Sen. Kevin Cramer

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal and state entities from penalizing health care organizations or providers who decline to participate in abortion services, referrals, coverage, or facilitation. It creates a private right of action, allowing affected individuals or entities to sue for violations in federal court and seek remedies like injunctions or damages. The law covers hospitals, insurers, pharmacies, clinics, and other health care entities, ensuring they can maintain conscience-based objections without losing federal funding or facing retaliation. Enforcement would be handled by the Office for Civil Rights, which must investigate complaints and refer cases to the Justice Department when needed.

Maddy summaryThe Unlocking Capital for Small Businesses Act of 2024 creates a federal safe harbor for private placement brokers and finders who help small businesses raise capital through private securities sales. It requires the SEC to establish uniform rules for these brokers (no stricter than those for online funding platforms) and mandates clear written disclosures about compensation, conflicts of interest, and beneficial ownership before transactions. The bill also prohibits states from imposing stricter registration, reporting, or financial requirements on these brokers than federal law allows and clarifies that contracts with them remain valid if small businesses self-certify the broker's status. This reduces regulatory barriers for small businesses seeking private investment while standardizing oversight across states.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 92) seeks to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that established new greenhouse gas emission standards for fossil fuel power plants and repealed an earlier rule. It targets the EPA's specific rule (published May 9, 2024), which set performance standards for new/modified plants, emission guidelines for existing plants, and removed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule. The resolution uses a procedural mechanism under the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the rule, meaning it would prevent the EPA rule from taking effect. If passed, the rule would have no legal force, directly affecting how power plants regulate emissions under federal law.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 93) seeks to block a specific rule proposed by the Department of Commerce. It targets the rule titled "Revision of Firearms License Requirements" (published April 30, 2024, in the Federal Register), which would have changed requirements for firearms licenses. If passed, the resolution would prevent this rule from taking effect by invoking a congressional disapproval process under Title 5, U.S. Code. The resolution directly affects the implementation of the Commerce Department's proposed firearms licensing changes, not the licensing requirements themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 94) seeks to block a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would have changed regulations for the Unaccompanied Children Program. The rule, published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2024, aimed to update how unaccompanied alien children are placed, cared for, and provided services. If approved, this resolution would prevent the rule from taking effect, keeping existing regulations in place. It directly affects the federal program that handles minors entering the U.S. without parents or guardians. The bill does not change the program's operations but stops the proposed regulatory changes.

Maddy summarySJRES 95 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have regulated the disposal of coal ash (coal combustion residuals) from power plants, particularly focusing on old, unlined surface impoundments. If enacted, the resolution would nullify the EPA rule, preventing it from taking effect and preserving current disposal requirements for electric utilities. This bill uses the Congressional Review Act process to block the rule, which was published in the Federal Register on May 8, 2024. It directly affects power plants managing coal ash waste but does not create new regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify birthright citizenship by adding specific exceptions. It states that children born in the U.S. to parents who are unlawfully present (e.g., undocumented immigrants), serving as diplomats, or engaged in hostile activities (like terrorism) would not automatically gain U.S. citizenship at birth. The law directly affects children of these specific parent categories who are currently covered under current citizenship rules. It codifies existing judicial interpretations but does not change the 14th Amendment's core principle of birthright citizenship for most others.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the legal definition of "post office" in U.S. law to explicitly include Postal Service acceptance, processing, shipping, delivery, distribution, and other supporting facilities. It directly affects the Postal Service's operational infrastructure by expanding the scope of facilities covered under existing provisions. The key mechanism is amending Section 404(d) of Title 39 to replace "post office" with this broader description throughout the section. This change ensures all facilities supporting postal operations - beyond just traditional post offices - are included in relevant legal protections and regulations. The bill is procedural, focusing on clarifying existing law rather than creating new policies.

Maddy summaryS 930, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2023, creates a presumption that public safety officers (such as firefighters and police) who develop specific cancers after exposure during duty have work-related injuries. It defines "exposure-related cancer" to include 22 types (like lung, leukemia, and WTC-related cancers) and presumes these cancers are work-related if officers were exposed during service, diagnosed within 15 years of retirement, and the cancer caused death or permanent disability. The bill requires the Bureau to review scientific evidence to add new cancer types to the list within 180 days of a petition. This directly affects families seeking benefits for fallen officers by shifting the burden of proof to the Bureau, not the claimants.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 91) seeks to block a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule that set minimum staffing requirements for long-term care facilities (like nursing homes) and required transparency in Medicaid payments. If passed, it would cancel the rule (89 Fed. Reg. 40876), preventing it from taking effect under a specific congressional review process. The rule directly affects long-term care providers and Medicaid programs by imposing new staffing and reporting requirements. This resolution is procedural - it does not create new law but halts the implementation of the CMS rule.