Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Maddy summarySRES 500 is a Senate resolution designating November 8, 2023, as "National First-Generation College Celebration Day." It recognizes first-generation college students - those whose parents did not earn a bachelor's degree - and commemorates the anniversary of the 1965 Higher Education Act, which established key support programs like Federal TRIO and Pell Grants. The resolution urges all Americans to celebrate this day, acknowledge the contributions of first-gen students to the future workforce, and honor the Higher Education Act's role in expanding access to higher education. This is a symbolic designation with no new funding or policy changes.

Maddy summaryS 3509, the Healthy MOM Act, creates a special enrollment period for pregnant individuals in health insurance plans, allowing them to enroll when they report their pregnancy to their insurer or healthcare provider (effective for plan years after December 2024). It requires group health plans and insurers to cover maternity care - including pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum services - for all dependents, regardless of age. The bill also mandates 12-month continuous Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals (starting in 2025), replacing shorter coverage periods. This directly affects pregnant individuals, their dependents, health insurers, and Medicaid/CHIP programs by expanding access to timely coverage and mandated maternity benefits.

Maddy summaryThe COOL Online Act (S 1421) requires online retailers selling foreign-made products to clearly disclose both the product’s country of origin and the seller’s business location on their website. It exempts agricultural products, FDA-regulated food/drugs, used items, and small sellers with under $20,000 annual sales. The Federal Trade Commission enforces the rule as a deceptive practice under existing law, with penalties similar to other FTC violations. The law takes effect 12 months after an interagency agreement between the FTC, Customs, and Agriculture is published.

Maddy summaryThe Kids Online Safety Act requires social media platforms and other online services used by minors to implement safety features protecting children under 17. It mandates default privacy controls, limits addictive features like automatic media playback, restricts advertising of harmful products (tobacco, gambling, alcohol) to minors, and requires annual transparency reports about online risks. Platforms with over 10 million monthly U.S. users must provide parental tools, conduct independent audits, and make de-identified data available for research on online harms. The bill focuses on preventing mental health disorders, bullying, sexual exploitation, and addictive behaviors through platform design changes.

Maddy summaryThe Railway Safety Act of 2023 establishes new safety requirements for rail carriers transporting hazardous materials, directly affecting rail companies, shippers, and emergency response agencies. Key provisions include requiring advance notification to emergency responders, mandating gas discharge plans for hazardous materials transport, implementing minimum 2-person crew standards for freight trains (with limited exceptions), and phasing out outdated DOT-111 tank cars by May 2025. The bill also increases civil penalties for safety violations, sets minimum inspection requirements for rail cars carrying hazardous materials, and funds research into safer rail infrastructure and defect detection systems. These concrete changes aim to improve safety for rail transportation of hazardous materials while providing specific implementation mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publish a detailed report on the U.S. fertilizer industry within one year of enactment. The report must cover market size trends over 25 years, import data (including sources and companies), pricing patterns, supply chain issues, industry concentration, emerging fertilizer technologies, regulatory impacts, and transparency needs for public price reporting. The bill directly affects the USDA, which must compile this data, and indirectly affects fertilizer manufacturers, distributors, and agricultural producers by mandating greater industry transparency. It does not change existing regulations or prices but requires a comprehensive analysis to inform future policy discussions.

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 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 summaryThe Resilient Communities Act of 2023 establishes a federal grant program to support communities harmed by trade-related economic injury. Eligible communities - those where domestic producers or workers have suffered injury from imports (as defined by U.S. trade law) - can receive grants to fund local economic development or support covered domestic businesses. Grants can be used directly to boost production and jobs at local facilities or for broader community development like workforce training, infrastructure, or affordable housing. The program is funded by redirecting existing antidumping duty collections from the Treasury into a dedicated trust fund, with quarterly transfers starting in 2024.

Maddy summaryThe SAFER Banking Act provides legal protections for banks and financial institutions that serve state-legal marijuana businesses and related service providers. It creates a "safe harbor" preventing federal banking regulators from penalizing institutions for offering services to these businesses, even though marijuana remains illegal under federal law. The bill also allows income from state-legal marijuana businesses to be considered "legal income" for mortgage qualification purposes and establishes guidance for suspicious activity reporting related to these businesses. Similar protections are extended to hemp-related businesses and service providers, without requiring banks to serve these businesses.