Maddy summaryS 2051, the Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023, reauthorizes the Missing Children's Assistance Act through fiscal year 2028 with increased annual funding of $49.3 million. The bill updates definitions to use "child sexual abuse material" instead of "child pornography" and expands the CyberTipline's capabilities to help locate missing children and address child exploitation. It requires grantees to report on children missing from state-sponsored care, including those likely victims of sex trafficking, and provides new resources for internet safety education to prevent online child exploitation. This legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies, child welfare systems, and organizations working to protect children from abduction and exploitation.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe American Business for American Companies Act of 2024 prohibits federal agencies from awarding civilian and defense contracts to "inverted domestic corporations" - foreign entities that acquired a US company after May 2014 and where former US shareholders hold more than 50% of the stock. The bill requires that for contracts over $10 million (excluding purely commercial items), prime contractors cannot subcontract more than 10% of work to such entities, with penalties including contract termination for violations. Exceptions exist for national security needs or health programs, requiring agencies to notify Congress within 14 days of granting a waiver. The bill defines "inverted domestic corporations" to include entities with significant US business activities, such as having at least 25% of employees, compensation, assets, or income located in the United States.
Maddy summaryThe Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act would establish key labor protections for domestic workers, including nannies, housekeepers, and personal care aides, who are predominantly women of color and immigrants. The bill requires written agreements between employers and workers, provides earned sick days for health and family needs, ensures fair scheduling practices, and protects against wage theft and retaliation. It also extends overtime protections to live-in domestic employees and includes privacy rights, meal and rest breaks, and anti-discrimination protections. The legislation creates a Domestic Employee Standards Board to recommend workplace standards and establishes a National Domestic Employee Hotline to assist workers with their rights.
Maddy summarySRES 729 is a symbolic Senate resolution recognizing African Americans' foundational contributions to U.S. musical genres like jazz, blues, gospel, and hip-hop, while highlighting disparities in music education access for African-American students. It designates June 2024 as "African-American Music Appreciation Month" to celebrate this heritage and emphasize the need for culturally relevant music programs in schools. The resolution cites data showing African-American students in predominantly Black schools are less likely to participate in music education and score lower in arts assessments. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise awareness about historical contributions and current educational gaps.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates May 2024 as "ALS Awareness Month" to highlight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes ALS patients, caregivers, and advocates. The resolution affirms the Senate's commitment to supporting access to treatments, advancing research, reducing financial burdens, and ensuring quality care for those affected. It directly affects the ALS community in the U.S., including patients, families, and organizations working toward treatments and cures.
Maddy summaryThe Restoring Justice for Workers Act (S 4502) bans employment contracts that force workers to give up their right to join collective legal actions for workplace disputes before any issue arises. It prohibits employers from requiring workers to sign predispute arbitration agreements (those signed before a problem occurs) and makes postdispute agreements (signed after a dispute) valid only if workers receive clear written disclosures, have a 45-day waiting period before signing, provide written consent, and face no retaliation for refusing. The bill directly affects all workers - including independent contractors - and covered entities (employers or organizations hiring workers), protecting their right to seek joint, class, or collective legal remedies. It amends the National Labor Relations Act to explicitly forbid agreements that block collective action or retaliate against workers who refuse arbitration, ensuring workers can pursue justice without fear of losing their jobs.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Victims of Crime Act to add two new sources of funding for the Crime Victims Fund: (1) money from declined criminal prosecutions (not resulting in conviction), and (2) certain False Claims Act recoveries from 2024 through 2029. It specifically excludes payments to lawsuit whistleblowers (qui tam plaintiffs) and government reimbursements for damages under the False Claims Act from being deposited into the fund. The changes directly affect the Crime Victims Fund, which provides critical support for victim services like counseling and legal aid. These adjustments aim to increase the fund's resources by adding these specific revenue streams while maintaining existing exclusions for certain False Claims Act payments.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates the legal definition of "post office" in U.S. law to explicitly include Postal Service acceptance, processing, shipping, delivery, distribution, and other supporting facilities. It directly affects the Postal Service's operational infrastructure by expanding the scope of facilities covered under existing provisions. The key mechanism is amending Section 404(d) of Title 39 to replace "post office" with this broader description throughout the section. This change ensures all facilities supporting postal operations - beyond just traditional post offices - are included in relevant legal protections and regulations. The bill is procedural, focusing on clarifying existing law rather than creating new policies.
Maddy summaryS 4381, the Right to Contraception Act, establishes a federal statutory right for individuals to access contraceptives and contraception services without government interference, directly affecting people seeking care, healthcare providers (like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists), and state governments. It prohibits states or the federal government from implementing laws that restrict access to contraceptives, hinder providers from offering services, or single out contraceptive care for special restrictions. The bill preempts conflicting state laws and creates legal avenues for individuals or providers to sue to block violations, with courts required to invalidate such restrictive laws. It explicitly does not alter existing requirements for health insurance coverage of contraceptives under federal law.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program allowing state and local law enforcement agencies to hire retired federal law enforcement officers for specific non-sworn tasks like homicide investigations, forensics analysis, and computer network expertise. Agencies receiving grants must train civilian staff on these tasks and use retired officers to perform them. The bill includes strict accountability rules, requiring annual audits by the Justice Department's Inspector General, excluding agencies with unresolved audit findings for two years, and prioritizing applicants with clean audit histories. It also mandates reporting to Congress if multiple similar grants are awarded to the same agency. The program directly affects state/local police departments and retired federal officers who would be rehired under this initiative.