Sen. Lisa Murkowski

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to update regulations to encourage pilots and air traffic controllers to seek and disclose mental health care without fear of losing their medical certification. It mandates an annual review of the "special issuance" process (for medical certification) to consider new treatments, improve examiner training, and reduce backlogs, while allocating $15 million annually (2026-2029) to recruit more medical examiners and provide mental health training. Additionally, it funds a $1.5 million annual public campaign to destigmatize mental health care in aviation, improve trust with workers, and make resources easily accessible at aviation medical offices and training facilities. The FAA must consult with industry stakeholders and report progress to Congress on implementation.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally honors the life, service, and legacy of Jon Llewellyn Kyl, a former U.S. Senator from Arizona who passed away at age 84. It details his career highlights, including his time in the House of Representatives, his long tenure in the Senate, and his work on issues such as water policy, national security, and crime victims' rights. The bill directs the Secretary of the Senate to share this tribute with the House of Representatives and Kyl's family, while also ordering the Senate to adjourn for the day as a mark of respect.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates the week of October 4 through October 10, 2026, as National Community Policing Week. It aims to highlight the importance of building trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. The bill encourages citizens, police agencies, and elected officials to identify ways to improve public safety and strengthen these relationships.

Maddy summaryThe Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026 reauthorizes federal housing assistance for Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians through fiscal year 2033 while expanding eligibility to include families with incomes up to 120 percent of the area median. The bill grants tribes greater autonomy by allowing them to set their own rent, procurement, and environmental review policies, and it streamlines regulatory processes by consolidating environmental reviews and exempting certain small-scale projects from specific federal requirements. Additionally, the legislation establishes new grant programs for homeless American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, creates a rental assistance program for homeless Indian veterans, and extends leasehold interests on trust lands to 99 years to improve financing options.

Maddy summaryThe Mothers and Newborns Success Act authorizes multiple federal grant programs aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality rates and addressing racial and geographic health disparities in the United States. Key provisions include funding for state-level innovation projects, a pilot program to coordinate postpartum care, and a new national research network established within the National Institutes of Health to study the causes of maternal death. The bill also supports telehealth initiatives to improve access to obstetric care in rural areas and mandates a public awareness campaign focused on recognizing health warning signs and increasing vaccination rates among pregnant women. These efforts are directed at state health departments, tribal organizations, and non-profit entities, with specific funding authorized for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

Maddy summaryThe Alaska Native Landless Equity Act (S 2554) provides land rights to Alaska Native communities in Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell that were excluded from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The bill authorizes these communities to form Urban Corporations that will receive approximately 23,040 acres of federal land each, with specific parcels detailed in maps. It establishes shareholder eligibility, allowing enrolled Natives to receive shares in the Urban Corporations, and ensures continued public access for subsistence and recreational uses on the conveyed lands. The bill includes provisions for phased land conveyance, mutual use agreements for roads and transportation facilities, and requirements for the Secretary to respect existing rights during the land transfer process.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a land exchange between Chugach Alaska Corporation (a Native Regional Corporation) and the U.S. government to resolve a conflict created by the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup efforts. It would exchange approximately 231,000 acres of subsurface rights held by Chugach Alaska for 65,374 acres of surface land owned by the federal government in the Chugach Region. The exchange aims to consolidate ownership of both surface and subsurface rights on these lands, addressing a split ownership issue that has prevented Chugach Alaska from developing its subsurface resources as required by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The bill also includes provisions to protect certain Native Village Corporation development rights and shareholder homesites from the exchange.