Sen. Tom Cotton

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Rx ACCESS Act, aims to improve medication access for military beneficiaries enrolled in the TRICARE health program by allowing them to choose how they receive non-generic prescription maintenance medications starting in October 2026. It requires pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse retail pharmacies at least the actual cost of acquiring drugs plus a professional dispensing fee, and prohibits hidden fees on pharmacies. The bill also mandates annual audits by the Government Accountability Office to review reimbursement rates, pharmacy network adequacy, and beneficiary access, with results reported to congressional defense committees.

Maddy summaryThe Strengthening American Nuclear Energy Act of 2026 gives legal authority to four executive orders issued on May 23, 2025, that address nuclear energy policy. This legislation directly affects the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the nuclear industry by codifying rules for reactor testing, advanced reactor deployment, agency reform, and industrial base revitalization. The bill ensures these executive actions remain in effect as law rather than relying solely on presidential directives. It does not create new programs but instead formalizes existing administrative actions into statutory requirements.

Maddy summaryThe American Security Robotics Act of 2026 prohibits federal agencies from buying or using unmanned ground vehicles made by foreign entities linked to certain nations. It defines these vehicles as mechanical devices that move on the ground and operate without direct human control, including autonomous robots and remote surveillance systems. The ban takes effect one year after the law is passed and applies to both direct purchases and contracts for these services. Exceptions allow use for national security missions, research, or if the system is modified to remove foreign data connections and cybersecurity risks.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires banks and credit unions to verify the citizenship or lawful immigration status of individuals opening or maintaining accounts in the United States. Financial institutions must accept specific documents such as passports, driver's licenses, or birth certificates to confirm a customer's identity and legal presence. The law includes provisions for temporary residents, allowing them to maintain accounts for a limited period after their authorized stay expires while restricting certain transactions. It also establishes penalties for individuals who open accounts without lawful status and provides safe harbors for financial institutions that make good-faith efforts to comply with verification requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Educational Visa Transparency Act of 2026 requires U.S. colleges and universities receiving federal funding to submit detailed lists of international students, faculty, and staff to a federal tracking system. Institutions must report this information within 60 days of the law's enactment and again before each academic term's class registration deadline. The submitted data, organized by visa type, will be accessible to federal agencies including the Department of Education, Homeland Security, Justice, and State. This change aims to improve data collection on non-citizen academic personnel at federally funded institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to pause the clean electricity production tax credit for two years, from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. The change would affect electricity generators who currently receive tax benefits for producing clean energy during this period. Money that would have gone to the Treasury from these suspended credits would instead be transferred to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve's funding account. The legislation aims to redirect federal tax revenue to support petroleum stockpiles while temporarily reducing incentives for clean electricity production.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public colleges and universities receiving federal funding from denying religious student groups access to campus facilities or official recognition solely because of their religious beliefs, practices, or standards. It directly affects public higher education institutions and religious student organizations seeking equal treatment alongside secular groups. The key mechanism requires institutions to provide religious groups with the same rights, benefits, and privileges - such as meeting space, event scheduling, and official status - as non-religious student organizations. This policy change ensures religious groups cannot be discriminated against in campus activities through the threat of withheld federal funding.

Maddy summaryThe MAPS Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to update and maintain an Essential Medicines List including drugs critical for national security, public health emergencies, chronic conditions, and military readiness. It mandates annual risk assessments identifying supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly drugs sourced over 50% from high-risk foreign suppliers like China, and compiles data on manufacturing locations and shortages. The bill directs HHS to map U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains from raw materials to finished products, using data analytics to identify national security threats, and report findings annually to Congress. This directly affects federal agencies (HHS, Defense), drug manufacturers, and supply chain stakeholders through mandatory reporting and transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires VA-employed physicians or nurse practitioners to sign a veteran's death certificate within 48 hours of learning of their death (for natural causes), addressing delays that have lasted up to eight weeks. It directly affects veterans' families and survivors who face blocked burial arrangements and delayed access to benefits due to these certification delays. The bill also mandates annual VA reports to Congress on compliance, including the percentage of timely certifications and reasons for delays. Key provisions focus on setting a clear 48-hour deadline for VA providers and creating transparency through mandatory reporting. It does not override state medical certification laws or require VA staff to violate their licensing requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Love Lives On Act of 2025 modifies veterans' and military survivors' benefit rules to prevent remarriage from automatically ending eligibility. It directly affects surviving spouses of veterans or military members who remarried, ensuring they retain access to key benefits. Key provisions include: (1) preventing termination of veterans' dependency compensation (under 38 U.S.C. §1311/1562) due to remarriage; (2) stopping termination of military Survivor Benefit Plan annuities solely for remarriage, with specific rules for those who remarried before age 55; and (3) expanding TRICARE coverage to include remarried widows/widowers whose subsequent marriage ended (via death, divorce, or annulment). These changes restore or maintain benefits that were previously lost upon remarriage.