Sen. James E. Risch

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJRES 23) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The rule, published in the Federal Register on June 24, 2022, established regulations for listing endangered/threatened species and designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. If passed, this resolution would nullify that rule, preventing it from having legal effect. The bill directly affects how the National Marine Fisheries Service implements species protection under federal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding - including Medicaid, ACA subsidies, and other federal health programs - from covering gender transition procedures. It specifically bans taxpayer dollars from being used for medical services like hormone therapy, surgery, or puberty-blocking drugs related to gender transition, except for cases involving disorders of sex development or complications from such procedures (as defined in Section 306). The bill also clarifies that ACA premium credits and cost-sharing reductions cannot apply to health plans covering these procedures, though individuals or states may purchase separate non-federal coverage for them. It directly affects federal health programs and beneficiaries relying on government-funded healthcare.

Maddy summarySRES 195 is a ceremonial Senate resolution congratulating students, parents, teachers, and leaders of charter schools nationwide for their contributions to education. It formally supports the 24th annual National Charter Schools Week (May 7-13, 2023), encouraging public recognition of charter schools' role in providing diverse educational options. The resolution does not create new policies, funding, or obligations - it solely expresses legislative support for charter schools as part of a symbolic observance. It directly affects the charter school community by acknowledging their work during a designated national week.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows states to retain 25% of funds recovered from fraudulent unemployment claims (particularly pandemic-era claims) to strengthen fraud prevention systems. States can use these funds for modernizing unemployment systems, hiring fraud investigators, covering administrative costs for fraud detection, and other program integrity activities. The bill requires states to implement specific data-matching systems to prevent fraud, including cross-checking claims against employment records, databases of incarcerated individuals, and deceased individuals. It also extends emergency staffing flexibility for fraud detection through 2030 and establishes a 10-year window for prosecuting unemployment fraud.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Secretaries of State and Treasury to submit a report to Congress within 120 days of enactment, assessing El Salvador’s adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender. The report must cover the process behind El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law, potential financial risks like money laundering gaps, impacts on businesses and the unbanked population, macroeconomic effects, internet infrastructure, and relations with U.S. and international financial institutions. It does not change El Salvador’s policy but mandates a U.S. government evaluation of the cryptocurrency adoption’s implications. The bill directly affects U.S. federal agencies and Congress, not El Salvador’s domestic law.

Maddy summaryS 1583 requires the Secretary of State to submit to Congress any classified State Department cables expressing dissent about the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan within 30 days of the bill's enactment. It also mandates that the Secretary publicly release unclassified versions of these cables within 60 days, while redacting all personally identifiable information about the cable authors. This bill directly affects the Secretary of State, Congress, and the public by establishing a timeline for transparency regarding internal government disagreements on the Afghanistan withdrawal. The key mechanism is the mandatory submission and public release of dissenting cables, with protections for author privacy.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a corporate minimum tax provision in the Internal Revenue Code. It directly affects corporations by eliminating their requirement to pay a separate minimum tax (known as the corporate alternative minimum tax) that applied alongside regular corporate income tax. Key provisions amend tax code sections to set the corporate minimum tax amount to zero and remove related adjustments and calculations. The change takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022.

Maddy summaryS 1580 (MORE USDA Grants Act) reduces local matching requirements by 50% for High-Density Public Land Counties (under 100,000 population with over 50% federally owned land) applying to USDA rural development grant programs. It also gives priority to these counties and Tribal governments in grant applications and requires the USDA to provide additional technical assistance. The bill applies to multiple USDA programs, including Rural Business Development, Community Facilities, and broadband grants. These changes aim to improve access to federal funding for remote communities with limited local resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Back the Blue Act of 2023," strengthens federal protections for law enforcement officers by creating new criminal penalties for killing or assaulting them while on duty. It makes it a federal crime to kill or attempt to kill law enforcement officers, federal judges, or federally funded public safety officers (including firefighters and first responders) during official duties, with penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison or death if the victim dies. The bill also establishes a new federal offense for fleeing interstate to avoid prosecution for killing law enforcement officers and adds a new aggravating factor for death penalty cases involving officers. Additionally, it expands law enforcement officers' rights to carry firearms in certain circumstances and limits federal habeas corpus relief for murder convictions involving law enforcement officers.

Maddy summaryThe Guidance Clarity Act of 2023 requires federal agencies to include a clear, prominent statement on certain guidance documents explaining that the guidance does not have the force of law. This applies to all agencies defined in federal law for guidance issued under specific procedures, directly affecting how agencies communicate rules to the public. The required statement must appear on the first page and state: "This document does not have the force and effect of law and does not bind the public or agency." Agencies must implement this within 30 days of OMB issuing final guidance, which must occur within 90 days of the bill's enactment.