Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

Maddy summaryS 5204, the Tax Relief for New Businesses Act, increases tax deductions for new businesses by consolidating "start-up" and "organizational" expenses into a single category and raising deduction limits. It raises the initial deduction from $5,000 to $50,000 and the phaseout threshold from $50,000 to $150,000 for these expenses. The bill also creates special rules for net operating losses related to start-up costs, allowing businesses to treat these losses separately with a 100% carryover (instead of 80%) and excluding them from other loss calculations. This directly benefits new corporations and partnerships formed after December 31, 2024, by reducing their initial tax burden.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits landlords in privatized military housing from requiring tenants to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) related to housing services. It directly affects military families living in privatized housing units by removing a barrier to discussing housing conditions or issues. The key change amends federal law to state that landlords cannot request NDAs for housing or related services, while deleting prior provisions about enforcement. This creates a clearer policy allowing military tenants to freely report problems without legal constraints. The bill focuses solely on altering housing contract requirements, with no other substantive changes to military housing policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits possessing firearms within 100 yards of a federal election site (such as polling places or ballot-counting locations) unless specific exceptions apply. It directly affects anyone near these sites, including voters, election workers, and others in the vicinity, by restricting firearm access in that zone. Key provisions include exceptions for law enforcement officers on duty, firearms remaining in vehicles, and lawful private property possession, while imposing penalties of up to 1 year in jail for basic violations and up to 5 years if firearms are intended for criminal use. The law also enhances penalties for homicides occurring during election site violations involving firearms.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 to clarify and improve legal pathways for victims. It directly affects individuals exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (1953-1987) who developed health issues, including latent or potential harm. Key changes include lowering the proof standard to show a causal link between contamination and health harm (requiring it to be "at least as likely as not"), updating residency requirements to 30 days, and revising attorney fee limits to 20% for pre-litigation settlements and 25% for court judgments. The bill also specifies jurisdiction in North Carolina courts and allows case transfers within the fourth judicial circuit. These technical corrections aim to streamline claims processing for existing and future victims.

Maddy summaryThe High Court Gift Ban Act (S 5268) would prohibit federal judges from accepting gifts from individuals or organizations that have, or are likely to, appear before them in court. It sets a limit of $50 per gift and $100 total annually from a single source, with exceptions for items paid at fair market value, gifts from relatives, honorary degrees, and certain professional events. The bill requires the Supreme Court and Judicial Conference to create implementing regulations within 180 days. Violations could trigger civil penalties up to $50,000 or criminal charges, including fines and up to one year in prison.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award Robert M. Gates, former Director of Central Intelligence and Secretary of Defense, a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his 27 years of public service to the United States. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, honors his roles in ending the Cold War, leading military transitions in Iraq/Afghanistan, and supporting veterans' welfare. Duplicate bronze medals may be sold to the public to cover production costs. The bill is purely ceremonial, with no policy changes or direct effects beyond honoring Gates' career.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - 223 women who served as Army Signal Corps telephone operators in WWI. They connected 26 million calls in France, worked 12-hour shifts under combat conditions, and were denied veteran benefits for 60 years despite wearing uniforms and facing combat hazards. The medal recognizes their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and the decades-long struggle for recognition as soldiers. It directs the Treasury to strike the medal and place it in the Smithsonian for public display at institutions like the National WWI Museum.

Maddy summarySRES 838 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating November 17, 2024, as "National Warrior Call Day." It aims to raise awareness about veteran and military member mental health by emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer connections during transition from service. The resolution cites statistics showing high veteran suicide rates (33.9 per 100,000 in 2021) and encourages all Americans to reach out to veterans or active-duty personnel for support. It does not create new laws or funding but urges public engagement through "making a warrior call" to prevent isolation. This resolution directly affects public awareness and voluntary actions, not specific individuals or programs.

Maddy summarySRES 831 is a non-binding Senate resolution calling on the U.S. government to ensure Sudanese women are included in U.S.-led efforts to end Sudan's civil war. It specifically urges the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan to prioritize women's participation in peace negotiations, support women-led organizations documenting human rights abuses, and expand gender-responsive humanitarian aid. The resolution condemns the use of gender-based violence as a weapon of war and highlights Sudan's severe crises - including famine, mass displacement, and education collapse - disproportionately affecting women and girls. It references the Women, Peace, and Security Act to emphasize that including women in peace processes leads to more durable agreements. The resolution does not create new laws but directs U.S. diplomatic action to center Sudanese women's leadership in conflict resolution.

Maddy summaryThe AFFIRM Act of 2024 requires the USDA to publicly disclose annual details about federal crop insurance subsidies, including the names of recipients, subsidy amounts, and indemnity payments. It imposes a $250,000 average farm income limit for subsidy eligibility and caps annual subsidies at $40,000 per person. The bill also prohibits subsidies for harvest price policies starting in 2024 and limits crop insurance providers’ average return on retained premiums to 8.9%. Additionally, it caps total annual reimbursements for insurance providers’ administrative costs at $900 million (adjusted for inflation).