Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive water rights settlement between the Pueblo of Acoma and Laguna with New Mexico for the Rio San José Stream System, and between the Pueblo of Jemez and Zia with New Mexico for the Jemez River Stream System. It ratifies existing settlement agreements, creates trust funds totaling $1.05 billion (with $296 million for Acoma, $464 million for Laguna, $290 million for Jemez, and $200 million for Zia) to fund water infrastructure, management, and development, and confirms the Pueblos' water rights in their respective watersheds. The bill requires the Pueblos to waive historical claims against the United States related to water rights in exchange for these confirmed rights and funding, while retaining rights for environmental protection and future water development. The settlement becomes effective once the "Enforceability Date" is met, requiring court approval, funding deposits, and other specified conditions.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 492) honoring the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter. It expresses the Senate's condolences for her passing and recognizes her lifetime of humanitarian work, including her advocacy for mental health care, founding of caregiver support programs, and service with The Carter Center. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is purely a commemorative statement. It was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators and adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2023.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use alternative evidence to determine eligibility for benefits when a veteran's military or medical records are lost or damaged after being held by the federal government. It directly affects veterans whose service records are incomplete due to federal record loss, enabling the VA to consider sources like medical exams soon after discharge, the veteran's own account of injuries, or credible buddy statements. The VA must create rules for this process within one year of the bill's passage, and benefits awarded under this provision will follow standard dating rules without delays based on claim submission timing. The law clarifies that veterans can use these alternative methods to prove service-connected disabilities or other benefits when official records are unavailable.
Maddy summaryThe Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act of 2023 establishes a federal research program to develop low-emissions cement, concrete, asphalt binder, and asphalt mixtures, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in construction materials. The bill authorizes $200 million for demonstration projects, creates Manufacturing USA institutes to develop testing standards, and establishes advance purchase commitments to incentivize government adoption of these materials. It also creates an Interagency Task Force to coordinate federal efforts across agencies and update construction codes to support low-emission materials. The legislation primarily affects cement and asphalt producers, government contractors, and the construction industry, aiming to make low-emission materials more competitive and widely used.
Maddy summaryS 3449, the Pathways to Health Careers Act, provides federal grants to help low-income individuals (earning up to 200% of the Federal poverty level) enter health care careers through training programs. The bill requires grant recipients to provide support services including child care, transportation, adult basic education, career coaching, and case management. It includes specific demonstration projects for people with arrest or conviction records seeking health careers, and for training in maternal health careers like doulas and midwives. The bill appropriates $425 million annually from 2024-2028 to fund these initiatives, with at least 25% of funds dedicated to each demonstration project type.
Maddy summaryThe Clean Competition Act establishes a carbon intensity charge on covered primary goods produced domestically or imported into the United States. It requires covered entities in specific industries (including petroleum, chemicals, cement, and coal) to report annual emissions data, calculates carbon intensity as emissions divided by goods produced, and imposes a charge when a facility's carbon intensity exceeds industry benchmarks. The charge equals the difference between a facility's carbon intensity and the industry benchmark, multiplied by the carbon price ($55 in 2025, increasing annually) and the weight of goods produced. The bill also includes rebates for exported goods and creates a grant program to fund carbon-reducing technology investments in eligible facilities. The carbon price increases annually based on inflation, with specific industry benchmarks determined by the Secretary.
Maddy summaryThe SAFER Banking Act provides legal protections for banks and financial institutions that serve state-legal marijuana businesses and related service providers. It creates a "safe harbor" preventing federal banking regulators from penalizing institutions for offering services to these businesses, even though marijuana remains illegal under federal law. The bill also allows income from state-legal marijuana businesses to be considered "legal income" for mortgage qualification purposes and establishes guidance for suspicious activity reporting related to these businesses. Similar protections are extended to hemp-related businesses and service providers, without requiring banks to serve these businesses.
Maddy summaryThe Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights (S 3404) establishes new consumer protections for student loan borrowers by requiring lenders to provide clear, plain-language disclosures about loan terms, repayment options, and servicemember benefits. It mandates the creation of repayment specialists to assist borrowers at risk of default, requires removal of default records from credit history upon repayment, and establishes a centralized point of access for borrowers to manage their loans. The bill directly affects both federal and private student loan borrowers and the lenders and servicers who handle these loans. Specific requirements include clear disclosures about loan terms, limits on late fees (capped at 4% of the payment amount), and prohibitions against certain practices that could harm borrowers. The bill also creates an interagency working group to develop improved servicing standards for student loans.
Maddy summaryThe GOSAFE Act prohibits the sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and large capacity ammunition magazines (holding more than 10 rounds) in interstate or foreign commerce, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, pre-enactment owners, and certain firearms like single-shot weapons. It requires the Attorney General to publish a list of prohibited firearms within 180 days and establishes a process for manufacturers to seek approval for new firearm designs before selling them to civilians. The bill also authorizes buy-back programs using Byrne grants to compensate individuals who surrender prohibited firearms and magazines, with penalties including fines up to $5,000 or up to 12 months in prison for violations.
Maddy summaryThe Billionaires Income Tax Act requires individuals with annual income over $100 million or assets over $1 billion to pay taxes annually on their wealth gains, rather than deferring taxes through strategies like "buy, borrow, die." It eliminates tax deferral by implementing mark-to-market taxation, requiring billionaires to pay tax on asset appreciation each year as if they had sold the assets. The bill closes loopholes that allow the ultra-wealthy to transfer assets tax-free to heirs, requiring heirs to pay tax on gains when they sell assets. This means billionaires would pay taxes on their income as it's earned, just like working people pay taxes on wages.