Sen. Tom Cotton

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 5-year pilot program to increase workload at government-owned Army arsenals. It requires the Defense Secretary to give a 20% price preference in contract bids to non-public partners (like defense contractors) that use these arsenals as partners in their bids, plus extra preference for those using the Army's Advanced Manufacturing Center and ensuring 25% of work is done by DoD employees. The program aims to sustain these arsenals' capabilities for cost efficiency and rapid mobilization, directly affecting defense contractors competing for Army contracts. A report on the pilot's progress, including workload data and capital needs, must be submitted to Congress within one year.

Maddy summaryThe GUARD Act (S 851) requires states to comply with specific parental rights conditions to receive federal child welfare funding under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. It prohibits states from taking adverse actions against parents or guardians who oppose gender-related medical, social, or treatment interventions for minors, defining "biological sex" as determined at birth regardless of medical diagnoses. States violating this provision risk losing federal funds, and affected parents can sue to stop funding to the state and recover improperly awarded money. This directly impacts parents of minors, states receiving federal child welfare funds, and the enforcement process for federal grant compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends federal education law to prohibit federally funded athletic programs from allowing individuals assigned male at birth to participate in sports designated for women or girls. It defines "sex" for this purpose as biological sex at birth, based on reproductive anatomy and genetics. The law directly affects schools, colleges, and sports organizations receiving federal funding. Violations would constitute a breach of Title IX, requiring programs to exclude individuals whose sex is male from women's or girls' athletic teams.

Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to (1) assess cybersecurity threats in the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector, and (2) conduct annual crisis simulation exercises for food-related emergencies or disruptions. The agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector includes (1) any activity relating to the production, processing, distribution, storage, transportation, consumption, or disposal of agricultural or food products; and (2) any entity involved in any of these activities. Specifically, USDA, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, must conduct a risk assessment every two years on the cybersecurity threats to, and security vulnerabilities in, this sector. The risk assessment must include any recommendations for federal legislative or administrative actions to address related threats and vulnerabilities. USDA must also conduct an annual simulation exercise relating to a food-related emergency or disruption in coordination with DHS, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Among other things, the exercise must (1) involve a realistic and plausible scenario that simulates a food-related emergency or disruption that affects multiple sectors and jurisdictions, and (2) incorporate input from experts and stakeholders from various disciplines and sectors (e.g., agriculture, public health, emergency management, transportation, and energy).  USDA, in consultation with DHS, HHS, and ODNI, must submit a report to Congress on each simulation exercise, including recommendations to enhance the cybersecurity and resilience of the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 708 (RESTORE Patent Rights Act of 2025), aims to restore a legal presumption that courts should grant permanent injunctions to stop ongoing or willful patent infringement. It directly affects patent owners, particularly individual inventors, universities, startups, and small businesses, who often struggle to obtain court orders against large companies. The key provision amends patent law to create a "rebuttable presumption" that an injunction is warranted after a final finding of infringement, shifting the burden to defendants to prove why an injunction shouldn’t be issued. This change seeks to address reduced access to injunctions in recent court decisions, which critics argue incentivizes predatory infringement against smaller patent holders.

Maddy summaryThe Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act establishes special rules for handling successive antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, requiring the Department of Commerce to consider prior injury determinations when making new findings. It addresses market distortions from foreign government subsidies and currency undervaluation by expanding how the U.S. calculates fair trade values for imported goods. The bill also creates new procedures to prevent circumvention of existing duties (such as by changing product descriptions to avoid tariffs) and requires importers to certify that merchandise isn't subject to existing duties. These changes primarily affect U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Commerce, and importers of goods from countries that may be engaging in trade-distorting practices.

Maddy summarySRES 89 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating February 15-22, 2025, as "National FFA Week." It recognizes the National FFA Organization’s role in developing student leadership through agricultural education and celebrates two milestones: the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America (a historically Black agricultural youth group) and the 75th anniversary of the Federal charter for Future Farmers of America (signed by President Truman in 1950). The resolution does not create new laws or obligations but formally expresses congressional support for these observances. It affects no specific group or policy, serving solely as a ceremonial acknowledgment.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from requiring national securities exchanges, associations, or their members to share investors' personally identifiable information (PII) - like names, addresses, or Social Security numbers - for routine consolidated audit trail reporting. It allows the SEC to request PII *only* during investigations into securities law violations or related enforcement actions, and requires exchanges to provide it within 24 hours (or a reasonable extension). The SEC must destroy any such PII within 24 hours after the investigation concludes. The bill directly affects securities exchanges and their members by restricting how they handle investor data under federal reporting rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 663, DEFENSE Act) allows state and local police officers to use drone countermeasures at specific high-risk events. It authorizes deputized officers to protect stadiums, large public gatherings (like concerts or sports events), or other locations under temporary flight restrictions. Officers must complete required training, and federal agencies (Homeland Security, Transportation, FAA) will oversee the use of countermeasures. Only equipment on a government-approved list can be used for drone detection, identification, or tracking during these events.

Maddy summarySRES 53 is a bipartisan Senate resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the February 19-26, 1945, Battle of Iwo Jima and the iconic U.S. flag-raising on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945. It honors the service members who fought in the battle - including those who received the Medal of Honor - and recognizes the strategic importance of the victory in ending World War II. The resolution encourages public commemoration through ceremonies and events, while affirming U.S.-Japan reconciliation and honoring veterans' sacrifices. As a commemorative resolution, it has no binding effect or direct impact on policy or beneficiaries.