Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the DISCLOSE Act of 2026, strengthens campaign finance transparency by requiring corporations, labor organizations, Super PACs, and other entities to disclose more information about their spending and funding sources. It closes loopholes that allow foreign nationals to contribute to U.S. elections by expanding disclosure requirements and prohibiting foreign money in ballot initiatives and referenda. The legislation also mandates that certain advertisements include lists of top funders and requires reporting of spending related to federal judicial nominations. Additionally, it streamlines administrative processes for challenging campaign finance laws and ensures coordination between the Federal Election Commission and financial authorities to enforce these rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the State Boating Act, would allow states to charge fees to boat owners when issuing vessel registration numbers. The fees could cover costs for search and rescue operations, boating safety programs, and efforts to control aquatic invasive species. States would be permitted to collect these boating-related fees at the same time they collect other vessel numbering fees. The law would also require that any money collected through these fees be used only for activities that directly support recreational boating, boater safety, waterway access, and aquatic invasive species mitigation.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 21-28, 2026, as "National FFA Week" to honor the National FFA Organization’s work in agricultural education. It recognizes FFA’s role in developing leadership and career skills for students (with over 1 million members nationally) and celebrates the 50th anniversary of Alaska’s State FFA Association, which has 19 chapters and 493 members. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal effect but formally expresses Senate support for FFA’s mission.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 617) designates February 2026 as "Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month" to symbolically recognize CTE programs nationwide. It supports CTE's role in preparing students for high-demand careers by promoting workforce readiness through academic and technical skills training. The resolution encourages educators, counselors, parents, and school administrators to advocate for CTE as a valid educational pathway. As a non-binding Senate resolution, it does not create new laws or allocate funds but affirms bipartisan support for CTE's importance in workforce development.

Maddy summarySRES 621 designates the week of February 23-27, 2026, as "National Public Schools Week" to recognize the role of public schools in U.S. education. The resolution highlights public schools' importance in fostering inclusive learning environments and preparing students for civic and economic participation, citing that 87% of U.S. children attend public schools. It does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes - it is a symbolic gesture by the Senate without binding effect. The resolution aligns with broader efforts to support public education but focuses solely on commemoration.

Maddy summarySRES 623 is a symbolic Senate resolution commemorating Team USA's historic ice hockey achievements at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. It specifically honors both the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team (winning their third gold, with Megan Keller scoring the overtime winner and Laila Edwards becoming the first Black woman to win gold in women’s hockey) and the Men’s Hockey Team (winning their first gold since 1980). The resolution applauds the athletes, coaches, and supporting families, and highlights the significance of both teams winning gold in the same Olympics for the first time. As a non-binding commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact and serves solely to recognize these athletic accomplishments.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires telecommunications companies to use a federal system called the National Verifier to check if customers qualify for the Lifeline program, which provides discounted phone or internet service. It stops carriers in certain states from using their own state-run verification methods instead of the federal system. The law applies to all companies that currently offer Lifeline service and mandates they verify every customer's eligibility through the National Verifier before providing the discounted service. This change aims to standardize how eligibility is confirmed across different states and prevent duplicate benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 to require the Treasury Secretary to testify annually before Congress about the Fund's operations. It also strengthens the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program by adjusting guarantee limits and extending the program's authorization period. Additionally, the bill expands capital assistance options for community development financial institutions and creates a new lending program specifically for Native community development financial institutions to support homeownership in Tribal and Native communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the TAP Promotion Act, would allow representatives from recognized veterans service organizations to join presentations that inform service members about benefits they can access after leaving the military. These presentations are part of the Transition Assistance Program, which helps veterans prepare for civilian life, and the law requires that they be standardized and approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs before being used. The bill also mandates that the presentations include information on how veterans service organizations can help with filing benefit claims, while prohibiting any effort to encourage members to join a specific organization. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs must submit an annual report to Congress detailing which organizations participated in these sessions and how many service members attended.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Direct File Act of 2026, would establish a government-run online platform for taxpayers to prepare and file their individual income tax returns for free. It requires the Treasury Department to create a user-friendly system that uses IRS data to simplify the process, offers customer support, and is available in multiple languages and on mobile devices. The legislation also prohibits the Treasury from entering into agreements that would limit its ability to provide these tax preparation and filing services. Additionally, the bill allows eligible states to integrate their state tax filing with the federal system and provides funding to states that meet certain standards for doing so.