S. 1604: Operation Warp Speed Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-05-13 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-05-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Operation Warp Speed Act of 2021

Plain summary

Operation Warp Speed Act of 2021 This bill modifies procedures for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and provides additional authority to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for vaccine production in response to a public health emergency. It also makes changes to the administration of the Strategic National Stockpile. (An EUA temporarily authorizes use of an otherwise unapproved medical product or device in certain emergency situations.) Among other modifications, the bill places additional requirements on EUA approvals. Specifically, HHS may only approve an EUA if, after consulting four specified agencies, at least three of them vote to grant approval. Currently, HHS's authority to approve an EUA, which it has delegated to the Food and Drug Administration, is not limited by the votes of consulting agencies. Additionally, the bill authorizes the use of HHS funds to produce a vaccine before it is licensed or authorized in response to a public health emergency. The bill also establishes the Office of Operation Warp Speed within the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to expedite the production of vaccines and medical countermeasures to respond to public health emergencies. With respect to the Strategic National Stockpile, HHS must assess, as part of its annual threat-based review, the levels of and supply chains for materials in the stockpile. HHS must also give priority to domestic manufacturers when procuring materials for the stockpile. If materials cannot be sourced domestically, HHS must give priority to manufacturers that are not located in China.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Operation Warp Speed Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] reported raising $7.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s1604.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s1604 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117