Maddy summaryS 2936 establishes the Organic Market Development Grant Program as a permanent initiative under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The bill provides federal grants to eligible entities - including organic producers, cooperatives, nonprofits, tribal governments, and processors - to expand storage, processing, and distribution capacity for certified organic products. Grants support activities like equipment upgrades, market development, compliance with organic standards, and technical assistance, with funding set at $75 million annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation. Projects can receive up to $3 million (or $100,000 for equipment-only), requiring a 50% cost match for most grants. This program directly benefits domestic organic supply chain participants seeking to grow market access and modernize operations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Federal Agency Accessibility Compliance Act of 2023 requires all federal agencies to appoint a dedicated accessibility compliance officer within 90 days of the law's enactment. These officers must ensure agency websites and digital services meet current accessibility standards, reporting directly to agency leaders. Starting one year after enactment, agencies must publicly post annual certification of compliance or a detailed timeline for achieving it on their websites. Smaller agencies with fewer than 20 full-time employees may appoint an existing staff member for this role if their primary duties align with accessibility requirements.
Maddy summaryS 2895, the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2023, makes the federal adoption tax credit refundable. This change directly affects low-income adoptive parents who previously could not claim the credit if they owed no federal income tax. The bill restructures the credit in the tax code to allow families to receive it as a direct payment, even if their tax liability was zero. It applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and includes a transitional rule for credits carried forward from prior years. The law does not alter the credit amount or eligibility criteria, only its refundability.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires U.S. colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs to create clear anti-harassment policies covering harassment based on race, sex, disability, religion, and other protected characteristics. These policies must specifically prohibit harassment occurring online (via emails, social media, or institutional networks), on campus, in dorms, and during school-sponsored activities. It also establishes a $50 million annual grant program to fund campus prevention programs, counseling services, and training for students, faculty, and staff on recognizing and addressing harassment. The law adds these requirements to existing federal protections under Title IX and the Civil Rights Act, without replacing them.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicare's coverage for telehealth services by adding new categories of healthcare providers who can deliver these services and receive payment. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries seeking therapy services (like physical, occupational, speech, or audiologic therapy) via telehealth, as well as the therapists and assistants providing them. Key provisions include authorizing Medicare to pay for telehealth services provided by qualified audiologists, occupational therapists and their assistants (under supervision), physical therapists and their assistants (under supervision), and speech-language pathologists. The bill also allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to specify additional eligible providers for telehealth services under Medicare.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires states to allow eligible voters to register or update their registration at polling places on election day for federal elections, starting with the November 2024 general election. It mandates that polling places provide the necessary forms for registration or changes, directly affecting voters and state election systems. States already without voter registration requirements for federal elections are exempt. The law includes a phased implementation for states needing time, requiring at least one compliant location per 15,000 voters in each jurisdiction before November 2026.
Maddy summaryThe Civilian Climate Corps for Jobs and Justice Act establishes a national service program to create climate-related jobs and provide workforce development, with a focus on historically underserved communities including low-income communities, communities of color, and tribal communities. The program would recruit 50,000-400,000 participants annually by 2028 to work on climate resilience projects like energy-efficient building retrofits, wildfire prevention, and pollution remediation. Participants would receive a minimum $17/hour living allowance, health care, and $25,000 in educational benefits upon completion, with 50% of projects required to be located in under-resourced communities of need, including 10% in Indian country. The bill also includes provisions to ensure worker protections, including the right to organize and collective bargaining, and requires coordination with tribal nations to respect tribal sovereignty.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits states from automatically removing voters from registration lists due to factors like not voting or not responding to mail. It requires states to use only objective evidence (such as death records or proof of permanent move out of state) for removals and mandates 48-hour notice to voters with reinstatement options. Voters who move within a state can update their address through election day to vote at their new location. The law directly affects registered voters and election officials who must implement these verification and notice requirements.
Maddy summaryThe Register America to Vote Act of 2023 would require states to automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they turn 18 or when they interact with state motor vehicle authorities for services like license applications, with an option to decline. States would need to establish electronic systems to transfer registration information from motor vehicle offices to election officials, updating voter registration without requiring additional action from citizens. The bill includes strong privacy protections for voter information and requires states to modernize registration systems to improve accuracy and accessibility, particularly benefiting young people, individuals with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities. It also provides $3 billion in federal funding to help states implement these changes by 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to hire the maximum number of new air traffic controllers each year from 2024 through 2028, based on the training capacity of the FAA Academy. It directly affects the FAA, which must set annual hiring targets aligned with its ability to train new controllers. The law does not change existing hiring rules but mandates that the FAA utilize its full training capacity each year for new controller hires during this period. It excludes certain individuals specified under federal law, but the core provision focuses on maximizing new controller recruitment within available training resources.