Sen. Ruben Gallego

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the "Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act," repeals two sections of the Internal Revenue Code. It eliminates Section 25F, which provides a tax credit for contributions made to scholarship granting organizations. Additionally, the bill repeals Section 139K, which allows certain educational assistance to be excluded from an individual's gross income. These changes primarily affect taxpayers who currently claim these credits or exclusions, and organizations involved in scholarship grants or providing educational assistance. The amendments generally take effect for taxable years ending after December 31, 2026.

Maddy summaryThe Combating Illicit Xylazine Act places xylazine - a veterinary sedative increasingly found in illicit drug mixtures - into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, subjecting it to federal regulation as a controlled substance. It specifically allows veterinary use without requiring registration of the ultimate user (e.g., pet owners or veterinarians) if xylazine is dispensed by a registered veterinarian or pharmacy with a vet prescription and used for animals owned by the user, under their care, or in authorized animal programs. The bill provides a one-year delay for labeling and packaging requirements and a 60-day delay for registration and recordkeeping for veterinary use to ease implementation. Additionally, it adds xylazine to the Arcos tracking system for controlled substances and mandates two congressional reports on illicit use prevalence within 18 months and 4 years of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors the life and service of United States Marine Corps veteran Nicholas Douglas Quets and expresses condolences to his family following his death. It acknowledges that Quets was killed in October 2024 when he was shot by armed criminals associated with the Sinaloa Cartel while driving in Sonora, Mexico. The bill condemns cartel violence and recognizes the broader threat these criminal organizations pose to regional stability and the safety of American citizens traveling abroad. It reaffirms the Senate's commitment to pursuing justice against transnational criminal organizations that endanger lives and undermine the rule of law.

Maddy summaryThe Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026 aims to update and improve federal housing programs for Indian tribes, tribally designated housing entities, and Native Hawaiian communities. The bill streamlines environmental reviews, increases flexibility for these entities in managing housing funds, and raises income limits for certain homeownership assistance. It also establishes new pilot programs to address homelessness among Native Americans

Maddy summaryThe Main Street Depositor Protection Act expands deposit insurance coverage for noninterest-bearing transaction accounts at banks and credit unions, allowing individuals to insure up to $5 million in these accounts rather than the current standard limit. This change applies to accounts that do not earn interest and allow easy withdrawals for payments, such as checking accounts, while excluding large global banks and foreign bank branches. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will set the exact insurance amount, which must be at least the current standard limit but no more than $5 million, and both banks and credit unions will be exempt from special fees during a transition period. Over a ten-year timeline, the insurance coverage for these accounts will gradually increase to full coverage, with regulators prohibited from allowing institutions to circumvent these protections.

Maddy summarySJRES 103 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rule on reproductive health services for veterans. The resolution, if passed, would block the VA rule from taking effect by invoking the Congressional Review Act (Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code), meaning the rule published in the Federal Register (December 31, 2025) would have no legal force. This directly affects the VA’s ability to implement new guidelines for reproductive health services at its facilities, preserving existing policies instead. The resolution does not create new policy but halts a specific administrative rule.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to pay affected employees 10 percent of their regular pay for hours worked without compensation during a government shutdown. It specifically targets unpaid employees who worked during a covered lapse in appropriations beginning on February 14, 2026, and excludes those who received regular pay for their work. The agency heads must make this one-time premium payment within one day after the shutdown ends, calculated based on the number of unpaid hours worked and each employee's hourly basic pay rate.

Maddy summaryThe GAMES Act expands eligibility for the military adaptive sports program to include veterans who have served in the armed forces, regardless of whether they are currently within one year of separation from service. This change removes the previous time restriction that limited program access to only those who separated from the military within the past year. The bill directly affects veterans who wish to participate in adaptive sports but may have served more than a year ago. By amending Title 10 of the United States Code, the legislation broadens the pool of eligible participants without altering the core structure of the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act, amends the Clayton Act to broaden the federal prohibition against price discrimination. It expands the law's scope to cover products and services rather than just physical goods, and extends its reach to include activities that affect commerce beyond direct commercial transactions. The bill also clarifies definitions of purchasing and adds liability for entities that induce or benefit from price discrimination, while providing a higher sales threshold for smaller businesses. Additionally, it strengthens legal remedies for victims of price discrimination by establishing a presumption of injury and allowing for additional damages beyond the amount of the discrimination itself.

Maddy summaryS 2903, the Safe Step Act, requires health insurance plans and employers offering health coverage to establish a clear, timely process for patients or doctors to request exceptions when step therapy protocols (where insurers require trying cheaper drugs first) would harm a patient. It mandates approval for exceptions if prior drugs failed, delay would cause severe harm, a drug is unsafe, or a patient is stable on their current medication. Plans must respond to requests within 72 hours (or 24 hours in emergencies) and cover the requested drug without extra cost-sharing. The bill also requires annual reports to the government on exception requests, approvals, denials, and trends by medical condition or specialty. This directly affects patients on health plans with step therapy, their doctors, and the insurers managing those plans.