Sen. Ted Cruz

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates the week of January 22-28, 2023, as "National School Choice Week." It encourages parents to learn about K-12 education options - including public, charter, private, and homeschooling - and promotes public events to raise awareness about educational choice during that week. The resolution does not create new laws or regulations but formally recognizes the annual observance through symbolic congressional support.

Maddy summaryS 222, the Border Airport Fairness Act of 2023, designates specific airports near the U.S. northern and southern borders as official ports of entry. It directly affects primary airports located within 30 miles of the international land border that are formally linked to a border crossing or seaport meeting U.S. Customs criteria. The bill requires the President to formally designate these airports as ports of entry and eliminates user fees for them under the 1984 Trade and Tariff Act. This policy change removes a financial barrier for travelers and airlines using these border-area airports.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the U.S. Department of Energy from selling petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to any entity owned or controlled by China, or to entities that might later export those products to China. It directly affects the Department of Energy’s management of the reserve and Chinese entities seeking to purchase U.S. oil. The key mechanism requires the Secretary of Energy to block sales to China-linked entities and to ensure any sale does not result in the petroleum being exported to China. This is a direct restriction on existing reserve operations, not a new policy. The bill applies to all current and future sales from the reserve.

Maddy summaryS 201 requires most federal agencies to submit zero-based budgets every six years. This means agencies must re-examine all programs, operations, and costs to identify the most essential activities and consider alternatives, ranking programs by importance. Agencies (excluding the Department of Defense and National Nuclear Security Administration) must also recommend at least a 2% cut to discretionary spending in their budget proposals. The bill mandates these submissions to the Office of Management and Budget and congressional budget committees for the next fiscal year and the following four years. This directly affects how federal agencies plan and justify their funding requests.

Maddy summaryS 224, the "Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act of 2023," requires the U.S. President to impose sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel and associates if the ICC is investigating or prosecuting specific U.S. or allied personnel. It directly affects ICC employees, their agents, and immediate family members (spouse, parent, sibling, or adult child) when the ICC targets "protected persons" - defined as U.S. military members, government contractors working with the military, or allied forces from treaty partners (like NATO members, Israel, or Japan) who are not ICC members and haven't consented to ICC involvement. Key mechanisms include blocking U.S. property transactions and banning visas for targeted individuals, with exceptions for U.S. law enforcement needs or UN headquarters agreement compliance. The bill aims to counter ICC actions against these designated groups by restricting their access to U.S. assets and travel.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare providers performing abortions to provide the same immediate medical care and hospital admission to any infant born alive during or after the procedure, as they would for any newborn. It mandates reporting of any failure to provide this care to law enforcement and imposes penalties including fines or up to 5 years in prison for violations. Women who undergo abortions may pursue civil lawsuits for damages, including compensation for physical/psychological harm and three times the abortion cost, if providers fail to comply. The law directly affects abortion providers, hospitals, and the women receiving abortion services.

Maddy summaryThe Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023 would require Congress to approve most major federal regulations before they take effect. Major rules, defined as those with significant economic impact (estimated at $100 million or more annually), would need a joint resolution of approval from both chambers within 70 days. Agencies would be required to submit detailed reports to Congress before rules take effect, including cost-benefit analyses, economic effects, and other relevant information. This would increase congressional oversight of the regulatory process, though it includes exceptions for national security, emergencies, and monetary policy rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires federal recipients of COVID-19 treatments, vaccines, or related funding to ensure patient eligibility decisions do not consider protected characteristics. It directly affects states, local governments, and private entities receiving federal support for pandemic response. The key provision mandates that determinations of who gets treatments or vaccines must exclude race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, vaccination status, veteran status, or political ideology/speech. This creates a concrete policy change to prevent discrimination in access to critical pandemic resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal, state, and school entities receiving federal education or health funds from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for children under 18. It requires written parental consent for any such vaccination and penalizes local schools that enforce mandates by cutting off eligibility for specific federal education funding (Title IV and Title II of ESEA). The law specifically targets vaccines authorized under emergency use (not yet fully approved) and applies to all schools receiving federal education funds. It directly affects minors under 18, their parents, and school districts receiving federal education funding.

Maddy summaryS 172, the "No Mask Mandates Act of 2023," voids two existing federal mask requirements: the January 2021 Executive Order and the CDC's order mandating masks on transportation and at hubs. It prohibits all federal agencies from issuing new mask mandates for COVID-19 or any future public health emergency, and blocks the use of existing federal funds to develop or enforce such mandates. The bill directly affects federal agencies like the CDC and HHS, ending their authority to require masks in transportation settings and related public health responses. It does not impact state or local mask rules but stops federal action on mask mandates entirely.