Sen. Ted Budd

Maddy summaryThe SOAR Act requires high-altitude balloon operators (those flying above 10,000 feet) to install systems that continuously track and broadcast the balloon's altitude, location, and identity to air traffic controllers and other airspace users. Within 180 days of enactment, the FAA must form a committee with industry representatives and safety experts to recommend updates to existing FAA rules (like 14 CFR 91.215) for these tracking systems. The committee must submit its recommendations within 18 months, after which the FAA has 180 days to propose new regulations. Until final rules are issued, operators must comply with current FAA tracking standards for balloons.

Maddy summarySRES 100 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring James Thomas Broyhill, a former North Carolina Senator and longtime U.S. House member (1963-1986). It commemorates his career, including founding the Consumer Product Safety Commission and his service on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail legislation. The resolution directs the Senate to adjourn in his memory and send condolences to his family. As a commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact and solely serves to recognize his legacy.

Maddy summaryS 741, the Traveler's Gun Rights Act, amends federal gun law definitions to clarify where individuals are considered "residents" for background check purposes. It specifies that active-duty military members can use their duty station state or daily commute location as their "state of residence," and people without a physical home may use a mailbox address. The bill also requires background checks to include either a physical address or mailbox address for the buyer, ensuring consistent application across state lines. This directly affects travelers, military personnel, and individuals using mailboxes when purchasing firearms.

Maddy summaryThe Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2023 requires the U.S. government to address forced organ harvesting by mandating annual reports on the issue in foreign countries and allowing passport denial or revocation for individuals convicted of organ trafficking. It directs the President to impose sanctions - including asset blocking and visa bans - on individuals or entities involved in forced organ harvesting, with exceptions for humanitarian aid. The bill defines "forced organ harvesting" as organ removal by coercion, deception, or abuse of power, and "trafficking" as recruiting or transporting people for organ removal through similar means. These provisions aim to hold accountable those exploiting vulnerable individuals for organ removal.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring working dogs, including $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins, to be sold starting January 1, 2025. A surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin will be added to the sale price, with all surcharge funds directed to America’s VetDogs to support its service dog programs for veterans and people with disabilities. The coins are legal tender but will only be issued for one year (2025), with production limited to specified quantities (50,000 gold, 500,000 silver, 750,000 half-dollars). The bill does not create new government programs but uses commemorative coin sales to fund existing service dog initiatives.

Maddy summaryS 716, the "Solving the Border Crisis Act," directs the immediate resumption of border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border, requiring completion by September 30, 2024, using existing funds. It mandates minimum staffing levels for border operations, including 10,000 full-time employees in enforcement, 25,000 Border Patrol agents, and 25,000 CBP officers. The bill also requires mandatory detention funding through DHS fees, terminates pandemic-related border entry suspensions after a 120-day window, and modifies asylum processing to prioritize returning aliens to Mexico or detaining them for credible fear assessments. These provisions directly affect border security operations, immigration enforcement, and the processing of individuals arriving at the southern border.

Maddy summaryS 723, the Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act of 2023, requires Medicare and Medicaid to cover "prescription digital therapeutics" (PDTs) starting in 2024. PDTs are defined as FDA-cleared software-based treatments for medical conditions, such as apps for diabetes management or mental health therapy. The bill establishes new payment rules for these digital treatments, including setting payment rates based on actual market pricing and requiring manufacturers to report private payor pricing and usage data annually. This directly affects Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries seeking digital health tools and manufacturers of PDTs, who must comply with reporting requirements and face penalties for noncompliance. The law aims to integrate evidence-based digital health solutions into mainstream coverage under federal health programs.

Maddy summaryThe Stopping Border Surges Act (S 685) makes significant changes to immigration policy affecting unaccompanied children and asylum seekers. It requires specialized interviews for unaccompanied children with officers trained in child trafficking cases, mandates custody transfers to Health and Human Services within 30 days for children not meeting certain criteria, and shortens the asylum application window from one year to six months. The bill also adds new requirements for credible fear interviews, creates penalties for asylum fraud including potential fines and up to 10 years in prison, and modifies family detention standards to limit release of minors with parents who are not lawfully present in the U.S. These provisions aim to streamline immigration processes while adding safeguards against potential fraud and abuse.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell commemorative coins honoring the 1865 Sultana steamboat disaster, the worst maritime tragedy in U.S. history. It specifies three coin types ($5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar) with surcharges ($35, $10, and $5 per coin, respectively) that will fund the Sultana Historical Preservation Society. The funds must be used to build, operate, and maintain a museum in Marion, Arkansas, to preserve the disaster’s history through exhibits, artifacts, and educational programs. The coins, sold only in 2023, are legal tender but will not circulate; the surcharge revenue directly supports the museum’s development and operations.