Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

America's College Promise Act of 2021 This bill provides funding and establishes grant programs to expand access to higher education, including by providing free community college to students. Specifically, the bill establishes a program to waive resident tuition and fees for community college students. The Department of Education (ED) must award grants to states and Indian tribes to pay the federal share (75% of the average resident community college tuition and fees per student) of the program. As a condition of receiving such a grant, a state must (1) submit a plan to align the requirements for receiving a regular high school diploma with the requirements for entering credit-bearing coursework at community colleges; and (2) submit a plan to improve transfer pathways between institutions of higher education (IHEs), including by ensuring that associate degrees awarded by community colleges are fully transferable to four-year IHEs. Next, the bill directs ED to award grants to states and Indian tribes for implementing evidence-based institutional reforms and innovative practices to improve student outcomes. In addition, ED must award grants to participating historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions to waive or significantly reduce the first 60 credits of tuition and fees for low-income students.

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.

Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act of 2021 or the FASTER Act of 2021 This bill expands the definition of major food allergen for purposes of certain food-labeling requirements to specifically include sesame. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must report on certain information related to food allergy research and data collection activities.

PFAS Accountability Act of 2021 This bill provides a cause of action under the Toxic Substances Control Act for individuals or classes of individuals who were significantly exposed to perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. These substances are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing. Specifically, the bill provides a cause of action those who were significantly exposed to PFAS (or have reasonable grounds to believe they were exposed) against persons who engaged in any portion of a manufacturing process that created the PFAS and foresaw (or reasonably should have foreseen) the creation or use of PFAS would result in human exposure. The bill authorizes a court to award medical monitoring to claimants if (1) they have been significantly exposed to PFAS, (2) they have an increased risk of developing a disease associated with such exposure, (3) the increased risk provides a reasonable basis to conclude that periodic diagnostic medical examinations is necessary, and (4) the medical examinations are effective in detecting a disease associated with PFAS exposure. The bill establishes a presumption of significant exposure to PFAS if the claimant (1) provides medical results proving the presence of PFAS in the body, or (2) demonstrates the defendant's manufacturing process created the PFAS to which the claimant was exposed and the PFAS were released into one or more areas where the claimant would have been exposed for at least one year.

Modernizing Obstetric Medicine Standards Act of 2021 or the MOMS Act This bill provides statutory authority for an existing program and establishes a new grant program within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to improve maternal health outcomes. Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health program, which is administered by HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. This program supports safe maternal care by promoting the use of evidence-based practices that improve patient outcomes. HRSA must also establish a new grant program for states and hospitals to implement these practices.

Long-Term Unemployment Elimination Act of 2021 This bill creates a federal program to generate job opportunities for full-time students and certain workers who have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks. Specifically, the Department of Labor must establish and administer a jobs initiative for eligible workers (i.e., individuals who are at least 18 years of age, are authorized to be employed in the United States, have not been employed or are full-time students for at least 27 weeks, and are currently seeking or have been seeking employment for at least 4 weeks), carried out through local boards or community-based organizations. Labor shall award grants to local boards and community-based organizations to carry out jobs programs, including any added costs related to them in order to achieve economic development and job growth. Grant recipients must serve (1) high-poverty areas; or (2) areas for which the prime working-age employment-to-population ratio has been low, relative to that ratio for the United States for at least three years.

Honoring All Veterans Act of 2021 This bill adds the following as a mission statement for the Department of Veterans Affairs: "To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those 'who shall have borne the battle' and for their families, caregivers, and survivors."

Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage of lymphedema compression treatment items. Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of (1) standard and custom fitted gradient compression garments that are prescribed by a physician or other specified health care professional to treat lymphedema, and (2) other devices determined to be effective in the prevention or treatment of lymphedema.

Agriculture Resilience Act of 2021 This bill establishes, expands, and revises multiple programs and activities of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) primarily to reduce carbon emissions from the agriculture sector. Specifically, USDA must finalize and implement a plan to achieve net-zero emissions from the sector by 2040. USDA must periodically review and revise the plan, as necessary, and annually report on its implementation. Additionally, the bill expands the scope of various USDA research, extension, and education programs; conservation programs; and livestock programs to incorporate climate change adaption and mitigation. Expanded activities include efforts to improve soil health and preserve farmland and grassland. Further, the bill changes programs that support renewable energy in rural areas to address carbon emissions in the agriculture sector. Among these changes, the bill provides statutory authority for a program for reducing methane emissions from livestock waste that is carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency and transitions the program to USDA. The bill also addresses food waste, for example, by (1) standardizing the voluntary labels used by food producers to indicate the date by which food should be used or discarded, and (2) making composting activities eligible for support through USDA conservation programs. Moreover, the bill establishes grants to reduce and prevent food waste in landfills and in schools.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer (i.e., breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body). Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.