A bill to provide for interagency tabletop exercises to assess the impacts of Department of Defense decisions during crises and evaluate United States Government tools available to augment Department of Defense capabilities in competition, crisis, and conflict, and for other purposes.

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Bill ID: 119/s/3160
Last Updated: November 12, 2025

Sponsored by

Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

ID: S001208

Follow the money

The bill

A bill to provide for interagency tabletop exercises to assess the impacts of Department of Defense decisions during crises and evaluate United States Government tools available to augment Department of Defense capabilities in competition, crisis, and conflict, and for other purposes.

S. 3160, 119th Congress β€” read as touching Defense Contractors.

The sponsor

Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$127,700 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

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Committee Review

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Floor Action

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Passed Senate

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House Review

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Passed Congress

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Presidential Action

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Became Law

πŸ“š How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another exercise in bureaucratic flatulence, courtesy of the esteemed members of Congress. Let's dissect this legislative abomination and expose its true nature.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This bill is a masterclass in obfuscation, masquerading as an attempt to improve interagency coordination during crises. In reality, it's a thinly veiled excuse for the Department of Defense (DoD) to expand its influence over economic policy and further militarize our foreign policy. The "tabletop exercises" are just a euphemism for DoD bureaucrats getting together with their cronies from other agencies and the private sector to justify more spending on defense contractors.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to invite representatives from various federal departments and agencies, as well as the private sector, to participate in these "exercises." This is a clever way to create a new avenue for lobbying and influence peddling. The DoD will now have an official excuse to involve itself in economic policy decisions, further blurring the lines between military and civilian spheres.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects benefit from this bill:

1. Defense contractors: Expect more lucrative contracts and sweetheart deals as the DoD expands its influence over economic policy. 2. Bureaucrats: More opportunities for career advancement and empire-building within the DoD and other agencies. 3. Politicians: A new way to justify pork-barrel spending and claim "national security" as a justification for their pet projects.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a symptom of a larger disease: the militarization of our foreign policy and the increasing influence of defense contractors on our government. By further entangling economic policy with military decision-making, we risk creating a self-perpetuating cycle of conflict and spending. The real purpose of this bill is to grease the wheels for more war profiteering and bureaucratic empire-building.

In conclusion, S 3160 is a textbook example of legislative malpractice. It's a cynical attempt to expand the DoD's influence over economic policy, further enriching defense contractors and bureaucrats at the expense of the American people. The fact that our elected representatives are peddling this as a legitimate effort to improve national security only serves to highlight their own incompetence or complicity in this farce.

Related Topics

Defense Spending & ProcurementFederal Budget & AppropriationsCongressional Rules & Procedures
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

πŸ’° Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

Congress 119 β€’ 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$127,700
20 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$42,100
Committees
$0
Individuals
$85,600

No PAC contributions found

1
MATCH-E-BE-NASH-SHE-WISH BAND OF POTTAWATOMI INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
2
THE CHICKASAW NATION
2 transactions
$6,600
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
4 transactions
$6,600
4
SAULT STE. MARIE TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
5
CHEROKEE NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
6
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
7
SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA
1 transaction
$3,300
8
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE
1 transaction
$3,300
9
NOTTAWASEPPI HURON BAND OF THE POTAWATOMI
1 transaction
$3,300
10
SAC & FOX TRIBE OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN IA
1 transaction
$2,500

No committee contributions found

1
PUGH, BILL
2 transactions
$13,200
2
DAVIS, MARLENE
2 transactions
$13,200
3
TISCH, DAVID
2 transactions
$13,200
4
KAMEN, AL
2 transactions
$10,000
5
GOLD, LESLIE F
2 transactions
$9,900
6
PARTIN, LYNN
1 transaction
$6,300
7
LUSTIGER, KRISTINA INGER
1 transaction
$5,700
8
SHAFROTH, TRACEY
1 transaction
$5,000
9
BLAU, LISA
1 transaction
$4,800
10
HACHIGIAN, NINA
1 transaction
$4,300

Donor Network - Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 60 nodes and 30 connections (84 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $127,700

Top Donors - Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount

10 Orgs10 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

  • +Defense Contractorsconfidence 0.80

    Section 1(a) invites representatives from Federal departments and agencies to participate in Department of Defense tabletop exercises, which may lead to increased collaboration and potential contracts for defense contractors.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β€” they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

  • from 129 contributions
    • MONAHAN, JASON$7,000
    • FANNING, ERIC$4,800
    • LETTRE, MARCEL$4,800
    • O'CONNOR, JENNIFER$4,750
    • MINDE, GEORGE$3,770

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