Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 902) honoring the late Senator Timothy Peter Johnson of South Dakota, who died after a long career in public service. The resolution expresses the Senate's "profound sorrow" over his death, directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with the House and send a copy to his family, and calls for the Senate to adjourn in his memory. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, as it is purely a formal expression of respect for a former senator. The resolution commemorates his decades of service, including his time as Chairman of the Banking Committee and his return to work after a serious health setback.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a FEMA pilot program to provide grants to 12 U.S. cities (with populations over 50,000) for developing and sharing improved flood risk maps focused on urban flooding. The maps will show specific building-level flood risks from heavy rain and climate change, and must be made publicly available online for homeowners and businesses to help them reduce flood damage. Participating cities must complete the mapping within 18 months and report results, with grants covering up to 75% of costs. The program aims to empower communities with clearer flood risk data for better preparedness and mitigation planning.

Maddy summaryBill S 5389, the CBP Guidance on Personal Belongings Act, requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to create new guidelines for handling personal property of individuals detained by CBP. The guidelines mandate that CBP allow detainees to keep essential medical items (like prescription eyewear, prosthetics, and medications), documents, phones, and other personal property where feasible, and return stored items upon release. CBP must provide written receipts for stored property, follow specific protocols for medical needs, and prohibit discarding essential items without justification. The bill also requires annual reports to Congress on discarded essential property and CBP compliance with the new guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special study of the Cahokia Mounds area in Illinois and Missouri. The study will evaluate the site's national significance, assess if it should become a National Park System unit, and consider other preservation options for the area including satellite sites like Mitchell Mound and Sugarloaf Mound. The Secretary must consult with relevant government entities and organizations, then submit a report to Congress within one year. The study will use existing National Park Service funds and does not create new federal land acquisition or management.

Maddy summarySRES 901 is a non-binding Senate resolution supporting Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence against transgender people in the U.S. It memorializes 38 transgender individuals, including transgender women of color, who were killed between October 2023 and September 2024. The resolution affirms the need for solutions to this violence while upholding the dignity of all transgender people. As a symbolic measure, it does not enact new policies or laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that individuals can seek compensatory damages for emotional harm in lawsuits alleging discrimination under key civil rights laws, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title IX, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. It directly affects people facing discrimination based on disability, race, color, national origin, age, or sex in areas covered by these laws, such as education, healthcare, and federally funded programs. The key provision amends existing law to explicitly include emotional harm damages as a remedy in civil rights cases against both private and public entities, including state governments. The change applies to cases where a final court decision has not yet been made as of the bill's enactment date. This does not create new rights but ensures existing remedies for emotional harm are available.

Maddy summarySRES 897 is a Senate resolution designating November 2024 as National Native American Heritage Month and recognizing the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day, as established by the 2009 Native American Heritage Day Act. It formally acknowledges the contributions of Native Americans to U.S. history, culture, and society, including their roles in agriculture, environmental stewardship, military service, and the influence of Indigenous governance concepts on the U.S. Constitution. The resolution encourages the public to observe these designations through educational programs and activities. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 5348 (Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act), adjusts leave policies for Public Health Service (PHS) employees who also serve in the Armed Forces. It directly affects PHS officers with military service by doubling their annual leave entitlement from 60 to 120 days under Chapter 40 of the PHS Act. The key provision amends Section 221(a) to substitute 120 days for 60 days when calculating leave for these dual-duty employees. It also repeals outdated Section 219 of the PHS Act to align the policy with the new leave standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 5-year pilot program to allow military families to enroll in TRICARE Select health coverage when pregnancy occurs, treating it as a "qualifying event" similar to other life changes like separation from duty. It directly affects eligible military beneficiaries (including service members and their dependents) who become pregnant during the pilot period. The program requires the Secretary of Defense to track enrollment changes monthly, disaggregated by specific scenarios (e.g., service member separation, return to duty, or pregnancy itself), and submit annual reports to Congress starting in 2026. The pilot aims to test whether recognizing pregnancy as a qualifying event improves access to prenatal care without altering existing TRICARE enrollment rules permanently.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director to submit an annual budget estimate for Alzheimer's research initiatives to the President for transmission to Congress, starting in fiscal year 2024. It specifically mandates including estimates of personnel needs alongside funding projections, based on recommendations from the National Alzheimer's Project Act. The law directly affects NIH operations by establishing a formal, recurring reporting requirement for Alzheimer's-related funding. This is not a new funding measure but a procedural change to improve transparency and accountability in budget planning for these initiatives. The bill amends Section 2 of the National Alzheimer's Project Act to add this annual reporting obligation.