Sen. Bernard Sanders

Maddy summaryThe Billionaires Income Tax Act requires individuals with annual income over $100 million or assets over $1 billion to pay taxes annually on their wealth gains, rather than deferring taxes through strategies like "buy, borrow, die." It eliminates tax deferral by implementing mark-to-market taxation, requiring billionaires to pay tax on asset appreciation each year as if they had sold the assets. The bill closes loopholes that allow the ultra-wealthy to transfer assets tax-free to heirs, requiring heirs to pay tax on gains when they sell assets. This means billionaires would pay taxes on their income as it's earned, just like working people pay taxes on wages.

Maddy summaryThe PREP Act creates a dedicated Office of Prison Education within the Bureau of Prisons to improve educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals in Federal correctional facilities. The office will coordinate quality programs including adult literacy, high school equivalency, postsecondary education, and workforce development, while collecting data on outcomes like recidivism and employment. The bill authorizes $170 million annually (2024-2030) for these programs and establishes a repository of research and best practices for State and local correctional systems. This legislation directly affects Federal prison inmates by expanding educational opportunities designed to improve post-release outcomes and reduce recidivism.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from using facial recognition technology or facial matching software at airports without new congressional authorization. It requires the TSA to dispose of all existing facial biometric data (images and videos) within 90 days of the law's enactment. The bill modifies existing aviation security laws to explicitly exclude facial recognition technology from provisions covering biometric systems and security technologies. These changes directly affect TSA operations and travelers passing through airports, as the law restricts how passenger biometric data can be collected and used.

Maddy summaryThe Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2023 authorizes $500 million to $1 billion annually to expand community schools that provide comprehensive student and family support. The bill targets schools with at least 40% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch or schools identified for improvement, requiring them to establish leadership teams with parent, educator, and community representation. It mandates schools receiving funds to provide integrated student supports (including health services), expanded learning opportunities, family engagement activities, and collaborative leadership structures that address academic, social, and emotional needs. The legislation requires schools to track progress on student outcomes including academic achievement, mental health, school climate, and family engagement, with a focus on reducing achievement gaps for historically marginalized students.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $50 million annually (2023-2027) for the VA to award grants to states to improve outreach and assistance for veterans and their families (including spouses, children, and parents) regarding veterans' benefits. States must use funds to hire more veterans service officers, expand outreach programs, or provide training, with priority for areas lacking officers, high veteran suicide rates, or frequent crisis line referrals. Grantees must submit detailed plans ensuring equitable distribution across urban/rural areas and addressing needs of underserved veterans (e.g., Native American, elderly, women veterans), while tracking benefit application timelines and outcomes. The VA will monitor performance, require remediation plans for underperforming states, and report annually to Congress.

Ending the Carried Interest Loophole Act This bill revises the tax treatment of partnership interests received in connection with the performance of services. It eliminates the concept of carried interest, a form of compensation received by certain partners in private equity, real estate, or hedge funds for investment management services. Under current law, such compensation can be deferred from taxation until income is realized by the partnership. The bill requires partners to recognize deemed compensation received from a partnership annually, taxed at ordinary income tax rates and subject to self-employment taxation. The bill eliminates a partner's ability to defer tax on such compensation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new immigration category for "climate-displaced persons" who are forced to leave their homes due to climate-related disasters, such as flooding, drought, or extreme weather events. It sets an annual admission goal of at least 100,000 climate-displaced persons to the United States starting in fiscal year 2024, with the ability to increase this number in response to major climate disasters. The bill also requires the U.S. government to collect data on climate displacement, develop a Global Climate Change Resilience Strategy, and provide training for diplomats and immigration officers on climate displacement issues. This legislation directly affects individuals displaced by climate events, as well as U.S. immigration and foreign assistance agencies responsible for implementing the new program.

Maddy summaryThe PROKID Act establishes an independent Office of the Ombudsperson within the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor and advocate for immigrant children in government custody. The Ombudsperson will conduct regular facility visits (at least monthly for influx/unlicensed facilities), investigate complaints of abuse or mistreatment, and review data on children's custody conditions. The bill requires the Office of Refugee Resettlement to collect and publicly share detailed data about immigrant children in custody, including length of stay, facility conditions, and demographic information. It also mandates a coordination agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure unobstructed access for oversight activities and compliance with standards like the Flores settlement agreement.

Maddy summaryThe Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2023 increases federal reimbursements for child care providers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It adds a fixed 10-cent payment per meal or snack served, adjusted annually, to existing reimbursement rates for all CACFP providers, including child care centers and family day care homes. This change applies to all meals and supplements served under the program and takes effect in the first month after the bill is enacted. The amendment modifies multiple sections of the National School Lunch Act to incorporate this additional reimbursement into payment calculations.

Maddy summaryThe Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would strengthen firearm restrictions for individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders. It expands the definition of "intimate partner" to include dating partners and others protected under state domestic violence laws, ensuring more abusers would be barred from possessing firearms. The bill requires courts to automatically issue firearm surrender orders when issuing domestic violence protection orders, requiring abusers to surrender all firearms within 24 hours. It also creates a federal grant program to help states implement these measures, including safe storage of surrendered firearms and procedures for returning them when no longer prohibited.