Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Maddy summarySRES 800 is a symbolic Senate resolution introduced on August 1, 2024, by a bipartisan group of senators. It condemns the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally and honors three individuals affected: Corey D. Comperatore (who died shielding his family), David Dutch (critically injured), and James Copenhaver (critically injured). The resolution calls for national unity and civility following the violent incident. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but expresses the Senate's stance on the event.

Maddy summarySRES 752 is a Senate resolution expressing condolences and honoring the memory of the seven victims killed in the July 4, 2022, mass shooting at a Highland Park, Illinois, Fourth of July parade. The resolution commemorates the second anniversary of the attack, which also injured 46 people, and specifically recognizes the victims: Katie Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Strauss, Jacquelyn Sundheim, Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, and Eduardo Uvaldo. It extends support to the victims' families, acknowledges the emergency responders and healthcare providers who aided victims, and stands in solidarity with communities affected by gun violence. As a symbolic gesture, this resolution does not enact new laws or policies but formally records the Senate's collective remembrance.

Maddy summaryThe NO BAN Act (S 4961) expands federal anti-discrimination protections in immigration law to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on national origin or religion for nonimmigrant visa holders, refugees, and other temporary travelers. It reforms Section 212(f) of immigration law by requiring the President to provide specific, credible evidence to Congress within 48 hours before restricting entry, mandating narrow tailoring of such restrictions, and requiring waivers for family/humanitarian cases. The bill also creates detailed reporting requirements for all entry restrictions, including quarterly updates to Congress and public reports on visa denials, waivers, and refugee admissions. This directly affects travelers, visa applicants, and refugees impacted by presidential entry bans or restrictions, while adding new procedural checks on executive authority.

Maddy summaryThe Long COVID Research Moonshot Act establishes a dedicated research program within the National Institutes of Health to accelerate scientific understanding of Long COVID, a condition affecting people who experience persistent symptoms after initial COVID-19 infection. The bill creates a Director position with specific qualifications, requires an annual research plan with input from patients and experts, and mandates a public registry for Long COVID clinical trials. It allocates $1 billion annually from 2025-2034 for this research, along with additional funding for public health surveillance, patient education, and clinical care initiatives. The law includes provisions for expedited research funding, fair drug pricing requirements, and a patient-inclusive advisory board to guide research priorities.

Maddy summaryS 4979, the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2024, requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish an independent panel to review its Safety Management System (SMS) within 60 days of the bill’s enactment. The panel will assess how well the FAA’s SMS meets safety standards, integrates across all operations, and effectively uses safety policies, risk management, monitoring, and promotion. The panel must submit a public report within 180 days detailing findings and recommendations, including dissenting views, to inform the FAA’s future SMS implementation. This review directly affects the FAA’s internal safety processes but does not change existing aviation safety regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor U.S. and Filipino military personnel who defended Bataan, Corregidor, and Attu during World War II, as well as the impacted Saskinax̂ people of Attu who were imprisoned by Japan. The medal, designed by the Secretary of the Treasury, would be presented by congressional leaders and permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to cover production costs, with proceeds returned to the U.S. Mint. The bill recognizes historical service through a commemorative medal without creating new benefits or entitlements.

Maddy summaryThe George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2024 establishes new accountability measures for law enforcement by requiring data collection on use of force, stops, and racial profiling; creating a national misconduct registry; banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants in drug cases; and mandating body cameras for officers. The bill would affect all Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies receiving federal funding, particularly those participating in Byrne or COPS grant programs. It includes requirements for agencies to collect and report data on stops and searches disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender, and to implement training on racial bias and de-escalation techniques. The legislation also creates new reporting requirements for use of force incidents and establishes penalties for agencies failing to comply with these provisions.

Maddy summaryThe Youth Poisoning Protection Act bans consumer products containing 10% or more sodium nitrite by classifying them as hazardous under existing safety law. This directly affects manufacturers and sellers of such products, including common items like certain food additives or industrial chemicals. The bill reclassifies these products as banned without requiring new regulatory processes, effective 90 days after enactment. It focuses on preventing accidental poisoning by restricting high-concentration sodium nitrite in everyday consumer goods.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCONRES 39) expresses Congress's view that individuals wrongfully or unjustly deported after establishing long-term ties in the U.S. (e.g., raising families, working, or serving as veterans) should have a fair chance to return. It urges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create a centralized, dedicated unit - modeled after DHS’s existing ImmVets program for veterans - to review requests for reentry. The resolution notes current pathways are fragmented, slow, and hard to access, disproportionately harming families and communities, and emphasizes this approach would align with existing DHS authority. (Note: As a concurrent resolution, it has no legal force but aims to guide DHS policy.)

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates July 30, 2024, as "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" to honor individuals who report government misconduct. It directs federal agencies to inform employees, contractors, and the public about their legal right to report waste, fraud, or misconduct through honest and good-faith disclosures. Agencies must also acknowledge whistleblowers' contributions to combating fraud and protecting public funds. The resolution is ceremonial and does not create new legal protections or alter existing whistleblower laws. It focuses on raising awareness and recognizing the role of whistleblowers in safeguarding taxpayer resources.