Rep. Ann Wagner

Guaranteeing Ukrainian Autonomy by Reinforcing its Defense (GUARD) Act of 2022 This bill provides support for Ukraine and imposes sanctions related to Nord Stream 2, the pipeline constructed to increase exports of natural gas from Russia. The Department of State must periodically report to Congress a determination as to whether Russia's government meets the criteria to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism. The bill authorizes the State Department to provide Foreign Military Financing assistance to Ukraine in FY2022. The bill also authorizes providing Ukraine with lethal assistance, such as anti-armor weapon systems and anti-aircraft weapons systems. From FY2022-FY2026, Ukraine shall have priority access to excess defense articles. During the same time period, the bill also authorizes providing Ukraine with assistance, including (1) International Military Education and Training assistance; (2) assistance to strengthen cybersecurity and intellectual property enforcement; (3) support and training for banking reform, subsidy reform, corporate governance, and the privatization of state-owned enterprises; and (4) assistance to combat corruption and improve the rule of law. Within 15 days of this bill's enactment, the President must impose sanctions on any entity responsible for planning, constructing, or operating Nord Stream 2, as well as any corporate officer of such an entity. The bill also subjects the President's authority to waive certain sanctions to congressional review. The U.S. Agency for Global Media may expand broadcasting in countries of the former Soviet Union to combat Russian disinformation. The bill requires reports to Congress on various topics, including a strategy on using U.S. diplomacy to support Ukraine.

Upholding the Law at Our Border Act This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to periodically investigate and report on certain issues until there have been fewer than 35,000 apprehensions at the southwest border for three consecutive months. When required, the reports must address certain issues, including (1) the vetting procedures applicable to aliens seeking entry into the United States who were apprehended along the southwest border, (2) the total number of individuals not lawfully present who have been processed and released into the United States, (3) the number of such individuals who have received parole, and (4) an audit of the parole applications. The office must submit such reports (and provide briefings on the reports) to the President, Congress, DHS, and the Department of Justice.

Removing Waste and Protecting Medicare Act This bill makes several budgetary changes, including (1) prohibiting sequestration orders in 2022, (2) rescinding certain COVID-19 state and local relief funds, and (3) extending certain adjustments under Medicare with respect to sequestration and payments under the physician fee schedule. It also modifies requirements relating to federal programs and benefits, such as permanently requiring taxpayers to include Social Security numbers on their tax returns in order to qualify for the child tax credit.

National Response to Exploitation and Sexual abuse of Children in Unaddressed Emergencies Act or the Child RESCUE Act This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a national working group—the United States Working Group on Children in Imminent Danger—to study policing strategies and resource needs to rescue children who are victims of child sexual abuse material or victims of sexual abuse involving child sexual abuse material. The working group must report to Congress on its findings and conclusions, as well as recommendations for legislation.

Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the payment of a settlement to an alien for a civil action brought against the United States in connection with the alien's inadmissibility to, or unlawful presence in, the United States.

Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by unNaturalized Emigrants Act or the BE GONE Act This bill expands, for immigration purposes, the definition of aggravated felony to include sexual abuse, sexual assault, and aggravated sexual violence. (Under current law, a conviction for an aggravated felony is grounds for deportation and may bar an individual from other immigration-related benefits.)

Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and revises programs and activities to support survivors of human trafficking and prevent such trafficking domestically and abroad. The bill expands and authorizes programs for survivors, including a program to prevent re-exploitation. It also extends through FY2026 a special assessment on certain persons convicted of a human trafficking offense, which funds programs for human-trafficking survivors. Additionally, the bill provides privacy and other protections for survivors, including specified financial protections and protections against retaliation for survivors who pursue civil claims against a perpetrator. The bill also allows courts to reduce sentences for certain individuals who commit human trafficking crimes as minors. To prevent trafficking domestically, federal departments must incorporate anti-trafficking efforts into contracting activities and personnel policies, and the bill supports private sector efforts to address human trafficking in its policies and services. Furthermore, the bill supports the identification, investigation, and prosecution of human trafficking crimes, with an expanded focus on forced labor. To prevent trafficking globally, the bill prohibits access to a trade program for developing countries and otherwise restricts development assistance for countries that fail to meet minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. It also changes the criteria for determining whether a country has met applicable standards. In addition, the bill authorizes sanctions on persons convicted of severe forms of trafficking and requires integration of counter-trafficking activities into foreign assistance programs. The bill also requires reporting by the Government Accountability Office, federal agencies, and states concerning human trafficking.

Care for Her Act This bill allows an eligible taxpayer to claim the Child Tax Credit for the tax year preceding the year the child is born. It also sets out other activities to support parents and pregnant women. Specifically, the bill establishes the Pregnancy Support Collaborative, which consists of representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and states that elect to participate. The collaborative must maintain a clearinghouse of information on providers of pregnancy and parenting supports and services. States must identify providers in their jurisdictions who meet applicable criteria for inclusion. In addition, the collaborative must share information about education and training opportunities for parents and pregnant women and identify successful programs (including workplace policies) to support them. Furthermore, the collaborative must award grants to states for local programs to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. If a community demonstrates that its program reduces Medicaid costs, it retains a portion of those savings. If approved by the collaborative, HHS must award grants to providers in the clearinghouse for mentoring and training pregnant women and new mothers and addressing gaps in the availability of maternity housing. Additionally, HHS may award grants for pregnancy and parenting supports and services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must jointly maintain a database of de-identified epidemiological and Medicaid claims data to evaluate the effect of maternity homes on maternal and infant health outcomes.

Afghanistan Accountability Act This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on certain foreign persons, such as Taliban officials, and requires reports related to Afghanistan. The President must impose asset- and visa-blocking sanctions on any foreign person who (1) is an official, agent, or instrumentality of the Taliban; (2) has acted to undermine democratic institutions or threaten the stability of Afghanistan; (3) has acted to limit or penalize freedom of expression in Afghanistan, particularly the freedom of expression of women; (4) has committed serious human rights abuses in Afghanistan; or (5) operates in the mining sector in Afghanistan. The sanctions also apply to certain immediate relatives of such persons and those who provide material support to such persons. The bill also requires reports to Congress on (1) the intelligence provided to the President and policymakers prior to and concerning the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, (2) whether the Taliban meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization, and (3) human rights violations by the Taliban against individuals who supported U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.

Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act This bill requires the President to sanction foreign persons and governments for carrying out clandestine attacks on U.S. personnel that have caused brain injury. Specifically, the President must impose visa- and asset-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that has directed or carried out such an attack. If the President determines a foreign government carried out such an attack, the President must notify Congress and sanction that country by terminating any foreign assistance (except for humanitarian aid or food or agricultural commodities or products) and arms transactions, restricting commercial exports, and denying access to U.S. credit or other financial assistance. The President must remove these sanctions after 12 months, provided that (1) the country's government gives reliable assurances that it will not conduct future attacks, and (2) the executive branch does not have persuasive information indicating an attack occurred in the preceding six months. The bill also requires a congressional briefing and report about suspected clandestine attacks on U.S. personnel that have caused brain injury, including hypotheses concerning the identity of the perpetrators and the technical methods used to carry out the attacks.