Maddy summaryThe SOAR Permanent Authorization Act extends the District of Columbia's Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) program permanently, replacing its temporary authorization. It allows scholarship grants to be renewed for up to five additional years without competitive bidding, expands the eligible service area to include the Washington metropolitan region (adding Maryland and Virginia counties), and updates school accreditation requirements to include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-approved bodies. The bill increases annual funding from $60 million to $75 million starting in fiscal year 2027, extends scholarships to cover pre-kindergarten, and requires more frequent program evaluations focused on student academic progress, graduation rates, and school safety comparisons. These changes directly affect D.C. students using SOAR scholarships, participating schools, and the entities administering the program.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Senate to provide advice and consent for any international climate agreement that involves legally binding domestic emissions reductions (like the Paris Agreement), treating such agreements as treaties under the Constitution. It directly affects the executive branch and federal agencies by blocking the use of federal funds to implement or comply with these agreements unless Senate approval is first obtained. The key mechanism is changing the process for entering climate agreements from executive action to a formal treaty ratification process. This would prevent the U.S. government from joining or rejoining international climate deals without Senate confirmation. The bill does not alter the content of climate agreements but changes how they are approved and funded.
Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of January 25-31, 2026, as "National School Choice Week" to recognize educational options for K-12 students. It encourages parents to learn about school choices and urges the public to host events raising awareness about diverse education environments, including public schools, charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling. The resolution has no policy or funding impact - it is a ceremonial designation acknowledging existing annual events celebrating educational choice.
Maddy summarySRES 585 is a commemorative resolution honoring Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a former U.S. Senator from Colorado and the first Native American to chair the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. It recognizes his military service, Olympic judo career, legislative work (including authoring the National Museum of the American Indian Act), and advocacy for tribal communities. The resolution has no policy impact - it formally expresses the Senate’s respect for his legacy, requests transmission to his family, and directs a moment of silence. It directly affects Campbell’s legacy and family, not any current policy or population. (Note: This is a procedural resolution, not a bill with legislative provisions.)
Maddy summaryThe SAFER SKIES Act (S 3481) grants state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement and correctional agencies new authority to counter drone threats to public safety and critical infrastructure, including venues for large gatherings and correctional facilities. It requires these agencies to complete federal training and certification before using counter-drone technologies, and mandates 48-hour notifications to federal authorities after taking action. The bill establishes a national training program, creates reporting requirements for agencies using these authorities, and provides funding for purchasing counter-UAS systems through existing grant programs. It also increases penalties for unauthorized drone use near prisons and in national defense airspace, with state and local counter-drone authorities set to expire in 2031.
Maddy summarySRES 517 is a Senate resolution opposing congressional spending on earmarks - special spending projects directed by lawmakers for specific local projects. It condemns the use of earmarks to allocate taxpayer funds, reaffirms previous bans on such spending (including a 2019 permanent ban), and urges Congress to focus on reducing the national debt instead. The resolution does not change current spending rules but expresses the Senate’s position against earmarks as a way to curb deficit spending and debt growth. It directly affects how Congress manages federal budget allocations, emphasizing fiscal responsibility over targeted project funding.
Maddy summaryThe Shutdown Fairness Act guarantees standard pay for covered government workers and contractors during federal funding gaps. It directly affects federal employees, military personnel on active duty, and contractor staff who must work during a shutdown, ensuring they receive their regular compensation without regard to prior furloughs. The bill requires agencies to use emergency funds to pay covered employees within 7 days of enactment for the 2025-2026 shutdown period, and on regular pay schedules for future shutdowns. This applies retroactively from September 30, 2025, and limits funds strictly to pay, prohibiting reprogramming for other purposes.
Shutdown Fairness Act This bill provides appropriations to pay federal employees who work during a government shutdown. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations for federal agencies to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments to excepted employees for work performed during any period in which interim continuing appropriations or full-year appropriations are not in effect for a fiscal year (i.e., a government shutdown). An excepted employee is an employee who is required to work during a government shutdown. Under current law, excepted employees are not paid until the government shutdown is over. This bill provides appropriations to pay excepted employees during a government shutdown. The bill also specifies that the term excepted employee includes certain contractors who support federal employees during a government shutdown and members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty. A federal agency may not use the funds provided by this bill during any period in which continuing appropriations are in effect for the purpose of paying excepted employees of the agency. The bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.
Maddy summaryThe Guidance Clarity Act of 2025 requires all federal agencies (as defined in Title 5, U.S. Code) to include a clear statement on the first page of any agency guidance issued under specific rules. This statement must explicitly state that the guidance does not have the force of law, does not bind the public or the agency, and is solely intended to clarify existing legal requirements. Agencies must implement this requirement 30 days after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issues its implementing guidance, which OMB must provide within 90 days of the bill's enactment. The bill directly affects how agencies communicate non-binding guidance to the public.
Maddy summaryS 1262 requires the Secretary of Agriculture to release a federal interest in about 31.83 acres of land within the Black River State Forest (Millston, Wisconsin) that mandates the land be kept for public use forever. This release would allow the State of Wisconsin to exchange that land with Deli, Inc. (a sphagnum moss business in Millston) for 37.27 acres of Deli land owned by the company. The Secretary must provide a quitclaim deed to the State if Wisconsin agrees to the exchange, facilitating the transfer. After the exchange, Deli's land will be added to the Black River State Forest.