Sen. David McCormick

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the fund supporting victims of state-sponsored terrorism by directing specific funds into the compensation pool. It requires $898 million from the Binance forfeiture case and annual transfers of 50% of excess balances from DOJ and Treasury forfeiture funds to the Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. Payments to eligible claimants must be distributed by March 14, 2025, for the fifth round, with future annual payments starting in 2026. The bill mandates detailed annual reports on fund activity from the Attorney General and a GAO report on forfeiture proceeds, focusing on transparency and accountability for victims.

Maddy summaryThe Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act establishes special rules for handling successive antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, requiring the Department of Commerce to consider prior injury determinations when making new findings. It addresses market distortions from foreign government subsidies and currency undervaluation by expanding how the U.S. calculates fair trade values for imported goods. The bill also creates new procedures to prevent circumvention of existing duties (such as by changing product descriptions to avoid tariffs) and requires importers to certify that merchandise isn't subject to existing duties. These changes primarily affect U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Commerce, and importers of goods from countries that may be engaging in trade-distorting practices.

Maddy summaryS 655, the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025, prevents U.S. citizens wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad from facing tax penalties during their detention. It postpones tax deadlines and refunds penalties paid for tax years during detention (starting January 2021), directly affecting individuals identified under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery Act. Key mechanisms include requiring the State Department and Attorney General to provide Treasury with lists of affected individuals by January 2026, and enabling refunds for penalties paid during detention via a new Treasury program. The law applies to tax years ending before the bill's enactment, with refunds processed like standard overpayment refunds.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. federal funds from supporting two international environmental agreements until specific reclassifications of China occur. It blocks funding for the Montreal Protocol (regarding ozone-depleting substances) until China is removed from the "developing country" category in that agreement, and blocks funding for the UN Climate Change Convention until China is added to Annex I (which lists developed nations). The restrictions remain in place until the President certifies to congressional committees that these reclassifications have been made by the relevant international bodies. The bill directly affects U.S. government funding for these global environmental programs.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 84) is a ceremonial Senate measure congratulating the Philadelphia Eagles football team for winning Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025. It formally recognizes their victory over the Kansas City Chiefs (40-22) and highlights key game details as context for the congratulation. The resolution directs the Senate Secretary to send a copy to Eagles leadership, including owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman, and head coach Nick Sirianni. As a symbolic gesture with no policy impact or funding, it does not affect any individuals or entities beyond expressing official recognition.

Maddy summaryS 618 prohibits entities controlled by the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States, including both public land managed by federal agencies and private land. It also bars such entities from participating in most Department of Agriculture programs if they own or lease agricultural land, with exceptions for food safety, health, and labor safety programs. The bill amends existing disclosure rules to require reporting on leases and security interests related to foreign ownership, and mandates public online data sets showing foreign ownership details. Additionally, it requires annual reports to Congress on risks of foreign ownership and the effectiveness of monitoring efforts.

Maddy summaryThe Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act of 2025 requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to compensate poultry growers and egg-laying facility owners when their operations are in a USDA-designated "control area" (a zone established due to animal health threats like disease outbreaks). Compensation equals the average income from the owner's five most recent flocks multiplied by the number of flocks they were prohibited from raising during the control period, but cannot exceed the difference between this amount and any other compensation received. Payments must be made within 60 days of the owner's request. This bill directly assists poultry producers facing income loss due to USDA-mandated restrictions during disease control efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax for estates of people who die on or after the bill's enactment date, directly affecting heirs of large estates (typically valued over $13 million for 2025). It also modifies the gift tax by establishing a $10 million lifetime exemption (adjusted for inflation), replacing the current exemption amount. The bill sets new tax brackets for gifts exceeding this threshold and adjusts the calculation method for gift tax liability. These changes apply to gifts made or estates settled after the bill becomes law, with no impact on existing estate plans or transfers before enactment.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the Senate's view that NATO members not spending at least 2% of GDP on defense should face consequences. It specifically prohibits such countries from holding NATO leadership roles (like Secretary General or military commands above 2-star rank) or hosting major events (such as NATO Summits or ministerial meetings). The resolution targets members who fail to meet the 2% target, as 23 of 31 members did meet it in 2024. It is a symbolic statement, not a binding law, aiming to pressure non-compliant nations ahead of the June 2025 NATO Summit.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal U.S.-Israel defense partnership focused on joint development of counter-unmanned systems technology, authorizing $150 million annually from 2026-2030 for a dedicated program. It directly affects U.S. and Israeli defense departments, contractors, and military personnel through collaborative research, joint training, and shared procurement of counter-drone systems. Additional provisions include extending existing anti-tunnel and counter-UAS cooperation with increased funding, creating a new emerging tech program for AI/cybersecurity collaboration, and establishing a U.S. Defense Innovation Unit office in Israel. The bill requires annual reports to Congress on program progress and mandates semiannual financial oversight for all joint activities.