Maddy summaryThe HELP Separated Children Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to identify parents of U.S. children during immigration enforcement actions and ensures they can make phone calls to arrange care for their children. It requires officials to notify child welfare agencies only when a parent cannot arrange care for their child or when there is an imminent risk of harm to the child. The bill also mandates that detained parents be allowed regular contact with their children, participate in family court proceedings, and be considered for release if it serves the child's best interests. Additionally, the legislation requires federal employees involved in these actions to receive training on minimizing trauma to children and establishes a system for collecting data on how the law is implemented.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution aims to raise public awareness about lake sturgeon, a large, slow-reproducing freshwater fish found across the Great Lakes and Northeastern United States. The bill encourages collaboration among federal, state, tribal, and Canadian partners to manage and restore lake sturgeon populations while protecting their habitats and controlling invasive species. It also calls for educating anglers and communities on proper handling of these fish and highlights their cultural significance to Indigenous communities.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act, aims to overturn a specific executive order by repealing it and prohibiting the use of federal funds to implement similar directives in the future. It directly affects the United States Postal Service, various federal agencies, and state election officials by restricting their ability to regulate mail-in ballots or create national citizenship lists for voting purposes. Key provisions ban federal agencies from sharing voter registration data, compel the Postal Service to continue delivering state-issued mail ballots without interference, and forbid the use of taxpayer money to enforce rules that would require states to adopt specific citizenship verification methods. The legislation seeks to preserve the current system where states manage their own election administration while the Postal Service delivers ballots, citing historical precedents and the high volume of mail-in voting used by Americans.
Maddy summaryThe CLEAR Path Act (S 2132) imposes a 5-year restriction on Senate-confirmed U.S. government officials (such as cabinet members or agency heads) who may not represent foreign governments from "countries of concern" before U.S. officials to influence decisions after leaving their positions. It requires agencies to provide written notice of these restrictions at both appointment and departure. The bill also establishes a process for the Secretary of State to propose adding or removing countries from the "countries of concern" list, requiring congressional approval via a simple joint resolution. This affects senior officials transitioning from government service to roles representing foreign entities in the U.S. government system.
Maddy summaryThe Drug Deal Disclosure Act requires the Department of Health and Human Services to publicly release specific records regarding agreements between the federal government and major drug manufacturers starting in 2025. This law mandates the disclosure of contracts that include provisions such as reduced drug prices based on international rates, direct-to-consumer sales discounts, duty exemptions, and special treatment for Medicare programs. While the bill allows for the redaction of confidential pricing details, it prohibits withholding information based on political sensitivity or reputational harm and requires a detailed justification for any redactions. Additionally, the act mandates reports to Congress and independent analysis from the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the economic and budgetary impacts of these agreements.
Maddy summaryThe Parents Over Platforms Act requires app stores and developers to verify user ages and restrict access to adult-only content for minors. App stores must ask users to declare their age and allow parents to block specific applications, while developers are prohibited from showing personalized ads to minors and must prevent them from accessing age-gated features. The law grants the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce these rules and includes a preemption clause that stops states from passing their own conflicting regulations. Developers are solely responsible for identifying which of their apps require age restrictions, and the bill includes protections for companies acting in good faith when technical limitations prevent perfect age verification. These measures will take effect two years after the legislation is enacted.
Maddy summaryThis resolution supports designating April 11-17, 2026, as "Black Maternal Health Week." The designation aims to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the United States, specifically emphasizing the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing people.
Maddy summaryThis legislation modifies the Federal Power Act to restrict the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's ability to issue emergency orders for power generation facilities. It requires the Commission to consider alternatives that minimize environmental impacts and conduct public hearings before acting. The bill also prohibits orders that would delay the retirement or permanent closure of a facility unless a unique emergency exists and is formally requested. Furthermore, it mandates that utilities inform customers about the costs and impacts of any emergency orders issued under these rules.
Maddy summaryThe Rehabilitation Through Reading Act of 2026 requires the Bureau of Prisons to create a Publication Review Committee to oversee which books are available in federal prisons. This committee, composed of librarians, incarcerated individuals, legal experts, and the federal prison ombudsman, must approve any decision to ban a book after reviewing the specific reasons provided by prison officials. The law explicitly forbids banning books simply because their viewpoints are unpopular or disagreeable, and it mandates that books remain accessible while appeals against their removal are being reviewed. Additionally, the Act requires the Bureau of Prisons to submit annual reports to Congress detailing every book that was prohibited and the outcomes of any related appeals.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands the Federal Communications Commission's existing rules against robocalls to cover all phone numbers, not just residential lines, and allows individuals to sue for violations regardless of how many calls they receive. It also clarifies the legal definition of an automatic dialing system to include machines that use pre-set lists of numbers or dial without human intervention. By removing the "residential" restriction, the law aims to protect both home and business phone users from unwanted automated calls.