Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman

Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research Act of 2021 or the AFTER Act of 2021 This bill requires federal research facilities to facilitate the adoption or nonlaboratory placement of certain warm-blooded animals (e.g., dogs, cats, monkeys, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits) with animal rescue organizations, animal sanctuaries, animal shelters, or individuals. In order to be adopted or placed, the animals must (1) no longer be needed for research; (2) be suitable for release; (3) not be birds, rats, or mice.

Maddy summaryHR 1041 would permanently remove the statutory debt ceiling by repealing sections 3101 and 3101A of title 31, U.S. Code. This would eliminate the legal limit on how much the federal government can borrow to pay its existing obligations. The bill directly affects the Treasury Department's borrowing authority, allowing it to issue debt without needing congressional approval for each increase. It represents a structural change to federal fiscal management, removing a recurring legislative hurdle. The bill does not alter current spending or revenue levels.

Indigenous Peoples' Day Act This bill designates Indigenous Peoples' Day as a legal public holiday in lieu of Columbus Day.

COVID Defense Act This bill rescinds specified defense appropriations and authorizes funding for manufacturing and delivering COVID-19 vaccines internationally.

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct outreach to build awareness among former members of the Armed Forces of the process established for the review of discharge characterizations related to sexual orientation (i.e., on the basis of Don't Ask, Don't Tell or a similar policy). DOD must also provide for specified relief for former members of the Armed Forces who were impacted by the discharge characterizations and ensure that DOD oral historians review related facts and receive testimony from affected individuals.

Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.

Debt Ceiling Reform Act This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to increase the public debt limit. Under current law, the debt limit restricts the amount of funds that the Department of the Treasury may borrow to fund the federal government.

Rock Creek National Park Act of 2021 This bill redesignates Rock Creek Park in the District of Columbia as Rock Creek National Park.

This resolution supports the designation of National Voter Registration Day.

This resolution condemns and denounces the actions of the Customs and Border Patrol agents who confronted Haitian migrants on horseback using their reins as lashes.