Sen. John Barrasso

Maddy summaryThis resolution commends NATO's 2023 Vilnius Summit adoption of comprehensive regional defense plans and urges all NATO allies to align their defense spending with these plans, specifically maintaining or exceeding the 2% of GDP defense spending target. It supports allies meeting this target (with 11 members doing so as of 2023), encourages continued resource allocation for new equipment, and calls for swift ratification of Sweden's NATO membership. The resolution is a non-binding expression of support from the U.S. Senate, not a policy change affecting specific groups or requiring new funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides retroactive pay, benefits, and seniority for senior military officers (O-7 and above) whose promotions were delayed due to a suspension of Senate confirmation hearings starting in February 2023. It specifically applies to officers confirmed to their ranks between December 5 and December 31, 2023. The Secretary of Defense must pay retroactive compensation starting 30 days after the appointment was placed on the Senate Executive Calendar, use that date for seniority calculations, and waive any negative impacts from the confirmation delay. This addresses a specific backlog of promotions affected by the Senate's temporary suspension of its advice-and-consent process.

Maddy summarySRES 445 is a Senate resolution recognizing the U.S.-Israel economic relationship and affirming that trade under the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (signed in 1985) can support Israel's economy during the Hamas conflict. It highlights that bilateral trade has grown significantly since 1985, with the U.S. being Israel’s largest trading partner in 2022 ($14.2 billion in U.S. exports to Israel). The resolution states the agreement has fostered robust trade, investment (e.g., $10.6 billion in Israeli U.S. investments in 2022), and job creation, and urges maintaining this economic partnership amid the conflict. It does not create new policy but formally endorses existing trade mechanisms as a support tool.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2087) extends the authorization period for the Congressional Award Program, which recognizes young Americans for achievements in community service, personal growth, and physical fitness. It reauthorizes the program through October 1, 2028, instead of ending in 2023. The bill makes minor technical updates to medal specifications but does not change eligibility or program structure. The Congressional Award Program directly affects youth participants and the agencies managing the awards.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to change how oil and gas companies calculate taxable income for certain drilling costs. It allows companies to disregard depreciation and depletion expenses recorded on their financial statements when computing taxable income, specifically for intangible drilling and development costs. This directly affects oil and gas producers who use these accounting methods. The change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022.

Maddy summaryS 3366, the Farmers Freedom Act of 2023, clarifies that "prior converted cropland" must be defined using the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule. This directly affects farmers who converted wetlands to cropland before 2008, ensuring their land remains excluded from certain federal water pollution regulations. The bill mandates the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to adopt the specific 2020 regulatory definition for this term, maintaining current regulatory status for affected agricultural land. It does not create new rules but preserves existing exemptions for prior converted cropland under the Clean Water Act.

Maddy summarySRES 478 is a Senate resolution designating November 2023 as "National Hospice and Palliative Care Month." It encourages the public to learn about hospice and palliative care services, recognize the work of family caregivers and healthcare providers, and participate in activities that raise awareness of these services. The resolution highlights the importance of palliative care in improving quality of life for patients with serious illnesses and supporting caregivers, without creating new legal requirements or funding. It does not directly affect specific groups but aims to increase public understanding of these care options.

Maddy summaryS 3347 requires the President to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) as a foreign terrorist organization within 30 days of the bill becoming law. It mandates imposing existing U.S. sanctions under Executive Order 13224 on Ansarallah and any foreign person determined to be its official, agent, or affiliate. The bill also requires the President to submit a determination within 30 days about whether specific individuals - Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim - are connected to Ansarallah. This bill directly affects Ansarallah and those designated as its officials or affiliates, triggering automatic sanctions without requiring new legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state and federal governments from denying contracts, funding, or licenses to child welfare service providers (including religious organizations and individuals) who decline to provide services conflicting with their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. It specifically protects providers from adverse actions like refusing to renew contracts or canceling funding when their religious objections prevent them from offering certain services, such as foster care placements or adoption assistance. The law allows affected providers to sue for violations and requires states that violate the law to forfeit 15% of their federal child welfare funding. It applies to all federally funded child welfare services under Title IV of the Social Security Act, covering services like foster care, adoption support, and family preservation.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $50 million annually (2023-2027) for the VA to award grants to states to improve outreach and assistance for veterans and their families (including spouses, children, and parents) regarding veterans' benefits. States must use funds to hire more veterans service officers, expand outreach programs, or provide training, with priority for areas lacking officers, high veteran suicide rates, or frequent crisis line referrals. Grantees must submit detailed plans ensuring equitable distribution across urban/rural areas and addressing needs of underserved veterans (e.g., Native American, elderly, women veterans), while tracking benefit application timelines and outcomes. The VA will monitor performance, require remediation plans for underperforming states, and report annually to Congress.