Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Maddy summarySRES 220 is a Senate resolution recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Department of Defense State Partnership Program. The resolution acknowledges the program's 30-year history of building security partnerships with 100 nations and expresses gratitude to National Guard members for their service in fostering these international relationships. It does not create new policy but formally honors the program's role in strengthening global security cooperation.

Maddy summaryThe Main Street Tax Certainty Act permanently extends the 20% tax deduction for qualified business income (QBI), which currently applies to owners of pass-through businesses like sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations. The bill achieves this by amending the tax code to remove an expiration date (via striking subsection (i) of Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code). This change directly affects small business owners who rely on the QBI deduction to reduce their taxable income. The key provision eliminates uncertainty about the deduction’s future, ensuring continued eligibility without requiring future legislative action.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends Medicare reimbursement rate increases for ground ambulance services through 2028. It adjusts specific payment percentages for ambulance providers: maintaining a 26.7% rate increase for "super rural" ambulance services and setting 4.3% and 3.4% increases for other ground ambulance services during 2025-2028. These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries using ground ambulance services and the ambulance providers who serve them, particularly in rural areas. The bill modifies existing Social Security Act provisions to adjust payment rates without altering Medicare eligibility or coverage rules. It provides temporary rate adjustments to help sustain ambulance service availability during this period.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make non-citizens deportable if convicted of assaulting a law enforcement officer under specific circumstances. It defines "assault" according to local law and covers officers acting in their official duties, due to their duties, or because of their role as a law enforcement officer or first responder (including firefighters). The key provision adds this assault offense to the list of deportable acts, directly affecting non-citizens who commit such assaults. The bill does not change existing immigration enforcement procedures but expands the grounds for deportation related to violence against officers.

Maddy summarySRES 215 is a Senate resolution designating May 9, 2023, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day. It supports raising public awareness about the dangers of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills, which are often disguised as legitimate medications and contribute to overdose deaths. The resolution encourages existing law enforcement efforts to combat counterfeit pill distribution and acknowledges the severe impact of fentanyl on young people, citing statistics on rising overdose deaths. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the issue through congressional support.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of May 14-20, 2023, as "National Police Week" to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. It recognizes 444 officers killed in 2022 (including specific names listed in the resolution) and acknowledges 32 officers killed in 2023, while expressing support for law enforcement personnel. The resolution encourages the public to observe this week by honoring law enforcement officers and promoting awareness of their essential service. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new policy or alter existing laws.

Maddy summaryThe Empowering Law Enforcement Act of 2023 would expand state and local law enforcement authority to enforce federal immigration laws by allowing them to investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain, or transfer individuals without authorization to federal custody. The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to add information about certain immigration violators to the National Crime Information Center database and establishes procedures for transferring apprehended individuals to federal custody, with reimbursement for states' detention and transportation costs. It includes new detention provisions for certain individuals and mandates training for law enforcement officers on immigration enforcement procedures. The bill also provides legal immunity for state and local officers who enforce immigration laws within the scope of their official duties.

Maddy summaryThe Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2023 requires federal agencies to publicly share proposed regulatory settlements and consent decrees 60 days before court filing, including the legal basis and key terms like attorney fee awards. Agencies must accept and respond to public comments during this period and submit comment summaries to courts when seeking approval. The bill also mandates annual congressional reports on such settlements and sets new court review standards to ensure agencies can follow proper rulemaking procedures. This affects how agencies handle disputes with private parties and government entities, increasing transparency in regulatory agreements.

Maddy summaryS 1627, the PRECEPT Nurses Act, creates a $2,000 annual tax credit for eligible nurse preceptors who provide at least 200 hours of clinical training to nursing students or newly hired nurses (within their first six months) in designated health professional shortage areas. To qualify, preceptors must obtain certification from their academic institution or clinical site verifying their hours, and the credit applies to taxable years beginning after December 2023 through 2030. The bill requires the Treasury Department to report annually on credit usage and evaluate the program's effectiveness by 2031. This policy directly affects licensed nurses in underserved communities by providing a financial incentive to mentor nursing students and new nurses.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new authorities for the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to detect, identify, monitor, and mitigate drone threats to designated high-risk facilities including critical infrastructure, government buildings, airports, and other security-sensitive locations. It establishes a 5-year pilot program allowing select state and local law enforcement agencies to use specific drone detection technologies, with strict requirements for privacy protections, training, and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. The bill limits the use of technologies that disrupt radio or electronic signals, requires intercepted communications to be maintained for no more than 180 days, and mandates annual congressional reporting on the use of these authorities. It also includes detailed provisions for risk-based assessments, privacy safeguards, and coordination with transportation authorities to ensure national airspace safety.