Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Maddy summaryThis bill increases disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children of deceased veterans, effective December 1, 2025. The increases will match the percentage rise in Social Security benefits for that year, as determined under the Social Security Act. It directly affects veterans receiving disability payments and surviving family members eligible for survivor benefits under current law. The adjustment ensures these benefits keep pace with inflation, as required by the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment formula.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and private security personnel to handle breast milk, baby formula, and related cooling items (like ice packs) with proper hygiene during airport security screenings. It mandates that TSA issue updated hygiene guidelines within 90 days (and every five years) after enactment, developed with maternal health organizations, to minimize contamination risks. The bill also requires a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General audit within one year to assess compliance and evaluate how screening technologies impact the handling of these items. The policy directly affects traveling parents and caregivers transporting infant essentials.

Maddy summarySRES 513 is a non-binding Senate resolution designating November 22, 2025, as National Adoption Day and all of November 2025 as National Adoption Month. It aims to promote public awareness of adoption, particularly for children in foster care awaiting permanent families, and encourages Americans to support adoption efforts. The resolution directly affects the public, adoption agencies, and foster care systems by formally recognizing these dates for nationwide awareness campaigns. It does not create new laws or policies but seeks to highlight existing adoption opportunities and the need for stable homes for children.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 511) is a symbolic Senate measure supporting Transgender Day of Remembrance. It recognizes the epidemic of violence against transgender people in the U.S., specifically memorializing 27 transgender or gender nonconforming individuals killed between October 2024 and September 2025. The resolution emphasizes the disproportionate impact of violence on transgender women of color and calls for addressing this crisis, though it does not create new laws or policies. It directly affects the transgender community by affirming their lives and safety as a national priority.

Maddy summaryThis bill caps interest rates at 6% for servicemembers who consolidate or refinance student loans they took out *before* joining the military, during their active duty service. It directly affects active-duty service members (and their spouses jointly) who use consolidation or refinancing to manage pre-service student debt. The key provision limits interest rates on these specific consolidation/refinancing actions to 6% for the duration of military service, while excluding other debts. The bill defines "student loan" to include both federal loans under the Higher Education Act and private loans meeting Truth in Lending Act standards. This is a concrete interest rate change for a specific type of military-related debt consolidation.

Maddy summaryThe Healthy MOM Act (S 3274) would require health insurance plans to provide a special enrollment period for pregnant individuals beginning when pregnancy is reported to the insurer. It mandates that group health plans cover maternity care for dependents regardless of age, including labor and delivery, and extends Medicaid eligibility during pregnancy and postpartum. The bill requires 12 months of continuous coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals under Medicaid and CHIP, replacing the current 60-day postpartum coverage period. These provisions aim to improve access to maternity care for women, particularly those from communities disproportionately affected by maternal mortality, such as Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women. The changes would apply to plan years beginning January 1, 2027, with some provisions having earlier effective dates for certain programs.

Maddy summaryS 3267, the ASAP Act, would require Medicare to cover early detection screening tests for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias starting January 1, 2028. The bill defines these tests as FDA-cleared or approved blood, genomic, or imaging-based screenings for pre-symptomatic or early-stage detection. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries aged 65+ who may be at risk for Alzheimer's, ensuring coverage for these specific tests once approved. The key provision adds these screenings to Medicare's payment system under Section 1833(h)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits child welfare agencies receiving federal funding from discriminating against children, youth, or prospective foster and adoptive parents based on religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or marital status. It requires agencies to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity of children in foster care and their prospective parents, and establishes a National Resource Center to improve services for LGBTQ youth. The bill also provides a private right to sue for individuals who experience discrimination and mandates cultural competency training for agency staff. It affects all state child welfare systems receiving federal funds, requiring compliance within one year of enactment. The legislation specifically aims to address the overrepresentation of LGBTQ youth in foster care and improve outcomes for this population.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals sections 10101 through 10108 of the 2025 Farm Bill (Public Law 119-21) and restores the previous law that existed before those sections were enacted. It directly affects food security programs for American families and farmers by reverting to the prior provisions of the Farm Bill. The key mechanism is a simple repeal and restoration of pre-existing law, without creating new programs or altering current funding structures.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 506) symbolically honors Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy murdered in a hate crime on October 14, 2023, after being stabbed 26 times by a perpetrator convicted of hate crimes. It recognizes his death as a result of anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim bias, condemns dehumanizing rhetoric that fuels hate violence, and affirms the Senate's stance against hate crimes, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian discrimination. The resolution has no binding policy or funding provisions - it serves solely as a commemorative statement acknowledging the victim and condemning the hate-driven violence.