Sen. Ted Cruz

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes U.S. sanctions on foreign individuals and entities involved in the Palestinian Authority's (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) system of paying terrorists and their families. It targets PA/PLO officials, supporting organizations (like the "Commission of Prisoners"), and foreign financial institutions facilitating these payments. Key mechanisms include blocking assets, banning visas, and restricting U.S. banking access for those involved. Sanctions end only if the State Department certifies the PA/PLO has stopped these payments, as required by the 2018 Taylor Force Act.

Maddy summaryS 6, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, requires healthcare providers at facilities performing abortions to provide the same medical care to infants born alive during or after an abortion as they would to any newborn, including immediate hospital admission. The bill mandates that any provider or facility employee who witnesses a failure to provide this care must report it to law enforcement, with violations punishable by fines up to $5,000 or up to 5 years in prison. It also allows women who undergo abortions to pursue civil lawsuits for damages if providers fail to comply, including three times the abortion cost plus punitive damages. The bill defines "abortion" as procedures intended to kill the unborn child or terminate pregnancy without preserving the child's life after viability.

Maddy summaryS 157, the CONTAINER Act, allows border states (adjacent to the U.S. northern or southern border) to place movable, temporary structures on federal land for border security without needing a special use permit from federal agencies. The bill requires border states to provide 45 days' notice to the relevant federal agency (like the Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service) before placing such structures, which can remain for up to one year and be extended in 90-day increments if U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines operational control has not been achieved. This directly affects border states managing border security and federal land management agencies overseeing borderlands. The law streamlines the process for temporary border barriers by removing a permitting requirement, focusing on rapid deployment rather than permanent infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. immigration law to bar noncitizens convicted of specific violent offenses from entering or remaining in the country. It adds new grounds for inadmissibility (preventing entry) and deportability (requiring removal) for noncitizens convicted of sex offenses, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, or violating protection orders that prevent violence. Key provisions define these offenses using existing legal standards (e.g., domestic violence under the Violent Crime Control Act), requiring conviction or admission of acts meeting those definitions. The bill directly affects noncitizens with these convictions, making their entry or continued presence in the U.S. subject to denial or removal.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the federal Controlled Substances Act to automatically classify all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. It defines "fentanyl-related substances" to include any compound structurally similar to fentanyl through specific chemical modifications (like changes to rings or groups), covering isomers, salts, and derivatives. This means any new fentanyl analogues created by manufacturers would be immediately illegal without needing separate scheduling. The law directly affects drug manufacturers, distributors, and anyone possessing these substances, aiming to prevent new fentanyl variants from entering the market and causing overdoses.

Maddy summaryS 167, the "Protect and Serve Act of 2025," creates new federal criminal penalties for individuals who assault law enforcement officers causing serious injury or attempt to do so under specific circumstances. It directly affects law enforcement officers (including federal, state, and local officers) and those who commit violent acts against them. Key provisions include enhanced penalties (up to life in prison if death or kidnapping occurs) when the crime involves crossing state lines, using interstate commerce, weapons that traveled across state lines, or interfering with the officer's duties. Federal prosecution requires certification from the Attorney General or designee, ensuring states are notified or have declined jurisdiction before federal action. The bill aims to strengthen federal authority to prosecute such offenses when they impact interstate commerce or involve federal officers.

Maddy summaryThe Student Empowerment Act (S 152) expands the use of 529 education savings accounts to cover more K-12 school expenses for students in public, private, religious, or homeschool settings. It allows funds to pay for tuition, curriculum materials, books, online resources, licensed tutoring (with teacher credentials), standardized tests, dual enrollment fees, and licensed educational therapies for students with disabilities. The bill directly affects families using 529 accounts who educate children in elementary or secondary school, including homeschoolers. It changes existing tax rules to include these specific K-12 expenses under 529 account distributions, effective after the bill's enactment. The policy change aims to provide greater flexibility for families managing educational costs at the K-12 level.

Maddy summaryS 117 (AMERICANS Act) prevents the military from discharging or taking adverse action against service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine. It revises discharge rules to allow adjustments to honorable status for those separated solely over vaccine refusal, reinstates members to prior ranks, and expunges related records from service files. The bill also requires the military to retain unvaccinated members equally, creates exemption processes for natural immunity, health conditions, or religious beliefs, and cancels bonus repayment obligations for those separated over vaccine refusal. It directly affects active-duty service members and veterans separated under prior vaccine mandates.

Maddy summaryS 115, the GATE CRASHERS Act, makes it a federal crime to enter clearly marked restricted or closed Department of Defense (DOD) property without authorization. The bill creates new penalties under Title 18: up to 180 days in jail for a first offense, up to 3 years for a second offense, and up to 10 years for a third or subsequent offense. It directly affects individuals who trespass on DOD facilities despite clear signage restricting access. The law applies to all property under DOD jurisdiction that is marked as closed or restricted, with penalties escalating for repeat violations. This bill does not alter existing DOD security protocols but establishes specific criminal penalties for unauthorized access.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 116) renames the Dallas, Texas, Department of Veterans Affairs medical center as the "Eddie Bernice Johnson VA Medical Center." It directly affects the facility at 4500 South Lancaster Road, Dallas, by changing its official name to honor Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. The bill is procedural - requiring all federal references to the facility to update to the new name - but contains no new policy or funding changes. It serves as a ceremonial recognition of Representative Johnson's service to veterans, based on findings in the bill's text.