Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Maddy summaryThe Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2023 sets a national goal to reduce child poverty in the U.S. by half within five years. It requires the federal government to track child poverty using an annual inflation-adjusted measure (the "anchored Supplemental Poverty Measure") and produce yearly reports analyzing how federal policies affect child poverty rates, including deep poverty and racial disparities. The bill also mandates an online clearinghouse to share data and resources, and directs updates to existing federal strategies for reducing child poverty. These provisions apply to federal agencies and programs, focusing on measurement and analysis rather than direct policy implementation.

Maddy summarySRES 353 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating the week of September 16-23, 2023, as "National Estuaries Week." It expresses the Senate’s support for raising public awareness about the ecological and economic importance of estuaries. The resolution highlights estuaries’ role in supporting jobs, economic output, and critical habitats, while acknowledging threats like pollution and habitat loss. This procedural resolution has no direct regulatory or funding impact - it serves solely as a formal acknowledgment of estuaries’ value.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2857) creates a new option for subscribers in specific Wisconsin counties (Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Dunn, Florence, Iron, Pierce, Polk, Sawyer, St. Croix, and Washburn) to choose which network station signals they receive from cable or satellite providers. It allows subscribers to elect to receive either their local network station signal or an "in-State adjacent-market" station signal (from a station in Wisconsin but outside their local market) instead of the standard local signal. The bill modifies copyright and carriage rules so these chosen signals do not count toward licensing limits for providers, ensuring the option doesn’t disrupt existing regulatory requirements. This directly affects subscribers in those 13 Wisconsin counties who can now select alternative network station signals.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution symbolically designates September 2023 as "National Voting Rights Month" to raise awareness about voting rights history and current challenges. It recommends Congress pass specific voting rights legislation (like the Freedom to Vote Act and Democracy Restoration Act) and encourages public education on voting accessibility, registration, and historical voter suppression. The resolution has no binding effect on policy or funding - it serves as a symbolic recognition and call to action for voting rights advocacy.

Maddy summaryThe Schedules That Work Act requires employers in retail, food service, hospitality, and cleaning industries to provide 14 days' advance notice of work schedules and pay predictability pay for last-minute changes. It gives eligible nonexempt workers the right to request schedule adjustments for family care, health needs, education, or second jobs, with employers required to grant these requests unless they have a bona fide business reason for denial. The law applies to covered employers with 15 or more workers and prohibits retaliation against employees who exercise these rights. The legislation aims to address widespread issues with unpredictable scheduling that disproportionately affect low-wage workers, particularly women and people of color, by providing greater schedule stability and control.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to hire the maximum number of new air traffic controllers each year from 2024 through 2028, based on the training capacity of the FAA Academy. It directly affects the FAA, which must set annual hiring targets aligned with its ability to train new controllers. The law does not change existing hiring rules but mandates that the FAA utilize its full training capacity each year for new controller hires during this period. It excludes certain individuals specified under federal law, but the core provision focuses on maximizing new controller recruitment within available training resources.

Maddy summaryThis proposed constitutional amendment would give Congress and states the authority to regulate campaign contributions and spending, including setting limits and prohibiting corporations from spending money to influence elections. It explicitly protects freedom of the press by stating the amendment cannot be used to abridge it. If ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, it would establish a new constitutional standard for campaign finance regulation.

Maddy summaryThe Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2023 provides fertility treatment and counseling services to active duty military members and veterans with infertility conditions, along with adoption assistance for veterans. It requires the Department of Defense to establish fertility preservation procedures before deployment or hazardous assignments, including cryopreservation and storage of reproductive genetic material at no cost to service members. The bill ensures these services are provided without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status, with specific limits on in vitro fertilization (three completed oocyte retrievals, unlimited embryo transfers per medical guidelines). It creates coordination between the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure seamless transitions of care and adds adoption assistance with a limit of three covered adoptions. The legislation specifically covers veterans with service-connected disabilities affecting reproductive health, such as spinal cord injuries, military sexual trauma, or certain mental health conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a program to provide federal funding for school infrastructure improvements in federally impacted school districts, which serve communities on federal lands like Indian reservations and military bases where local property taxes are limited due to non-taxable federal property. It authorizes $250 million annually for fiscal years 2024-2027 to fund critical repairs, modernization, and construction projects, prioritizing schools with immediate safety hazards first. The program offers full grants for districts with no bond capacity and requires local matching funds (10-25% of project costs) based on each district's financial capacity. It specifically addresses unique challenges like teacher housing needs on tribal lands and ensures funds supplement, rather than replace, existing local funding for school facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures Coast Guard personnel receive continued pay and benefits during funding gaps specific to the Coast Guard, without requiring new appropriations. It directly affects all active-duty Coast Guard members (including reserves), qualified civilian employees, and contract workers who perform duties during such gaps. Key provisions mandate payment of military pay, death gratuities, funeral expenses, and housing allowances for dependents of service members who die on duty, using existing funding mechanisms. The law applies only when Coast Guard funding is delayed but Department of Defense funding is secured, preventing service disruptions during government shutdowns. It does not create new benefits but guarantees existing ones remain accessible during Coast Guard-specific funding lapses.