Sen. Tina Smith

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the USDA to improve data collection and reporting on equity in its programs, directly affecting farmers and ranchers from historically marginalized groups. It mandates the agency to compile and analyze data on participation trends, set measurable goals for improvement, and assess whether funding aligns with communities needing services. Key provisions include adding equity-focused performance evaluations for USDA leaders, creating uniform customer feedback systems (with multilingual access and compensation for input), and requiring staff cultural competency training. The bill also obligates the USDA to notify Congress when lacking authority or resources to address equity gaps in its programs.

Maddy summaryThe REAP Modernization Act of 2023 updates the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to prioritize projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, directly affecting rural farmers, ranchers, and small businesses by requiring the Secretary to promote such reductions in funded projects. It expands eligibility for grants to include producer cooperatives and nongovernmental organizations, allows limited case-by-case assistance for rural electric cooperatives, and streamlines applications for renewable energy and efficiency projects. The bill mandates technical assistance for applicants, requires a study on renewable energy systems sharing land with farming (e.g., solar panels on farmland), and sets a two-year deadline for a congressional report on expanding such projects. Additionally, it reserves 15% of annual funds for underutilized renewable technologies and clarifies that shared energy metering (e.g., farms and nearby residences) does not require specific energy usage thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Health Secretary to create and regularly update a strategic framework for rapidly developing, distributing, and scaling diagnostic tests during public health emergencies involving infectious diseases or threats like bioterrorism. The framework must address domestic testing capacity, new technologies (like point-of-care tests), medical supply needs, and efficient distribution strategies, and be updated every three years. It mandates coordination with states, tribes, local governments, and industry to build domestic testing capacity through public-private partnerships. The law directly affects federal health agencies, state/local health departments, and diagnostic test manufacturers by establishing new requirements for emergency preparedness.

Maddy summaryThe AG RESEARCH Act (S 2589) provides funding to modernize agricultural research facilities at schools of agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). It creates a competitive grant program to cover up to 100% of costs for construction, renovation, or equipment at schools of agriculture, requiring equitable distribution across geographic regions, institution types, and facility sizes while limiting any single state to 20% of funds. Additionally, it allocates $200 million annually (2023-2027) for direct payments to address deferred maintenance at ARS facilities, prioritizing the most critical structures based on a 2012 strategy. The bill is funded by mandatory annual transfers of $1 billion for schools of agriculture and $200 million for ARS, with no new appropriations required.

Maddy summaryS 2559, the *Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act*, imposes a 1-cent fee per milligram on opioid pain relievers sold by manufacturers, producers, or importers, while excluding medications used for addiction treatment and non-opioid ingredients. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish rebates or discounts for cancer patients, hospice patients, and others with specific pain needs to prevent them from bearing the fee cost. Revenue from the fee (after rebates) must be directed to states for opioid addiction treatment programs, including building facilities, expanding residential care, supporting mental health providers in underserved areas, and housing for families affected by addiction. The bill mandates a congressional report within two years assessing the fee’s impact on opioid costs, patient access, and how funds improve treatment services.

Maddy summaryThe SEASONAL Act allows U.S. states to request supplemental H-2B visas for seasonal labor shortages. Governors can petition for extra visas if a state has low unemployment (≤3.5%), unmet labor needs in specific job categories or economic zones, and certifies the visas won’t displace domestic workers or lower wages. The bill sets a 4-year expiration and requires states to comply with federal rules for visa allocation, including random assignment if demand exceeds requests. It mandates annual reports to Congress tracking visa usage, labor market impacts, and economic effects by state.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2647, SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023) provides federal funding to improve stillbirth data collection, research, and education. It authorizes $5 million annually for states to collect stillbirth data using existing health records while protecting privacy, $1 million for developing standardized data collection guidelines and public educational materials, and $3 million for specialized training programs in perinatal pathology and stillbirth research. The bill directly affects state health departments, medical professionals (like obstetricians and pathologists), and families impacted by stillbirth through improved data systems and educational resources. Key provisions require standardized data reporting, consultation with affected families and healthcare providers, and mandatory reports on program progress within five years of enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2023 allocates $20 billion annually for fiscal years 2024-2028 to fund improvements to public school facilities nationwide. It provides grants to states, which then distribute funds to local school districts based on need, prioritizing schools serving high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. The bill requires projects to meet energy efficiency standards, address health and safety concerns (like lead in water or toxic substances), and use American-made materials when possible. It also includes specific provisions for repairing schools with foundations damaged by pyrrhotite, a mineral that causes concrete deterioration.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding and expands benefits for two key nutrition programs: it raises the senior farmers' market program benefit to $35 per person (removing the previous cap) and increases WIC program benefits from $10 to $35 per person, while also raising income eligibility limits. It allocates $50 million annually (2024-2029) for grants and loans to build or improve farmers' markets in food deserts, requiring at least 50% of market space to sell locally grown food. A separate $7.5 million pilot funds 15 food banks (5 in urban, suburban, and rural areas across all Census regions) to contract with local farmers for produce, prioritizing food-insecure communities. The bill directly affects seniors, low-income families participating in WIC, local farmers, and food banks in underserved areas.

Maddy summaryThe Women's Retirement Protection Act would require spousal consent for certain distributions from defined contribution retirement plans (like 401(k)s), similar to protections already in place for defined benefit plans. The bill mandates that retirement plans provide written explanations of rights before distributions or beneficiary changes, with a 90-day consent period for spouses. It also creates two new grant programs: $100 million annually to improve financial literacy for women and $100 million for low-income women and domestic violence survivors to access retirement assets through divorce settlements. These provisions would directly affect women in workplace retirement plans, particularly those in defined contribution plans who currently lack spousal protections. The bill focuses on concrete changes to retirement plan rules rather than altering Social Security benefits.