Maddy summaryThe BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act creates a $50 billion annual grant program (2025-2034) to fund transportation infrastructure projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use renewable energy. It prioritizes projects in frontline, vulnerable, or disadvantaged communities (at least 40% of funds), rural areas (30-40% of funds), and requires projects to be "green" (deeply reducing emissions and using renewable energy). The program mandates 5% of grant funds for workforce development, sets $17/hour minimum wages with annual increases tied to wage growth, and requires LEED environmental standards. Projects must also include a zero-emission transition plan and demonstrate how they will reduce vehicle miles traveled in single-occupancy vehicles.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires mortgage lenders and servicers to provide language access services to borrowers with limited English proficiency. It mandates the creation of a standard language preference form for mortgage applications and requires translations of vital mortgage documents into the eight most commonly spoken languages in the U.S., with plans to expand to additional regional languages within three years. Lenders and servicers must document and transfer language preferences between parties, provide oral interpretation services in the borrower's preferred language, and include notices clarifying that translated versions are for informational purposes only. The bill also establishes a joint language resource website with translated documents, mortgage term glossaries, and guidance for creditors, servicers, and borrowers. These provisions aim to improve access to mortgage services for non-English speaking borrowers by addressing language barriers in homeownership processes.
Maddy summarySRES 673 is a commemorative Senate resolution honoring the late David Hampton Pryor, who served as a U.S. Senator for Arkansas from 1978 to 1997. The resolution expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" at his death and directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with the House and deliver a copy to his family. It does not create new laws or policies - it is purely ceremonial, recognizing Pryor’s career as a legislator, governor, and public servant. The resolution concludes with the Senate adjourning as a mark of respect for his legacy.
Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 668) is a ceremonial Senate measure honoring the late Senator Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham of Florida, who died on November 9, 2023. It formally expresses the Senate's "profound sorrow" over his death and directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with the House of Representatives and deliver a copy to his family. The resolution commemorates Graham's career as a Florida senator (1987-2005), governor (1979-1987), and his work on the 9/11 intelligence inquiry, but does not create any new laws or affect constituents. As a commemorative resolution, it serves solely to memorialize his service.
Maddy summarySRES 671 is a ceremonial Senate resolution supporting the designation of April 28-May 4, 2024, as "National Small Business Week." It honors small businesses and entrepreneurs across the U.S. for their economic contributions, noting they support over 62 million jobs through 33 million businesses. The resolution expresses the Senate's recognition of small businesses' resilience and role in strengthening local economies. As a symbolic gesture with no new policies or funding, it does not impose requirements or directly affect specific entities.
Maddy summaryThe Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new protections for warehouse workers by regulating how employers set and monitor work quotas. It requires employers to provide clear written descriptions of quotas and work speed data collection practices to employees, prohibits quotas that interfere with breaks, safety compliance, or workers' rights, and gives workers the right to request their own work speed data and aggregated data for similar employees. The bill creates a new Fairness and Transparency Office within the Department of Labor to oversee enforcement, amends the National Labor Relations Act to protect workers from retaliation, and establishes new OSHA standards for ergonomic protections and medical treatment referrals. These provisions apply to workers at specific warehouse facilities (defined by NAICS codes including 493, 423, 424, 454110, and 492110) who are subject to work quotas. The law aims to increase transparency in workplace monitoring and protect workers from potentially harmful work speed requirements.
Maddy summaryS 4223, the Access to Birth Control Act, requires pharmacies that stock contraception to provide it without delay when requested, or immediately offer referral/transfer options if unavailable. It prohibits pharmacies from intimidating customers, misrepresenting availability, or refusing service based on personal beliefs, while allowing exceptions for no prescription, inability to pay, or professional clinical judgment. The bill targets pharmacies serving patients seeking FDA-approved contraceptives or related medications, aiming to address barriers like refusals reported post-Dobbs v. Jackson. Violations carry $1,000 daily civil penalties or allow private lawsuits for affected patients.
Maddy summary# Summary of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act This comprehensive legislation establishes a federal regulatory framework for cannabis in the United States, creating a legal, taxed, and regulated market while addressing social equity, public health, and workplace safety concerns. ## Key Provisions ### Federal Regulation & Taxation - Creates Chapter 56 of the Internal Revenue Code for cannabis taxation - Establishes a federal permit system for cannabis businesses (cultivation, production, distribution, retail) - Implements a tiered tax structure with special provisions for small businesses and social equity applicants - Requires compliance with federal labor laws (Fair Labor Standards Act, OSHA, National Labor Relations Act) ### Public Health & Safety - Integrates cannabis regulation under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act - Establishes specific rules for CBD products and dietary supplements - Creates transition periods (18 months for products, 3 years for drugs) for existing state-legal products - Requires safety data for new cannabis products before market entry ### Workplace Safety - Mandates compliance with OSHA standards for cannabis employers - Requires the Department of Labor to issue guidance on workplace safety practices - Funds research on workplace impacts of cannabis legalization - Includes provisions for worker training and hazard mitigation ### Social Equity & Community Investment - Creates a social equity program for cannabis business permits - Establishes a Cannabis Products Advisory Committee with diverse representation - Allocates $200 million annually for Community Development Financial Institutions - Provides $300 million annually for housing and community development in communities impacted by the "war on drugs" ### Banking Access - Updates anti-money laundering guidance to support cannabis-related businesses - Requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to update guidance on reporting requirements - Prohibits financial institutions from denying services based on nonviolent cannabis offenses ### Enforcement & Compliance - Creates new enforcement mechanisms for violations of cannabis regulations - Establishes a process for addressing labor law violations in the cannabis industry - Includes provisions for criminal penalties for violations of the regulatory framework This legislation represents a comprehensive approach to federal cannabis regulation, balancing market creation with public health protections, social equity considerations, and workplace safety requirements, while addressing longstanding barriers to financial services for cannabis businesses.
Maddy summaryThe High School Voter Empowerment Act of 2024 requires public high schools to serve as voter registration agencies and conduct at least one voter registration drive each academic year. It targets eligible students enrolled in American Government or Economics classes who are 17 years old by April 10 and eligible to vote in federal elections. The bill establishes a grant program to reimburse schools for costs related to these drives, requiring schools to submit applications detailing expenses and registration activities. It also allows schools to use voting machines for student elections with election official support, under agreed terms.
Maddy summaryThe Next Step Home Act restores voting rights in federal elections for U.S. citizens who have completed sentences for federal felony convictions after December 21, 2018. It directly affects people released from federal custody who have served their sentences, requiring federal agencies to notify them of their voting rights upon release. Key provisions include mandating notification by the Bureau of Prisons or probation officers, establishing legal remedies for voting denial, and tying federal prison funding to compliance with the law. The bill applies only to federal elections (not state/local), does not override state voting laws, and takes effect for elections after its enactment.