Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Act to require the TVA Board to publish an annual report listing all management-level employees (including executives and Board members) earning $155,000 or more, with their names, salaries, and duties. It replaces previous financial reporting requirements with this specific salary disclosure for senior staff. However, the bill also exempts this salary information from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and other disclosure requirements. The change directly affects TVA leadership and high-level staff whose compensation meets the threshold, while limiting public access to that data.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1357, the SAFE Act) requires companies seeking to list securities on U.S. exchanges or already listed to disclose specific ties to the Chinese government. It mandates annual disclosures on whether the Chinese government provided financial support (like subsidies, loans, or tax breaks), the conditions attached to that support (such as export requirements or intellectual property use), the presence of Chinese Communist Party committees within the company, and details about officers/directors with prior government roles in China. The disclosure rules apply to all issuers filing reports under Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act. The Securities and Exchange Commission must implement these rules within 180 days of the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1358, the TASK Act) requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to mandate specific reporting for publicly traded U.S. companies with operations in China or supply chains linked to Xinjiang, China. It directs companies to report on: (1) supply chain sourcing checks for products imported from Xinjiang using forced labor; (2) transactions with companies sanctioned by Commerce or Treasury (e.g., military-linked firms); and (3) annual disclosures about Chinese Communist Party committees in their China operations and related decisions. The reporting aims to increase transparency around supply chain risks and ties to sanctioned entities, as part of the SEC’s evaluation of ESG (environmental, social, governance) disclosure guidance. It directly affects U.S. companies operating in China or sourcing goods from Xinjiang.

Maddy summaryS 1359 (STOP CCP Act of 2025) prohibits U.S. persons (including citizens, residents, and entities in the U.S.) from buying or selling publicly traded securities of Chinese entities operating in China's defense/military sectors or surveillance technology sectors, or entities owned by such companies. The bill requires the Treasury Secretary to expand the existing sanctions list (NS-CMIC List) to cover entities supporting China's military-industrial complex, including successors or financial service providers. It also closes sanctions loopholes by mandating that sanctions apply across all relevant laws unless the President waives them for national security reasons and reports to Congress. The law directly affects U.S. investors and financial institutions engaging with targeted Chinese companies.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 159) is a ceremonial Senate measure honoring the late Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr. (1932-2024), who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate from 1972 to 1997. It commemorates his career, including his work on energy policy, flood control, and Louisiana conservation efforts, and requests the Senate adjourn in his memory while sending condolences to his family. As a non-binding resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on any individuals or laws.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 45 seeks to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have allowed California to enforce its Advanced Clean Cars II vehicle emission standards. The resolution uses the congressional disapproval process under federal law to declare the EPA rule invalid, preventing California from implementing its stricter pollution controls for cars and trucks. If passed, this resolution would stop the rule from taking effect, meaning California could not override federal vehicle emission standards with its own requirements. The bill directly affects California's ability to set state-level environmental regulations for motor vehicles and the EPA's regulatory authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1308, VETS Opportunity Act of 2025) changes how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) counts independent study programs toward education benefits for veterans. It requires these programs to include regular, substantive interaction between students and instructors to qualify for VA funding. The bill also specifies that only institutions participating in federal student aid programs (Title IV of the Higher Education Act) can offer qualifying independent study courses. These changes apply to education terms starting August 1, 2025, directly affecting veterans pursuing VA-covered independent study courses.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal law to clarify that certain less-than-lethal projectile devices are exempt from firearm restrictions under Title 18. It defines these devices as those not firing standard ammunition, operating below 500 ft/s velocity, unlikely to cause serious injury, and incompatible with common firearm magazines. The law directly affects manufacturers and users of such devices by establishing a clear legal standard for their classification. It also requires the Attorney General to review device requests within 90 days to confirm compliance with the new definition.

Maddy summaryThe Driving Forward Act permanently exempts certain school bus drivers from needing to pass a pre-trip vehicle inspection test when obtaining a commercial driver's license (CDL). This directly affects school bus drivers in states that choose to participate in the exemption, as they will no longer need to complete this specific test. The bill also requires participating states to submit annual reports for six years after enactment, tracking how many drivers obtain CDLs under this exemption. The exemption extends a temporary rule previously published in the Federal Register (December 2, 2024), making it permanent without altering other CDL requirements.

Maddy summaryS 1289 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell commemorative $5 gold and $1 silver coins to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The bill specifies coin specifications (e.g., 90% gold/silver content, design requirements including "Never Forget"), sets a one-year issuance window (January 1, 2027-2028), and requires surcharges of $35 per gold coin and $10 per silver coin. These surcharges will be paid directly to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance, with coins sold at a price covering face value, surcharge, and production costs. The legislation does not impose new regulations or affect public policy but focuses on commemoration and funding for the museum.