Sen. Ben Ray Luján

Maddy summaryS 1464, the Buffalo Tract Protection Act, withdraws approximately 4,288 acres of federal land in New Mexico (described as Tracts A-D on a 2019 map) from mining claims, mineral leasing, and other disposal under federal law. This directly affects the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which administers the land, by prohibiting new mineral development on the surface. The bill allows the surface estate to be conveyed (sold or transferred) under existing laws like the Federal Land Policy Act, but requires the federal government to retain all mineral rights permanently.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates approximately 12,295 acres of federal land in Taos County, New Mexico (managed by the Bureau of Land Management) as the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness, using a specific map dated April 1, 2025. It modifies the boundary of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument to align with this new wilderness designation. The bill allows the maintenance of existing wildlife water structures (like guzzlers) if they enhance wilderness values and minimize visual impact, requiring a cooperative agreement with New Mexico within one year of enactment. This directly affects federal land management practices and wildlife conservation activities within the designated wilderness area.

Maddy summaryThe CLEAN SMART Act of 2026 establishes a Network of National Laboratories to advance scientific and technical approaches for cleaning up radioactive and hazardous waste sites from defense-related nuclear activities. The Network will develop and test new treatment technologies to reduce cleanup costs, accelerate schedules, and improve safety for sites managed by the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management and Office of Legacy Management. The Act authorizes $55 million annually for the Network's activities and requires annual reports to Congress on its progress. This Network will include representatives from major national laboratories and coordinate with other agencies to address environmental cleanup challenges.

Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act This bill allows National Forest System (NFS) units to keep the majority of ski area permit rental fees that were generated within their boundaries and outlines how revenues from those fees may be used. Such fees are collected by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from ski area operators on NFS land. Within the NFS unit where the fees were generated, USDA must expend (1) 60%-48% of the collected fees for activities such as administration of the ski area permit program, visitor information, or reducing the likelihood of wildfire in or adjacent to a recreation site; and (2) 20% of the collected fees for activities such as repair of a Forest Service-owned facility, habitat restoration, or search and rescue activities. The remainder of the collected fees must be expended by USDA at any NFS unit for any of the activities specified in this bill.

Maddy summaryThe Fair Repair Act requires electronics manufacturers to provide independent repair shops and device owners with necessary repair parts, tools, and documentation on fair terms. It prohibits manufacturers from using tactics like "parts pairing" to block third-party repairs, reduce device functionality, or create deceptive alerts about non-OEM parts. The law applies to digital electronics (like smartphones and computers) but excludes motor vehicles, medical devices, and safety communications equipment. It takes effect 60 days after enactment, enabling more affordable and accessible repairs for consumers and small repair businesses.

Maddy summaryThe Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act (S 3817) would impose a 100% tax on damages received by the President, Vice President, certain high-level executive officials (level I of the Executive Schedule), and members of Congress from civil lawsuits they file against the United States. The tax applies to the total damages received during the period the individual held a covered position, including settlements or judgments. This would be implemented by adding a new tax provision to the Internal Revenue Code, treating such damages as fully taxable income without deductions.

Maddy summarySRES 597 is a Senate resolution authorizing the U.S. Senate to initiate or join a federal lawsuit against the Department of Justice for failing to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act (Public Law 119-38), which required the complete release of all Epstein-related documents by December 19, 2025. The resolution directs the Senate Majority Leader to file the lawsuit to compel the DOJ to release unredacted documents meeting the Act's requirements, covering legal costs from Senate appropriations. This action follows the DOJ's release of only about 12,000 documents (less than 1% of files) by the deadline, along with misrepresentations about the volume and completeness of the release.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 601) designates the week beginning February 2, 2026, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week" to recognize these institutions' role in serving Native communities and their economic contributions. It highlights that tribal colleges serve students from over 250 federally recognized tribes, offer culturally grounded education, and contribute $3.8 billion annually to the U.S. economy. As a symbolic resolution (not a law), it has no binding effect but calls for public observance through community activities. The resolution focuses on honoring tribal colleges' mission and achievements, citing their open enrollment and economic impact statistics.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates January 2026 as "National Mentoring Month" to raise public awareness about mentoring programs. It recognizes the benefits of mentoring for youth - including improved academic performance, mental health, career development, and reduced risk of delinquency - and highlights that 40% of U.S. youth lack a mentor. The Senate encourages community, school, and workplace efforts to expand existing mentoring programs and recruit volunteers to support young people. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to promote existing mentoring initiatives across the country.

Maddy summaryThe Predatory Lending Elimination Act applies military lending protections to all consumers, not just military members, by setting strict interest rate limits on personal loans and credit cards. It prohibits lenders from charging excessive rates on most consumer credit (except residential mortgages, auto loans for vehicle purchases, and federal credit union loans) and bans exemptions that would weaken these caps. The law preserves stronger state consumer protections and allows state attorneys general to enforce violations within three years. It requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue rules within one year to implement these rate limits and ensure consistency with existing military lending standards.