Sen. Mike Braun

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal, state, and local governments from requiring handguns to include specific features not commonly found on standard firearms. It bans mandates for load indicators, magazine insertion mechanisms, microstamping capabilities, or any devices that could perform these functions. The law directly affects handgun manufacturers and government agencies that might seek to impose such requirements. It prevents new regulations on firearm design without creating new safety standards or altering existing gun laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 5225, the RESILIENCE Act) requires the Treasury Department and Office of Management and Budget to annually assess how federal responses to major crises could impact government finances. It mandates examining fiscal risks and effects from events like recessions, pandemics, natural disasters, cyberattacks, and energy crises, including short- and long-term budget impacts. The Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office must review these assessments and report findings to Congress. The first report must be submitted within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires hospitals participating in Medicaid or CHIP to ask patients about U.S. citizenship or immigration status during registration, while including a written notice stating this information won't affect care or be shared with immigration authorities. Hospitals must annually report data on uncompensated care provided to non-citizens and funds used for emergency childbirth services for non-lawfully-residing parents. It directly affects hospitals enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP, adding administrative reporting duties but not changing eligibility for care. The bill focuses on data collection for transparency, with no provision denying care based on citizenship or immigration status.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 5249 (NO GOTION Act), denies U.S. green energy tax benefits to companies connected to specific countries designated as "countries of concern." It directly affects U.S. companies with ties to nations like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela under Maduro, or Syria - defined as entities controlled by these governments or with significant ownership by them. The law removes eligibility for tax credits under sections 30C, 40, 45, 45Q, and other green energy provisions in the tax code. Companies meeting the "disqualified company" definition lose access to these benefits, effectively redirecting tax incentives away from firms linked to these nations. The policy change takes effect for taxable years after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to publish annual reports starting in 2025, tracking how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is applied to federal projects. The reports will detail lawsuits alleging NEPA non-compliance (including agency defendants and case outcomes), the length of environmental impact statements and assessments, and the timelines for completing environmental reviews. These reports must include disaggregated data by agency and show trends over time, with all underlying data made publicly available. The bill directly affects federal agencies responsible for NEPA reviews (like the Army Corps or EPA) and provides transparency for the public and Congress on project review processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 to clarify and improve legal pathways for victims. It directly affects individuals exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (1953-1987) who developed health issues, including latent or potential harm. Key changes include lowering the proof standard to show a causal link between contamination and health harm (requiring it to be "at least as likely as not"), updating residency requirements to 30 days, and revising attorney fee limits to 20% for pre-litigation settlements and 25% for court judgments. The bill also specifies jurisdiction in North Carolina courts and allows case transfers within the fourth judicial circuit. These technical corrections aim to streamline claims processing for existing and future victims.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates an annual assessment by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to evaluate the nation's dependency on critical agricultural inputs - such as fertilizers, seeds, veterinary drugs, and equipment - that could be vulnerable if supply chains were disrupted by the People's Republic of China. The study requires identifying current domestic production capacity, supply chain bottlenecks, and recommending actions to reduce reliance on foreign sources through onshore or nearshore production. It includes strict confidentiality rules, ensuring companies sharing data are protected from disclosure and that information is used only for aggregated reporting. The bill does not create new programs but directs the Department of Agriculture to report findings to Congress annually, focusing on supply chain resilience without altering existing policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - 223 women who served as Army Signal Corps telephone operators in WWI. They connected 26 million calls in France, worked 12-hour shifts under combat conditions, and were denied veteran benefits for 60 years despite wearing uniforms and facing combat hazards. The medal recognizes their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and the decades-long struggle for recognition as soldiers. It directs the Treasury to strike the medal and place it in the Smithsonian for public display at institutions like the National WWI Museum.

Maddy summarySRES 851 is a Senate resolution designating November 2, 2024, as National Bison Day. It encourages the American public to observe the day with ceremonies and activities to recognize bison's cultural, historical, and economic significance. The resolution highlights bison's role in Indigenous traditions, conservation efforts, and U.S. heritage, as detailed in its preamble. It does not create legal obligations but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of bison's importance.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to include per-citizen cost estimates in its budget analyses. Specifically, it mandates that CBO estimates for any bill or resolution must show the pro rata cost to each U.S. citizen for changes in total federal spending and debt if the measure passes. The key mechanism adds a new requirement to CBO's reporting process, breaking down the financial impact of legislation on individual taxpayers. This change affects how budget scores are presented to Congress and the public, making cost impacts more transparent at the individual level.