Sen. Gary C. Peters

Maddy summaryThis bill corrects retirement benefits for specific U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers hired between 2008. It applies to officers who received a job offer before July 6, 2008, but started work on or after that date. The bill ensures these officers receive the minimum retirement benefit amount required by law and are exempt from mandatory retirement age rules. It also requires retroactive payments to officers who retired before the law’s enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals an outdated requirement from the 2006 Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act that restricted how FEMA could award emergency contracts without bidding. It directly affects FEMA's contracting process during disasters, allowing the agency to enter contracts without soliciting bids under urgent circumstances. The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit annual reports detailing the number, cost, and purpose of these emergency contracts, as well as how the repeal prevented waste, fraud, and saved taxpayer money. These reports must cover contracts entered during specific periods and include details about the states and disasters involved. The law aims to streamline emergency contracting while adding transparency through mandatory reporting.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3486) requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue non-mandatory guidance to states within 12 months of enactment. The guidance will focus on strategies for states to improve mental health and substance use disorder care provider education, training, recruitment, and retention through Medicaid (Title XIX) and CHIP (Title XXI) programs. It specifically emphasizes expanding workforce capacity in rural and underserved areas and details how states can use existing authorities like Medicaid waivers (Section 1115) to achieve this. The bill directly affects states administering Medicaid/CHIP programs and the providers participating in those programs, aiming to strengthen behavioral health services without creating new federal funding.

Maddy summaryThe SAFER SKIES Act (S 3481) grants state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement and correctional agencies new authority to counter drone threats to public safety and critical infrastructure, including venues for large gatherings and correctional facilities. It requires these agencies to complete federal training and certification before using counter-drone technologies, and mandates 48-hour notifications to federal authorities after taking action. The bill establishes a national training program, creates reporting requirements for agencies using these authorities, and provides funding for purchasing counter-UAS systems through existing grant programs. It also increases penalties for unauthorized drone use near prisons and in national defense airspace, with state and local counter-drone authorities set to expire in 2031.

Maddy summaryThis bill resolves historical land claims by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) regarding 2,743 acres of "Reservation Swamp Lands" and 1,333-2,720 acres of "Reservation Canal Lands" within their L’Anse Reservation in Michigan. It provides $33.9 million in compensation to KBIC for land taken by the federal government without just payment under the Fifth Amendment, while clearing title for current non-Indian landowners who acquired the land in good faith. Upon receiving the payment, KBIC’s claims to these specific lands are extinguished, and current owners gain clear title free of tribal rights. The settlement avoids prolonged litigation and allows KBIC to use funds for government services, economic development, or land acquisition (excluding gaming).

Maddy summaryS 620, the "Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act," authorizes the Indian Health Service to provide public health veterinary services to tribal communities in rural areas to prevent and control zoonotic diseases (diseases that spread between animals and humans). These services include spaying/neutering, vaccinations, disease surveillance, and other activities that reduce disease transmission risk. The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to study the delivery of oral rabies vaccines to wildlife in Arctic regions to protect tribal members, and mandates biennial reports to Congress on program implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows state governors to temporarily assign National Guard members on Active Guard and Reserve duty to respond to state disasters, with Defense Secretary approval. It limits this "State disaster response duty" to 14 days per member yearly (extendable to 60 days for catastrophic events), requires states to reimburse the military for costs, and clarifies that Guard members performing this duty are not considered federal agents for liability purposes. The law directly affects state governors, National Guard members, and state governments managing disaster response funding. Key provisions include strict time limits, mandatory state reimbursement, and liability protections to ensure state control over Guard deployment during emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to create and submit a strategy within 180 days to speed up cleanup efforts at military bases and National Guard facilities contaminated with PFAS chemicals (like firefighting foam). The strategy must detail how the DoD prioritizes sites based on health/environmental risks, set specific cleanup timelines for each location, and outline plans to add labs, staff, or technology to reduce delays. It also mandates a public online dashboard updated every six months, showing funding use, cleanup progress, completion dates, and community contacts for each affected site. The bill directly affects military installations and National Guard facilities with PFAS contamination and aims to improve transparency and accelerate remediation under federal cleanup law.

Maddy summaryS 3469, the BIOSECURE Act of 2025, prohibits U.S. federal agencies from contracting with or using biotechnology equipment/services from companies identified as "biotechnology companies of concern" (primarily those linked to foreign adversaries like China that pose national security risks, such as through unauthorized collection of genetic data). It directly affects federal agencies, contractors, and grant recipients by banning purchases or contracts involving such companies' products, with exceptions for intelligence activities, overseas health care for military personnel, and public health emergencies. Key mechanisms include a defined list of prohibited companies (updated annually), waiver options for national security needs (requiring congressional notice), and strict rules for identifying risks related to multiomic data (genomic, proteomic, etc.). The law aims to prevent U.S. citizens' biological data from being exploited by foreign adversaries through federal contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Defense to provide alternative drinking water to households with private wells contaminated by PFOS/PFOA chemicals from military activities. It applies to households downgradient from a military base where contamination exceeded EPA safety levels, and where other nearby households in the same community already receive assistance. Alternative water options include bottled water, connection to public systems, or home filtration systems. Exceptions apply if the community already has municipal water or if EPA actions have already resolved the contamination. The law ensures DoD coordination with existing environmental cleanup authorities like CERCLA.