Sen. Martin Heinrich

Maddy summaryS 582 (Sunshine Protection Act of 2023) would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, eliminating the need to change clocks twice yearly. It repeals the 1966 law requiring seasonal time changes and adjusts time zone offset language to reflect permanent daylight saving time (e.g., changing "4 hours" to "3 hours" in time zone rules). The bill directly affects all states and territories currently observing daylight saving time, with a specific exemption for states or areas that had already opted out of the Uniform Time Act before this bill's enactment. Key provisions include permanently adopting daylight saving time as standard time and allowing previously exempt states to maintain their existing time practices. This is a procedural change to federal timekeeping law, not a new policy affecting other areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain public-sector retirees. It eliminates the government pension offset (GPO), which currently cuts Social Security checks for people with government pensions, and removes the windfall elimination provision (WEP), which reduces benefits for those with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security. The changes directly affect public employees (like teachers, firefighters, and state/local government workers) who have pensions from jobs that didn't pay into Social Security. The bill takes effect for Social Security benefits paid after December 2023, restoring full benefits for eligible retirees.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award a single gold medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment collectively, recognizing their service during the Revolutionary War. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be permanently displayed at the Rhode Island State Library, with Congress encouraging its use for research and potential display at other historically significant locations. Bronze duplicates may be sold to cover production costs, and all medals are classified as national medals under U.S. law. The bill directly honors the regiment, which in 1778 became one of the first integrated units in American history by recruiting over 200 Black and Indigenous soldiers.

Maddy summaryThe CCM-CARE Act of 2023 aims to improve research, diagnosis, and treatment for cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM), a blood vessel disease affecting approximately 600,000 people in the U.S. (with fewer than 200,000 diagnosed), particularly those with specific genetic mutations prevalent in New Mexico (common Hispanic mutation) and the Southeastern U.S. (CCM2 Common Deletion). The bill establishes a network of CCM Clinical Research Centers (2 coordinating centers and 6-10 participation centers), expands NIH funding for CCM research including biomarker development and drug trials, and creates CDC surveillance programs to track CCM cases. It also creates a CCM Research Consortium to develop clinical training programs, patient education materials, and regional awareness campaigns, with specific focus on high-impact populations. The legislation requires biennial reports to Congress on CCM research activities, funding distribution, and recommendations for future research.

Maddy summaryThe Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2023 updates the 1986 Air Carrier Access Act to improve air travel accessibility for people with disabilities. It requires airlines to provide accessible aircraft with features like wheelchair restraints, accessible seating, and proper stowage for assistive devices within seven years, and mandates new accessibility standards for airport facilities, digital interfaces, and in-flight communications. The bill creates a private right of action allowing individuals to sue airlines for discrimination, establishes a formal complaint process with 120-day investigation timelines, and sets civil penalties for specific violations like damaging assistive devices or denying boarding. These changes directly affect airlines and travelers with disabilities by strengthening enforcement mechanisms and modernizing accessibility requirements that have not been updated since the original law.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 to clarify that the Secretary of the Interior may take land into trust for **any federally recognized Indian tribe**, updating the original language that referenced tribes "under Federal jurisdiction." It specifically **ratifies and confirms past land trust actions** taken for tribes recognized by the federal government at the time of those actions, preventing legal challenges based on recognition status. The bill explicitly states it **does not change other federal laws** or the Secretary's authority under them, and references to the Indian Reorganization Act in other laws will now include this amendment. This directly affects federally recognized tribes seeking land trust status and the Department of the Interior's administrative processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires background checks for most private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals by mandating that such transfers occur through a licensed dealer. It directly affects unlicensed buyers and sellers of firearms who would otherwise transfer guns without checks, except for specific exceptions like family gifts, law enforcement transfers, temporary safety-related transfers, or transfers for hunting/shooting at designated locations. Key provisions include requiring licensed dealers to conduct background checks as if they were transferring the firearm themselves and adding a new requirement for written certification from the unlicensed transferee. The bill does not create a national gun registry and leaves state laws intact.

Maddy summaryThe DISCLOSE Act of 2023 requires organizations making campaign-related disbursements over $10,000 to disclose detailed information about their funding sources, including the names and addresses of major donors and the top 5 or 2 funders for political communications. It closes loopholes allowing foreign nationals to influence U.S. elections by prohibiting foreign contributions to ballot initiatives and requiring disclosure of foreign money in campaigns. The bill also mandates "stand by every ad" requirements, requiring political communications to include disclaimers identifying who paid for them and listing major funders. These provisions apply to corporations, labor organizations, and other groups making political expenditures, with the goal of increasing transparency in campaign finance.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act to exclude basic allowance for housing (BAH) paid to military members from income calculations for food assistance programs. It directly affects military families who receive housing allowances and apply for benefits like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The key change adds a specific provision (paragraph 20) to the Act, ensuring BAH is not counted as income when determining eligibility. This adjustment makes it easier for military families to qualify for nutrition assistance by removing their housing allowance from income calculations.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Congress to award a gold medal in honor of Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights lawyer and the first African-American woman appointed to a federal judgeship. The medal will be presented posthumously to her son, Joel Motley III, and niece, Constance Royster, by congressional leaders. The bill directs the U.S. Treasury to design and strike the medal (featuring Motley's image and name) and permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure recognizing Motley's legacy, not a policy change affecting public programs or regulations.