Sen. John Fetterman

Maddy summaryThis bill extends federal funding for sport fish restoration and recreational boating safety through 2031, directly benefiting anglers, boaters, and conservation organizations. It updates the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act by changing the funding period from 2026 to 2031 and modifies how multistate conservation grants are distributed. The key provision ensures each state receives the greater of 0.0375 percent of total appropriations or $200,000 for conservation projects, replacing the previous $1.2 million cap. These changes aim to provide more predictable and flexible funding for fisheries management and water safety initiatives across the United States.

Maddy summaryThe Student Loan Interest Elimination Act would eliminate interest on existing Federal Direct student loans and set the interest rate for new Federal Direct student loans to zero starting July 1, 2026. The bill also establishes an Education Affordability Trust Fund financed by loan repayments to fund these zero-interest loans and provide additional Pell Grants. Under the program, borrowers could opt out of automatic interest elimination and refinancing, and the bill includes provisions for calculating qualifying payments toward loan forgiveness programs.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution commemorates Taiwan's 30th anniversary of its first direct presidential election in 1996 and expresses support for Taiwan's democratic institutions. The bill formally acknowledges Taiwan's democratic milestones, including peaceful transfers of power and the protection of civil liberties, while referencing existing U.S. policy frameworks like the Taiwan Relations Act. It states that the Senate regards Taiwan's democracy as a strategic strength and commits to supporting Taiwan's self-defense and the liberty of its people. The resolution clarifies that it does not authorize the use of military force.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act, amends the Clayton Act to broaden the federal prohibition against price discrimination. It expands the law's scope to cover products and services rather than just physical goods, and extends its reach to include activities that affect commerce beyond direct commercial transactions. The bill also clarifies definitions of purchasing and adds liability for entities that induce or benefit from price discrimination, while providing a higher sales threshold for smaller businesses. Additionally, it strengthens legal remedies for victims of price discrimination by establishing a presumption of injury and allowing for additional damages beyond the amount of the discrimination itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program to help schools access naloxone for opioid overdose emergencies. It directly affects public and private elementary and secondary schools by requiring them to certify they have trained staff (like nurses or designated personnel), maintain accessible naloxone supplies, and have a plan for trained staff on-site during school hours. Schools must also confirm their state provides adequate legal protection for staff who administer naloxone. The grants, funded through the Public Health Service Act, support these requirements to enable immediate emergency treatment of opioid overdoses in school settings.

Maddy summaryThe Child Care Modernization Act of 2025 amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act to improve access to high-quality child care for working parents. It requires states to develop plans with input from parents, providers, and employers, and to set payment rates that cover providers' full costs including staff salaries and benefits. The bill creates a new grant program to expand child care supply through facilities improvements and support for providers serving priority populations like homeless children, rural communities, and children with disabilities. It clarifies eligibility requirements, including income limits for families and definitions for "eligible child" and "eligible activity." The act aims to increase the number of low-income children in high-quality child care settings while supporting the child care workforce.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1677, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act) requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary treatments for congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. It mandates coverage for reconstructive services, dental/orthodontic care, and related treatments during the course of medical treatment, while excluding purely cosmetic procedures not medically necessary. Plans may apply cost-sharing requirements similar to those for other medical services but must provide notice about these coverage requirements to participants by January 1, 2026. The bill also directs a study on provider network adequacy and cost impacts related to these coverage requirements, to be completed by December 2027.

Maddy summaryThe HELP Copays Act requires that financial assistance from non-profit organizations or prescription drug manufacturers counts toward patients' annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing limits (like deductibles and copays) for certain prescription drugs. It directly affects individuals enrolled in group health plans or individual insurance who receive such assistance, ensuring payments from these sources reduce their total out-of-pocket spending. The bill amends key healthcare laws to include these payments in calculating cost-sharing thresholds, specifically for specialty drugs and drugs subject to utilization management (like prior authorization). It takes effect for plan years beginning in 2026 and does not change how utilization management tools are applied.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to work with the Secretary of Defense and submit a report to Congress within 180 days on emerging threats facing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The report will examine military, cyber, and political dangers from countries like Russia, Belarus, China, and Iran, while also assessing current U.S. and NATO security presence in the region. It includes recommendations for improving defense cooperation, cybersecurity, and democratic resilience in the Baltic states, and highlights opportunities to strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships. The legislation reflects Congress's view that supporting these NATO allies aligns with U.S. national security interests.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a provision in the U.S. Code regarding national cemetery interments, specifically changing the legal definition used to determine who is barred from burial. It updates references from "tier III sex offender" under outdated law (34 U.S.C. § 20901) to the current definition (34 U.S.C. § 20911) for the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. This change directly affects individuals classified as tier III sex offenders under current law, altering the criteria applied when reviewing burial eligibility in national cemeteries. The bill makes a technical correction to align the cemetery policy with the existing sex offender registration statute, with no broader changes to cemetery access or policy.