Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin

Maddy summaryThe Caring for Survivors Act of 2023 (S 414) increases monthly payments for surviving spouses of veterans. It changes how dependency and indemnity compensation is calculated, replacing a fixed amount with 55% of another veterans' compensation rate, and ensures survivors whose veterans died before January 1, 1993, receive the higher of the old or new payment amount. The bill also modifies rules for survivors of veterans who were totally disabled at death, reducing the required continuous disability rating period from 10 to 5 years, with payments adjusted proportionally for shorter periods. These changes directly affect surviving spouses of veterans, particularly those with veterans who died prior to 1993 or who had shorter disability ratings before death. The bill takes effect six months after enactment.

National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act of 2023 This bill grants the National Taxpayer Advocate the authority to appoint counsel in the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate to report directly to the National Taxpayer Advocate.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to study how Holocaust education is implemented in all 50 states' public K-12 schools. The study will examine curriculum requirements, teacher training, teaching materials, assessment methods, and challenges in teaching about the Holocaust and antisemitism. The Museum must submit a report to Congress within 3 years of the bill's enactment detailing findings on educational practices and resource needs. This affects every state education system and public school district nationwide by mandating a comprehensive review of current Holocaust education approaches.

Maddy summaryThe Love Lives On Act of 2023 restores survivor benefits for veterans' spouses who remarried before age 55 and before the bill's enactment, which they previously lost due to remarriage. It removes an expiration date for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship for surviving spouses and expands access to military commissaries and exchanges for remarried surviving spouses. The bill also extends TRICARE coverage to include remarried widows or widowers whose subsequent marriage ended.

Presidential Audit and Tax Transparency Act This bill requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to conduct an examination to determine the correctness of a Presidential income tax return as rapidly as practicable after it is filed. The IRS must disclose and make publicly available (on the internet) an initial report, periodic reports, and a final report on the examination of such tax returns. The final report must include the date on which the IRS examination of the return was completed, a list of audit materials, and a description of each proposed adjustment to a return and any controversy relating to its examination. This disclosure of tax return information is an exception to the general rule of confidentiality of taxpayer returns. The bill defines Presidential income tax return as any relevant income tax return of (1) a president while the president is in office, (2) the spouse of a president, (3) a corporation or partnership controlled by a president or a president's spouse, and (4) the estate of a president or a president's spouse. The bill imposes additional disclosure requirements by presidents and presidential candidates under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

Maddy summaryThe SMART Prices Act changes how Medicare negotiates drug prices. It repeals a rule blocking Medicare from negotiating with drugmakers and accelerates the process, requiring negotiations for 40 drugs starting in 2027 (up from 10 annually). It shortens the time drugs must be single-source to qualify for negotiation (from 7 to 3 years) and adjusts price negotiation formulas, setting new caps like 76% of the drug's average price for some medications. This directly affects Medicare beneficiaries (by lowering their out-of-pocket costs) and pharmaceutical companies (by requiring price negotiations for more drugs faster).

This resolution congratulates those responsible for the creation of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, condemns antisemitism, supports educational and community-based programs that counter antisemitism and hate, and designates April 26, 2023, as United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Day.

Maddy summaryThe SMART Prices Act (S 1246) repeals a provision blocking states from negotiating Medicare drug prices and accelerates the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. It increases the annual number of drugs eligible for negotiation from 10 to 40 starting in 2027, shortens the timeframes for qualifying drugs from 7 to 3 years, and adjusts price ceiling percentages (e.g., raising the maximum fair price cap for some drugs from 75% to 76%). These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries by potentially lowering drug costs and pharmaceutical companies by altering negotiation timelines and pricing rules. The bill aims to reduce Medicare drug spending through faster, more aggressive price negotiations.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, a U.S. Army soldier who saved approximately 200 Jewish-American soldiers during WWII by refusing Nazi orders to separate them. It directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, which will be presented posthumously to Edmonds' family (specifically to Christopher Waring Edmonds). The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to the public to offset costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure with no direct policy impact on current laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) as the lead federal facility for defending against biological threats. It authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to designate NBACC (which includes the National Bioforensic Analysis Center and National Biological Threat Characterization Center) to conduct research on biological risks, support biocrime investigations, and provide forensic analysis to law enforcement. The bill requires NBACC to maintain facilities, conduct studies on biological threats, and operate a "Work for Others" program to share its capabilities with other federal agencies. It also mandates a 120-day assessment of NBACC's facility needs to be submitted to Congress, with funding authorized as necessary to support these activities.