Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto

Maddy summaryThe BUMP Act of 2023 (S 1909) prohibits the sale, possession, and transfer of devices that increase the rate of fire on semiautomatic firearms, including "bump stocks" and similar modifications. It directly affects owners of semiautomatic firearms modified to speed up firing or mimic machineguns, requiring them to register such weapons within 120 days of enactment. Key provisions ban devices designed to eliminate the need for separate trigger pulls per shot and define "semiautomatic firearm" to exclude machinegun-like modifications. The bill exempts government entities and pre-existing legal modifications from the ban, provided they are registered.

Maddy summaryThe Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2023 would authorize $300 million annually for five years to expand school-based mental health services. It requires schools to partner with community mental health providers to implement comprehensive programs that include universal mental health screenings, trauma-informed training for staff, and family engagement initiatives. The law mandates that programs be culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and track specific outcomes like improved academic performance, reduced disciplinary actions, and increased access to mental health care. This legislation directly affects public schools, students with mental health needs, and community mental health providers nationwide.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence, which will identify and organize resources for individuals affected by gun violence. It directly impacts victims (including those wounded, threatened, witnessing incidents, or connected to victims) and their families, as defined by the bill to cover suicide, homicide, domestic violence, mass shootings, and other firearm-related incidents. The council will assess victim needs, compile best practices for medical, financial, mental health, and legal support, and publish accessible resources online and to government offices. The council must report to Congress and state agencies within 180 days of enactment, with a follow-up report two years later, but requires no new federal funding and expires after five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the COPS on the Beat Grant Program to better support rural and low-income communities in hiring and retaining law enforcement officers. It increases federal funding coverage for qualifying jurisdictions (rural areas or those with median household income below 80% of national average) from 75% to 90% in the first year, gradually decreasing to 75% by year four. The bill also caps federal funding for officer compensation at $75,000 annually, with a higher limit of 80% of national median income for qualifying rural areas. Additionally, it requires a GAO report in 2027 and 2032 to assess police diversity, officer residency rates, and pay relative to local cost of living. The changes directly affect local law enforcement agencies in rural or economically disadvantaged areas seeking COPS funding for hiring or salary increases.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal agencies to include questions about sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics (intersex traits) in their demographic surveys, such as the census and health studies. Agencies must establish data standards within 360 days of the bill's enactment, using methods that ensure voluntary participation, privacy, and confidentiality, while avoiding personally identifiable information after three years. The law directly affects federal agencies conducting covered surveys, aiming to fill a gap in current data collection where intersex populations are not measured. Reports based on these surveys must include this data within three years, though agencies may request case-by-case waivers if compliance would harm survey quality or violate privacy laws.

Maddy summaryS 1845, the Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act, creates a new 5-year Medicare model providing community-based palliative care to beneficiaries with serious illnesses like cancer, heart disease, or dementia. It directly affects Medicare Part A enrollees with qualifying conditions, replacing the current Medicare Care Choices Model and ensuring no exclusion for prior hospice use. Key provisions require 24/7 access (including telehealth), team-based care with at least one certified palliative provider, coordination across settings (homes, hospitals, or community sites), and coverage of services like pain management, mental health support, and advance care planning. The model aims to reduce unnecessary emergency visits and hospitalizations while improving care experience for high-risk Medicare beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryThe Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act allows states and territories (including Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and Washington D.C.) to request federal tax filing extensions for disasters declared under state law, not just federally declared disasters. It extends the maximum deadline extension period from 60 days to 120 days for both state and federal disaster declarations. This directly affects taxpayers in disaster-affected areas by providing more time to file returns and pay taxes without penalties. The IRS must implement these changes for any disaster declared after the bill’s enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Medicare's payment system for air ambulance services to better reflect actual costs. It requires air ambulance providers to submit detailed cost and revenue data every three years (including fixed costs, utilization, and revenue) to the Medicare Secretary. The Secretary must then revise fee schedules using this data, considering stakeholder input. A separate provision mandates a GAO study analyzing average costs per transport, payment adequacy, geographic variations, and recommendations for improving Medicare payments - directly affecting Medicare beneficiaries receiving air ambulance care and the providers who serve them.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires banks with over $10 billion in assets to claw back certain executive compensation if the bank fails. It directly affects executives, directors, and controlling shareholders at large banks that cause significant financial harm or fail. The key provision mandates recovery of salary, bonuses, equity awards, and other covered compensation paid within the prior three years when a bank becomes insolvent or is resolved. Any recovered funds must be deposited into the Deposit Insurance Fund. This amends existing banking law to strengthen accountability for executive pay during bank failures.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 230) symbolically recognizes the 102nd anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a violent attack by a White mob that killed an estimated 300 Black residents and destroyed the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma - a thriving Black business community known as "Black Wall Street." It honors the victims and survivors, condemns the historical and ongoing legacy of racial violence, and encourages U.S. schools and universities to include education about the massacre in curricula. As a non-binding resolution, it does not enact new laws or policies but serves as a formal acknowledgment by the Senate of this pivotal event in American history.