Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Santini-Burton Act to improve land management in the Lake Tahoe Basin by specifically supporting the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. It authorizes the federal government to transfer funds to the Tribe for acquiring and managing culturally significant land, and requires collaboration with the Tribe, states, local governments, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency for activities like forest health, water quality, and preserving cultural sites. The bill mandates annual spending plans developed with Tribe consultation, prioritizing projects that meet environmental thresholds and leverage community support. These changes directly address the Tribe’s limited land ownership (under 0.5% of the Basin) and aim to enhance shared stewardship of the region.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe PUBLIC Lands Act designates approximately 1.3 million acres of California public land as wilderness areas, scenic areas, or wild and scenic rivers. It establishes the South Fork Trinity-Mad River Restoration Area (871,414 acres) to improve forest resilience, protect water quality, and reduce wildfire risks through collaborative restoration planning. The bill creates new recreational trails like the Bigfoot National Recreation Trail and designates visitor centers at Trinity Lake and Del Norte County. These designations withdraw the lands from mining, mineral leasing, and other public land disposal while allowing for prescribed fire and limited recreational use.
Maddy summarySRES 606 is a U.S. Senate resolution condemning the Iranian government for violently suppressing peaceful protests and the right to assemble, which has resulted in at least 6,126 reported deaths and 41,800 arrests since December 2025. It highlights Iran's use of internet blackouts, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and censorship to crush nationwide demonstrations sparked by economic hardship. The resolution calls on Iran to hold free elections, allow citizens to determine their future, and hold human rights violators accountable, while commending protesters' courage. As a symbolic resolution (not a law), it expresses the Senate's stance without imposing new legal requirements.
Maddy summaryThis is a Senate resolution (SRES 604), not a bill, expressing the Senate's non-binding view that the federal government should create a Transgender Bill of Rights. It calls for protections including equal access to healthcare (specifically affirming gender-affirming care), anti-discrimination measures in employment and housing, easier legal gender recognition on documents, and safety improvements for transgender and nonbinary people in custody. The resolution outlines detailed policy goals but does not create new law or mandate government action. It serves as a statement of principle, not a legislative proposal.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study how federal workforce reductions (like large-scale layoffs) impact state and local government budgets. The study will examine effects on unemployment benefits, Medicaid, workforce training, housing assistance, tax revenues, and regional economic shifts, focusing on how different states and regions are affected. The GAO must complete this study within 18 months and submit a public report to Congress, including findings, recommendations for supporting displaced workers and affected governments, and potential policy options. The bill does not change current policies but mandates a comprehensive assessment of fiscal consequences.
Maddy summaryThe Health Investment Zones Act of 2026 creates a program to designate areas with significant health disparities as "Health Investment Zones" to improve health outcomes. The bill provides tax incentives including a new 30% tax credit for wages paid to qualified Health Investment Zone workers and incentive payments for Medicare services provided in these zones. It also establishes a grant program for community organizations to fund health care improvements and a student loan repayment program for health care practitioners working in designated zones. Areas must meet specific criteria related to income levels, health outcomes, and documented health disparities to qualify for designation, with zones designated for 10 years.
Maddy summaryThis bill, S 3823 (FAIR Act), sets specific pay adjustments for federal employees in calendar year 2027. It mandates a 3.1% increase in base pay for employees covered by statutory pay systems (most federal workers) and prevailing rate employees (those paid based on local private-sector wages), and a 1% increase in locality pay adjustments. These changes directly affect all federal employees whose pay is determined under the specified systems outlined in Title 5 of the U.S. Code. The bill is procedural, establishing concrete pay rate adjustments without altering broader employment policies.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 601) designates the week beginning February 2, 2026, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week" to recognize these institutions' role in serving Native communities and their economic contributions. It highlights that tribal colleges serve students from over 250 federally recognized tribes, offer culturally grounded education, and contribute $3.8 billion annually to the U.S. economy. As a symbolic resolution (not a law), it has no binding effect but calls for public observance through community activities. The resolution focuses on honoring tribal colleges' mission and achievements, citing their open enrollment and economic impact statistics.
Maddy summaryThe Predatory Lending Elimination Act applies military lending protections to all consumers, not just military members, by setting strict interest rate limits on personal loans and credit cards. It prohibits lenders from charging excessive rates on most consumer credit (except residential mortgages, auto loans for vehicle purchases, and federal credit union loans) and bans exemptions that would weaken these caps. The law preserves stronger state consumer protections and allows state attorneys general to enforce violations within three years. It requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue rules within one year to implement these rate limits and ensure consistency with existing military lending standards.
Maddy summaryThe ePermit Act requires federal agencies to adopt standardized digital systems for environmental reviews and authorizations, creating a unified online portal for project sponsors to submit documents, track progress, and access real-time data. It mandates data standards for consistent information sharing, automated tools for screening projects and managing public comments, and a deadline for full implementation by December 2027. The bill directly affects federal agencies (like the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers), project developers seeking permits, and the public by replacing fragmented paper-based processes with a transparent, digital platform. Key provisions include requiring agencies to report on current systems within 90 days, implement minimum functional tools within 180 days, and prioritize vendor-neutral interoperability to reduce delays and redundancy.