Sen. James Lankford

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 22) seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Education regarding federal student loan modifications. It targets the rule titled "Waivers and Modifications of Federal Student Loans," which included a one-time debt relief program announced in October 2022. The resolution requests Congress disapprove the rule under the Congressional Review Act, preventing the Department from implementing it. If approved, the rule would have no legal effect, directly affecting how student loan borrowers could access modifications or debt relief under that specific policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public colleges and universities from denying religious student groups access to campus facilities or official recognition that is available to other student organizations. It directly affects public institutions of higher education and religious student organizations by requiring equal treatment based on the institution's policies for non-religious groups. The key provision states that no federal funds can be withheld from an institution that denies a religious group access to facilities or recognition due to its religious beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or conduct codes. The law applies to all public colleges receiving funds under the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCONRES 8) expresses Congress's formal opinion that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies - mutual aid organizations operating under IRS Section 501(c)(8) - have long provided essential community benefits. It highlights that these societies, with approximately 7 million members nationwide, contribute over $3.8 billion annually through charitable work, volunteerism, and financial security programs. The resolution affirms that their tax-exempt status continues to support their mission and relieve pressure on government safety net programs. As a non-binding statement of congressional sentiment, it does not change tax law or create new obligations.

Maddy summaryS 959, the Stopping Traffickers and Their Accomplices Act of 2023, requires abortion providers to notify the National Human Trafficking Hotline within 24 hours if they reasonably suspect a patient is a trafficking victim. It mandates annual human trafficking training for all staff at abortion facilities and requires providers to submit certification of training completion. Violations of the reporting or training requirements incur penalties of $10,000 per violation for failure to report or $1,000 per day for training non-compliance. The bill directly affects abortion providers and their employees, with state attorneys general authorized to enforce these requirements through civil actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require the annual report on trade agreements and national trade policy to explain how trade objectives support two key national strategies: the national defense strategy (under 10 U.S.C. §113(g)) and the national security strategy (under 50 U.S.C. §3043). It directly affects agencies like the Department of Commerce that prepare these annual reports. The change adds a new requirement for agencies to explicitly link trade priorities to defense and security goals in their reporting. The bill does not create new programs or funding but modifies how existing trade policy is documented and justified.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Treasury to instruct American representatives at multilateral development banks (like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank) to oppose new loans to China. It is based on findings that China exceeded the income threshold for graduation from development assistance in 2016 and has since received over $20 billion in loans from these institutions. The bill requires annual reports tracking China's borrowing, U.S. voting efforts to end lending to countries that have surpassed graduation thresholds, and the status of China's eligibility. It directly affects China's access to multilateral development financing and the operational policies of these banks.

Merchant Category Code Neutrality Act This bill prohibits the Internal Revenue Service from auditing a taxpayer based primarily on the Merchant Category Codes, or other similar codes, used to classify the goods or services provided by the taxpayer's business. The bill defines Merchant Category Code to mean classification codes assigned by payment card organizations to merchants or payees that accept their payment cards to classify the goods or services provided or furnished by a merchant or payee.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies U.S. tax code to boost research and development (R&D) investment by businesses. It allows companies to immediately deduct R&D costs (instead of amortizing them over 5 years) and expands refundable tax credits for small businesses, raising the annual credit cap from $250,000 to $750,000 by 2032. Small businesses with gross receipts under $15 million can now qualify for higher credit rates (up to 20% of R&D costs) and may exclude years with no R&D expenses when calculating credits. The changes apply to taxable years beginning after December 2022, directly benefiting R&D-focused startups and small businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to increase annual federal funding for impact aid programs. It sets specific, rising funding amounts for four key areas: payments to school districts affected by federal property use ($90.3M in 2024, growing to $150.3M by 2029), basic payments to local school districts ($1.63B in 2024, growing to $2.45B by 2029), payments for children with disabilities ($60.3M in 2024, growing to $120.3M by 2029), and school construction grants ($22.9M in 2024, growing to $45.4M by 2029). These funds directly support school districts facing financial impacts from federal land ownership or operations. The bill advances toward full federal funding for these established programs by authorizing increased annual appropriations through 2029.

Maddy summaryThe Regulatory Transparency Act of 2023 requires federal agencies to conduct detailed regulatory impact analyses before issuing any "significant rule" - defined as a rule likely to affect the economy by $100 million annually or substantially impact public health, safety, jobs, or the environment. Agencies must evaluate costs and benefits, compare regulatory alternatives (including "not regulating"), assess cumulative burdens on businesses, and justify if choosing a more burdensome option. The bill also mandates agencies to explicitly consider sunset dates for significant rules by July 2023, assessing whether rules become outdated, overly burdensome for small businesses, or exceed benefits over time. This directly affects all federal agencies issuing major regulations, adding new procedural requirements to the rulemaking process.