Maddy summaryS 2566, the American IDEA Act, amends U.S. intellectual property (IP) enforcement laws to specifically target IP theft by entities in countries on the "priority watch list" (defined under the Trade Act of 1974). It updates grant programs (IPEP grants) to prioritize funding for investigations into IP violations involving watch list countries, including cases involving imported products from those nations. The bill also creates a new legal aid program to provide free or low-cost IP protection services to low-revenue small businesses and establishes two mandatory GAO studies on improving IP protection and diplomatic efforts regarding watch list countries. These changes directly affect U.S. manufacturers, universities, and small businesses facing IP theft from specific foreign jurisdictions.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe Break the Cycle of Violence Act creates federal grant programs to fund community-based violence intervention initiatives that aim to reduce gun violence in high-risk communities. It authorizes $300 million in 2024, increasing to $700 million annually from 2026-2031, for grants to community organizations and local governments to implement evidence-based strategies that provide trauma-informed services, job training, and wraparound support to individuals at high risk of violence. The bill establishes a National Community Violence Response Center to coordinate efforts, collect data, and share best practices, while also creating IMPACT grants for job training programs targeting opportunity youth in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence. The legislation specifically addresses racial disparities in violence exposure, with findings showing Black children and teens are over 12 times more likely to be shot to death than White peers. The program requires grantees to use strategies that reduce violence without contributing to mass incarceration, and to partner with community organizations reflecting the populations impacted by violence.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires credit reporting agencies to use only a consumer's current legal name on credit reports after the consumer requests it. It directly affects individuals who have legally changed their names (e.g., through marriage or court order) but still see old names on their credit reports. The key provision mandates that agencies stop using any prior names upon receiving a consumer's written request, ensuring credit reports reflect the most up-to-date legal identity. This change removes outdated name information from credit reports without requiring additional consumer verification beyond the initial request.
Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that equipment used to test for fentanyl or xylazine in substances is not subject to restrictions under the Controlled Substances Act. It directly affects people who use drugs and harm reduction organizations providing testing supplies. The key provision amends Section 422 of the Act to explicitly state that testing equipment for these substances is exempt from legal restrictions on possession, sale, or transportation. This allows safer access to testing tools without legal penalties. The bill does not create new programs or funding, only adjusting existing legal language.
Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the Computer Crime Enforcement Act's grant program for federal funding to combat computer crimes, extending the funding period from 2009-2013 to 2024-2027. It directly affects law enforcement agencies and organizations receiving these grants by requiring the Attorney General to report annually to Congress on grant recipients, how funds are used, and application statistics. The key mechanism adds a new reporting requirement (section 2(g)) mandating annual performance reports starting one year after enactment, detailing grant usage and application outcomes. This is a procedural update to an existing program, not a new policy.
Maddy summaryS 2559, the *Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act*, imposes a 1-cent fee per milligram on opioid pain relievers sold by manufacturers, producers, or importers, while excluding medications used for addiction treatment and non-opioid ingredients. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish rebates or discounts for cancer patients, hospice patients, and others with specific pain needs to prevent them from bearing the fee cost. Revenue from the fee (after rebates) must be directed to states for opioid addiction treatment programs, including building facilities, expanding residential care, supporting mental health providers in underserved areas, and housing for families affected by addiction. The bill mandates a congressional report within two years assessing the fee’s impact on opioid costs, patient access, and how funds improve treatment services.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2647, SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023) provides federal funding to improve stillbirth data collection, research, and education. It authorizes $5 million annually for states to collect stillbirth data using existing health records while protecting privacy, $1 million for developing standardized data collection guidelines and public educational materials, and $3 million for specialized training programs in perinatal pathology and stillbirth research. The bill directly affects state health departments, medical professionals (like obstetricians and pathologists), and families impacted by stillbirth through improved data systems and educational resources. Key provisions require standardized data reporting, consultation with affected families and healthcare providers, and mandatory reports on program progress within five years of enactment.
Maddy summaryThe Women's Retirement Protection Act would require spousal consent for certain distributions from defined contribution retirement plans (like 401(k)s), similar to protections already in place for defined benefit plans. The bill mandates that retirement plans provide written explanations of rights before distributions or beneficiary changes, with a 90-day consent period for spouses. It also creates two new grant programs: $100 million annually to improve financial literacy for women and $100 million for low-income women and domestic violence survivors to access retirement assets through divorce settlements. These provisions would directly affect women in workplace retirement plans, particularly those in defined contribution plans who currently lack spousal protections. The bill focuses on concrete changes to retirement plan rules rather than altering Social Security benefits.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Clean Air Act to adjust fuel standards and support small refineries. It changes how the EPA grants waivers for fuel additives (allowing fuels similar to certified vehicles or meeting specific waiver conditions) and modifies Reid Vapor Pressure limits from "10 percent" to "10 to 15 percent" for certain fuels. Small refineries that retired credits for 2016-2018 compliance years and had pending or denied petitions by December 2022 can now have those credits returned or applied to future compliance. The bill directly affects fuel retailers, ethanol producers, and small refineries by altering compliance rules and credit eligibility under the renewable fuel program.
Maddy summarySRES 312 is a non-binding Senate resolution recognizing the role of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in enabling independent living for people with disabilities and highlighting ongoing challenges like institutional segregation and disparities in healthcare, employment, and accessibility. It calls on federal agencies - including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing, and Transportation - to take specific actions to improve home- and community-based services, accessibility, and economic opportunities for people with disabilities. The resolution emphasizes addressing barriers identified 33 years after the ADA's passage, including pandemic impacts and racial disparities affecting disabled communities. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but urges bipartisan collaboration and agency action to advance ADA goals.