Rep. Joaquin Castro

This resolution addresses issues involving LGBTQI+ identifying people. Specifically, the resolution calls on the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other federal agencies to include the promotion of equal rights for LGBTQI+ identifying people in their work; condemns discrimination, persecution, and violence against LGBTQI+ identifying people; calls on governments across Europe and Eurasia to foster safe and equitable environments for all people; and urges the U.S. government to increase funding for LGBTQI+ human rights organizations in Europe and Eurasia.

Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2022 This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Justice's Office of Environmental Justice. It also establishes grants to improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal governments to enforce environmental laws involving environmental justice matters.

Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 This bill expands eligibility for a program that authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to, at its discretion, provide lawful permanent resident status to certain long-term residents of the United States, including individuals who are unlawfully present. Currently, this program, sometimes referred to as the Registry program, is only available to eligible non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who entered the United States before January 1, 1972. The bill removes this entry cutoff date and opens up the program to eligible individuals who have resided in the United States for at least seven years. Existing requirements (e.g., the individual must not be inadmissible or deportable due to certain grounds related to crime or terrorism) continue to apply.

Seasonal Worker Solidarity Act of 2022 This bill modifies the H-2B (temporary nonagricultural workers) visa program and expands protections for aliens who report workplace violations. Changes to the H-2B program include requiring the Department of Labor to establish a centralized national electronic platform for U.S. workers to find and apply for positions that employers are seeking to fill with H-2B workers; requiring employers to recruit U.S. workers nationwide, including by posting the openings on the platform, before applying for H-2B visas; requiring employers to guarantee at least 40 hours of paid work per week for each H-2B worker (currently employers may guarantee fewer paid hours in certain instances); requiring employers to pay for housing for H-2B workers and transportation to and from the work site (currently employers are allowed to deduct fees for lodgings from an H-2B worker's pay); modifying the requirements for determining the minimum wage for H-2B workers; and prioritizing H-2B visas for certain employers, such as those that pay higher wages. Furthermore, an alien who has worked a certain amount of time as an H-2B worker may obtain permanent resident status, subject to various requirements. In addition, an alien who is likely helpful in an investigation of a workplace claim (i.e., an alleged violation of law or workplace-related injury) may qualify for a U visa for victims of criminal activity. The bill also removes statutory numerical limitations on U visas. The bill also provides protections for certain aliens who file or assist in the investigation of workplace claims.

Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2022 This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. The bill requires the Department of Justice to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan. The bill provides funds for FY2022 for the Department of Health and Human Services to provide technical assistance with respect to transition plans. The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.

Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022 This bill authorizes security assistance for Ukraine, requires sanctions against Russia if it escalates hostilities in or against Ukraine, and addresses related issues. The bill (1) authorizes the Department of Defense to use various authorities to provide and expedite the delivery of defense articles to support Ukraine's armed forces, (2) allows the President to exercise drawdown authority to provide defense articles to Ukraine, and (3) authorizes the Department of State to provide International Military Education and Training assistance to Ukraine. The President must periodically determine whether Russia's government is significantly escalating hostilities in or against Ukraine and whether such an escalation has the aim or effect of undermining Ukraine's government or interfering with Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity. If the President determines that Russia's government has engaged in such escalation, the President must impose sanctions on (1) certain government officials, including Russia's president and prime minister; (2) certain Russian financial institutions; (3) entities involved in certain transactions involving Russian debt; (4) entities (and corporate officers of such entities) involved in constructing or operating Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline; and (5) certain entities involved in Russian resource extraction industries. The President may terminate such sanctions after certifying to Congress that Russia's government has taken certain actions, such as entering into an agreed settlement with Ukraine's legitimate democratic government. The bill also authorizes Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to explore opening new bureaus to reach new audiences on Russia's periphery. The State Department must establish an initiative to deepen and foster ties with the Baltic states.

Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act This bill narrows the scope of certain crime-based grounds for barring or removing an alien from the United States. (Generally, a conviction for certain crimes, such as a crime that carries a term of incarceration of a certain length, may constitute grounds for denying an individual certain immigration benefits.) The bill redefines the term conviction to exclude convictions that have been dismissed, expunged, deferred, annulled, invalidated, withheld, vacated, or pardoned. The term must also exclude adjudications where a court issued a recommendation against removal, an order of probation without entry of judgment, or a similar disposition. In addition, any reference to a term of imprisonment or sentence must, unless otherwise provided (1) only consider the period of incarceration ordered by a court, and (2) exclude any suspended portion of a sentence. Currently, for immigration purposes, a term of incarceration includes any part of the sentence that was suspended. These provisions pertaining to the definition of conviction and terms of imprisonment shall apply to convictions and judgments entered either before or after this bill's enactment. Furthermore, certain crime-based grounds for barring or removing an alien shall not apply if the sentencing court issues a recommendation that the alien not be removed on the basis of the conviction.

Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 or the LIFT the BAR Act of 2021 This bill repeals certain limits on the eligibility of noncitizens who lawfully reside in the United States for federal means-tested programs, including Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), programs funded through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and certain nutrition and housing programs.

Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits federal agencies and private businesses from publicly posting the personally identifiable information (e.g., home addresses) of federal judges and their immediate family members. It also (1) requires information to be removed upon written request from the federal judge concerned, (2) prohibits data brokers from purchasing or selling such information, and (3) establishes programs to protect such information at the state and local level and to enhance security for judges.

Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality Act of 2021 or the GLOBE Act of 2021 This bill contains provisions related to (1) the protection of LGBTQI individuals globally; and (2) immigration protections for vulnerable individuals. The bill establishes (1) an interagency group to respond to urgent threats to LGBTQI people in foreign countries, and (2) a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI Peoples in the Department of State. The President shall impose visa-blocking sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violating the human rights of individuals based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. The State Department shall establish the Global Equality Fund to provide assistance to nongovernmental organizations working to advance and protect human rights. The U.S. Agency for International Development shall establish the LGBTQI Global Development Partnership to work with the private sector and nongovernmental organizations to support LGBTQI rights. The bill removes prohibitions against providing foreign assistance to nongovernmental organizations that offer certain medical services (e.g., abortion-related services) using non-U.S. government funds. The bill contains several immigration-related provisions, such as those  establishing that persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity may form the basis of an asylum request, allowing certain applicants to file asylum claims more than a year after their arrival in the United States, including a permanent partnership between two partners as a marriage for immigration law purposes, providing for free counsel in certain immigration proceedings, and granting U.S. citizenship to a child born abroad through assistive reproductive technology from a U.S. citizen who is the child's nonbiological parent.