Maddy summaryThe Financial Management Risk Reduction Act amends federal law to improve oversight of single audits for organizations receiving federal funds. It requires entities that expend $300,000 or more in federal awards during a fiscal year but did not undergo a single audit to identify themselves and participate in a review. The bill mandates federal agencies to conduct regular analyses of audit quality, develop tools to identify cross-government risks using audit data, and submit reports to Congress. After four years, the Government Accountability Office will evaluate the effectiveness of these changes, including reporting burdens and agency responsiveness to audit findings. These provisions directly affect federal agencies, auditors, and recipient organizations receiving federal funds.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes key conservation programs under the America's Conservation Enhancement Act through 2030, extending provisions that were set to expire in 2025. It specifically extends the Black Vulture Livestock Protection Program, allowing public entities or Farm Bureau organizations in each state to obtain permits to manage black vulture populations threatening livestock. The bill also extends funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts, Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force activities, and National Fish Habitat Conservation Partnerships through 2030. It modifies the National Fish Habitat Board to include additional tribal representatives and clarifies reporting requirements for conservation programs. The bill does not create new programs but extends existing conservation efforts and their funding mechanisms.
Maddy summaryThe Beagle Brigade Act of 2023 establishes a National Detector Dog Training Center under the U.S. Department of Agriculture to train dogs and handlers for detecting foreign pests and diseases threatening U.S. agriculture and natural resources. The Center will collaborate with federal agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection and state agricultural departments, while ensuring dog welfare and facilitating adoptions for retired or non-completing dogs. The law requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report within one year detailing current threats, the Center’s role, and recommendations for improving coordination and adoption programs. This bill directly affects federal agencies, state agricultural officials, and the dog-training program, focusing on concrete policy changes to enhance pest and disease prevention.
Maddy summaryThe Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024 requires federal agencies to conduct annual reviews of progress toward strategic goals, with agency leaders assessing risks and identifying improvement strategies. It mandates that agencies publicly report quarterly performance data and long-term trends toward these goals, updating the Federal Performance website with more detailed information. The bill also requires federal government priority goals to be updated during the first year of each presidential term and made public alongside budget submissions, while establishing co-leadership roles for each goal. This legislation affects all federal agencies, the Office of Management and Budget (which will issue implementation guidance), and the Comptroller General (who must report on the Act's effectiveness within 18 months).
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Comptroller General to produce a report examining the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN), which federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies use to share information. The report must assess how HSIN is used (including desktop and mobile tools), compare it to alternatives like FBI's JusticeConnect, evaluate its costs and effectiveness, and analyze how well current policies protect civil rights and privacy. It does not change existing laws or create new requirements but mandates this analysis to be submitted to specific congressional committees within one year of the bill's enactment. The focus is on gathering data to inform potential future decisions about information-sharing systems.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a paid cybersecurity internship program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for U.S. citizens aged 16 and older enrolled in secondary schools, community colleges, universities, or vocational programs. It requires DHS to ensure diverse participation, including students from historically Black colleges, minority-serving institutions, and various educational levels, with internship duties aligned to participants' skills. DHS must submit annual reports to Congress detailing recruitment efforts, participant demographics by educational institution, and internship placements across DHS components. The program aims to build a pipeline of cybersecurity talent while promoting inclusive workforce development within the department.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen international partnerships with law enforcement in Mexico and Central/South American countries to combat human smuggling and trafficking. Key provisions include establishing cross-border investigative units to disrupt trafficking operations, expanding participation in the Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative, and providing training for foreign investigators and prosecutors. It also mandates targeted public information campaigns to inform migrants about travel dangers and counter misinformation from criminal groups, focusing on high-migration regions. The bill directly affects DHS, foreign law enforcement agencies, and migrant populations in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to submit standardized information about all their advisory committees to a central database managed by the Committee Management Secretariat. It mandates collection of specific details including committee names, charters, membership (with ethics designations), meeting records, costs, and recommendations, which must be published annually on a public GSA website in machine-readable format. The law directly affects all federal agencies operating advisory committees by requiring them to report this data consistently. Key provisions include creating uniform reporting requirements and ensuring public access to historical committee data for transparency. The bill does not change committee functions but standardizes how their activities are documented and shared.
Maddy summaryThe Modernizing Data Practices to Improve Government Act (S 5109) establishes a federal Council to develop recommendations for improving data governance, particularly for artificial intelligence (AI) systems, across U.S. government agencies. The Council must submit a detailed report within one year of enactment covering data quality, privacy protections, AI use cases, and best practices for sharing and securing data, along with biennial reports on its progress. The bill also requires annual reports on Chief Data Officers' roles and responsibilities, and mandates a biennial evaluation by the Comptroller General to assess the Council's effectiveness. These provisions directly affect federal agencies by setting new requirements for managing data, adopting AI responsibly, and addressing privacy risks in government operations.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a public online tracker (the "Senate Confirmed Position Tracker") managed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to monitor Senate-confirmed executive branch roles. It requires weekly updates showing, for each covered position (policy/support roles needing Senate confirmation), whether it's filled by a confirmed official, an acting official, or vacant, broken down by agency, Senate committee, and position type. Executive agencies must report data on new positions, acting appointments, and vacancy timelines to the GAO, while the tracker will display trends and analyze long-term vacancies. The system aims to improve transparency about staffing gaps in federal agencies, with annual reports to Congress on agency compliance and biennial reviews assessing implementation.