Maddy summaryThe EAGLE Act of 2023 would reform U.S. immigration policy by modifying per-country visa limits and strengthening oversight of H-1B visa programs. It would cap the number of family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visas for any single country at 15% (or 2% for dependent areas) of total available visas. The bill requires H-1B employers to publicly post job openings for 30 days before filing petitions, prohibits advertising positions as exclusively for H-1B workers, and limits H-1B workers to 50% of a company's workforce for employers with 50+ employees. It also creates new requirements for adjustment of status applications for employment-based immigrants, including verification of job conditions. The bill's provisions would primarily affect employers seeking H-1B visas and immigrants applying for employment-based green cards.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 49 seeks congressional disapproval of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that would have established a new standard for determining when two or more companies are considered "joint employers" under labor law. The rule, published in October 2023, would have affected businesses with complex employment structures, such as franchisors and contractors, by altering how joint employer liability is assessed for wage, hour, and union representation matters. If passed, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preserving the previous standard for joint employer determinations. The bill was introduced by Senators Cassidy, Manchin, Braun, McConnell, Marshall, Cramer, Capito, and Paul and referred to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
Maddy summarySRES 459 is a ceremonial Senate resolution recognizing November 2023 as National Native American Heritage Month and the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day, as specified in the 2009 Native American Heritage Day Act. It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges Native Americans' contributions to U.S. history, culture, and society through "appropriate programs and activities." The resolution highlights historical context, including Native American cultural preservation, military service, and influences on U.S. governance, without imposing obligations on any entity. It directly affects the general public by encouraging observance during November 2023. This is a symbolic gesture, not a policy change.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows spouses and dependent children to regain transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits if the veteran spouse was discharged for a dependent-abuse offense (like domestic violence or sexual assault) that resulted in a non-honorable discharge. It requires applicants to submit evidence within 3 years of the veteran's discharge and limits reinstated benefits to unused portions of the transferred benefits. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may reinstate benefits if the veteran was administratively separated or convicted for abuse, and applicants denied reinstatement can request a review by the Secretary of Defense or Homeland Security within 30 days. This directly affects military families who lost education benefits due to a veteran's abuse-related discharge.
Maddy summaryThe PRINTS Act requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to collect fingerprints from noncitizen children under 14 if they suspect trafficking during entry into the United States. It criminalizes using a minor (not a relative or guardian) to gain entry, punishable by fines or up to 10 years in prison. The bill also mandates sharing fingerprints of unaccompanied children with Health and Human Services and requires monthly public reporting on child trafficking apprehensions. These provisions aim to improve trafficking identification and enforcement through standardized data collection and criminal penalties.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows health insurers and employers to reduce paperwork by shifting from automatically sending annual health insurance statements to individuals to a request-based system. Instead of mailing statements to everyone, these entities must simply provide clear notice that individuals can request a copy. If requested, they must send the statement by January 31 of the following year or 30 days after the request, whichever is later. The change directly affects insurers and employers required to report health coverage under IRS rules, reducing their administrative burden for 2024 and beyond.
Maddy summaryThe Justice for Angel Families Act (S 3209) expands federal victim compensation to include "angel families" - immediate family members of homicide victims caused by specific offenders, such as unlawfully present immigrants or members of international drug cartels. It amends the Victims of Crime Act to cover medical, mental health, wage loss, and funeral expenses for these families. The bill also creates a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within Homeland Security to provide victims and families with a dedicated hotline, immigration process support, case referrals, and annual reports tracking crime demographics and locations. These changes directly affect families of homicide victims where the perpetrator falls under the defined categories, aiming to improve access to resources and data collection.
Maddy summaryThis bill would change the federal budget process from an annual cycle to a biennial (every two years) cycle. It revises deadlines for key budget actions, requiring the President to submit a biennial budget by February 1st of odd-numbered years and Congress to complete budget resolutions by May 15th. The bill updates numerous references from "fiscal year" to "biennium" throughout budget-related laws, requiring budget resolutions and appropriations bills to cover two consecutive fiscal years. This change would directly affect the President, Congress, and federal agencies, which would need to adjust their budget planning and reporting processes to align with the new biennial cycle starting in 2026.
Maddy summaryThe Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act creates 40,000 new employment-based immigrant visas for healthcare workers by recapturing unused visas from fiscal years 1992-2021, with 25,000 reserved for professional nurses and 15,000 for physicians. These visas are exempt from country caps and issued based on priority date, but must be applied for within three years of the bill’s enactment and only for applicants not already eligible under existing visa allocations. The bill also requires employers to attest that hiring foreign workers won’t displace U.S. workers and mandates expedited processing for these applications without additional fees. This policy directly affects nurses and physicians seeking to immigrate for healthcare roles in the U.S., along with their eligible family members.
Maddy summaryThe Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023 establishes the Iran Sanctions Enforcement Fund, initially funded with $150 million, to cover expenses related to seizures and forfeitures of property connected to sanctions violations by Iran or its designated proxies like Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The fund will pay for law enforcement costs including investigations, detention, equipment, and rewards for informants, with priority given to seizing oil and petroleum products that fund terrorist activities. The bill also creates an Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security to better coordinate federal agencies' efforts on sanctions enforcement. Annual reports to Congress will detail fund usage, seizures, and financial status, with the fund required to repay the Treasury $150 million by 2034 unless waived for national security reasons.