Sen. Ted Budd

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal agencies from restricting individuals' use of convertible virtual currency for personal purchases or self-custodying digital assets via self-hosted wallets. It directly affects people who use crypto to buy goods/services for themselves, regardless of how they obtained the currency. Key provisions prevent agencies from blocking personal transactions or interfering with user-controlled wallets (where owners retain full control over their assets). The law defines "covered users" broadly to include anyone purchasing items for their own use with convertible virtual currency. It does not regulate businesses, exchanges, or government use of digital assets.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 to prohibit U.S. operations by the Muslim Brotherhood and its branches, defining it as a terrorist organization. It imposes mandatory visa ineligibility and visa revocation for foreign individuals identified as Muslim Brotherhood members, including those affiliated with groups like Hamas. The bill requires the Secretary of State to annually report to Congress identifying global Muslim Brotherhood branches and determine if they meet criteria for foreign terrorist organization designation under existing law. If designated, the President must impose sanctions, including foreign terrorist organization status and asset-blocking under Executive Order 13224, with sanctions remaining in place for at least four years for any identified branch.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that existing vehicle safety standards (Standard 108) already permit "pulsating light systems" - brake lights that briefly flash rapidly (up to 4 times for ≤1.2 seconds) before switching to steady illumination - on vehicles covered by the standard. It requires the Transportation Secretary to update Standard 108 within 180 days to formally include performance-based rules for these systems. The change directly affects vehicle manufacturers and safety regulators by explicitly allowing and standardizing this specific braking light technology. The bill does not alter current safety requirements but updates regulations to reflect permitted technology.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes the Department of Labor's voluntary Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) pilot program permanent. It allows employers to self-audit unintentional violations of minimum wage or overtime rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), submit detailed payroll data to the Labor Department, and pay back wages to affected employees directly. Employees receive settlement offers they can accept (waiving future lawsuits) or decline while retaining their right to sue. The program aims to resolve wage issues faster and more efficiently than traditional enforcement, as shown in the pilot's data where self-audits paid more back wages per case and per enforcement hour than standard investigations. It directly affects employers covered by the FLSA and their employees who may have unpaid wages.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal education law to prohibit public schools from teaching concepts related to "gender ideology," as defined by a specific executive order. It directly affects K-12 public schools receiving federal funding by banning instruction on certain gender-related topics. The key provision adds a new restriction to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, explicitly forbidding the teaching of these concepts in classrooms. The bill does not specify which topics are covered, only referencing the executive order's definition. This change applies to all federally funded elementary and secondary schools.

Maddy summaryS 2225, the Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025, allows physical therapists to use temporary replacement therapists (locum tenens) under Medicare for outpatient physical therapy services. The bill amends Medicare rules to apply the same provisions currently used for physicians' services to physical therapy services, meaning therapists can now fill in gaps during staff shortages without disrupting patient care. This directly affects physical therapists providing Medicare-covered outpatient therapy and Medicare beneficiaries receiving those services. The change takes effect after the bill is enacted, ensuring continuity of care when therapists are unavailable.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how federal law determines if an independent worker (like a freelancer or gig worker) is classified as an employee. It prevents employers from using portable benefits (such as health insurance or retirement plans maintained without ongoing work) as a factor in that determination. Specifically, it prohibits considering whether a worker has access to benefits common to full-time employees, receives employer contributions to benefits, or contributes to benefits. As a result, independent workers who currently lack employee status for benefits may become eligible for protections like minimum wage, overtime, and unemployment insurance under federal law.

Maddy summaryS 278, the Kids Off Social Media Act, prohibits social media platforms from allowing children under 13 to create or maintain accounts and requires platforms to delete accounts of children under 13. It also bans the use of personalized recommendation systems for children under 13 and teens aged 13-16, with limited exceptions for basic device information. The bill requires schools receiving certain broadband subsidies to certify they prevent student access to social media on school devices through technology protection measures. Platforms would face enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission for violations, and the bill excludes certain educational platforms from the definition of "social media platform" to allow for educational use. The bill would take effect one year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires adding a citizenship checkbox to the 2030 and future decennial censuses, asking respondents about their U.S. citizenship status for themselves and all household members. It mandates that the Census Bureau publicly release each state's total citizen and noncitizen population counts within 120 days after each census. The bill then changes how congressional representation is calculated by excluding noncitizens from the population numbers used to apportion House seats and electoral votes starting with the 2030 census. This directly affects how states' representation in Congress and the Electoral College is determined based on citizen population counts rather than total population.

Maddy summaryThis bill reorganizes the U.S. Intelligence Community by transferring several centers to different agencies, reducing staff size for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and eliminating various positions and units. Key changes include moving the National Counterintelligence Center to the FBI, redesignating the National Counterterrorism Center as the National Counterterrorism and Counternarcotics Center, and terminating the National Intelligence University. The bill also restricts funding for certain entities and prohibits intelligence community diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that could be considered discriminatory. These changes aim to streamline operations, reduce bureaucracy, and refocus intelligence efforts on core national security priorities. The bill directly affects the intelligence community's structure, staffing, and operational focus, with implementation dates ranging from 30 days to 180 days after enactment.