Sen. Peter Welch

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 492) honoring the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter. It expresses the Senate's condolences for her passing and recognizes her lifetime of humanitarian work, including her advocacy for mental health care, founding of caregiver support programs, and service with The Carter Center. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is purely a commemorative statement. It was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators and adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2023.

Maddy summaryThe Farewell to Foam Act of 2023 bans the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene food service ware (like takeout containers and cups), expanded polystyrene loose fill (packing peanuts), and expanded polystyrene coolers starting January 1, 2026. It directly affects food service providers (restaurants, grocery stores, schools), manufacturers, distributors, and retailers selling these products. Violations require written warnings for first offenses, with escalating civil penalties starting at $250 for repeat violations, though small businesses with lower annual revenue face limits on how often penalties apply. The bill excludes coolers used for medical or drug storage, focusing the ban solely on consumer food and packaging items.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires phone calls and texts to 9-8-8 (the national suicide prevention hotline) to be routed to the nearest participating crisis center based on the caller's location, rather than a single national center. It mandates that phone providers transmit all 9-8-8 calls/texts (including from phones without service plans) and protects caller privacy by preventing precise location disclosure. The bill affects mobile service providers (who must implement routing), crisis centers (who receive localized calls), and callers (who get geographically relevant support). It also updates phone system rules to allow direct dialing to 9-8-8, with implementation deadlines for providers and systems.

Maddy summaryThe Fans First Act aims to improve transparency and fairness in the ticketing market by regulating how event tickets are sold and marketed. It requires sellers to clearly display the total ticket price (including all fees), disclose key details about ticket seating and refund policies, and prohibits deceptive practices like using artist names without permission or selling tickets a seller doesn't actually possess. The bill directly affects secondary ticketing platforms, resellers, and primary sellers by mandating clear disclosures, requiring proof of purchase for electronic tickets, and strengthening rules against automated ticket-buying systems. It creates new enforcement mechanisms through the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, with civil penalties for violations. The legislation also mandates studies to assess ticket market practices, including how professional resellers obtain tickets and the prevalence of counterfeit tickets.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Inclusive Democracy Act of 2023, protects voting rights for people with criminal convictions in federal elections. It requires states to notify individuals about their voting rights at conviction, during probation/parole, and in carceral settings, while establishing procedures for incarcerated people to register to vote and access absentee ballots. The bill mandates carceral settings to provide voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, and access to voting information, with specific deadlines for processing and transmitting these materials. It also requires states to accept and process voting applications submitted by incarcerated individuals within defined timeframes, including allowing electronic submission. The law applies to federal elections starting with the November 2024 general election.

Maddy summaryThe Clean Competition Act establishes a carbon intensity charge on covered primary goods produced domestically or imported into the United States. It requires covered entities in specific industries (including petroleum, chemicals, cement, and coal) to report annual emissions data, calculates carbon intensity as emissions divided by goods produced, and imposes a charge when a facility's carbon intensity exceeds industry benchmarks. The charge equals the difference between a facility's carbon intensity and the industry benchmark, multiplied by the carbon price ($55 in 2025, increasing annually) and the weight of goods produced. The bill also includes rebates for exported goods and creates a grant program to fund carbon-reducing technology investments in eligible facilities. The carbon price increases annually based on inflation, with specific industry benchmarks determined by the Secretary.

Maddy summaryThe WEATHER Act of 2023 would create a new federal crop insurance policy to protect farmers from income losses caused by specific weather events like drought, floods, extreme heat, wildfires, and hail. This policy would cover all 50 states and territories, allowing farmers to adjust coverage levels (from 5% to 150% of the median county farm income) and offering faster payments (within 30 days) after a weather event. It prioritizes support for small-scale farms (under $350,000 income) and underserved producers, with reduced paperwork and special consideration for on-farm processing losses. The bill requires the federal crop insurance corporation to research and develop this policy, report findings within one year, and recommend next steps to Congress - making it a proposal for future policy, not an immediate law.

Maddy summaryThe Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights (S 3404) establishes new consumer protections for student loan borrowers by requiring lenders to provide clear, plain-language disclosures about loan terms, repayment options, and servicemember benefits. It mandates the creation of repayment specialists to assist borrowers at risk of default, requires removal of default records from credit history upon repayment, and establishes a centralized point of access for borrowers to manage their loans. The bill directly affects both federal and private student loan borrowers and the lenders and servicers who handle these loans. Specific requirements include clear disclosures about loan terms, limits on late fees (capped at 4% of the payment amount), and prohibitions against certain practices that could harm borrowers. The bill also creates an interagency working group to develop improved servicing standards for student loans.

Maddy summaryThe End Solitary Confinement Act (S 3409) would prohibit solitary confinement in Federal correctional facilities, requiring all incarcerated people to have at least 14 hours daily of out-of-cell congregate interaction including programming, recreation, and social activities. The bill establishes strict limits on confinement (no more than 4 hours total in a 24-hour period for emergencies), creates a community monitoring body to oversee compliance, and provides incentives for states to adopt similar standards by tying federal funding to compliance. It also includes due process protections for people placed in restrictive housing, requiring neutral hearings with legal representation and medical assessments. The bill directly affects all people incarcerated in Federal facilities and would impact state and local facilities receiving Federal funding through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 464) expresses the U.S. Senate's support for Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence against transgender people in the U.S. and memorializing those who died in acts of violence between October 2022 and September 2023. It specifically highlights the disproportionate impact on transgender women of color and references 33 documented fatalities in 2023. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the crisis and honors victims, aligning with the annual observance established to remember transgender lives lost to violence.