Sen. Roger Marshall

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 718) expresses the Senate's position that the U.S. government should immediately halt all federally funded gain-of-function research due to safety concerns. It specifically urges Congress to pass the Viral Gain-of-Function Research Moratorium Act (S. 81), which would define such research as work that could enhance a virus's transmissibility or pathogenicity and prohibit federal grants for it. The resolution directly affects research institutions receiving federal funding, including universities and organizations like EcoHealth Alliance, that conduct this type of work. As a non-binding resolution, it calls for legislative action but does not itself impose the moratorium.

Maddy summarySRES 722 is a Senate resolution expressing gratitude for the heroism of U.S. Armed Forces members who participated in the D-Day invasion at Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. It commemorates the 80th anniversary of this pivotal World War II operation, which helped end the war, and commends the leadership and bravery of those who fought. The resolution requests the President issue a proclamation encouraging public ceremonies to honor veterans' sacrifices and recognizes France's efforts to preserve Normandy's historical sites as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect but serves to publicly honor historical service and legacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 90) blocks a federal rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would have required health programs receiving federal funds to follow new nondiscrimination standards. It uses a specific legal process (under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code) to formally disapprove the rule, making it ineffective. The rule, published on May 6, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 37522), directly affected health programs and activities funded by the federal government. The bill does not create new policy but halts an existing rule from taking effect.

Maddy summaryS 4401, the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act, requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure that the net cost of federal regulations to small businesses remains at or below zero each fiscal year. It directly affects small business concerns defined under the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) by mandating the SBA Administrator to offset regulatory costs through rulemaking. Key provisions include requiring the SBA to submit annual reports to Congress detailing all federal regulations impacting small businesses, disaggregated by agency, covering the preceding and following fiscal years. The bill focuses on measuring and reducing the financial burden of federal rules on small businesses through SBA oversight and transparency.

Maddy summaryS 4405, the Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act, repeals Section 136 of the Clean Air Act, which previously provided incentives for reducing methane emissions in the natural gas and petroleum industry. This bill directly affects natural gas and oil companies that participated in the methane emissions reduction program under the repealed section. The bill also rescinds any unobligated funds allocated for that program before its enactment. The legislation removes an existing federal incentive program without creating new taxes or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 58) seeks congressional disapproval of a Department of Energy rule establishing new energy efficiency standards for consumer furnaces. It targets the specific rule published in the Federal Register on December 18, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 87502), which set requirements for furnace manufacturers. If passed, the resolution would nullify this rule, preventing it from taking effect and requiring the Department of Energy to withdraw the standards. The resolution directly affects furnace manufacturers and consumers by halting the implementation of these new efficiency requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Southern Border Wall Construction Fund in the Treasury, using unobligated funds from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (originally allocated for pandemic relief). The Secretary of Homeland Security would direct these funds to build and maintain physical barriers along the southern U.S. border. It directly affects federal border construction efforts by redirecting existing, unused pandemic recovery money toward border barrier projects, without creating new taxes or spending.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 1274 (REEF Act), amends the 2020 Railroad Unemployment Insurance payment rules to clarify when certain provisions apply. It removes specific paragraphs and changes the effective date to make the payment rules retroactive, as if they had been in place before the end of the federal COVID-19 national emergency. The change directly affects railroad workers receiving unemployment benefits through the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Account. The key mechanism is adjusting the timing of these payment rules without altering the benefits themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires states receiving federal Medicaid funds to not prohibit in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. It amends the Social Security Act to make it a condition of Medicaid funding that states and local governments cannot ban IVF, affecting Medicaid-covered fertility treatments. The law explicitly states no individual or organization must provide IVF services (Section 4) and allows states to enforce health/safety standards (Section 5). It directly impacts states administering Medicaid programs and ensures IVF remains accessible where states choose to cover such services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 86) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding endangered species protections. The rule, published April 5, 2024, aimed to update regulations for interagency cooperation on endangered and threatened wildlife conservation. The resolution would block this rule from taking effect by invoking a statutory process under Title 5 of the U.S. Code that allows Congress to reject federal agency regulations. If passed, the rule would have no legal force, maintaining existing regulatory standards instead of implementing the new provisions.