Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Higher Education Act to allow Head Start and Early Head Start programs to hire college students through federal work-study programs. It directly affects Head Start/EHS agencies and college students participating in work-study. Key provisions require agencies to ensure student employees comply with program standards, prohibit students from being left alone with children (requiring regular staff supervision), and clarify that student workers do not count toward staff-to-child ratios. The changes integrate student employment into existing early childhood programs without altering funding or eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it illegal to distribute online digital instructions (like 3D printer files) that can automatically program a 3D printer to create a firearm or complete a firearm receiver. It directly affects individuals who share such files online, including those creating or distributing "ghost gun" schematics. The key mechanism prohibits the internet distribution of these specific digital files under federal law, aiming to prevent untraceable firearms. This addresses the concern that 3D-printed guns lack serial numbers, making them difficult for law enforcement to trace after crimes.

Maddy summaryThe Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 (S 2150) prohibits state laws that impose unnecessary restrictions on abortion access before fetal viability. It directly affects patients seeking abortion care and health care providers (including clinics, hospitals, and medical professionals), banning requirements like mandatory in-person visits, location-based travel barriers, or restrictions on telemedicine that don’t apply to comparable medical procedures. The bill overrides conflicting state laws, requires courts to consider factors like cost and travel burden when evaluating restrictions, and establishes federal enforcement through lawsuits to stop violations. It focuses on ensuring access to abortion services without burdens that hinder care, while allowing post-viability abortions only when necessary to protect a patient’s life or health.

Maddy summaryThe COIN Act prohibits federal public officials and their immediate family members from engaging in certain financial transactions involving digital assets like cryptocurrencies, meme coins, tokens, and payment stablecoins during their service and for specified periods before and after service. It creates civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, 10% of the asset's value, or the financial gain, whichever is greater, for violations of these prohibitions. The bill also requires officials to disclose digital assets they hold and mandates payment stablecoin issuers to certify no public officials profit from their stablecoins, with annual recertification requirements. These provisions aim to prevent conflicts of interest and financial exploitation by public officials related to digital assets.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes tax rules to help intelligence community employees who relocate for work. It allows these employees (excluding military members) to deduct moving expenses and exclude relocation reimbursements from taxable income when moving due to a required assignment change. The key change modifies two sections of the tax code to treat intelligence community relocations similarly to other federal employee moves. This directly affects current or new intelligence community staff who must move for mission-critical assignments. The policy aims to reduce tax burdens when these employees relocate for work.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes annual federal funding for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), which helps expand access to healthy food in underserved communities. It directs $25 million for fiscal year 2025, increasing to $50 million annually starting in 2029, to support projects like grocery stores and farmers' markets in food deserts. The funds, sourced from the Commodity Credit Corporation, directly support low-income neighborhoods lacking affordable fresh food options. This is a procedural funding extension for an existing program, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Department of Veterans Affairs' Solid Start Program to provide servicemembers and veterans with specific, standardized mental health information during their transition from military to civilian life. It mandates inclusion of details on suicide risk factors (like depression, homelessness, and relationship strain), PTSD treatment options, substance abuse resources, and the impact of losing military support networks. Both programs must cover these topics in their counseling materials, directly affecting active-duty service members separating from the military and newly enrolled veterans. The bill also requires the Defense and Veterans Affairs Secretaries to jointly report to Congress within one year on the implementation of these changes.

Maddy summaryThe Keeping Obstetrics Local Act focuses on improving access to obstetric care in rural and underserved communities. It requires states to study costs of maternity services and mandates Medicaid payments for obstetric care at eligible hospitals to be at least 150% of Medicare rates (starting in 2027), with increased federal funding. The bill also requires 12-month continuous coverage for pregnant individuals under Medicaid and CHIP, establishes health homes for coordinated maternal care, and creates special payments for low-volume obstetric hospitals to prevent closures. Additionally, it requires hospitals to provide advance notice of obstetric unit closures and collects detailed data on labor and delivery services, directly affecting rural hospitals, pregnant individuals, and maternal health care providers.

Maddy summaryThe Insurrection Act of 2025 establishes specific conditions under which the President may deploy military forces domestically to address insurrections, rebellions, or widespread violence that overwhelm state and local authorities. It requires the President to consult Congress, issue a proclamation ordering lawbreakers to disperse, and submit a detailed report before deployment, with congressional approval needed within 7 days. The bill specifically protects voting rights by requiring that military deployment to address voting rights violations must comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It also prohibits using National Guard members on training or other duty for domestic deployments. This legislation directly affects the President, Congress, state authorities, and military operations.

Maddy summaryThe HCBS Relief Act of 2025 increases federal funding for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) by 10 percentage points (capped at 95%) for participating states during fiscal years 2026-2027. It directly affects states that submit approved applications, Medicaid beneficiaries receiving HCBS, and home health workers by requiring states to use funds to raise wages/benefits for HCBS workers, reduce waiting lists, support family caregivers, and improve service quality. Key provisions mandate that states detail specific activities (like wage increases, paid leave, and equipment purchases) in applications, ensure funds supplement rather than replace state spending, and report on outcomes by 2029. The bill aims to strengthen HCBS access and workforce stability without changing Medicaid eligibility rules.