Sen. Tina Smith

Maddy summaryThe Audit the Pentagon Act requires the Department of Defense to reduce its funding by 2 percent if it fails to receive a clean financial audit for a given year. This penalty applies to all departments, agencies, and elements within the Pentagon starting after fiscal year 2024. The withheld money is distributed proportionally across various programs and projects, while the remaining funds are sent to the Treasury to help reduce the national deficit.

Maddy summaryThe Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act expands eligibility for facilities to convert into rural emergency hospitals by relaxing certain operational requirements and clarifying rules for units providing psychiatric, rehabilitation, or obstetric care. It establishes a new payment structure that increases reimbursement by 5 percent for diagnostic laboratory tests starting in 2027 and allows these hospitals to use swing beds for extended care services. The legislation also ensures that rural emergency hospitals are recognized as health professional shortage areas to attract medical staff and includes their services in Medicaid coverage plans. Additionally, the bill permits facilities that revert to critical access hospital status to regain their previous necessary provider designation and makes them eligible for specific improvement grants.

Maddy summaryS 380, the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, creates a federal program to improve emergency obstetric care in rural health facilities without dedicated obstetric units. It establishes evidence-based training for non-obstetric providers to handle childbirth emergencies (like hemorrhage or severe hypertension), funds equipment purchases, and launches a telehealth pilot for rapid specialist consultations. The bill authorizes $5 million for training (2026-2028), $15 million for equipment and workforce support (2026-2029), and $5 million for teleconsultation (2026-2029). It directly affects rural hospitals and clinics in maternity care shortage areas, requiring them to coordinate with maternal health programs and develop emergency protocols. A separate study will map maternity ward closures and regional care patterns, reporting to Congress within three years.

Maddy summaryThe Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allocate at least $75 million annually toward developing new plant cultivars and animal breeds that are publicly funded and available for commercial use. This funding prioritizes research on climate-resilient crops, nutritionally improved varieties for local populations, and breeds adapted to specific regional conditions or dual-use energy systems. The bill also establishes a new coordinator role to oversee breeding research across the department and mandates that any public breed developed with federal funds must be produced substantially within the United States if sold under exclusive rights. Additionally, the legislation requires the implementation of strategic plans to assess and utilize national collections of plant and animal genetic resources, ensuring these materials remain accessible for future agricultural needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal code of conduct for all federal judges and specifically requires the Supreme Court to create its own set of ethical rules for justices. It creates a new position called Ethics Investigations Counsel to enforce these rules, investigate potential violations, and publish annual public reports on the findings. Additionally, the legislation mandates that Supreme Court justices publicly explain their reasons for disqualifying themselves or denying requests for disqualification in any case.

Maddy summaryThe Health Over Wealth Act requires for-profit corporations that own or invest in hospitals, nursing facilities, and other health care providers to submit detailed annual reports to the government regarding their financial status, debt levels, staffing changes, and political spending. To protect public access to care, the bill mandates that hospitals must provide at least 90 days of notice before closing or discontinuing essential services and must submit a mitigation plan to ensure patients and staff are not left without support. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new licensing system for private equity firms investing in health care, gives the government authority to block risky mergers or acquisitions, and changes bankruptcy laws to prioritize the repayment of employee pension liabilities over other debts.

Maddy summaryThe Right to IVF Act of 2026 establishes federal protections to ensure individuals can access assisted reproductive technology and intrauterine insemination without state-imposed restrictions, while also mandating that health insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program cover these services. The bill defines these procedures broadly to include treatments like egg and embryo freezing and requires coverage regardless of whether a patient has been diagnosed with infertility. It further directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide fertility preservation and reproductive assistance to uniformed service members and veterans, including funding for egg or sperm retrieval and storage. Additionally, the legislation grants federal courts the authority to challenge and block any state laws that limit access to these reproductive treatments or discriminate against providers and patients based on protected characteristics.

Maddy summaryThe Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 establishes comprehensive standards for the treatment, care, and placement of noncitizen children in immigration custody, primarily affecting the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services. Key provisions include a prohibition on separating children from their parents or guardians unless there is clear and convincing evidence of an imminent threat, alongside requirements for rapid family reunification and the elimination of family detention facilities. The bill mandates that children be housed in state-licensed facilities that provide trauma-informed care, adequate medical and educational services, and access to legal representation, while also phasing out large congregate care settings in favor of family-based placements. Furthermore, it creates an independent Office of the Ombudsperson to monitor compliance, investigates age assessments that ban invasive medical procedures, and enforces strict data privacy rules to prevent information from custody cases from being used in immigration removal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution formally recognizes the significant wage gap between Black women and white, non-Hispanic men in the United States. The document cites data showing that Black women earn roughly 65 cents for every dollar earned by white men and highlights how this disparity impacts their ability to support families and accumulate wealth. By referencing existing laws like the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act, the bill reaffirms Congress's support for equal pay for equal work without proposing new legislation or policy changes. Ultimately, the measure serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of the economic challenges faced by Black women due to dual discrimination based on race and gender.

Maddy summaryThe CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act amends federal law to explicitly include Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in public health security programs previously reserved for states and localities. It authorizes $750 million annually from 2027 to 2029 for cooperative agreements with these tribal entities to enhance their ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. The bill removes matching fund requirements for tribal recipients and mandates that the CDC consult with tribes on program design, rule modifications, and waivers to ensure effective implementation. Additionally, it requires the CDC to conduct a review and submit a detailed report to Congress on how the program serves tribal communities and any infrastructure limitations encountered.