Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the income threshold at which Social Security benefits become taxable for retirees. Starting in 2026, single filers with income below $34,000 (adjusted for inflation) and joint filers below $68,000 (adjusted for inflation) will pay tax on less of their Social Security benefits. It ensures Social Security trust funds won't lose revenue by redirecting some non-security discretionary spending to offset the tax change. The bill also requires annual reports on how funds are redirected.

Maddy summaryS 357, the Federal Freeze Act, freezes federal hiring and pay for one year starting from its enactment date. It prohibits agencies from increasing their workforce beyond current levels (the "baseline number") or raising employee pay rates, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, public safety, national security, or declared disaster emergencies. After the initial freeze, agencies must reduce their workforce by 2% within two years and 5% within three years of enactment, while exempting employees deemed essential for the same security or emergency reasons. This directly affects all federal agencies and their hiring and compensation practices.

Maddy summaryS 361 amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to adjust how federal grants assist human trafficking victims. It increases the maximum allowable administrative costs for grantees from 3% to up to 7% and from 5% to up to 10%, while requiring at least 95% of grant funds to go directly to victim services. The bill also adds "strengthening program administration and budgeting" as a permitted use of funds. These changes directly affect organizations receiving federal grants under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing greater flexibility for operational costs while ensuring most funding supports victims.

Maddy summaryS 360 would automatically reduce nonsecurity federal spending by specific percentages each fiscal year: 1% for 2026, 2% for 2027, and 5% annually starting in 2028. It directly affects nonsecurity discretionary programs like education, transportation, and scientific research (excluding defense and intelligence), as defined by the bill. The reductions apply pro rata across all such programs funded through annual appropriations. The Office of Management and Budget must report these cuts to Congress annually after each fiscal year ends.

Maddy summaryS 364, titled the "Hearing Protection Act" (though it regulates firearm silencers, not hearing protection), changes federal law to treat firearm silencers like firearms for tax and regulatory purposes. It imposes a 10% federal tax on silencers (similar to firearms), preempts state laws that tax or regulate silencers beyond federal rules, and requires the destruction of existing silencer registration records within one year. The bill clarifies definitions of "firearm silencer" in federal law and modifies licensing requirements for these devices. This directly affects silencer owners, manufacturers, and state governments that previously imposed additional restrictions or taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act to prohibit federal disaster assistance programs from discriminating based on political affiliation. It directly affects individuals and communities applying for federal disaster aid by adding "political affiliation" to the list of protected categories, alongside existing protections for race, gender, and economic status. The key mechanism updates Section 308(a) of the Stafford Act to explicitly state that aid cannot be denied due to a recipient's political views or party membership. This change ensures federal agencies, like FEMA, distribute disaster relief without considering applicants' political beliefs. The bill does not alter other non-discrimination protections or the criteria for eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 353) creates a federal commission to study relocating non-security federal agencies currently based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area to other parts of the U.S. The commission, made up of senior agency leaders, must evaluate factors like cost of living, infrastructure, existing industry partnerships, telework participation rates, and technology readiness in potential relocation sites. It must submit a report to Congress within one year, prioritizing a goal of moving at least 100,000 agency employees out of the DC area. The bill itself does not relocate agencies - it only establishes the study process.

Maddy summaryThis bill permanently prohibits U.S. foreign assistance funds from being used for abortions, involuntary sterilizations, or related biomedical research. It amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Peace Corps Act to block funding for organizations supporting coercive abortion or sterilization programs. The law directly affects all U.S. government programs distributing foreign aid, including international health and development initiatives. It ensures funds cannot cover abortion services as family planning, lobbying on abortion, or programs involving coercion.

Maddy summaryThe American Music Fairness Act (S 326) requires terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties for public performances of music, a change from the current system where they do not pay. It establishes tiered royalty rates for small broadcasters: $10 annually for stations with under $100,000 in revenue, $100 for public broadcasters with $100,000-$1.5 million revenue, and $500 for other stations in that revenue range. The bill explicitly protects songwriters’ existing royalty rights and requires the Copyright Royalty Judges to consider how radio promotion affects music sales when setting rates. These changes amend copyright law to treat terrestrial radio similarly to internet streaming services for royalty purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes tax credits for individuals and corporations who contribute to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships for eligible students. The individual tax credit is limited to 10% of adjusted gross income or $5,000, while corporate credits are capped at 5% of taxable income. The bill defines "eligible students" as those from households with income not exceeding 300% of the area median gross income, and specifies that scholarships can cover tuition, materials, tutoring, and educational therapies. The bill includes a $10 billion annual cap on tax credits, with a first-come, first-served allocation system, and requires scholarship organizations to meet specific financial and operational standards.