Maddy summaryS 1906, the Promising Pathway Act, creates a faster FDA approval pathway for new drugs treating serious or life-threatening conditions, allowing provisional approval within 90 days of application. It requires drug sponsors to establish patient registries tracking usage and outcomes (with 90% participation minimum), mandates insurers to cover these drugs identically to fully approved drugs, and sets 2-year provisional approval periods renewable up to three times (max 8 years total). The bill includes safety monitoring, with withdrawal if serious side effects outweigh benefits or if full approval isn’t sought within 180 days. This directly affects drug manufacturers, patients with serious conditions, and health insurers by altering approval timelines, coverage rules, and post-approval monitoring.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySRES 242 is a Senate resolution commending the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on the 90th anniversary of the 1933 TVA Act. It recognizes the TVA’s historic role in improving river navigation, controlling floods, providing affordable electricity, and promoting economic development across seven states (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia). The resolution honors the TVA’s mission since its founding during the Great Depression and requests that a copy be delivered to its leadership for display. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or policies.
Maddy summaryThe AQUAA Act establishes a national regulatory framework for sustainable offshore aquaculture in U.S. waters. It requires the Department of Commerce to identify and designate "aquaculture opportunity areas" in the exclusive economic zone, develop management plans for these areas, and create a permitting process for offshore aquaculture facilities. The bill sets national standards for sustainable operations, including environmental protections, species selection criteria, and monitoring requirements, while also establishing a research grant program and marine feed standards. This legislation directly affects offshore aquaculture operators, coastal communities, and federal agencies responsible for ocean resource management.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal grant program to fund youth fishing initiatives along U.S. coasts and Great Lakes. It authorizes $2 million annually (2024-2028) for the Secretary of Commerce to award grants to eligible entities like nonprofits, schools, tribes, or local governments. Grants cover equipment, transportation, licenses, and educational components about marine science and fishing regulations, with priority given to projects serving underserved communities (e.g., racial minorities, those with disabilities, or areas facing poverty). Recipients must report participant numbers and fund usage within one year of enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill redefines "equity" within the Department of Defense as the opportunity for qualified individuals to participate in programs, prohibits mandatory adoption of beliefs about racial or ethnic superiority, and bans race-based distinctions in military personnel decisions. It directly affects active-duty service members, military dependents, and DoD civilian employees by requiring all promotions, assignments, and training to be based solely on individual merit and performance. Key provisions ban DoD directives compelling adherence to certain beliefs, prohibit training suggesting racial superiority, and mandate that demographic data collection for reporting remains the only exception to race-based distinctions. The bill focuses on ensuring military decisions prioritize merit over identity, aligning with the bill's stated findings about military readiness and equal opportunity.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to help Afghans who worked with U.S. forces or organizations in Afghanistan obtain special immigrant visas. It increases the annual visa cap from 38,500 to 58,500 and extends the processing deadline from 2024 to 2029. The bill requires U.S. agencies to develop a strategy for efficient processing, allows for reopening denied applications, provides reimbursement for medical exams, and permits virtual interviews. It also mandates annual reports on processing efficiency and backlogs to improve the visa application process for affected individuals.
Maddy summaryThis ceremonial Senate resolution designates May 21-27, 2023, as "National Public Works Week" to honor public works professionals. It recognizes their daily work maintaining infrastructure like roads, water systems, and emergency services that support community health, safety, and resilience. The resolution urges communities to celebrate these professionals' contributions to public infrastructure and community well-being through local activities. It has no legal effect or funding provisions - it is purely a symbolic recognition.
Maddy summaryThe Formula 3.0 Act eliminates tariffs on infant formula base powder (dry mixtures requiring only vitamins/minerals to become formula) when imported by manufacturers authorized by the FDA or granted enforcement discretion by the FDA. It also establishes new duty-free or reduced tariff rates for finished infant formula products entering the U.S. The bill directly affects U.S. infant formula manufacturers and importers who meet FDA authorization requirements, lowering costs for domestically produced formula. These changes take effect 120 days after the bill’s enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies tax reporting rules for third-party settlement organizations (like payment processors) by raising the threshold for mandatory reporting. It exempts transactions where either the amount per transaction is under $10,000 or the total number of transactions in a year is under 50. This directly affects payment processors handling numerous small-value transactions, reducing their administrative burden. The change applies to transactions settled after December 31, 2022, and aims to simplify compliance with IRS reporting requirements.
Maddy summaryThe Main Street Tax Certainty Act permanently extends the 20% tax deduction for qualified business income (QBI), which currently applies to owners of pass-through businesses like sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations. The bill achieves this by amending the tax code to remove an expiration date (via striking subsection (i) of Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code). This change directly affects small business owners who rely on the QBI deduction to reduce their taxable income. The key provision eliminates uncertainty about the deduction’s future, ensuring continued eligibility without requiring future legislative action.