Sen. Kevin Cramer

Maddy summaryS 1166, the Restore Public Health Institution Trust Act of 2023, requires the Comptroller General to produce a report assessing the CDC's public health messaging and guidance. The report must examine the data used by the CDC, the impact of inconsistent messaging on public trust and vaccine uptake (including for school-age children), and whether outside groups influenced recommendations. It also asks for specific recommendations to improve the CDC's future communication and decision-making processes. This procedural bill directly affects the CDC and Congress, as it mandates a review of past CDC actions without altering current policies.

Maddy summarySRES 148 is a ceremonial Senate resolution (not a law) passed in March 2023 that formally recognizes the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women. It highlights their historical and ongoing achievements in areas like military service, business ownership, healthcare, arts, and civil rights through specific examples (e.g., veterans, entrepreneurs, activists). The resolution has no policy or funding mechanisms - it solely expresses the Senate's intent to honor these contributions and acknowledge the need to address barriers they face. It was introduced by Senators Murkowski, Schatz, and others with bipartisan support.

Maddy summarySRES 120 is a ceremonial Senate resolution designating March 23, 2023, as "National Women in Agriculture Day." It recognizes the significant contributions of women in U.S. agriculture, citing that they represent over one-third of agricultural producers and generated $148 billion in sales in 2017. The resolution encourages citizens to acknowledge women in the field and supports their roles as producers, educators, mentors, and leaders. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or funding but aims to highlight their impact on the agricultural workforce and food systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts federal funding for state and local governments that qualify as "sanctuary jurisdictions" under its definition. A sanctuary jurisdiction is defined as any state or local area that prohibits sharing immigration status information or refusing to comply with federal immigration detainers (with an exception for crime victims/witnesses). The bill blocks funding for Economic Development Administration grants and Community Development Block Grants if projects are located in such jurisdictions or if recipients become sanctuary jurisdictions during the grant period. Recipients must return funds if they become sanctuary jurisdictions, and the U.S. government will reallocate those funds to non-sanctuary areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill reforms wetland compliance and appeal processes under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It directly affects farmers and ranchers who face NRCS wetland determinations by shifting the burden of proof to the agency (requiring clear evidence to prove violations), prohibiting retroactive penalties for past wetland conversions where NRCS hadn't previously certified the area as wetland, and preventing NRCS from using new arguments after a successful appeal. Key provisions include requiring on-site visits for wetland determinations, creating formal appeal processes for rejected wetland certification requests, and mandating that successful appellants receive reimbursement for legal fees. The reforms aim to make the NRCS wetland compliance system fairer and more transparent for agricultural landowners.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1159) extends compliance timelines for small lenders under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. It requires the Bureau to grant a 3-year period for lenders to meet new data reporting rules, followed by a 2-year safe harbor where lenders aren't penalized for non-compliance during that time. The bill defines "small business" as entities with under $1 million in annual revenue and "financial institution" as lenders originating at least 500 small business loans annually over the prior two years. It directly affects small lenders (those meeting the 500-loan threshold) and small businesses (under $1M revenue), reducing immediate regulatory pressure through phased implementation.

Maddy summaryThe English Language Unity Act of 2023 declares English as the official language of the U.S. federal government (Section 3). It requires all federal government functions - such as laws, regulations, and public communications - to be conducted in English, with specific exceptions for language teaching, disability education, national security, census activities, and public health. The bill also mandates that naturalization ceremonies and English language testing for citizenship must be conducted in English (Section 164). These changes directly affect federal agencies and the naturalization process, but do not apply to state governments or the private sector.

Maddy summaryThis bill maintains the National Coal Council under its existing charter (filed with Congress in 2021) and exempts it from the termination provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. It requires the Secretary of Energy to continue operating the council as a federal advisory body. The bill does not create new policies or directly affect coal industry operations, but clarifies the council's procedural status. It is a procedural measure focused on the council's administrative continuity.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how the Federal Reserve appoints key leadership positions. It requires Senate confirmation for the Board's general counsel and Federal Reserve bank presidents (replacing previous approval by the Board of Governors), adds a 4-year residency requirement in a district for bank presidents, and limits how Fed funds can be used for lobbying Congress. The bill also clarifies that standard federal hiring rules apply to bank presidents and bans using Fed funds to influence legislation without congressional approval. These changes primarily affect the internal governance of the Federal Reserve System.

Maddy summarySRES 76 is a symbolic Senate resolution expressing condolences and solidarity with the people of Türkiye and Syria following the February 6, 2023 earthquake. It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges the disaster's impact (including 42,000 deaths and widespread displacement) and urges continued humanitarian aid. The resolution specifically calls for aid to avoid supporting the Assad regime in Syria and encourages international efforts to improve access for relief. As a procedural resolution, it directly affects no individuals or entities through policy changes.