Sen. Lindsey Graham

Maddy summarySRES 161 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating April 22-30, 2023, as "National Park Week." It does not create new laws or affect specific groups, but formally recognizes the National Park System's significance. The resolution highlights the parks' historical value, visitor impact (312 million visits in 2022), and economic contributions ($42.5 billion in 2021). It encourages public engagement with national parks but contains no funding, regulatory changes, or policy mechanisms. As a procedural resolution, it serves purely to honor the parks' legacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal agencies from banning lead ammunition or tackle for hunting and fishing on federal lands and waters managed by the Interior Department or Agriculture Department. It directly affects hunters and anglers using these public areas by preventing federal restrictions on lead products, except in limited cases. The exception allows restrictions only on specific federal sites where state wildlife data shows lead use is harming wildlife, and only if approved by the state's fish and wildlife agency. The bill requires federal agencies to explain in public notices how any exception meets these state approval and wildlife harm criteria.

Maddy summarySRES 139 is a non-binding Senate resolution recognizing the U.S. global HIV/AIDS program PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) for its role in reducing HIV/AIDS impact worldwide. It highlights PEPFAR's proven achievements, including saving over 25 million lives, providing antiretroviral treatment to 20.1 million people, and reducing new HIV cases among youth by 50-65% in supported regions. The resolution urges continued congressional funding for PEPFAR to advance the goal of ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. It directly affects PEPFAR's global operations and beneficiaries, including 1.6 million adolescent girls supported through the DREAMS program, without creating new laws or altering existing policy.

Maddy summaryThe AMERICA Act (S 1073) establishes new rules for large digital advertising companies to increase transparency and competition in digital advertising markets. It prohibits companies with over $20 billion in annual digital advertising revenue from owning both a digital advertising exchange and a brokerage service, or from owning a brokerage while also being a buyer or seller of ad space. Companies with over $5 billion in annual revenue must act in their customers' best interests, provide detailed transparency about bid data and routing practices, and maintain separate business functions to avoid conflicts of interest. The bill creates private rights of action for harmed customers and requires annual certification of compliance to the Attorney General. It directly affects major digital advertising companies and their business customers who buy or sell digital advertisements.

Maddy summaryThe Recovering America's Wildlife Act of 2023 establishes new funding streams to prevent species from needing Endangered Species Act protection and aid recovery of already-listed species. It provides $850 million in 2024 (increasing to $1.3 billion annually after 2027) to states, territories, and tribes through a new Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount, with 15% required for endangered species recovery. The bill also creates a Tribal Wildlife Conservation Account ($97.5 million annually) and an Endangered Species Recovery Fund ($187.5 million annually), with funds to be used for habitat conservation, species management, invasive species control, and conservation education. States must use funds to implement their Wildlife Conservation Strategies, and all funding must supplement, not replace, existing conservation programs. The legislation requires annual reporting to Congress on how funds are used and progress on conservation goals.

Maddy summaryS 1048 designates nine specific Mexican drug cartels - including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and Gulf Cartel - as foreign terrorist organizations under existing law (Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act). This designation would enable federal authorities to use new legal tools, such as prosecuting drug traffickers who fund these groups, freezing cartel assets, and imposing penalties on financial institutions that fail to block their funds. The bill also creates an interagency task force led by the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate intelligence, strategy, and enforcement across agencies like Homeland Security and the Treasury. This directly targets the cartels’ operations and funding streams, aiming to disrupt the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S.

Maddy summaryS 1047, the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2023, allows state and federal correctional facilities to use jamming systems to block cell signals from contraband devices or inmates within the facility. The bill restricts jamming to housing areas only, requires states operating such systems to cover all costs, and mandates consultation with local law enforcement before implementation. It also requires facilities to notify the Bureau of Prisons about their use of jamming systems. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is prohibited from blocking this specific use of jamming technology, but the law does not authorize jamming outside correctional facilities or for general security purposes.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding Senate resolution (SRES 128) condemns the Russian Federation for kidnapping Ukrainian children, citing evidence of at least 6,000 children removed from Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, with many forced into Russian citizenship and adoption under relaxed laws. It specifically rebukes nations supporting Russia's actions and condemns forced adoptions violating international child protection standards. The resolution calls on Russia to cooperate with international organizations to return all children to Ukraine immediately. As a symbolic statement, it does not alter U.S. law or impose sanctions but formally expresses congressional opposition to these actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the use of federal funds to close or realign the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, or to plan such actions. It directly affects the Parris Island facility and the Marine Corps Eastern Recruiting Region, which relies on it as its permanent location. The bill cites the site’s historical significance - including being the first Marine Corps base to integrate women in boot camp (since 1949) and host the first fully integrated recruit company (2019) - to justify its protection. The key provision is a funding ban on closure-related activities, ensuring the facility remains operational without altering existing programs or adding new requirements.

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.