Maddy summaryThe CARE for Kids Act of 2024 expands eligibility for free school meals under the National School Lunch Program. It adds new categories of children who automatically qualify, including those in kinship care (e.g., with grandparents or relatives who have legal authority), children receiving adoption or kinship guardianship payments, and children living in designated low-income housing with older caregivers. The bill also requires school districts to honor existing meal eligibility for children who transfer to a new district, extending it by one year if they began living with a qualifying relative caregiver within the prior 12 months. Additionally, it links Medicaid eligibility to school meal eligibility, automatically qualifying children receiving Medicaid benefits under specific programs. This primarily affects low-income children and school districts administering meal programs.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Centers Act of 2024 creates a federal grant program to establish treatment centers using a "hub-and-spoke" model, directly benefiting people with sickle cell disease and related blood disorders. These centers will coordinate comprehensive care - such as pain management, genetic counseling, mental health services, and pediatric-to-adult health transitions - through partnerships between medical hubs (like hospitals or clinics), community spokes (e.g., health centers or primary care providers), and community-based organizations. The program requires grantees to address social determinants of health (like housing and transportation access), collect patient outcome data, and prioritize underserved communities with high sickle cell disease prevalence, including rural areas and historically Black colleges. A National Sickle Cell Disease Coordinating Center will oversee implementation and report to Congress every five years on the program’s impact on patient health outcomes.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to create and publish safety plans for employees and contractors working at physical worksites during nationwide public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases. The plans must include specific measures like providing personal protective equipment, implementing testing and exposure protocols, setting cleaning standards, and offering telework options for high-risk individuals. Agencies must make these plans publicly accessible on their websites, communicate them to all covered staff, and report on implementation to congressional committees. The law applies broadly to all federal employees and contractors at physical worksites during declared emergencies, aiming to maintain workplace safety and agency operations.
Maddy summaryThe High Court Gift Ban Act (S 5268) would prohibit federal judges from accepting gifts from individuals or organizations that have, or are likely to, appear before them in court. It sets a limit of $50 per gift and $100 total annually from a single source, with exceptions for items paid at fair market value, gifts from relatives, honorary degrees, and certain professional events. The bill requires the Supreme Court and Judicial Conference to create implementing regulations within 180 days. Violations could trigger civil penalties up to $50,000 or criminal charges, including fines and up to one year in prison.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - 223 women who served as Army Signal Corps telephone operators in WWI. They connected 26 million calls in France, worked 12-hour shifts under combat conditions, and were denied veteran benefits for 60 years despite wearing uniforms and facing combat hazards. The medal recognizes their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and the decades-long struggle for recognition as soldiers. It directs the Treasury to strike the medal and place it in the Smithsonian for public display at institutions like the National WWI Museum.
Maddy summarySRES 846 is a symbolic Senate resolution commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Americas being certified free of wild poliovirus by the World Health Organization on September 29, 1994. It honors the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Rotary International, and the Pan American Health Organization for their role in eliminating polio from the region. The resolution encourages continued international funding and commitment to eradicating polio globally, noting that only Afghanistan and Pakistan currently face wild poliovirus transmission. This is a non-binding commemorative measure with no new policy or funding requirements.
Maddy summarySRES 838 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating November 17, 2024, as "National Warrior Call Day." It aims to raise awareness about veteran and military member mental health by emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer connections during transition from service. The resolution cites statistics showing high veteran suicide rates (33.9 per 100,000 in 2021) and encourages all Americans to reach out to veterans or active-duty personnel for support. It does not create new laws or funding but urges public engagement through "making a warrior call" to prevent isolation. This resolution directly affects public awareness and voluntary actions, not specific individuals or programs.
Maddy summaryThe Parent Plus Parity Act (S 5108) expands repayment and discharge options for parents who borrowed Federal Direct PLUS loans to pay for their dependent children's education. It removes previous restrictions that barred these borrowers from income-driven repayment plans (like Pay as You Earn and Saving on a Valuable Education), making these available starting July 2024. The bill also adds new discharge options, including for the student's total and permanent disability, eligibility for public service loan forgiveness, automatic discharge if the student's loan is discharged, and a hardship discharge based on factors like income, debt-to-income ratio, and other financial indicators. These changes directly affect Parent PLUS borrowers who previously faced limited relief options.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park to honor Julius Rosenwald (a Jewish immigrant who built Sears, Roebuck and Co. and funded educational initiatives) and the Rosenwald Schools. It designates specific sites for preservation, including the San Domingo School in Sharptown, Maryland, and a Chicago headquarters at the former Sears complex, to interpret Rosenwald’s legacy and the schools’ impact on African-American education. The park will connect remaining Rosenwald Schools through a National Network administered by the National Park Service, using cooperative agreements with states and local entities for preservation and public education. The law directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop a management plan and establish interpretive programs at these sites.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public company executives and directors from trading the company's stock during the "gap" between a material event (like earnings reports or acquisitions) and when the company files a Form 8-K disclosure. It directly affects publicly traded companies subject to SEC reporting (under Sections 13(a) or 15(d)) and their executive officers/directors. Companies must establish policies to block such trades for events covered in Form 8-K sections 1-6 (e.g., acquisitions) and 7-8 (e.g., executive changes), with exemptions for automatic transactions, advance elections, and trades announced via press release. The bill requires the SEC to issue rules within one year, exempting certain investment companies and issuers with existing ethics codes.