Sen. J.D. Vance

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 36) seeks congressional disapproval of a Department of Labor rule (88 Fed. Reg. 12842, March 1, 2023) that would have removed religious exemption provisions from the Equal Opportunity Clause requirements for federal contractors. If approved, it would prevent the rule from taking effect, meaning federal contractors would continue to be required to comply with the Equal Opportunity Clause without the religious exemption previously allowed. The bill directly affects federal contractors subject to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) regulations. It is a procedural disapproval measure under Title 5, U.S. Code, not a new policy change.

Maddy summarySJRES 11 is a joint resolution seeking to cancel an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that set new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks and buses. The rule, published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2023, would have required manufacturers to meet specific pollution control measures for new vehicles. This resolution uses a congressional disapproval process under the Congressional Review Act to nullify the EPA rule, meaning it would have no legal effect if enacted. If passed, the EPA's emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles would be voided, removing requirements for manufacturers to comply with those specific pollution controls.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 272) commemorates the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24, 2022, *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization* decision, which overturned *Roe v. Wade*. It expresses the Senate's support for the Court's ruling that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion and affirms the return of abortion regulation authority to state legislatures. The resolution celebrates the decision as a step toward protecting "unborn life" and commits to supporting families and "proclaiming the humanity of the unborn." As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any individuals directly.

Maddy summaryS 2091, titled "Kate's Law," amends U.S. immigration law to increase penalties for individuals reentering the United States after being removed, deported, or excluded. It directly affects immigrants who reenter without authorization, particularly those with prior criminal convictions or multiple removals. Key provisions include raising maximum imprisonment to 10 years for reentry after prior drug crimes, crimes against persons, or multiple removals, and establishing a mandatory 5-year minimum sentence for reentry after an aggravated felony conviction or two prior reentry offenses. The bill also updates agency references from "Attorney General" to "Secretary of Homeland Security."

Maddy summaryS 2090, the *Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act of 2023*, modifies federal clean air rules to restrict state vehicle emission standards. It adds a new requirement that state rules cannot "directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new gas-powered cars," effectively blocking states from enforcing policies that would phase out internal combustion engine vehicles. The bill also mandates the EPA to cancel existing state emission waivers (like California’s) if those waivers don’t meet this new standard. This directly affects states with their own vehicle emission rules and the EPA’s authority to approve them under the Clean Air Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. foreign aid to countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. It amends Section 620A by removing existing exceptions that allowed aid despite terrorism designations, including language related to the Export-Import Bank. The key change eliminates prior exemptions, requiring a complete halt to all U.S. foreign assistance for these countries. This directly affects nations like Iran, Syria, and North Korea, which are currently listed as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. government. The policy change takes effect immediately upon enactment, with no funding permitted for these countries under the amended law.

Maddy summaryThe CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing geographic restrictions, allowing services to be provided from home and other locations, and expanding who can offer telehealth services. The bill repeals the six-month in-person visit requirement for telemental health and allows telehealth use in hospice care recertification. It also includes program integrity measures to address inappropriate billing patterns and requires posting of telehealth service data to improve transparency. This legislation directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and telehealth technology vendors by making telehealth more accessible, particularly for rural and underserved populations, those with mobility challenges, and individuals in areas with healthcare workforce shortages.

This resolution celebrates the 246th anniversary of the creation of the U.S. flag, recognizes that the Pledge of Allegiance has been a valuable part of life for the people of the United States for generations, and defends the constitutionality of the pledge.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits displaying any flag other than the U.S. flag on the exterior of public buildings or in their hallways. It directly affects all federal, state, and local government buildings, including courthouses, libraries, and military installations. Exceptions allow specific flags, such as POW/MIA flags, visiting diplomats' national flags, state flags for congressional offices, military unit flags, tribal flags, and local jurisdiction flags. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on flag display rules without altering other policies.

De Minimis Reciprocity Act of 2023 This bill makes various changes to  de minimis treatment of U.S. imports. (Current law allows for imports under a de minimis threshold to enter the United States free of tariffs and taxes with minimal inspection. In 2016, Congress raised this threshold from $200 to $800.) Specifically, the Department of the Treasury must prescribe regulations to establish dollar amount thresholds (which may not exceed $800) for de minimis entries. Treasury must establish a threshold for each country that takes into consideration (1) the dollar amount threshold of that country for de minimis entries from the United States; and (2) any related thresholds of that country, such as a threshold relating to a value-added tax on imports. The bill establishes in the Treasury the Re-shoring and Near-shoring Account. Amounts in this account must be available for facilitating the movement of manufacturing from China to the United States. Treasury must annually publish a list of countries that are not eligible for de minimis treatment. Treasury must establish the conditions for including a country on this list, with specified considerations. Further, the bill requires China and Russia to be included on this list. The bill requires that imports eligible for de minimis treatment must be transported into the United States by a contract carrier. The contract carrier must (1) collect additional data related to these imports, and (2) collect duties and taxes owed on these imports and remit those duties and taxes to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.