Maddy summaryThe Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2023 would establish a program to provide land grants to eligible Black farmers and ranchers, purchasing land to convey at no cost (up to 160 acres per grant) with priority given to those with farming experience, family history of land dispossession, or military service. It would create an independent Civil Rights Oversight Board within USDA to review discrimination complaints, establish an Equity Commission to study historical discrimination against Black farmers, and require data collection on racial and gender disparities in USDA programs. The bill would provide additional credit assistance including zero-interest operating loans for the first 7 years, establish a National Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher Bank to provide financing specifically for Black farmers, and include a foreclosure moratorium for farmers with active civil rights complaints. The legislation also includes provisions to improve access to conservation programs and reform livestock purchasing practices under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Better Care Better Jobs Act (S 100) aims to improve access to home and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid beneficiaries by providing federal funding to states for developing improvement plans and implementing an HCBS Infrastructure Improvement Program. The bill offers enhanced federal funding (a 10 percentage point increase in Medicaid matching rates) to states that meet requirements including maintaining or expanding HCBS access, improving direct care worker wages and training, and implementing quality measurement systems. States must develop detailed plans assessing current HCBS availability, workforce conditions, and barriers to access, and then report annually on progress toward specific benchmarks. The bill also makes permanent certain Medicaid provisions related to spousal impoverishment protection and extends the Money Follows the Person program, directly affecting Medicaid beneficiaries and direct care workers.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires school food service staff and other child nutrition program personnel to complete mandatory food allergy training covering prevention (like menu labeling and avoiding cross-contact), symptom identification, and emergency response. It also mandates the development of accessible nutrition education materials for WIC participants and families affected by food allergies, including during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood. The training and materials must be available in relevant languages and formats for people with limited English proficiency or disabilities. The bill authorizes $1 million annually for 2024-2028 to implement these requirements across school meal programs, the summer food service, and WIC. It directly affects school food workers, childcare providers, and families managing food allergies in federally supported child nutrition programs.
Maddy summaryThis bill would admit Washington, D.C. as the 51st state, officially named "State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth," granting it full representation in Congress with two Senators and one Representative. It would establish a "Capital" area within the new state that remains under federal jurisdiction, including the White House, Capitol Building, and other key government properties. The bill would repeal the District of Columbia's congressional delegate position and the 23rd Amendment, which currently provides D.C. with electoral votes in presidential elections. It would also provide for the transition of federal properties, courts, and government functions while maintaining federal control over the Capital area.
Maddy summaryS 52, the American Beef Labeling Act of 2023, requires mandatory country of origin labeling for beef and ground beef products sold in the U.S. It directly affects beef producers, importers, and retailers who must label the country where cattle were raised. The bill amends existing labeling laws to explicitly include beef (and ground beef) alongside lamb, and directs the U.S. Trade Representative and Agriculture Secretary to develop a WTO-compliant method to reinstate this labeling within 180 days of enactment, with full implementation required within one year. This policy change ensures consumers receive clear origin information for beef products.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 13-member commission to study the history of slavery in the U.S. and its ongoing effects on African Americans. The commission will examine slavery from 1619 to 1865, post-emancipation discrimination (including Jim Crow, redlining, and educational inequity), and current disparities in wealth, incarceration, and health. It will compile evidence and recommend potential remedies to Congress, including educational initiatives and frameworks for compensation, but does not authorize any reparations payments. The commission must submit its findings within one year of its first meeting.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act for people with household incomes up to 800% of the federal poverty line (up from 400%), directly affecting millions of middle-income Americans purchasing coverage through health insurance marketplaces. Key provisions adjust the sliding-scale subsidy system to lower premium percentages across income tiers - like reducing the maximum payment from 8.5% to 6% for incomes between 300%-400% of poverty - and increase cost-sharing reductions for lower-income enrollees. It also modifies eligibility thresholds, raising the income limit for the highest savings tier from 150% to 200% of poverty and increasing the percentage of out-of-pocket costs covered. These changes aim to make premiums and deductibles more affordable by expanding subsidy eligibility and refining how payments are calculated.
Maddy summaryThis bill would ban the sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of most semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns meeting specific criteria defined as "assault weapons," as well as large capacity ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The ban would not apply to weapons already owned before enactment, or to certain types like bolt-action rifles, antique firearms, or weapons used by law enforcement. The bill would require identification markings on new assault weapons and magazines, require background checks for transfers of "grandfathered" weapons, and authorize federal buy-back programs for banned weapons through Byrne grants. It includes exemptions for military, law enforcement, and certain historical firearms.
Maddy summaryThis bill raises the minimum age to purchase or possess certain firearms and large-capacity magazines from 18 to 21 years old. It specifically prohibits sales or transfers of "semiautomatic assault weapons" (including defined rifles, pistols, and shotguns with features like detachable magazines or specific attachments) and large-capacity magazines (holding more than 10 rounds) to anyone under 21. The bill directly affects individuals under 21 who would be barred from purchasing these items from licensed dealers. Limited exceptions exist for hunting, farming, military service, or self-defense, but the core change is a nationwide age restriction on these specific firearm types.
Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 This act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure that rates and charges for payphone services or other calling devices, including advanced (e.g., audio or video) communications services in correctional institutions, are just and reasonable. When promulgating regulations or otherwise implementing this act, the FCC (1) may use industry-wide average costs related to providing telephone and advanced communications services, and (2) must consider costs for safety and security measures related to providing communications services in correctional facilities.