Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin

Maddy summaryThis bill provides temporary civil protections for federal workers during government shutdowns. It allows workers who are furloughed or working without pay to seek court-ordered stays on rent, mortgage payments, student loans, taxes, and insurance premiums during the shutdown and for 30 days afterward. Key provisions include halting evictions, foreclosures, and student loan collections without court approval, while preventing penalties or negative credit reporting during the covered period. These protections apply to all federal employees and contractor staff, excluding criminal matters and child support.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the federal tax credit for rehabilitating historic buildings, specifically boosting the credit rate from 20% to 30% for small projects (defined as those with qualified rehabilitation costs under $3.75 million and no prior credit). The total credit for any single project is capped at $750,000. It also expands eligibility by changing how building basis is calculated and adjusts rules for tax-exempt properties to simplify compliance. These changes directly benefit small-scale developers and owners rehabilitating certified historic structures.

Maddy summaryThe IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act of 2023 updates the IRS program that compensates individuals for reporting tax fraud. It requires the Tax Court to review award decisions from the start (not as an appeal) using all available evidence, exempts whistleblower awards from automatic budget cuts, and mandates court confidentiality for whistleblowers unless a strong public interest outweighs privacy concerns. The bill also requires the IRS to publish an annual list of the top tax avoidance schemes reported by whistleblowers and adds interest to delayed payments beyond 12 months. These changes directly affect whistleblowers, the IRS, and the Tax Court by strengthening protections, transparency, and timely compensation.

Maddy summaryThe NEW START Act of 2023 establishes a 5-year pilot program through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to support formerly incarcerated individuals in starting businesses. It provides grants ($100,000-$500,000 annually) to organizations creating entrepreneurship programs for "covered individuals" (those who completed prison terms), requiring recipients to contribute 25% of grant funds from non-Federal sources. The program connects participants to SBA resources like microloans and business development centers, with mandatory annual reporting on outcomes including business creation rates, recidivism reduction, and participant demographics. This aims to address high unemployment and reoffending rates among returning citizens by fostering economic stability through self-employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes U.S. sanctions against Chinese officials and entities involved in activities like military construction, resource access obstruction, or actions threatening stability in the South China Sea and East China Sea. It allows the president to block their U.S. assets, deny visas, restrict exports, and prohibit U.S. investments in sanctioned individuals or entities. The sanctions target those responsible for reclamation, coercion against other nations, or militarization in disputed waters, as defined in the bill. The law aims to enforce international law following a 2016 arbitration ruling on China's maritime claims.

Maddy summaryS 617, the COAST Anti-Drilling Act, prohibits the federal government from issuing oil and gas leases in four specific offshore areas: the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas. The bill amends federal law to require the Secretary of the Interior to deny all permits for exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or minerals in these regions. This directly affects oil and gas companies seeking to operate in those federal waters and aims to prevent offshore drilling activities in these coastal zones.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain public-sector retirees. It eliminates the government pension offset (GPO), which currently cuts Social Security checks for people with government pensions, and removes the windfall elimination provision (WEP), which reduces benefits for those with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security. The changes directly affect public employees (like teachers, firefighters, and state/local government workers) who have pensions from jobs that didn't pay into Social Security. The bill takes effect for Social Security benefits paid after December 2023, restoring full benefits for eligible retirees.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the COMETS Act, allows NASA to enter agreements with private companies and state governments to provide them with supplies, support, and services related to their space activities on NASA-owned property. It directly affects private space companies and state governments operating at NASA facilities. The key provision permits NASA to include these services in its own procurement requirements if the Administrator determines it benefits the government, doesn't interfere with NASA's needs, and avoids competing with other commercial entities, provided the requesting entity fully reimburses NASA upfront. The bill creates a formal mechanism for NASA to collaborate with commercial and state partners on shared infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 85), not a law. It formally congratulates the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) on its 85th anniversary and commends the union and its members for their service. The resolution highlights NTEU's history of advocating for federal employees, including securing civil service protections and promoting workplace policies like telework. It does not create new laws, affect any policies, or change government operations - it is solely a symbolic gesture of recognition.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award a single gold medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment collectively, recognizing their service during the Revolutionary War. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be permanently displayed at the Rhode Island State Library, with Congress encouraging its use for research and potential display at other historically significant locations. Bronze duplicates may be sold to cover production costs, and all medals are classified as national medals under U.S. law. The bill directly honors the regiment, which in 1778 became one of the first integrated units in American history by recruiting over 200 Black and Indigenous soldiers.