Sen. John Kennedy

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents U.S. federal courts from issuing orders (such as injunctions, stays, or declarations) that stop enforcement of laws against people or entities not directly involved in a lawsuit (non-parties). It requires that such orders only apply if a non-party is represented through a party acting under standard legal rules. The law applies to all federal courts, including those in U.S. territories, and modifies related procedures for temporary restraining orders and declaratory judgments to enforce this restriction. Its core change limits court authority to affect non-parties regarding statutes, regulations, or government actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the U.S. government from voting to allocate International Monetary Fund (IMF) funds (Special Drawing Rights) to member countries that: (1) committed genocide within the past decade, or (2) are designated as state sponsors of terrorism under specific U.S. laws (including those related to terrorism support and arms exports). It requires explicit congressional approval for any such allocation, blocking the President or U.S. agencies from authorizing these funds without Congress’s direct consent. The bill directly affects IMF member nations meeting these criteria, preventing U.S. financial support through IMF mechanisms. It creates a new requirement for congressional authorization, rather than changing existing terrorism or genocide designations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the federal crop insurance program to conduct a comprehensive review of its quality loss adjustment procedures every five years starting in 2025, with the first review due by 2026. Each review must include input from diverse industry stakeholders representing different agricultural commodities. It also creates a new mechanism for establishing regional discount factors for soybeans during disasters or salvage markets, which must be reported to Congress. The bill mandates that the program submit detailed reports to Congress after each review, including findings, procedural changes, and stakeholder engagement details. This primarily affects farmers receiving crop insurance coverage, particularly those growing soybeans in regions impacted by disasters.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires foreign private issuers (foreign companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges) to disclose their stock transactions under the same rules as U.S. companies. It amends securities law to explicitly include these foreign entities in disclosure requirements for directors, officers, and major shareholders. The Securities and Exchange Commission must issue new rules within 90 days to implement this change, overriding any conflicting existing regulations. The policy directly affects foreign companies and their executives who own or trade shares in U.S. markets.

Financial Integrity and Regulation Management Act or the FIRM Act This bill prohibits the consideration of reputational risk by federal banking agencies when regulating, examining, or supervising a depository institution or credit union. The bill defines reputational risk as the potential for negative publicity or public attention to decrease confidence in the institution, lead to litigation, reduce revenues, or result in other adverse impacts to the institution.  Agencies must report on the implementation of this bill.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 11) directs Congress to disapprove a specific rule issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) concerning "Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources," which was published in the Federal Register on September 3, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 71160). The resolution blocks the rule from taking effect, meaning it will have no legal force or authority. This action directly affects activities regulated under the rule, such as offshore energy projects that may impact marine archaeological sites like shipwrecks or submerged cultural resources. The resolution uses the statutory process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, to override the agency's regulation without creating new policy.

Maddy summaryThe Safeguarding Medicaid Act (S 1082) requires all Medicaid applicants and recipients in every state and territory to undergo an asset test, removing previous exemptions for people who are aged, blind, or disabled. It sets the resource limit for eligibility at the same level used for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, meaning individuals with assets above this threshold would be ineligible for Medicaid. The bill also mandates states to implement electronic asset verification systems within one year of enactment and report annually on the number of asset checks conducted during eligibility renewals and new applications. This affects all Medicaid applicants and recipients nationwide, with states required to track and report savings from these verification efforts to the federal government.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through December 31, 2026, preventing its automatic expiration. It directly affects homeowners and property owners in flood-prone areas who rely on NFIP policies to cover flood damage. The key change modifies two sections of the 1968 law, updating the program's funding and operational expiration dates from 2023 to 2026. This extension maintains the existing program structure without adding new requirements or benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Major Richard Star Act (S 1032), allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both their military retired pay and Veterans Affairs disability compensation simultaneously. It amends U.S. Code sections to remove the automatic reduction in retired pay that previously forced these veterans to choose between the two payments. The key change ensures veterans with combat-related disabilities qualify for full retired pay without offset against their VA disability benefits, effective for payments starting after the bill's enactment date. This directly affects veterans receiving military retired pay under Chapter 61 who also qualify for VA disability compensation for combat-related injuries.

Maddy summaryThe One Agency Act (S 1059) would transfer primary responsibility for enforcing U.S. antitrust laws from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to the Department of Justice (DOJ). It would transfer all FTC antitrust actions, employees, assets, and funding to the DOJ during a transition period of up to 18 months, during which the FTC could no longer initiate new antitrust investigations or enforcement actions. The bill would also make technical amendments to various laws to replace references to the FTC with references to the DOJ in antitrust contexts. This consolidation aims to eliminate overlapping enforcement jurisdiction between the two agencies and improve efficiency in antitrust enforcement.