Maddy summaryThe Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act (S 3571) establishes that parents' authority to direct their child's upbringing, education, and health care is a fundamental right protected under the Constitution. It prohibits government agencies from substantially burdening this right without demonstrating a compelling interest and using the least restrictive means possible - applying strict scrutiny to actions like school policies, health decisions, or program exclusions. The bill directly affects parents (including biological, adoptive, and legally authorized caregivers) and government entities (federal, state, or local agencies) that make decisions impacting children. Key provisions require courts to uphold parental rights in legal challenges and expand attorney fee protections for parents enforcing this law. The Act applies to all federal laws and government actions, emphasizing parental decision-making while excluding cases involving child abuse or neglect.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill retroactively restores pay, benefits, and seniority for senior military officers (O-7 rank or higher) whose promotions were delayed due to a Senate confirmation suspension starting in February 2023. It applies specifically to officers confirmed between December 5-31, 2023, who faced delays because the Senate paused its advice-and-consent process for such appointments. The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to pay retroactive compensation from a defined date (the later of 30 days after Senate calendar placement or the original appointment date) and use that date for determining the officer's seniority in their new rank. It directly affects military personnel whose career progression was impacted by the confirmation delay, without creating new policy or changing appointment procedures.
Maddy summaryThis bill, the 5G SALE Act, authorizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to finalize licenses for 5G spectrum that were auctioned before March 9, 2023, but not yet granted to successful bidders. It specifically applies to applicants who won licenses in the 2496-2690 MHz frequency band through FCC auctions held before the commission’s auction authority expired. The FCC must process these applications within 90 days of the law’s enactment (December 19, 2023), ensuring pending licenses from past auctions are completed. The bill does not alter auction rules or create new licenses - it only enables the FCC to finalize existing, unprocessed bids.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides $36 million in funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to expand audits of imported shrimp and red snapper under its Seafood Import Monitoring Program. The funding is offset by redirecting $36 million in existing IRS savings from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The primary effect is increased scrutiny on these specific seafood imports, targeting importers and suppliers of shrimp and red snapper. NOAA will use the funds to enhance monitoring and verification of foreign seafood shipments entering the U.S. market.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3552) amends the 2020 Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act to allow qualified tax-exempt organizations affected by disasters to claim the employee retention credit against Medicare hospital insurance taxes (Part A), rather than only against income taxes. It specifically expands the credit's applicability by revising the tax types referenced in the law from "tax imposed by section 3111(a)" to "taxes imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of section 3111" (which includes Medicare taxes). This change directly affects eligible tax-exempt organizations, such as nonprofits, that qualify as employers impacted by federally declared disasters. The amendment retroactively applies to the original 2020 Act, streamlining access to disaster-related payroll tax relief.
Maddy summaryThis bill closes a regulatory gap for "industrial banks" (entities offering banking services without full bank oversight, often called "shadow banks"). It requires these institutions to obtain FDIC deposit insurance approval by September 23, 2021, with stricter review for pending applications (90-day public comment, 2/3 board vote), and deems unapproved applications denied by September 30, 2024. The bill also gives the FDIC authority to examine and impose conditions on parent companies of these industrial banks, similar to how bank holding companies are regulated, tailored to the parent company's size and complexity. It directly affects industrial banks seeking deposit insurance and their parent companies, aiming to increase oversight of institutions operating outside standard banking rules.
Maddy summarySRES 497 is a Senate resolution (introduced December 13, 2023) expressing the Senate's view that the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" and similar phrases are antisemitic and constitute a call for genocide against the Jewish state. It does not create new laws or affect any individuals or policies; it is solely a symbolic statement of the Senate's position. The resolution formally declares the Senate's "sense" on the meaning of the slogan, based on the signers' interpretation. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect on citizens, government actions, or future legislation.
Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 498) congratulating Jayden Daniels, LSU football quarterback, on winning the 2023 Heisman Memorial Trophy. It recognizes his specific athletic achievements, including leading LSU to a 9-3 record, accumulating 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards, and becoming the only FBS player with career totals over 12,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards. The resolution formally congratulates Daniels, acknowledges his coaching staff and LSU team, and requests that copies be sent to Daniels, LSU head coach Brian Kelly, and LSU President William F. Tate IV. As a procedural resolution, it contains no policy changes or direct effects on legislation or constituents.
Maddy summaryThe Kids Online Safety Act requires social media platforms and other online services used by minors to implement safety features protecting children under 17. It mandates default privacy controls, limits addictive features like automatic media playback, restricts advertising of harmful products (tobacco, gambling, alcohol) to minors, and requires annual transparency reports about online risks. Platforms with over 10 million monthly U.S. users must provide parental tools, conduct independent audits, and make de-identified data available for research on online harms. The bill focuses on preventing mental health disorders, bullying, sexual exploitation, and addictive behaviors through platform design changes.
Maddy summaryThe Grant Transparency Act of 2023 requires federal agencies to clearly disclose how they evaluate grant applications in their funding notices. Specifically, agencies must describe their evaluation criteria, any weighted scoring system used, and how applications are rated before funding is awarded. This applies directly to agencies issuing competitive grants (like those for research, community programs, or infrastructure) and affects applicants (such as nonprofits, universities, or local governments) seeking these funds. The law does not create new funding or change grant award decisions - it only mandates clearer information in the initial funding notice, effective 120 days after enactment.