Maddy summaryThe EARN IT Act of 2023 establishes a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention to develop voluntary best practices for interactive computer services (such as social media platforms and messaging apps) to prevent, reduce, and respond to online child sexual exploitation. The Commission will create recommended practices considering different platform sizes and business models, including content moderation, reporting systems, and age verification measures. The bill updates federal law to replace the term "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" across numerous statutes and technical amendments. These best practices would be voluntary for platforms to adopt, not mandatory requirements, and must be supported by at least 14 of the Commission's 19 members. The Commission's recommendations will be updated every 5 years and published by the Department of Justice.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe MORE DOT Grants Act (S 1579) increases access to federal transportation grants for rural communities where over half the land is federally owned and the population is under 100,000. It directly affects "High-Density Public Land Counties" and their local governments or Tribal governments within those counties. Key provisions include reducing local matching funds by 50% for qualifying grant programs, requiring the Department of Transportation to provide extra technical assistance, and giving priority to these areas in grant approvals. The bill also allows flexibility in application requirements that disadvantage small communities, such as adjusting scoring criteria or simplifying complex processes.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Office of Consumer Protection within the Department of Transportation. The office will monitor compliance with consumer protection and civil rights laws, investigate violations, and issue regulations to safeguard transportation consumers. It will be led by a new Assistant Secretary for Consumer Protection, who must coordinate with legal staff and submit annual reports to Congress analyzing consumer protection trends and challenges. The office directly affects consumers using transportation services and the Department's enforcement of related laws.
Maddy summaryS 1585, the Federal Law Enforcement Service Weapon Purchase Act, allows current or former federal law enforcement officers to purchase handguns retired from agency service. The bill authorizes officers to buy these retired handguns during a 6-month window after retirement, at fair market value based on the weapon's age and condition, provided they are legally permitted to own firearms under federal or state law. It directly affects federal law enforcement officers who served with agency-issued handguns and now wish to retain one. Key provisions include defined terms (like "retired handgun" meaning agency-surplus weapons), purchase limitations, and requirements for the General Services Administration to establish sale policies. This bill creates a formal process for officers to legally acquire service-issued handguns no longer needed by their agency.
Maddy summaryThe Diversify Act amends the TEACH Grants program to increase funding for future educators. It raises annual grant amounts from $4,000 to $8,000 and lifetime caps from $16,000 to $32,000. The bill expands eligible teaching locations to include high-need early education programs and removes penalties for failing to complete service requirements, replacing them with an electronic completion certificate. It also exempts TEACH Grants from automatic budget cuts (sequestration) under federal law. These changes directly affect teacher candidates pursuing careers in high-need schools and early education.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the service of Army and Navy nurses who served during World War II. It directly recognizes approximately 73,000 nurses (including those who died in action or captivity) who provided critical medical care under combat conditions across 6 continents. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be displayed at institutions like the Smithsonian, the Women in Military Service Memorial, and military museums. The bill is purely commemorative, with no new benefits or policy changes, focusing solely on formal recognition of their wartime contributions.
Maddy summaryS 1580 (MORE USDA Grants Act) reduces local matching requirements by 50% for High-Density Public Land Counties (under 100,000 population with over 50% federally owned land) applying to USDA rural development grant programs. It also gives priority to these counties and Tribal governments in grant applications and requires the USDA to provide additional technical assistance. The bill applies to multiple USDA programs, including Rural Business Development, Community Facilities, and broadband grants. These changes aim to improve access to federal funding for remote communities with limited local resources.
Maddy summaryS 1554, the National American Indian Veterans Charter Act, grants a federal charter to the existing nonprofit organization National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated. This charter formally recognizes the group as a federally chartered entity under Title 36 of the U.S. Code, authorizing it to operate as a nonprofit dedicated to serving American Indian veterans. Key provisions include granting the organization exclusive rights to its name and insignia, requiring it to maintain tax-exempt status, and mandating annual reports to Congress on its activities (though these reports are not public documents). The bill directly affects American Indian veterans by legally solidifying the organization’s role as their representative body for advocacy, outreach, and support services.
Maddy summaryThe SAFE Banking Act of 2023 creates a legal safe harbor for financial institutions that provide services to state-sanctioned marijuana businesses and hemp-related legitimate businesses. It prevents federal banking regulators from taking adverse actions against depository institutions for serving these businesses solely because they operate within state-legal marijuana frameworks. The bill also ensures income from legal marijuana businesses can be considered for qualifying for federally backed mortgage loans and requires updated guidance for suspicious activity reporting related to these businesses. These provisions aim to address longstanding banking access barriers for businesses operating within state-legal marijuana and hemp industries.
Maddy summaryThis is a Senate resolution (SRES 205), not a law, that symbolically designates May 10, 2023, as "National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Mental Health Day." It expresses the Senate's support for raising awareness about mental health challenges in the AANHPI community, citing statistics like 24.5% of Asian adults receiving mental health services in 2021 and suicide being the leading cause of death for AANHPI youth aged 10-24. The resolution encourages federal and state agencies to improve mental health care access and reduce stigma for this community. It does not create new policies or funding, serving only as a symbolic recognition.