Maddy summaryThe Justice for Angel Families Act (S 1734) expands federal compensation under the Victims of Crime Act to include "angel families" - immediate family members of homicide victims killed by certain aliens (unlawfully present in the U.S. or members of international drug trafficking organizations). It provides these families with financial support for medical expenses, lost wages due to emotional distress, and funeral costs. The bill also creates a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within Homeland Security to offer victims and families a dedicated hotline for support, referrals to services, and information about the criminal alien’s immigration status. The Office must conduct an annual case study and submit reports to Congress detailing crime demographics, locations, and whether offenders committed multiple offenses.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits payment card networks and covered entities (like payment processors) from requiring or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish firearm retailers from general merchandise or sporting goods stores. It directly affects firearm retailers (those selling guns or ammunition) and payment networks (such as Visa or Mastercard), ensuring their transactions are processed without special classification. Key provisions ban the use of discriminatory codes, establish an enforcement process through the Attorney General with complaint mechanisms, and preempt state or local laws on this issue. The bill does not change gun sales laws but alters how payment systems categorize firearm-related transactions. It explicitly states no private lawsuits can be filed under this law.
Maddy summaryThis bill, S 1716 (Vision Lab Choice Act of 2025), modifies vision care coverage under health plans by limiting agreements between optometrists and vision plans to two-year terms (with possible two-year extensions) and prohibiting plans from restricting optometrists' choices of labs or suppliers for patient vision care. It directly affects optometrists and health insurance issuers offering limited-scope vision benefits, ensuring they cannot force optometrists to use specific labs or materials. The bill requires annual state enforcement notifications by the Secretary and clarifies that state laws governing vision plans take precedence if they conflict with this law. It does not change overall coverage requirements but focuses on provider choice and contract terms within vision benefit plans.
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau titled Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions and published on December 30, 2024. The rule revises provisions regarding charges for insufficient funds in a customer’s bank account (i.e., overdrafts) at very large financial institutions. Under the rule, these institutions must (1) cap overdraft charges at $5; (2) with justification, cap charges at a higher amount; or (3) handle overdrafts as credit and comply with applicable Truth in Lending Act disclosure requirements.
Maddy summaryS 1705, the Chip Security Act, requires U.S. companies exporting specific advanced integrated circuits (used in AI systems and high-performance computing) to install location verification technology before shipping them abroad. It directly affects manufacturers and exporters of chips classified under U.S. export control numbers like 3A090 or 4A090. The bill mandates that these chips include security mechanisms to verify their location and prevent diversion or tampering, with companies needing to report suspicious activity like unauthorized location changes. The Commerce Secretary must implement these requirements within 180 days and conduct annual assessments to update security standards. This aims to strengthen compliance with export laws and protect national security by securing chip supply chains.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases government support for crop insurance premiums for certain farm insurance plans. It raises the government's share to 77% for higher coverage levels and 68% for lower coverage levels under revenue or yield protection plans using enterprise or whole-farm units - up from previous rates. It also adjusts coverage requirements (lowering the minimum from 14% to 10% for some options) and increases premium subsidies for supplemental coverage from 65% to 80%. The bill requires a study on expanding supplemental coverage to larger counties, with a report due within a year of enactment.
Maddy summaryS 1696, the DRIVE Act, prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from creating rules requiring speed limiting devices on commercial trucks. It directly affects trucking companies, drivers, and manufacturers of commercial motor vehicles (like 18-wheelers) by blocking a specific regulation. The bill prevents the FMCSA from mandating that these vehicles be equipped with devices that limit their maximum speed. This is a procedural change that stops a potential future rule, not a current requirement.
Maddy summaryThe INDEX Act (S 1670) requires investment advisers managing passively tracked funds (like index funds) to vote proxy ballots according to their clients' instructions, directly affecting millions of retail investors who own these funds. It mandates that advisers vote shares proportionally based on client ownership percentages - e.g., if 20% of a fund's clients hold shares, their voting preference applies to 20% of the fund's votes. Exceptions allow advisers to vote "routine" matters (like board elections) without client input if instructions aren't received 10 days prior, or to mirror other shareholders' votes for majority-required proposals. The bill aims to align voting with investor preferences while prohibiting advisers from charging funds for compliance costs.
Maddy summaryThe Neighborhood Homes Investment Act creates a new tax credit to increase affordable homeownership in distressed communities by closing financing gaps. It allows developers to claim a credit equal to the difference between development costs and affordable sale prices, capped at 40% of development costs or 32% of the national median home price. To qualify, homes must be sold to individuals with incomes at or below 140% of area median income in designated distressed census tracts, with specific requirements for rehabilitation and affordability. The credit is designed to address housing shortages in low-income areas while requiring repayment if homes are resold within five years.
Maddy summaryS 1632 creates pathways for service members medically disqualified from military service to transition into civilian defense jobs within the Department of Defense. It requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a program within one year to connect individuals ineligible for military service with employment opportunities in the defense industrial base, including cybersecurity, defense R&D, and emergency preparedness roles. The bill also directs the Air Force’s DRIVE program as a model for other services and mandates the Navy to provide Military Sealift Command career information during transition assistance. These provisions directly affect medically disqualified service members and defense industry employers seeking qualified workers. The law focuses on concrete job placement mechanisms rather than broader policy changes.