Maddy summaryThe Equality Act (S 5) amends federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury service. It expands existing protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by clarifying that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity constitutes sex discrimination, as established by the Supreme Court's Bostock decision. The bill directly affects businesses, employers, housing providers, financial institutions, and government services that receive federal funding, requiring them to provide equal access and treatment regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. It includes specific provisions addressing discrimination in foster care and adoption, where LGBTQ individuals often face barriers, and clarifies definitions of terms like "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" for consistent application. The law creates a uniform national standard for nondiscrimination where many states lack such protections, aiming to eliminate barriers to full participation in society for LGBTQ individuals.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill adds multi-cancer early detection screening tests to Medicare Part B coverage, directly affecting Medicare beneficiaries. It creates a new coverage category for FDA-approved blood tests (like those analyzing cell-free DNA) that screen for multiple cancer types simultaneously, as defined in the bill. Medicare would cover these tests once every 12 months, and the bill clarifies that this change does not impact existing coverage for standard cancer screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies. The policy change ensures beneficiaries can access these new screening options without unnecessary delays after FDA approval.
Maddy summaryS 2054, the "Audit the Pentagon Act of 2023," requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to obtain an unqualified audit opinion on its full financial statements by 2024. If a DoD component (like a military branch or agency) fails to achieve this by the end of the calendar year for any fiscal year after 2024, it faces a 1% reduction in its next fiscal year's funding. The withheld funds are distributed proportionally across all programs within that component and then deposited into the Treasury's general fund for deficit reduction. This bill directly affects all DoD financial components by linking their budget authority to audit compliance.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the EPA to create a public online compendium of air quality monitoring technologies and their uses, including costs, accuracy, and data accessibility. It establishes a working group to develop templates for integrated community-scale monitoring systems and recommend support for environmental justice communities seeking hyperlocal air quality data. The EPA must also conduct a national inventory of existing air quality monitoring infrastructure and submit a report identifying high-priority areas for improved monitoring, especially near communities disproportionately affected by pollution. The bill authorizes $11 million annually to fund these activities and create 8 new EPA positions, without altering existing air pollution protections. It directly affects EPA operations, state/local/Tribal agencies, and communities facing elevated air pollution exposure.
Maddy summaryThe Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2023 prohibits states from restricting or penalizing individuals for traveling to another state to access legal reproductive health care, including abortion services. It also bans discrimination against those who assist with such travel or provide the care, and overrides conflicting state laws that interfere with these rights. The bill allows individuals, healthcare providers, and the federal government to sue to enforce these protections in court, with remedies including injunctions and attorney fees. It directly affects patients seeking care across state lines, healthcare providers, and organizations facilitating such travel.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires public companies (issuers) to disclose voluntary self-reported diversity data for their board members, board nominees, and executives, including race, ethnicity, gender, and veteran status. It also mandates disclosure of whether the company has diversity policies for these groups. The SEC must annually analyze this data and publish reports on diversity trends, while establishing a Diversity Advisory Group to study and recommend strategies for improving diversity on corporate boards. The bill affects all publicly traded companies required to file SEC reports, focusing on transparency rather than mandating specific diversity outcomes.
Maddy summaryS 2023, the *Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act*, establishes a $75 million annual funding set-aside to support the development of publicly available plant and animal varieties through federally funded breeding programs. It directly affects public research institutions (like land-grant universities), breeders developing non-proprietary varieties, and farmers who use these public cultivars or animal breeds. Key mechanisms include requiring that any public cultivar or animal breed developed with federal funds must be produced substantially in the U.S., prioritizing projects for climate resilience and Indigenous food systems, and creating a USDA coordinator to oversee research coordination and public reporting. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress tracking funded projects, commercialized varieties, and research gaps.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires group health plans (like employer-sponsored insurance) to provide equal cost-sharing (such as copays and deductibles) for oral anticancer medications as for intravenous or injected versions, provided a doctor deems the oral drug medically necessary. It prohibits plans from changing coverage to increase out-of-pocket costs for oral drugs or impose stricter limits on them compared to IV drugs. The requirement applies to FDA-approved anticancer drugs used to treat cancer, with plans still allowed to use prior authorization. The law takes effect for 2024 plan years.
Maddy summaryThe CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing geographic restrictions, allowing services to be provided from home and other locations, and expanding who can offer telehealth services. The bill repeals the six-month in-person visit requirement for telemental health and allows telehealth use in hospice care recertification. It also includes program integrity measures to address inappropriate billing patterns and requires posting of telehealth service data to improve transparency. This legislation directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and telehealth technology vendors by making telehealth more accessible, particularly for rural and underserved populations, those with mobility challenges, and individuals in areas with healthcare workforce shortages.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases funding for child care programs by appropriating $10 billion annually for child care entitlements to states, with annual increases based on inflation, and adds $5 billion annually for specific grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in areas of particular need. It directs specific allocations for tribal communities (5%), territories (4%), and technical assistance, while requiring states to submit plans for how they'll use funds to address child care shortages in underserved areas, particularly focusing on low-income families, children with disabilities, dual language learners, and rural communities. The bill includes reporting requirements for states to track how funds are used and their impact on child care supply, quality, and access, with specific emphasis on improving workforce recruitment, retention, and facility quality. It is designed to increase access to high-quality child care services for families who need them most, with funds available starting October 1, 2023.