Sen. James Lankford

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 471) expresses formal support for National Adoption Day (observed November 18, 2023) and National Adoption Month (November 2023). It promotes awareness about children in foster care awaiting adoption, celebrates adoption success stories, and encourages U.S. citizens to support efforts securing permanent, safe homes for all children. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to highlight adoption needs. It specifically references foster care statistics (e.g., 114,000 children awaiting adoption) to underscore its purpose.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 43) is a joint resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans. It targets a specific rule (88 Fed. Reg. 43820, July 10, 2023) affecting borrowers in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. If passed, the resolution would make this rule void, preventing it from taking effect. The resolution uses a specific procedural mechanism under Title 5 of U.S. Code to achieve this disapproval. It directly impacts student loan borrowers who rely on income-driven repayment options.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create a digital portal allowing veterans and their families to access their military service records online. It establishes an advisory committee with military branch representatives, VA officials, and veterans' organizations to assess how to implement the portal, coordinate with the Defense Department, protect privacy, and address accessibility needs. The committee must report to Congress within 180 days of its first meeting, focusing on leveraging existing systems and resolving legal or technical barriers to record access. The goal is to replace current paper-based processes with a centralized digital platform for veterans' records.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 49 seeks congressional disapproval of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that would have established a new standard for determining when two or more companies are considered "joint employers" under labor law. The rule, published in October 2023, would have affected businesses with complex employment structures, such as franchisors and contractors, by altering how joint employer liability is assessed for wage, hour, and union representation matters. If passed, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preserving the previous standard for joint employer determinations. The bill was introduced by Senators Cassidy, Manchin, Braun, McConnell, Marshall, Cramer, Capito, and Paul and referred to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

Maddy summarySRES 459 is a ceremonial Senate resolution recognizing November 2023 as National Native American Heritage Month and the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day, as specified in the 2009 Native American Heritage Day Act. It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges Native Americans' contributions to U.S. history, culture, and society through "appropriate programs and activities." The resolution highlights historical context, including Native American cultural preservation, military service, and influences on U.S. governance, without imposing obligations on any entity. It directly affects the general public by encouraging observance during November 2023. This is a symbolic gesture, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryS 3268, the Direct Hire to Fight Fires Act of 2023, creates a direct hiring authority for specific federal wildland firefighting and support roles within the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior. It allows the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to appoint qualified candidates to designated positions - such as Forestry Technicians (GS-0462) or Aircraft Operations staff (GS-2181) - without following standard federal hiring rules, aiming to speed up recruitment. The bill also requires agencies to implement streamlined hiring policies within one year to reduce processing time, eliminate redundancies, and ease transfers between agencies. Additionally, it mandates annual public reports to Congress detailing staffing needs, vacancies, and the use of this new hiring authority.

Maddy summaryThe Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023 establishes the Iran Sanctions Enforcement Fund, initially funded with $150 million, to cover expenses related to seizures and forfeitures of property connected to sanctions violations by Iran or its designated proxies like Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The fund will pay for law enforcement costs including investigations, detention, equipment, and rewards for informants, with priority given to seizing oil and petroleum products that fund terrorist activities. The bill also creates an Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security to better coordinate federal agencies' efforts on sanctions enforcement. Annual reports to Congress will detail fund usage, seizures, and financial status, with the fund required to repay the Treasury $150 million by 2034 unless waived for national security reasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi group in Yemen) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization within 90 days of enactment, reversing a 2021 Biden administration decision that removed the designation. It mandates the President to impose existing sanctions under two executive orders: blocking assets of designated terrorists (E.O. 13224) and restricting travel for Yemeni nationals linked to terrorism (E.O. 13780). The sanctions directly target Ansarallah, its members, agents, affiliates, and any foreign entities owned or controlled by the group. This would restrict U.S. financial transactions with the Houthis and their networks, while also affecting Yemeni nationals subject to travel bans under the applicable sanctions.

Maddy summaryThe Project Safe Childhood Act (S 1170) modernizes a federal program to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse by establishing a nationwide initiative requiring coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It mandates the Attorney General to develop best practices for investigating and prosecuting cases involving child sexual abuse material, with specific protocols for identifying victims and serious offenders. The bill requires each U.S. Attorney to create district-specific strategic plans for coordinating investigations and prosecutions, and authorizes $28.55 million annually for 2023-2028 to support these efforts. It also establishes an annual Safer Internet Day to provide public education about online safety and reporting mechanisms. This legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and child protection services working to address online child sexual exploitation.

This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to families and businesses and would severely harm the economic and national security of the country.