field and supports their roles as producers, educators, mentors, and leaders. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or funding but aims to highlight their impact on the agricultural workforce and food systems.