Sen. Ted Cruz

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring working dogs, including $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins, to be sold starting January 1, 2025. A surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin will be added to the sale price, with all surcharge funds directed to America’s VetDogs to support its service dog programs for veterans and people with disabilities. The coins are legal tender but will only be issued for one year (2025), with production limited to specified quantities (50,000 gold, 500,000 silver, 750,000 half-dollars). The bill does not create new government programs but uses commemorative coin sales to fund existing service dog initiatives.

Maddy summaryS 696, the Border Safety and Security Act of 2023, allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to suspend the entry of certain immigrants deemed "covered aliens" (those inadmissible under specific immigration laws) at U.S. borders. It requires this suspension if the government cannot legally detain or process these individuals under existing immigration law. The bill gives the Secretary discretion to impose such entry bans to achieve "operational control" of borders, while mandating them when processing capacity is insufficient. This directly affects immigrants seeking entry who fall under the defined inadmissibility categories and enables states to sue the government if they believe border processing failures harm residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders to lock in their 2020 premium rates for the duration of the law's implementation period, directly affecting homeowners in flood-prone areas. It requires FEMA to publish all data and methods used in its Risk Rating 2.0 system, create an online tool for policyholders to compare rates under different scenarios, and conduct a 20-year impact assessment on affordability, property values, and government revenues. FEMA must also publish detailed county-level rate distributions showing how premiums would change under various assumptions, including the removal of rate caps. The law mandates these transparency measures before policyholders' locked-in rates expire, ensuring clearer information about how flood insurance costs are determined.

Maddy summaryThe Stopping Border Surges Act (S 685) makes significant changes to immigration policy affecting unaccompanied children and asylum seekers. It requires specialized interviews for unaccompanied children with officers trained in child trafficking cases, mandates custody transfers to Health and Human Services within 30 days for children not meeting certain criteria, and shortens the asylum application window from one year to six months. The bill also adds new requirements for credible fear interviews, creates penalties for asylum fraud including potential fines and up to 10 years in prison, and modifies family detention standards to limit release of minors with parents who are not lawfully present in the U.S. These provisions aim to streamline immigration processes while adding safeguards against potential fraud and abuse.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends U.S. Treasury regulations to require the Secretary of the Treasury to consider terrorism facilitation when designating foreign financial institutions as "of primary money laundering concern." It specifically directs the Treasury to evaluate whether institutions knowingly provide banking services to entities designated under federal anti-terrorism regulations or facilitate payments for acts of terrorism defined in the Taylor Force Act (22 U.S.C. 2378c-1). The measure targets foreign banks that maintain correspondent accounts with U.S. banks while allegedly enabling terrorist financing through dollar transactions. It directly affects foreign financial institutions operating with U.S. correspondent banking relationships. The policy change focuses on strengthening anti-terrorism financial oversight by expanding the criteria used in Treasury designations.

Maddy summarySRES 57 is a Senate resolution honoring David Ferdinand Durenberger, a former U.S. Senator from Minnesota (served 1978-1989). It commemorates his life and career, highlighting his role as the lead Republican sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act and his work protecting Minnesota's natural resources like the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The resolution directs the Senate to formally recognize his passing and transmit a copy to his family. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Navy pilot Everett Alvarez, Jr., for his service as a Vietnam War POW and subsequent public service. It directs the Speaker of the House and Senate President pro tempore to arrange for the medal's presentation, specifying it must bear his name and image. Bronze duplicates may be sold to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the U.S. Mint fund. The bill is purely ceremonial, recognizing Alvarez's 8+ years as a prisoner of war and his post-military career. It does not create new policies or affect any government programs.

Maddy summaryThe ATF Transparency Act requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to provide applicants with background check transaction numbers when firearm transfer applications are denied, allow appeals of denials (with attorney fee reimbursement for successful cases), and automatically approve applications if decisions aren’t made within 90 days. It directly affects firearm buyers and manufacturers whose applications face delays or denials under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill also mandates reports on unresolved background checks and improvements to NICS processing, including a joint agreement between the ATF and FBI. These changes aim to reduce processing delays and errors in firearm transfer approvals.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023 creates a legal right for minors (or their legal guardians) to sue medical practitioners who perform gender-transition procedures on them (as defined) and cause harm, with a 30-year window to file a lawsuit after the minor turns 18. It defines gender-transition procedures as the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgery to align the body with gender identity, excluding exceptions for intersex conditions, treating complications, or life-threatening medical needs. The bill also prohibits states requiring such procedures from receiving federal health funding and clarifies that no federal law mandates medical practitioners to perform them. This law applies when the procedure involves interstate commerce or affects interstate commerce.

Maddy summaryThe Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act would bar federal funding under the Title X program (which supports family planning services like contraception and STD testing) from going to any health care provider that performs or funds abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when a physician certifies an abortion is necessary to prevent death or serious health harm. It requires clinics receiving Title X funds to certify they do not perform or fund abortions (with these exceptions), while hospitals are exempt from this certification if they do not fund non-hospital abortion providers. The bill also mandates annual reports to Congress detailing funded clinics, the number of abortions performed under exceptions, and any funds transferred to other entities. This policy would directly affect Title X-funded clinics that provide abortion services or fund such services, potentially limiting their access to federal funding.