Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Energy Efficiency for Affordable Housing Act This bill increases the amount of the low-income housing tax credit for rehabilitation expenditures for buildings, including those in high cost areas, that achieve enhanced energy performance.

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 changes how often federal credit unions must hold board meetings based on their performance ratings. For all federal credit unions, boards must meet at least monthly for the first 5 years after their charter is approved. After that, credit unions rated 1 or 2 (highest performance) must meet at least 6 times yearly (with one per quarter), while those rated 3-5 must meet monthly. The bill directly affects all federal credit unions by adjusting their board meeting requirements according to their Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System score. These changes aim to align meeting frequency with credit union performance and oversight needs.

Maddy summaryThe Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act prohibits "reverse payment" settlements where brand-name drug companies pay generic competitors to delay market entry, treating such agreements as anticompetitive violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The bill empowers the FTC to enforce these rules through civil penalties that can reach up to three times the value transferred in the settlement and allows for the forfeiture of a generic company's 180-day exclusivity period if they violate the new law. It also requires executives to certify that all settlement documents filed with regulators are complete and accurate, including any related oral agreements or contingent conditions. These provisions apply to both traditional generic drugs and biosimilar biological products to ensure that patent disputes do not unduly restrict consumer access to lower-cost alternatives.

Maddy summaryS 148, the Stop STALLING Act, targets pharmaceutical companies that file sham petitions to delay generic drug approvals. It authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to penalize companies submitting objectively baseless petitions under FDA drug approval processes, which are deemed to interfere with competitors' business. Penalties include up to $50,000 per day a sham petition was under review or revenue from drug sales during the delay. The bill directly affects brand-name drug manufacturers (who may file such petitions) and generic drug developers (who face delays), with enforcement triggered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services' determination of delay intent. It applies to petitions filed after enactment and does not alter existing antitrust laws.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 6-10, 2023, as "National School Counseling Week" in the U.S. Senate. It symbolically recognizes the role of school counselors in supporting students' academic, social, and emotional development. The resolution encourages public awareness of counselors' contributions to student success and school safety but does not create new policies, funding, or requirements. It directly affects school counselors and communities by highlighting their work during this designated week.

Maddy summarySRES 84 designates February 28, 2023, as Rare Disease Day to acknowledge the more than 25 million Americans living with rare diseases - conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. The resolution encourages efforts to improve public awareness, support early diagnosis, and advance research for treatments, without creating new legal requirements or funding. It recognizes ongoing federal initiatives like the FDA's Accelerating Rare Disease Cures program and the 2023 rare disease endpoint pilot.

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.

Maddy summaryS 566, the "Charitable Act," modifies tax deductions for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize their deductions on federal income taxes. It allows these taxpayers to deduct up to one-third of their standard deduction amount for 2023 and 2024 tax years, instead of the usual itemized deduction. The bill also removes references to a repealed penalty provision (Section 6662(b)(10)) and adjusts related penalty language in the tax code. This directly affects non-itemizing taxpayers who make charitable contributions, providing a new deduction option for those years only. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2022.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the removal of statues in the U.S. Capitol that honor individuals who served in the Confederate States of America. The Architect of the Capitol must identify and remove these statues within 120 days of enactment, with states able to request the return of statues they provided (at their own cost) or have them stored by the Capitol. The bill appropriates $2 million for removal, transfer, storage, and security costs related to the process. It directly affects the Capitol's display of statues, the Architect of the Capitol, and states that originally contributed such statues. The law amends existing rules to exclude Confederate service from eligibility for Capitol statues.