Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

Maddy summaryThe Bring Our Heroes Home Act requires all government agencies to identify, preserve, and transmit records related to missing military personnel and civilian personnel who supported the military (from December 7, 1941, through the bill's enactment date) to a new Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Collection at the National Archives. It establishes a Review Board to oversee the process, ensure timely public disclosure of these records, and periodically review any records withheld for national security reasons. The bill aims to make these records more accessible to families of missing personnel, researchers, and the public, while allowing limited exceptions to protect national security. This would improve transparency about the fate of missing military personnel and civilians who went missing while serving the country.

Maddy summaryThe Stroke Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct research on stroke care delivery and award grants to improve national stroke data collection and quality. The legislation authorizes funding for a national stroke registry that gathers standardized information from various types of hospitals to support quality improvement and benchmarking. Additionally, it provides grants for training emergency medical personnel, expanding telestroke services in underserved areas, and coordinating post-stroke rehabilitation. Finally, the bill funds a national public education campaign aimed at promoting stroke prevention and encouraging individuals to seek immediate treatment for symptoms.

Maddy summaryThe BLADE Act directs the Department of Commerce to identify foreign entities, particularly those from China and Russia, that are conducting unauthorized "model extraction attacks" to steal capabilities from U.S. closed-source artificial intelligence models. The bill requires the government to publish a public list of these attackers and mandates their addition to the Entity List, which restricts their access to certain technologies and exports. Additionally, it authorizes the President to impose financial sanctions on identified individuals and entities, with specific exceptions for humanitarian assistance and national security activities.

Maddy summaryThe Early Childhood Educator Professional Improvement Act of 2026 authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award five-year grants to states to enhance the qualifications, pay, and professional development of early childhood educators. To receive funding, states must submit a comprehensive plan that includes establishing educator standards, creating career progression pathways, and coordinating with higher education institutions to offer accessible degree programs. Grant funds are specifically designated for providing scholarships, supporting credential attainment, increasing compensation for educators pursuing degrees, and offering ongoing training in areas such as cultural competence and child development. The legislation requires that these federal funds supplement rather than replace existing state or local resources, and states must maintain their own financial commitment to early childhood education at a level equal to or greater than the previous year.

Maddy summaryThe Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Fulbright Program, an initiative that facilitates international student and scholar exchanges in education, culture, and science. The bill formally acknowledges the program's role in promoting global goodwill and advancing U.S. foreign policy and national security through its extensive network of grants in over 160 countries. Additionally, it congratulates all past and present recipients of Fulbright awards and encourages people worldwide to pursue opportunities that foster international understanding and partnership.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution reaffirms U.S. policy to support a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela through free and fair elections. It urges the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez to immediately organize transparent presidential elections and calls for the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The document also declares that any harm inflicted on individuals seeking public office would be presumed to have the approval of senior Venezuelan officials and could lead to U.S. accountability actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the State-Based Education Loan Awareness Act, clarifies that state-run student loan programs are not subject to certain federal rules about preferred lender arrangements. It directly affects state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other entities that offer private student loans without federal government backing. The legislation defines these state programs by requiring that they offer interest rates and fees at least as favorable as federal Direct PLUS loans and that borrowers are informed about federal loan options before taking out private loans. By making this exclusion explicit, the bill ensures state programs operate under different regulatory requirements than federally backed lending arrangements.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors small businesses that manufacture firearms and accessories, acknowledging their role in the U.S. economy and recreational traditions. It highlights how these companies support hundreds of thousands of jobs and anchor rural communities while facilitating access to shooting sports like hunting and target practice. The bill formally recognizes August 2026 as National Shooting Sports Month to celebrate these activities. As a symbolic measure, it does not change any laws or regulations but serves to express appreciation for the industry.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of August 2 through August 8, 2026, as "National Farmers Market Week" to honor the importance of local food markets. It serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize how these markets support farmers' livelihoods, strengthen local economies, and connect urban and rural communities. The bill does not create new laws or funding but instead formally acknowledges the role farmers markets play in promoting sustainable farming and public health.