Sen. Bernard Sanders

Maddy summaryThis bill provides back pay to federal employees, military personnel, and certain contractors who lost compensation due to a government funding lapse during the period from October 1, 2025, through the bill's enactment date. It appropriates funds from the Treasury to cover "standard employee compensation" (including base pay, allowances, and benefits) for all covered individuals during the shutdown period, requiring agencies to distribute payments within 7 days of enactment. The funds may only be used for this specific purpose and cannot be redirected to other agency needs. The pay is retroactive to September 30, 2025, treating affected individuals as if they had received full pay continuously during the shutdown.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures federal employees, contractors, and military personnel affected by a government shutdown starting October 1, 2025, receive their regular pay and benefits during the shutdown period. It appropriates funds to cover standard pay, allowances, and benefits for "covered individuals" until appropriations are enacted (the "termination date"). The bill also prohibits agencies from implementing layoffs or placing employees on administrative leave for more than 10 workdays during the shutdown. It applies retroactively to September 30, 2025, and charges the costs to future appropriations.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures uninterrupted food assistance benefits for SNAP recipients during a government funding gap. If Congress fails to pass full funding for the Department of Agriculture by September 30, 2025, the bill directs the Treasury to provide necessary funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing without interruption. It also covers missed benefits retroactively from September 30, 2025, through the bill’s enactment date. The funding stops once Congress enacts actual fiscal year 2026 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture. This directly affects approximately 40 million low-income individuals and families who rely on SNAP benefits.

Maddy summarySRES 450 is a symbolic Senate resolution supporting the designation of the second Monday in October 2025 as "Indigenous Peoples' Day" to honor Indigenous contributions and history. It does not create a new federal holiday but encourages public observance and recognizes the work of Indigenous communities. The resolution specifically urges the Senate to honor Indigenous Peoples' contributions, support their cultural awareness, and express backing for federal recognition of this day. This resolution directly affects federal recognition efforts, building on existing state and local observances by over 200 municipalities and 17 states. It is a non-binding expression of support, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryS 2994, the Voter Purge Protection Act, prevents states from removing voters from registration lists based on non-voting or failure to respond to mail. It requires states to use verified evidence - like death records or permanent out-of-state moves - for removals, not just non-voting history. Voters removed must receive 48-hour notice with reinstatement options, and states must publicly announce list maintenance efforts. The bill also allows voters to update their address through election day at polling locations or central sites, ensuring continued eligibility after moving within the same state. This directly protects voters who might otherwise be incorrectly purged due to administrative errors or lack of contact.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution requires the removal of U.S. military forces from ongoing operations against foreign terrorist organizations designated after February 20, 2025, states where those groups operate, and non-state entities involved in drug trafficking, unless Congress has explicitly authorized such actions through a declaration of war or specific statute. It cites two recent military strikes (September 2 and 15, 2025) as examples of hostilities lacking congressional authorization, noting Congress has not received sufficient information about these operations. The resolution allows military action for self-defense against an armed attack or in authorized counternarcotics operations, but clarifies that drug trafficking alone does not constitute an armed attack justifying force. The bill aims to enforce Congress's constitutional authority to authorize military force, as required by the War Powers Resolution.

Maddy summarySJRES 71 is a joint resolution that would terminate the national emergency declared by the President on January 20, 2025, regarding energy. This emergency was established under Executive Order 14156 and the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). The resolution directly ends the legal authority enabling the executive branch to use emergency powers for energy-related policies, without altering existing energy laws or creating new regulations. It affects only the executive branch's emergency designation, not public policy or private entities.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding Senate resolution expresses concern about rising book bans in schools and libraries, citing data showing over 6,800 individual book removals since July 2024 across 23 states. It highlights how bans disproportionately target books about race, LGBTQ+ experiences, and marginalized histories - such as *The Handmaid’s Tale* and *Maus* - and urges schools to follow established guidelines for handling book challenges. The resolution calls for returning books removed from military schools under recent executive orders and opposes content-based censorship in public education.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits health care entities (like hospitals, clinics, and nursing facilities) and their for-profit owners from selling or leasing property to real estate investment trusts (REITs) if the deal risks weakening the entity's finances or public health. It requires the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary to review all such proposed transactions before they proceed. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per incident, with states also having enforcement authority. The law directly affects health care providers participating in Medicare and their corporate owners, focusing on preventing financial instability through REIT arrangements.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides temporary relief to federal workers during government shutdowns by pausing specific civil obligations. It directly affects federal employees (including contractor employees) who are furloughed or working without pay, suspending actions like evictions, mortgage foreclosures, student loan collections, tax payments, and insurance lapses during the shutdown and for 30 days afterward. Key mechanisms include court-ordered stays for rent, mortgages, and loans; automatic student loan deferment; tax payment deferrals; and protection against insurance policy termination due to unpaid premiums. The relief applies only to civil matters (not criminal cases or child support) and requires court involvement for certain actions.