Rep. Nancy Mace

Informing Veterans on Education for Transitioning Servicemembers Act or the Informing VETS Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to regularly promote the Veteran Readiness and Employment program by (1) sending a letter to each veteran entitled to the program that explains the educational benefits of the program, and (2) providing in each letter and online a side-by-side comparison of benefits between the program and Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance.

Bring Animals Relief and Kibble Act of 2021 or as the BARK Act of 2021 This bill extends federal protection from civil and criminal liability that applies to donations of food or grocery products for needy individuals to the donation of pet food or supplies.

Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2021 or the FAIR Act This bill revises federal laws governing civil asset forfeiture. Specifically, the bill makes various changes to the general rules governing civil forfeiture proceedings. Among the changes, the bill requires counsel for an indigent property owner regardless of whether the owner requests counsel, raises the evidentiary standard from preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence, and sets forth factors courts must consider in determining whether a forfeiture of facilitating property is excessive. Additionally, the bill eliminates statutory authority for equitable sharing and directs forfeiture proceeds to be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury instead of the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund. Finally, the bill makes changes with respect to the civil forfeiture of money involved in structuring offenses (i.e., structuring currency transactions to evade currency reporting requirements). Among the changes, the bill specifies an evidentiary standard of knowingly for structuring offenses, and requires a prompt probable cause hearing following the seizure of money involved in a structuring offense.

All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act of 2021 or the ALERT Act of 2021 This bill establishes various reporting requirements with respect to federal agency rulemaking. Specifically, each agency must submit a monthly report to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for each rule the agency expects to propose or finalize during the following year, including information about the objectives and legal basis for the rule as well as whether the rule is subject to periodic review based on its significant economic impact. Additionally, each agency must submit a monthly report for any rule expected to be finalized during the following year for which the agency has issued a general notice of proposed rulemaking, including an approximate schedule for completing action on the rule and an estimate of its cost and economic effects. OIRA must publish this information online and, subject to certain exceptions, a rule may not take effect until the information has been published for at least six months. The bill also requires OIRA to annually publish in the Federal Register specified information it receives from agencies under this bill, including a list of each rule an agency has proposed and the total cost of all rules proposed or finalized. OIRA must further publish online (1) any analysis of the costs or benefits of rules that were proposed or finalized during the previous year, and (2) a list of rules that were subjected to various forms of review during the previous year.

Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2021 This bill establishes and modifies several programs and requirements to address prescription drug prices. The bill modifies provisions under Medicare and Medicaid relating to prescription drug coverage and price transparency. Among other changes, the bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to publish certain information, as reported by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), relating to generic dispensing rates, drug discounts and rebates, and payments between PBMs, health plans, and pharmacies; caps annual out-of-pocket spending under the Medicare prescription drug benefit; allows prescription drug plan sponsors under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to offer additional plans in a region; requires pass-through pricing models, and prohibits spread-pricing, for payment arrangements with PBMs under Medicaid; and allows states to include in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program covered outpatient drugs that are provided as part of physician or outpatient hospital services. The bill also generally modifies other provisions relating to the regulation and costs of generic and brand-name drugs. Among other changes, the bill prohibits the manufacturer of a brand-name, generic, or biosimilar drug from entering into certain agreements to resolve or settle a patent infringement claim in connection with the sale of a drug or biological product; permanently allows high deductible health plans to waive deductibles for insulin and associated products; and establishes the position of Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Ensuring Safe Capital Access for All Small Businesses Act of 2021 This bill removes cannabis from the schedule of controlled substances, and it prohibits the Small Business Administration from declining to provide certain small business financing to an eligible entity solely because it is a cannabis-related legitimate business or service provider.

Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act This bill provides guidance related to veterans and medical marijuana that shall be effective for five years. Specifically, the bill authorizes (1) a veteran to use, possess, or transport medical marijuana in accordance with applicable state or Native American tribal law; (2) a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) physician to discuss with a veteran the use of medical marijuana as a treatment if the physician is in a state or on tribal land that authorizes such treatment; or (3) a VA physician to recommend, complete forms for, or register veterans for participation in a medical marijuana treatment program in accordance with applicable state or tribal law. The bill requires the VA to report on (1) the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in pain; and (2) the relationship between state-approved medical marijuana treatment programs, program access, and opioid use and abuse reduction.

Article I Regulatory Budget Act This bill requires the establishment of a federal regulatory budget to limit the costs of federal regulations. It also establishes requirements for disclosing the projected costs of federal regulations and procedures for enforcing the regulatory budget.

Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 This bill allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days. The bill prohibits the U.S. government from asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit. The bill also prohibits an individual who brings such an action from bringing a separate tort action against the United States based on the same harm.

Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on October 1, 2021.