Sen. Steve Daines

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes the Cooperative Watershed Management Program through fiscal year 2031, providing $40 million annually to support collaborative watershed projects. The program directly affects land management agencies, local communities, and Indian tribes by expanding eligibility criteria and increasing grant funding amounts to $150,000 per year for a minimum of three years. Key changes include adding Indian tribes as eligible participants, allowing multiple grant applications per year, and permitting grant extensions for successful projects. The legislation also clarifies what types of technical assistance are covered under the program and requires regular availability of funding opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution supports designating September 19, 2026, as National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day to recognize families affected by stillbirths and promote preventive measures. It cites high annual stillbirth rates in the United States and notes that racial disparities place certain communities at greater risk. The text requests that the President issue a proclamation encouraging nationwide awareness programs and highlights the 2024 Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act as a foundation for federal resources and research.

Maddy summaryThe Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act amends the Federal Power Act to modify how federal licenses for hydropower projects are issued. It requires project operators to reasonably mitigate direct adverse effects on Indian reservations and fish populations before a license is granted. These changes aim to ensure that environmental and tribal concerns are addressed as specific conditions within the licensing process. The bill directly affects hydropower developers and the agencies responsible for reviewing and issuing federal project licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the construction of the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System to provide water for municipal, rural, and industrial use in five Montana counties and one North Dakota county. It allows the federal government to fund up to 75% of the project's planning, design, and construction costs, with the federal share covering facilities like water storage, treatment, and transmission pipelines. The legislation also enables the water system to receive electricity from the Pick-Sloan Program at a firm power rate, provided the system operates on a not-for-profit basis. Finally, the bill authorizes $602 million in federal funding for the project between fiscal years 2027 and 2037, with provisions to adjust the amount based on construction cost fluctuations.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Geo POWER Act, creates a new government program to fund geothermal energy projects in areas where such power has not been previously generated. It directs the Department of Energy to provide milestone-based financing to projects in low-permeability rock formations and regions with limited geothermal activity, including areas on or near Indian lands. The program requires projects to achieve specific technical and financial goals to receive funding, with a minimum of three projects awarded across at least three different states. Each funded project must have the potential to generate at least 30 megawatts of electricity or advance innovative drilling technologies that could enable larger-scale commercial geothermal power.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the America's Living Library Project, a pilot program within the Department of the Interior to collect and analyze genomic data from species found in National Park System units. The program will create a publicly available genomic database while protecting sensitive location information and requires coordination with multiple federal agencies including the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and Department of Agriculture. It authorizes funding through fiscal year 2031 to support genome sequencing, sample storage, and data management, with initial implementation at five selected parks and potential expansion to twenty additional units within two years. The bill also mandates tribal consultation, establishes cybersecurity safeguards for genomic data, and includes provisions for long-term sample storage in U.S. facilities only.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to install certified airborne position reference tools at certain air traffic control towers within one year of enactment. It specifically targets contract-operated towers that currently lack Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems or similar situational awareness tools. The legislation also mandates the FAA to fund and maintain these systems while establishing training programs for air traffic controllers to ensure proper use of the new technology. Additionally, the bill provides reimbursement for towers that independently purchase these systems before the FAA installs them.

Maddy summaryS 456, the STEAM Act, amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include geothermal resources under existing environmental review requirements for energy projects. It updates Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act to explicitly add "geothermal" alongside "gas" in provisions governing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews for exploration and development. This change directly affects geothermal energy developers by extending the same federal permitting and environmental review processes currently applied to gas projects. The bill modifies legal language to ensure geothermal projects undergo the same federal environmental assessments as gas projects, without creating new programs or altering funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the funding authorization for the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act from 2026 to 2031, ensuring continued financial support for research into treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It requires the Food and Drug Administration to review clinical trial data more rigorously by assessing patient enrollment numbers and requesting interim results from drug manufacturers before renewing research grants. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that clinical trials in phase 3 include combined phase 2/3 studies and planned trials that have not yet started enrolling participants. The bill also mandates the FDA to publish a report within a year of enactment detailing its progress on rare neurodegenerative disease action plans and how it coordinates with broader disease communities. Finally, it adjusts the timeline for a Government Accountability Office report to cover a five-year period instead of four.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of August 22 through August 30, 2026, as "National Park Week." It directly affects the public by encouraging responsible visits and support for the National Park System, which includes parks, battlefields, and historical sites located across the United States and its territories. The measure serves as a formal declaration to highlight the parks' role in recreation, education, and economic activity without altering any laws or funding.