Sen. Thom Tillis

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.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution celebrates the July 2026 NATO Summit held in Ankara, Türkiye, and reaffirms the United States' commitment to collective defense under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. It commends NATO allies for pledging $80 billion in military support for Ukraine in 2026 and highlights the alliance's goal for members to spend at least 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense by 2035. The resolution also urges the Department of Defense to consult with all NATO allies during its force posture review and encourages continued support for Ukraine through initiatives like the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List.

Maddy summaryThe Right to Worship Act makes it unlawful for individuals to knowingly disrupt religious services or prevent people from entering houses of worship within 100 feet of an entryway during a one-hour window before and after scheduled services. The bill defines prohibited conduct based on the manner of the action, such as volume and duration, rather than the specific content of any speech, while explicitly preserving the right to speak freely under standard time, place, and manner restrictions. Violators face escalating civil fines ranging from $2,500 for a first offense to $10,000 per occurrence for subsequent violations, which are assessed by the Attorney General. Additionally, the legislation grants private individuals, the U.S. Attorney General, and state Attorneys General the authority to file civil lawsuits seeking injunctive relief, compensatory damages, or statutory penalties of $5,000 per violation.

Maddy summaryS 1735, the Permitting Transparency and Accountability Act, requires government agencies that issue permits (like environmental or construction permits) to publish detailed online status updates for each application. Covered agencies must display on their websites: the stages completed in the review process, how long each stage took, the current status and time spent in that stage, contact information for reviewers, the full process steps needed, and an estimated timeline for a final decision. This directly affects permit applicants by providing clear, real-time tracking of their applications instead of opaque waiting periods. The bill mandates these specific, standardized details to make the permitting process more transparent and accountable for all involved parties.

Maddy summaryThe Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe College Transparency Act establishes a federal data system to collect and analyze student-level information about college enrollment, costs, completion rates, and post-graduation outcomes. The National Center for Education Statistics must develop this system within 4 years, collecting data on student demographics, program of study, financial aid, and earnings while prohibiting sensitive information like health data or citizenship status. The system will provide public, aggregated data through an online tool that allows students and families to compare institutions and make informed education decisions. The bill repeals a previous prohibition on such a data system and amends requirements for colleges to submit data, aiming to reduce reporting burdens while improving transparency. It includes privacy protections, an advisory committee with diverse representation, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or to limit student services.

Maddy summaryThe Protect and Serve Act of 2026 creates a new federal crime for willfully attempting to kill a law enforcement officer solely because of their status, provided the act involves interstate travel, commerce, weapons, or affects economic activity. This law applies to both state and federal officers and mandates that any federal prosecution must be certified by the Attorney General, who must determine if state charges were insufficient or if federal intervention serves the public interest. The bill defines a law enforcement officer as anyone authorized to prevent, detect, or investigate crimes, or to detain individuals, and sets specific prison terms ranging from years to life depending on whether the attempt results in serious bodily injury.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of August 2 through August 8, 2026, as "National Farmers Market Week" to honor the importance of local food markets. It serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize how these markets support farmers' livelihoods, strengthen local economies, and connect urban and rural communities. The bill does not create new laws or funding but instead formally acknowledges the role farmers markets play in promoting sustainable farming and public health.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a pilot program that transfers management authority for certain federal court buildings from the General Services Administration to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Under this new arrangement, the Director of the Administrative Office would gain the power to acquire, construct, alter, lease, and maintain court facilities, including the ability to hire contractors and manage utilities and security services. The legislation establishes a dedicated fund to finance these operations and requires congressional approval for major construction or leasing projects exceeding specific cost thresholds. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building be transferred to the Director's control within 181 days of the law's enactment. The program is designed to run for seven years, with a requirement to return all transferred properties to the General Services Administration by the tenth year.

Maddy summaryThe Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 aims to create more predictable payment amounts for physicians by modifying how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services calculates fee schedules. It raises the financial threshold for certain budget adjustments from $20 million to $57.64 million starting in 2028 and requires these amounts to be adjusted every five years based on inflation data. The bill also mandates that the government update the costs of staff wages and medical supplies used to calculate payments at least once every five years and limits how much the overall payment rate can change from one year to the next to no more than 2.5 percent. These changes directly affect doctors and healthcare providers who receive Medicare payments, ensuring their reimbursement rates remain more stable and better aligned with actual costs.