Sen. Ted Budd

Anti-Caravan Act of 2022 This bill imposes criminal penalties on any individual who organizes or provides material support for a group of 25 or more non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) crossing international land borders with the intent to enter the United States without valid entry documents or lawful immigration status and in violation of any law. The bill also bars any non-U.S. national who participates in or organizes such a group from receiving any immigration benefit or status for specified periods of time.

Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act or the PROTECT Act of 2022 This bill alters federal sentencing for individuals who commit certain child pornography offenses. It generally requires judges to impose a sentence that is not less than the minimum period specified in the sentencing guideline range. The bill also increases certain criminal penalties for possession of child pornography.

Countering Russian Influence in our Politics Act of 2022 This bill requires tax-exempt organizations that receive any thing of value from a Russian foreign principal (e.g., Russia's government or a Russian national) to register as an agent of a foreign principal, with certain exceptions. Such an organization must periodically report to the Department of Justice certain information relating to its relationships to the relevant Russian foreign principals. The bill also imposes additional reporting requirements on a tax-exempt organization that has (1) received any thing of value from a Russian foreign principal since February 1, 2014; and (2) engaged in political activities to discourage the U.S. production of oil, petroleum products, natural gas, or critical minerals.

Pretrial Release Reporting Act This bill requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to submit a report to Congress on individuals who are granted bail or pretrial release from state courts and are charged with violent felony offenses (e.g., murder or rape).

Employee Rights Act This bill makes various changes with respect to the collective bargaining process and labor relations. For example, the bill permits an employer to refuse to collectively bargain with a union within 90 days prior to the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement if the employer receives evidence that the majority of the employees in the bargaining unit do not support the union. The bill requires support from a majority of the employees in the bargaining unit (not just a majority of the employees voting) when electing union representation. The bill also requires unions to provide bargaining unit employees with the right to vote by secret ballot, including when voting whether to engage in a strike or refusal to work. Further, union dues, fees, assessments, and other contributions may be used for only collective bargaining or contract administrative functions. Additionally, the bill establishes a process for nullifying executive orders that the Office of Management and Budget determines are likely to result in an employer ordering a plant closure or mass layoff.

Every Town A Border Town Act This bill requires the Department of State to designate Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and any successor organization as a foreign terrorist organization. Among other things, the designation allows the Department of the Treasury to require financial institutions to block transactions involving the organization. Additionally, an alien who is a member, officer, official, representative, or spokesman of MS-13 is considered to have engaged in terrorist activity and is inadmissible for entry into the United States.

Save Americans from the Fentanyl Emergency Act of 2022 or the SAFE Act of 2022 This bill permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. It limits the application of mandatory minimum penalties for certain offenses involving fentanyl-related substances, establishes a process to deschedule or remove certain fentanyl-related substances that have a low potential for abuse, and allows a federal court to vacate or reduce the sentence for convictions of offenses involving a fentanyl-related substance that is descheduled or moved to a schedule other than schedule I or II. The bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for schedule I research. It also makes other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration. Finally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to analyze the implementation and impact of permanently placing fentanyl-related substances into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your Rights Act This bill modifies the retention requirements for firearm transaction records of federal firearms licensees (FFLs) that go out of business. Current law generally requires FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This bill removes the requirement for FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the ATF. Further, the bill requires the ATF to destroy all out-of-business records it has collected from FFLs.

No Travel for Traffickers Act of 2022 This bill bars from the visa waiver program any country that allows individuals to obtain citizenship by making an investment in that country.

No Backdoor Gun Control Act of 2022 This bill removes the category of any other weapon from the definition of firearm under the National Firearms Act. The bill treats persons who acquire or possess any other weapon as meeting registration or licensing requirements under the National Firearms Act. The bill requires the Department of Justice to destroy any records relating to the registration of any other weapon not later than one year after the enactment of this bill.