Sen. Cynthia M. Lummis

Maddy summarySRES 386 designates October 4, 2023, as National Energy Appreciation Day to honor energy workers and highlight the sector's contributions to reducing poverty, strengthening national security, and improving global quality of life. The resolution encourages federal, state, local, and community organizations - including schools, businesses, and nonprofits - to observe the day with educational events. It does not create new laws or alter existing policies, serving solely as a symbolic recognition of the energy industry's role in the U.S. economy and global impact.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution seeks congressional disapproval of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule that designated the Northern Long-Eared Bat as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The rule, published in November 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 73488), would have provided federal protections for the bat and restricted activities impacting its habitat. If passed, this resolution would block those protections from taking effect, removing the bat’s endangered status. It uses a procedural mechanism under Title 5, U.S. Code, allowing Congress to reject agency regulations.

Maddy summarySRES 380 is a non-binding Senate resolution designating October 1-7, 2023, as "Religious Education Week" to recognize the role of religious education in U.S. schools. It calls on all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia to accommodate students attending religious classes during school hours through "released time" programs. The resolution affirms that religious education contributes to students' moral, ethical, and civic development, referencing existing programs where approximately 540,000 public school students participate annually. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or alter funding, focusing instead on celebrating current religious education practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill blocks the U.S. Commerce and Interior Departments from implementing new vessel speed or operational restrictions in the Gulf of Mexico's oil and gas areas until they complete a required study. The study must assess impacts on Rice's whales' habitat and prove such restrictions won't harm energy production, military readiness, fishing, or maritime commerce. It also mandates that any future "mitigation protocols" for whale protection cannot include nighttime transit bans or speed limits. The bill directly affects Gulf oil/gas leasing, development, and marine conservation efforts by delaying potential regulatory changes.

This resolution supports the designation of September 21, 2023, as National Teach Ag Day and recognizes the important role of agricultural education and the National FFA Organization in developing the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 376 clarifies the existing requirement for business attire on the Senate floor, specifying that men must wear a coat, tie, and long pants. The resolution designates the Senate Sergeant at Arms to enforce this dress code and mandates that any future changes to the rule require a two-thirds vote of all senators. This procedural resolution formalizes current standards without altering them, ensuring consistency in Senate decorum.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all states to apply a uniform asset test to every Medicaid applicant and recipient, removing previous exemptions for people based on age, blindness, or disability. It ties the asset limit to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program's maximum resource threshold, meaning individuals with assets exceeding SSI limits would lose eligibility (except for pregnant/postpartum women and children under 19, who retain continuous eligibility). States must implement electronic asset verification systems within one year and report on eligibility determinations, including asset checks conducted. The bill also mandates the federal government track savings from these verification efforts and requires states to submit compliance reports to Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill delays the implementation of a 2016 federal rule governing sheep and goat imports for one year. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to study the rule's potential economic impacts, including import volumes, regional market effects, pandemic influences, and effects on U.S. producers and animal health. The study must assess costs, benefits, and risks before the Secretary submits a report to Congress with recommendations for modifying the rule. The delay and study directly affect U.S. sheep/goat producers, importers, and federal agencies managing livestock regulations.

Maddy summaryThe Stop EV Freeloading Act (S 2882) imposes new taxes on electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and importers. It levies a $550 tax on each heavy battery module (over 1,000 pounds) and a $1,000 tax on each new electric vehicle sold, excluding hybrid vehicles that use both internal combustion engines and rechargeable batteries. The tax revenue will be transferred to the Highway Trust Fund, which funds transportation infrastructure. These taxes apply to sales occurring after December 31, 2023.

Maddy summaryS 2909, the "Deferring Executive Authority Act" (DEA Act), requires the Attorney General to submit a report to Congress before any federal rule can reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. Congress can then disapprove the rule within 60 days using a joint resolution, preventing the scheduling change from taking effect. This procedural bill directly affects the Attorney General's authority to alter marijuana's federal classification and gives Congress a 60-day window to block such changes. It does not change marijuana's legal status but establishes a review process for scheduling decisions.