Rep. John R. Carter

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) the claims made by the members of the Texas legislature who have fled to the nation's capital from Texas are unfounded at best and deceiving at worst, and (2) their actions have further resulted in their abandonment of their responsibilities and duty to fulfill their oath of office. The resolution also urges the House Sergeant at Arms, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Department of Justice to cooperate with the Texas Department of Public Safety in their efforts to return these members to Texas.

This resolution supports the initiative of Governor Greg Abbott to complete a border wall in Texas and calls on other border state governors to follow suit. It also states that the status quo relating to border security is unsustainable, irresponsible, and dangerous.

Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for performing or attempting to perform an abortion if the probable gestational age of the fetus is 15 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.

Preserving Border Integrity Act This bill imposes restrictions on non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) seeking asylum in the United States. Under this bill, a non-U.S. national may not, except in certain situations, seek asylum if the individual (1) entered (or attempted to enter) the United States through the northern or southern border, and (2) did not apply for protection from persecution or torture in at least one country that the individual transited through to reach the United States.

Leak and Lose Act of 2022 This bill establishes federal criminal offenses for acts involving the concealment, removal, or destruction of an opinion or draft opinion of the Supreme Court before it is published. Specifically, the bill prohibits the willful and unlawful (1) concealment, removal, mutilation, obliteration, or destruction of an opinion or draft opinion; (2) attempt to conceal, remove, mutilate, obliterate, or destroy an opinion or draft opinion; and (3) taking or carrying away of an opinion or draft opinion with the intent to conceal, remove, mutilate, obliterate, or destroy. An individual who violates the prohibition is subject to a $5,000 fine and, if applicable, the permanent forfeiture of his or her admission to federal courts for the practice of law.

Updated Standards for Asylum (USA) Act of 2022 This bill modifies standards and requirements related to individuals seeking asylum. The bill amends the definition of credible fear of persecution to require that such fear can be established by statements that are more probable than not. The bill also imposes certain rules relating to credible fear interviews, including requirements for recordings and interpreters. If an alien is granted asylum because of fear of persecution in a country, the alien shall be deemed to have renounced asylum status by returning to that country, if there has been no change in the country's conditions. Any individual who knowingly and willfully makes materially false statements or uses fraudulent documents in asylum-related proceedings shall be fined or imprisoned up to 10 years, or both.

Cyber Deterrence and Response Act of 2022 This bill imposes sanctions on foreign persons (individuals or entities, including agencies of a foreign state) that are knowingly responsible for or have engaged in certain state-sponsored cyber activities, generally those that originate from outside of the United States and are reasonably likely to contribute to a significant threat to U.S. national security, foreign policy, economic health, or financial stability. The bill also imposes sanctions on certain foreign persons that provide material support for such state-sponsored cyber activities.

Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution Act of 2022 or the SHIELD Act of 2022 This bill establishes a new criminal offense related to the distribution of intimate visual depictions. Specifically, it makes it a crime to knowingly distribute (or intentionally threaten to distribute) an intimate visual depiction of an individual (1) with knowledge of or reckless disregard for the individual's lack of consent and reasonable expectation of privacy, and (2) without a reasonable belief that distributing the depiction touches a matter of public concern. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years for each individual victim depicted, or both.

Never Yielding Europe's Territory (NYET) Act of 2022 This bill addresses Russia's actions against Ukraine and other countries in the region. The bill authorizes and expedites the provision of security assistance, including by (1) prioritizing delivering excess defense articles to Ukraine, (2) authorizing the Department of State to waive certain costs for defense articles leased to Ukraine, and (3) authorizing additional Foreign Military Financing for programs in Europe. The bill also provides funding for (1) Foreign Military Financing assistance to Ukraine, (2) the Global Engagement Center to counter foreign-sponsored propaganda and disinformation, (3) the Countering Russian Influence Fund to support Ukraine and other countries in response to Russia's aggression, and (4) International Military Education and Training assistance for Ukraine. Furthermore, the bill imposes sanctions, including on (1) senior Russian military officials responsible for planning or executing military operations that violated Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity, and (2) foreign individuals or entities that acted on behalf of Russia's government to destabilize Ukraine or disrupt Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The bill also addresses additional matters, including (1) prohibiting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from sponsoring visas for Russian nationals affiliated with ROSCOSMOS, the entity that implements Russia's space program; (2) authorizing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to explore opening new bureaus to reach audiences on Russia's periphery; and (3) providing for expedited approval of natural gas exports to qualifying nations, including NATO members, whereas currently expedited approval is only available for exports to countries that are in a free trade agreement relating to natural gas with the United States.

Midland Over Moscow Act This bill imposes sanctions related to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and revises the expedited approval process for natural gas imports and exports in or out of the United States. (Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline constructed to increase the export of natural gas from Russia to Europe.) Within 10 days of this bill's enactment, the President must impose sanctions on any entity responsible for the planning, construction, maintenance, financing, or operation of Nord Stream 2, as well as any corporate officer or principal shareholder with a controlling interest in such an entity. The bill also revokes the President's authority to waive certain sanctions related to Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream, another Russian natural gas pipeline project. The bill also allows any nation, with specified exclusions, to use an expedited process to receive approval to import or export natural gas in or out of the United States (currently only a nation with a free trade agreement with the United States may use the expedited process). Specifically, the bill excludes any nation (1) subject to U.S.-imposed sanctions or trade restrictions, or (2) excluded by the President or Congress for national security reasons.