Sen. Edward J. Markey

Maddy summaryThe Tax Fairness for Workers Act (S 738) allows employees to deduct certain work-related expenses from their taxable income. It creates an above-the-line deduction for union dues and adds a new exception permitting miscellaneous itemized deductions for other employee expenses, such as uniforms or tools, that were previously limited. This directly affects wage-earning workers who pay union dues or have unreimbursed job costs. The changes apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and remove prior restrictions on these deductions.

Maddy summaryS 701, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023, prohibits states from imposing restrictions on abortion that are more burdensome than those for comparable medical procedures. It protects access to abortion before fetal viability (when a fetus could survive outside the womb) by banning requirements like unnecessary in-person visits, medically inaccurate counseling, or facility restrictions not applied to similar care. Post-viability abortions remain protected when medically necessary to safeguard a patient’s life or health. The bill preempts conflicting state laws and ensures enforcement through federal courts to uphold these access protections for patients and health care providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring working dogs, including $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins, to be sold starting January 1, 2025. A surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin will be added to the sale price, with all surcharge funds directed to America’s VetDogs to support its service dog programs for veterans and people with disabilities. The coins are legal tender but will only be issued for one year (2025), with production limited to specified quantities (50,000 gold, 500,000 silver, 750,000 half-dollars). The bill does not create new government programs but uses commemorative coin sales to fund existing service dog initiatives.

Maddy summaryThe Vote at Home Act of 2023 would require states to mail ballots to all registered voters for federal elections at least two weeks before election day, eliminate unnecessary barriers to voting by mail (like notary requirements), and provide free postage for mailed ballots. It also establishes automatic voter registration through state motor vehicle departments, where individuals applying for driver's licenses would be automatically registered to vote unless they opt out within 21 days. These provisions aim to increase voting accessibility for all voters, particularly people with disabilities, rural voters, and those with scheduling conflicts. The bill would take effect for federal elections beginning in 2024, with automatic voter registration taking effect 180 days after enactment. The legislation focuses on expanding voting options through mail-in voting and simplified registration processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents employers from dropping health insurance coverage for workers during lawful strikes or lockouts. It prohibits employers from terminating group health plans (employer-sponsored insurance) for employees participating in strikes or during employer-imposed lockouts. Employers violating this rule face civil penalties up to $75,000 per violation for lockouts ($150,000 for repeat offenses), and up to $50,000 for strikes ($100,000 for repeat offenses). The penalties apply regardless of other remedies the National Labor Relations Board may order.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 95) honors Dr. Paul Farmer's legacy and calls for the U.S. Federal Government to adopt a new global health strategy. It specifically urges the government to support developing countries through a "21st century global health solidarity strategy" focused on five key areas: staffing health systems, building infrastructure ("space"), providing medical supplies ("stuff"), strengthening health systems ("systems"), and addressing social needs ("social support"). The resolution recommends increasing annual global health funding to $125 billion to close coverage gaps and addresses economic harms by advocating for debt relief, tax reforms, and fairer global governance. It does not create new laws but expresses the Senate's position on U.S. policy direction.

Maddy summaryS 681, the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2023, prohibits U.S. federal agencies and officials from acquiring, possessing, or using facial recognition or similar biometric surveillance systems (like voice analysis or gait tracking) within the United States, except for specific congressional authorizations meeting strict criteria. It bans federal funding for such systems, makes illegally obtained data inadmissible in court, and allows affected individuals to sue the government for violations. The bill also ties federal law enforcement funding (via Byrne grants) to state/local governments adopting similar bans on biometric surveillance. It explicitly excludes NIST research and does not override stricter state/local laws.

Maddy summaryThe American Dream Employment Act of 2023 (S 672) amends a federal appropriations law to allow House and Senate employees with specific immigration protections to receive pay for their work. It explicitly includes individuals holding deferred action (like DACA), deferred enforced departure, or temporary protected status (TPS) who have a current work authorization document. This change removes a prior exclusion that may have prevented these employees from being compensated while working for Congress. The bill directly affects federal workers in Congress who are in these immigration status categories and possess valid work permits under the referenced programs.

Maddy summarySRES 94 is a symbolic Senate resolution introduced on March 6, 2023, by Senators Warren and Markey. It formally memorializes over 1.1 million Americans who died from COVID-19 by designating the first Monday in March as "COVID-19 Victims Memorial Day." The resolution recognizes the pandemic's disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups - including low-income communities, communities of color, and frontline workers - and honors those affected by the crisis. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or allocate funding, but serves to acknowledge and remember pandemic losses.

Maddy summaryS 660, the Water System Threat Preparedness and Resilience Act of 2023, establishes a program to enhance water system security. It requires the EPA to support community water systems and publicly owned treatment works (like municipal water and wastewater facilities) in joining the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Key mechanisms include offsetting membership costs, improving EPA coordination for threat data sharing, and providing enhanced tools to monitor threats (including natural disasters and intentional acts) and prepare for incidents. The program is funded with $10 million annually for 2024-2025.