Sen. Roger F. Wicker

Maddy summaryThe SHELLS Act establishes a new Office of Aquaculture within the Department of Agriculture to support sustainable aquaculture operations. This office will provide technical assistance to shellfish, algae, and land-based aquaculture farmers, coordinate with agencies like NOAA, and gather production data. It creates an advisory committee with 14 members representing producers, tribal organizations, coastal communities, and industry stakeholders to guide policy development. The bill authorizes $25 million annually (2024-2028) to advance aquaculture practices that enhance food security while limiting environmental harm.

Maddy summaryS 2125 amends the Clean Air Act to change how the EPA establishes and reviews national air quality standards. It extends the review cycle for these standards from 5 to 10 years, sets specific deadlines (December 2030) for reviewing ozone and particulate matter standards, and requires the EPA to consider technological feasibility and economic impacts when setting standards. The bill also creates "Extreme Areas" for ozone nonattainment zones, exempting them from certain cleanup requirements, and mandates that EPA publish implementation guidance alongside new standards to help states and industries obtain permits for new facilities. Additionally, it requires the EPA to report on how foreign pollution affects U.S. air quality designations and the handling of interstate pollution petitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a presumption that U.S. export licenses for technology to end users in China or Russia will be denied, unless Congress approves exceptions. It requires the Commerce Secretary to submit detailed reports to congressional committees before approving such licenses, including justification for how the transfer advances U.S. national security. Congress then has a 30-day review period to block approvals via joint resolution, with strict procedural rules for expedited consideration. The law directly affects U.S. companies seeking to export technology to entities in China or Russia, particularly those linked to military or strategic programs like China’s "military-civil fusion" initiatives.

Maddy summarySRES 263 is a symbolic Senate resolution commemorating June 19, 2023, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day" to recognize June 19, 1865 - the date Union troops announced the end of slavery in Texas. It honors the historical significance of this date, when news of emancipation reached enslaved people in the Southwestern U.S. after the Civil War. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges this observance as part of U.S. history and heritage, supporting nationwide recognition of the event. It affects all Americans by affirming a shared historical moment in the nation's journey toward freedom.

Maddy summaryS 2090, the *Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act of 2023*, modifies federal clean air rules to restrict state vehicle emission standards. It adds a new requirement that state rules cannot "directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new gas-powered cars," effectively blocking states from enforcing policies that would phase out internal combustion engine vehicles. The bill also mandates the EPA to cancel existing state emission waivers (like California’s) if those waivers don’t meet this new standard. This directly affects states with their own vehicle emission rules and the EPA’s authority to approve them under the Clean Air Act.

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 summaryThis bill establishes the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley and Roberts Temple National Historic Site in Chicago, Illinois, as part of the National Park System. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to finalize an agreement with Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ (the Roberts Temple) before the site can be officially created, ensuring public access and management plans are in place. The site will preserve and interpret locations connected to Emmett Till’s story, his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s activism against racial injustice, the Great Migration, and the civil rights movement. The National Park Service will administer the site under standard park system laws, with a management plan due within three years of funding.

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 summaryThe End Government Shutdowns Act (S 2041) would automatically continue federal funding for government programs at the previous fiscal year's level if Congress fails to pass a new budget on time. For the first 120 days, funding would remain at 100% of the prior year's level, then decrease by 1% every 90 days until a new budget is enacted. This prevents shutdowns for programs like national parks, food safety inspections, and federal agency operations by ensuring continuous funding without new legislation. The bill applies to all federal programs requiring annual appropriations, unless another law already specifies their funding.