Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act of 2021 This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation-exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.

Veterans Claim Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide the representative of a veteran with an opportunity to review a proposed determination regarding a claim for compensation or benefits before such determination becomes final. The VA must notify the representative in writing that a proposed determination is ready for review and may not make a final determination until the review period has ended. Under the bill, a representative has up to 48 hours to review the proposed determination.

Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to concede, for the purposes of health care benefits and wartime disability compensation, that a veteran was exposed to certain toxic substances, chemicals, and hazards from burn pits if such veteran served on active duty in a covered location during a specified time frame (unless there is affirmative evidence to establish that the veteran was not exposed during such service). A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment. Specifically, the bill covers the following locations and corresponding time periods: Iraq between August 2, 1990, and February 28, 1991, as well as from March 19, 2003, until burn pits are no longer used in this location; Southwest Asia (including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar) from August 2, 1990, until burn pits are no longer used in these locations; and Afghanistan, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, and Djibouti from September 11, 2001, until burn pits are no longer used in these locations. Under the bill, if an exposed veteran submits insufficient evidence to establish a service-connection for purposes of disability compensation, the VA shall provide a medical examination and request a medical opinion regarding a causal link between the disability and a toxin, chemical, or hazard.

Puppy Protection Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to expand standards that govern the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals to include new requirements for commercial dog dealers. Specifically, the standards must require dog dealers to provide to dogs adequate housing, exercise, and veterinary care; appropriate and nutritious food; continuous access to potable water; and meaningful socialization with humans and compatible dogs for at least 30 minutes each day. The standards must also include requirements for breeders to use safe breeding practices and make all reasonable efforts to find humane placement for retired breeding dogs.

Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act This bill provides funds to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for an affordable child care and early learning program. Children who are at least six weeks of age but not yet required to attend school may participate in the program regardless of family income, disability status, citizenship status, or employment of a family member. Under the program, HHS must support sponsors (e.g., states, local governments, tribal organizations, and nonprofit community organizations) that provide child care and early learning services for families. Families must pay a subsidized fee, based on their income, for the services. The fees are waived for children from families with incomes below 200% of the poverty line. The fees are capped at 7% of a family's income regardless of the family's income level.

Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research Act of 2021 or the AFTER Act of 2021 This bill requires departments, agencies, or instrumentalities that operate federal research facilities or exhibit animals to promulgate regulations that facilitate and encourage the adoption of certain animals that are suitable for retirement.

Families Belong Together Act This bill provides various immigration benefits for eligible alien parents (or legal guardians) and minor children who were separated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021. Generally, to be an eligible parent or minor child under this bill, the alien must not be inadmissible for certain crime- or security-related grounds, though DHS may waive certain grounds for humanitarian or public interest reasons. Furthermore, an eligible child who was separated as a minor remains eligible for the immigration benefits after reaching majority. DHS must grant humanitarian parole into the United States to an eligible alien who requests such parole, regardless of whether the alien is physically present in the United States. An eligible alien in the United States may apply for lawful permanent resident status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall grant a qualifying alien's lawful permanent resident status within 30 days of receiving the alien's application. An alien who receives lawful permanent resident status under this bill shall be eligible for benefits and services that are available to an alien who is admitted as a refugee. Certain annual numerical limitations shall not apply to aliens who receive lawful permanent resident status under this bill. If an alien seeks judicial review of a denial of an application for lawful permanent resident status under this bill, the Department of Justice shall appoint counsel to represent that alien upon request.

National Climate Bank Act This bill establishes and capitalizes a National Climate Bank. The independent, nonprofit bank must invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The national bank's investments and procurements division must seek to facilitate affordable investment and procurement, including in low-income communities and communities of color, in key project areas (e.g., renewable energy or climate resiliency measures). The national bank's start-up division must support the creation of new green banks by states or other political subdivisions. The new banks must be public or nonprofit specialized finance entities that use finance tools to mitigate climate change. The national bank may provide financing for such entities. In addition, the bank must explore the establishment of a cash for carbon program to remove greenhouse gas emissions from the power system. The program may use market mechanisms to expedite the retirement of carbon-intensive power generation facilities (e.g., coal-fired power generation facilities), acquire carbon assets for the purpose of reducing emissions, and invest in communities negatively affected by the loss of those facilities or assets.

United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act This bill requires the Federal Trade Commission to submit annually to Congress a report on foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The report shall address, among other topics, the effect of the industry's reliance on foreign manufacturing.

Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into contracts with U.S. entities to manufacture certain critical drugs within the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must periodically report to Congress a list of drugs that are critical to public health or national security. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority within HHS must enter into contracts for qualified U.S. entities to manufacture in the United States the drugs on this list (and ingredients for such drugs). Such contracts must impose certain conditions, such as requiring the manufacturing entity to (1) develop and maintain a redundancy risk management and continuity of business plan, and (2) commit to selling the drugs and ingredients manufactured under the contract at reasonable prices. Beginning in FY2025, certain federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and the Bureau of Prisons, must give priority, in procuring drugs on the FDA critical drugs list, to those that are manufactured in the United States and of high quality. The bill also requires the Federal Trade Commission to submit annually to Congress a report on foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The report must address, among other topics, the effect of the industry's reliance on foreign manufacturing.