Sen. Tom Cotton

Maddy summaryThis bill provides retroactive pay, benefits, and seniority for senior military officers (O-7 and above) whose promotions were delayed due to a suspension of Senate confirmation hearings starting in February 2023. It specifically applies to officers confirmed to their ranks between December 5 and December 31, 2023. The Secretary of Defense must pay retroactive compensation starting 30 days after the appointment was placed on the Senate Executive Calendar, use that date for seniority calculations, and waive any negative impacts from the confirmation delay. This addresses a specific backlog of promotions affected by the Senate's temporary suspension of its advice-and-consent process.

Maddy summaryThe Ban C-FOOD Act prohibits U.S. imports of seafood and aquaculture products from China for a period beginning one year after enactment and ending once three certifications are submitted to Congress. These certifications require the State Department to confirm China’s fishing fleets aren’t using forced labor, the Commerce Department to verify no excessive subsidies exist, and the Defense Department to certify Chinese fleets won’t be used in a Taiwan invasion. The bill also imposes financial sanctions on entities facilitating illegal transshipment of Chinese seafood into the U.S. and authorizes tariffs to prevent such imports. It mandates a congressional report within 90 days detailing U.S. efforts to combat illegal fishing and forced labor in China’s seafood industry, including funding requests.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 485) is a ceremonial Senate expression of support for the 190th anniversary of U.S.-Thailand diplomatic relations, marked by the 1833 Treaty of Amity and Commerce. It commemorates the historic alliance without creating new laws or affecting any individuals or entities. The resolution reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Thailand as a strategic partner based on shared values, highlights longstanding cooperation in security (like the Cobra Gold military exercises), trade ($74 billion annually), and regional initiatives, and looks forward to strengthening future ties. As a symbolic gesture, it has no direct policy impact.

Maddy summaryS 3354, the Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act, prohibits the sale of poppy seeds contaminated with morphine or other harmful alkaloids that could make food unsafe. It directly affects food manufacturers, retailers, and consumers by requiring that poppy seeds sold in food products meet new safety standards to prevent health risks. The bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ban selling such contaminated seeds and mandates the Health and Human Services Secretary to establish maximum contamination limits within two years. This creates a concrete regulatory standard to address documented cases of deaths, false drug tests, and medical complications linked to poppy seed contamination.

Maddy summaryS 3347 requires the President to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) as a foreign terrorist organization within 30 days of the bill becoming law. It mandates imposing existing U.S. sanctions under Executive Order 13224 on Ansarallah and any foreign person determined to be its official, agent, or affiliate. The bill also requires the President to submit a determination within 30 days about whether specific individuals - Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim - are connected to Ansarallah. This bill directly affects Ansarallah and those designated as its officials or affiliates, triggering automatic sanctions without requiring new legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state and federal governments from denying contracts, funding, or licenses to child welfare service providers (including religious organizations and individuals) who decline to provide services conflicting with their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. It specifically protects providers from adverse actions like refusing to renew contracts or canceling funding when their religious objections prevent them from offering certain services, such as foster care placements or adoption assistance. The law allows affected providers to sue for violations and requires states that violate the law to forfeit 15% of their federal child welfare funding. It applies to all federally funded child welfare services under Title IV of the Social Security Act, covering services like foster care, adoption support, and family preservation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJRES 43) is a joint resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans. It targets a specific rule (88 Fed. Reg. 43820, July 10, 2023) affecting borrowers in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. If passed, the resolution would make this rule void, preventing it from taking effect. The resolution uses a specific procedural mechanism under Title 5 of U.S. Code to achieve this disapproval. It directly impacts student loan borrowers who rely on income-driven repayment options.

Maddy summaryThe No ICBMs or Drones for Iran Act of 2023 imposes sanctions on Iranian military entities involved in ballistic missile and drone programs, specifically targeting the IRGC-AF Space Division and its senior leadership including commanders Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh and General Majid Mousavi. The bill expands existing sanctions to include unmanned aerial systems (drones) and requires multiple reports on Iran's missile development, international support for Iran's programs, and U.S. missile defense capabilities. It mandates a strategy to prevent U.S. components from being used in Iranian drones and to disrupt Iran's drone supply chains, particularly focusing on components found in Iranian drones used in Ukraine and against Israel. The legislation aims to prevent Iran from developing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and limit Iran's transfer of drone technology to adversaries like Russia and terrorist groups. This bill directly affects Iranian military entities, foreign suppliers of missile/drones components, and companies that inadvertently supply parts to Iran's drone programs.

Maddy summaryThe DAARE Act prohibits former U.S. military members (retired or separated) from accepting certain national security-related jobs with foreign governments designated as "countries of concern" or their proxies, such as intelligence, military, or internal security roles. It requires service members to certify understanding of this rule before separation and allows the Secretary of Defense to grant temporary waivers (up to 5 years) for national security reasons, with mandatory congressional notification. Violations could lead to withheld pay, benefits, or revoked security clearances. The Secretary must also submit annual reports to Congress detailing compliance, employment details, and potential security threats from such positions.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 49 seeks congressional disapproval of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that would have established a new standard for determining when two or more companies are considered "joint employers" under labor law. The rule, published in October 2023, would have affected businesses with complex employment structures, such as franchisors and contractors, by altering how joint employer liability is assessed for wage, hour, and union representation matters. If passed, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preserving the previous standard for joint employer determinations. The bill was introduced by Senators Cassidy, Manchin, Braun, McConnell, Marshall, Cramer, Capito, and Paul and referred to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.