Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Maddy summarySRES 391 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating the week beginning October 15, 2023, as "National Character Counts Week." It does not create new laws or obligations but encourages schools, families, youth organizations, and communities to focus on character education during that week. The resolution calls on these groups to embrace core values like trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, and caring through events and activities. It is a non-binding recognition effort aimed at promoting character development among young people, not a policy change affecting specific individuals or programs.

Maddy summarySRES 380 is a non-binding Senate resolution designating October 1-7, 2023, as "Religious Education Week" to recognize the role of religious education in U.S. schools. It calls on all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia to accommodate students attending religious classes during school hours through "released time" programs. The resolution affirms that religious education contributes to students' moral, ethical, and civic development, referencing existing programs where approximately 540,000 public school students participate annually. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or alter funding, focusing instead on celebrating current religious education practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public elementary, secondary schools, and colleges from receiving federal funding if they use their facilities to house non-citizens under federal immigration orders (excluding those already admitted to the U.S.). It amends existing law to block federal financial assistance for schools that provide shelter for these individuals, while exempting short-term disaster shelters (under 72 hours) or facilities used during declared disasters. The policy directly affects public educational institutions receiving federal programs, requiring them to avoid hosting such non-citizens to maintain funding eligibility. It does not restrict schools from housing other groups or affect private institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new federal tax credit for investors who make long-term investments in qualified Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), allowing them to claim 3% to 4% of their investment amount annually over a 10-year period. The credit applies to investments held for at least 10 years, with specific "credit allowance dates" marking annual eligibility, and is subject to a national annual limit of $1 billion in 2023 (rising to $2 billion yearly after 2024, adjusted for inflation). CDFIs must apply for allocation of the credit limit based on criteria like community impact, ability to attract private capital, and investment plans, with unused limits carried over to future years. The credit is integrated into the general business tax credit system and applies to investments made after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public colleges receiving federal funds to provide annual information to students about pregnancy-related accommodations and resources that exclude abortion services. It mandates colleges to send campus-wide emails or include this information in student handbooks/orientations, establish protocols for meetings with leadership regarding pregnancy-related concerns, and submit annual reports to Congress. The reports must include confidential student feedback on whether they felt adequate non-abortion resources were available, experienced potential Title IX violations due to pregnancy, or considered dropping out because of pregnancy or related health events. The bill directly affects public colleges and enrolled students, particularly those who are pregnant or may become pregnant while seeking to continue their education.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require colleges receiving federal grants to implement new mental health programs specifically for college athletes. It mandates institutions to provide services including real-time counseling, peer support, crisis line access (like 988), staff training to recognize mental distress, and campus education to reduce stigma. Colleges seeking these grants must obtain written support from their athletics departments. The policy directly affects college athletes and institutions of higher education participating in federally funded mental health initiatives. It creates concrete requirements for grant-funded programs rather than proposing new legislation.

This resolution supports the designation of September 21, 2023, as National Teach Ag Day and recognizes the important role of agricultural education and the National FFA Organization in developing the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 376 clarifies the existing requirement for business attire on the Senate floor, specifying that men must wear a coat, tie, and long pants. The resolution designates the Senate Sergeant at Arms to enforce this dress code and mandates that any future changes to the rule require a two-thirds vote of all senators. This procedural resolution formalizes current standards without altering them, ensuring consistency in Senate decorum.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all states to apply a uniform asset test to every Medicaid applicant and recipient, removing previous exemptions for people based on age, blindness, or disability. It ties the asset limit to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program's maximum resource threshold, meaning individuals with assets exceeding SSI limits would lose eligibility (except for pregnant/postpartum women and children under 19, who retain continuous eligibility). States must implement electronic asset verification systems within one year and report on eligibility determinations, including asset checks conducted. The bill also mandates the federal government track savings from these verification efforts and requires states to submit compliance reports to Congress.

Maddy summaryS 2939, the Pharmacy Access Oversight and Reporting Act, requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish a biennial report on enforcement actions related to pharmacy access rules under Medicare Part D. The report, first due two years after the bill's enactment and then every two years thereafter, details oversight activities without disclosing identifiable personal information or trade secrets. This bill directly affects the Secretary's office and indirectly impacts pharmacies and insurers by mandating transparency in how pharmacy access requirements are enforced. It creates a procedural mechanism for reporting, not new policy changes to pharmacy access itself.