Sen. James E. Risch

Maddy summaryThis bill corrects a technical error in the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2023. It authorizes $5,124,902.12 to be deposited into a Development Fund, adjusted for inflation since January 2016 using the Consumer Price Index. The funds directly support the tribe's water rights settlement, ensuring payments reflect current economic conditions. This is a procedural adjustment to the existing settlement law, not a new policy.

Maddy summarySCONRES 24 is a non-binding congressional resolution condemning the Sudan conflict since April 2023, calling for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access. It directs the U.S. President to appoint a Special Envoy for Sudan and urges the State Department to review sanctions, monitor arms sales, and coordinate with allies on accountability measures. The resolution also asks international partners to impose targeted sanctions on military leaders, suspend Sudan’s UN participation until a civilian government is formed, and support humanitarian aid. As a symbolic resolution, it expresses congressional support for peace but does not create new legal obligations.

Maddy summarySRES 511 is a U.S. Senate resolution urging Senegal's government to hold free, fair, and transparent presidential elections on February 25, 2024. It directs the U.S. Secretary of State to impose consequences like visa restrictions on those undermining elections and asks USAID to support election observation, voter education, and democratic governance. The resolution specifically calls on Senegal to release arbitrarily detained protesters, respect the independent electoral commission, lift internet/social media restrictions during protests, and ensure safe voting conditions. This resolution directly addresses Senegal's government and U.S. agencies, emphasizing democratic norms without altering Senegalese law.

Maddy summaryS 3515, the MAILS Act, requires the U.S. Postal Service to create a formal process for local governments to request new post offices within 90 days of enactment. It restricts temporary post office relocations (like for holidays) to no more than two days without community input, mandates 30-day written notice to local officials before such relocations, and requires public notice and presentations 15 days in advance. The Postal Service must also provide periodic updates to local officials every 60 days during relocations and submit detailed reports to Congress for relocations exceeding 180 days, explaining compliance with communication rules and reasons for extensions. This bill directly affects communities with post offices and local government officials seeking to influence postal service operations.

Maddy summaryS 3529, the ATF Accountability Act of 2023, establishes a formal appeals process for gun industry businesses (manufacturers, importers, and dealers) who receive rulings or stop-work orders from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It requires the ATF to issue written rulings on regulatory questions within 90 days and allows licensees to appeal those rulings within 30 days by requesting a review from an ATF Director of Industry Operations. If a hearing is requested, an administrative law judge must schedule it within 14 days and issue a final decision within a reasonable timeframe, with the outcome binding on both the ATF and the licensee. This bill directly affects gun industry licensees by creating clearer, time-bound procedures for challenging ATF decisions.

Maddy summarySRES 500 is a Senate resolution designating November 8, 2023, as "National First-Generation College Celebration Day." It recognizes first-generation college students - those whose parents did not earn a bachelor's degree - and commemorates the anniversary of the 1965 Higher Education Act, which established key support programs like Federal TRIO and Pell Grants. The resolution urges all Americans to celebrate this day, acknowledge the contributions of first-gen students to the future workforce, and honor the Higher Education Act's role in expanding access to higher education. This is a symbolic designation with no new funding or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal committee to study how to improve the transmission of accurate location information for calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, particularly affecting people in rural or small communities who may struggle to get emergency responders to their exact location. The committee, composed of representatives from telecom companies, crisis centers, public safety agencies, and state/local governments, will examine privacy concerns, technical standards for sending location data, and potential costs for service providers. It must submit a report within one year with recommendations for potential future legislation to address these location challenges. The bill itself does not change current law but sets up a study to inform future policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal grant rules for cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells (orphan wells). It removes a requirement for states to measure methane emissions or conduct specific monitoring activities to qualify for these grants, giving states flexibility to choose whether to collect such data. Additionally, it directs the Interior Department to commission a National Academies study within 180 days to examine how plugging these wells affects local economies, housing, and water quality in communities where many wells were cleaned up. The study must include input from all five U.S. regions and report to Congress within 18 months of the last grant being awarded, using existing funding.

Maddy summaryThe Kids Online Safety Act requires social media platforms and other online services used by minors to implement safety features protecting children under 17. It mandates default privacy controls, limits addictive features like automatic media playback, restricts advertising of harmful products (tobacco, gambling, alcohol) to minors, and requires annual transparency reports about online risks. Platforms with over 10 million monthly U.S. users must provide parental tools, conduct independent audits, and make de-identified data available for research on online harms. The bill focuses on preventing mental health disorders, bullying, sexual exploitation, and addictive behaviors through platform design changes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 493) expresses the U.S. Senate's support for Sri Lanka's peaceful, democratic, and economic goals. It urges the Sri Lankan government to hold free local elections, protect peaceful protests, reform security forces, address corruption, and repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The resolution also calls for restoring land rights in Tamil-majority regions, implementing constitutional devolution, and cooperating with UN human rights recommendations. It specifically references Sri Lanka's economic crisis and human rights concerns as context for these recommendations. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change U.S. law but formally advocates for specific actions by the Sri Lankan government.