Rep. Mo Brooks

No Taxpayer Funding for the Central American Minors Program Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to carry out the Central American Minors program, a Department of Homeland Security and Department of State program that reunites qualified children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with their parent who is lawfully present in the United States.

China COVID-19 Restitution Act This bill requires the President to impose duties on goods and components manufactured in China and to use the collected funds to provide compensation and reimbursement for losses related to COVID-19. From this bill's enactment until December 31, 2021, the President must impose a 10% ad valorem duty on any good manufactured in China and any component manufactured in China and incorporated in a good imported from any country. This duty shall increase by an additional 10% each calendar year after 2021. The amounts from this duty shall go into a trust fund, which shall also include any amounts provided by China's government to provide compensation and reimbursement related to COVID-19. Using the amounts in the trust fund, the Department of Justice shall establish and administer a program to provide compensation and reimbursement for economic and financial losses related to COVID-19, including for assistance made available by the federal government.

Nuclear Family Priority Act This bill imposes limits on various types of family-sponsored immigration visas. The alien parents of U.S. citizens shall not qualify for visas for immediate relatives , which are not subject to any direct numerical limits. Currently, the spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of citizens are considered immediate relatives. The bill also creates a nonimmigrant visa for such parents of citizens. Such aliens shall not be eligible for employment or any public benefits. The bill also reduces the baseline annual cap for family-sponsored visas from 480,000 to 88,000, and revises the methods for calculating the cap. Currently, the 480,000 cap may be adjusted depending on various factors but shall not be less than 226,000. Preference allocations (visa categories subject to various annual caps) for various family-sponsored visas shall be eliminated, including those for the siblings and married children of citizens. The bill provides for a preference allocation for the unmarried children under 21 and spouses of permanent residents, subject to the 88,000 annual cap.

Fairness in Firearm Testing Act This bill establishes additional requirements for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Specifically, the bill requires the ATF to make a video recording of its process for evaluating and testing an item to determine if it is a firearm or ammunition.

Firearm Due Process Protection Act This bill expands the grounds for pursuing judicial remedies related to certain firearm transfers. Additionally, the bill establishes procedural rules applicable to actions for judicial remedies. Current law authorizes judicial remedies for an individual who is erroneously denied a firearm (e.g., an individual is denied a firearm but the individual is eligible to receive or possess a firearm). This bill authorizes remedies for an individual who experiences an extended delay (i.e., a delay of more than 60 days) on a firearm transfer. Additionally, the bill requires an expedited hearing on an action for judicial remedies and places the burden of proof on the respondent to show by clear and convincing evidence that the individual was ineligible to receive or possess a firearm.

Safeguarding United States Research Act This bill imposes certain reporting requirements on the sponsor of an F, M, or J (student or exchange visitor) visa and authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to revoke such a visa in certain instances. It also expands disclosure requirements for applicants of federal research and development awards. The Department of State must require a sponsor of a J visa to report any change to the visa holder's primary field of study. The State Department and DHS shall require a sponsor of an F, M, or J visa to report when the visa holder is participating in a federally funded research program. DHS may review and revoke an F, M, or J visa in certain instances, such as finding that (1) the visa holder misrepresented an intention to pursue a field of study, or (2) the visa holder's participation in a federally funded research program poses a national security risk. The bill also imposes certain limits on the ability to appeal such a revocation decision. The bill also requires applications for federal research and development awards to disclose any in-kind contributions received by the applicant. Furthermore, if an applicant works for an institution that is required to file disclosures relating to the receipt of foreign gifts, the application for the federal award must include a certification that the applicant has provided the employing institution all the information necessary to comply with that disclosure requirement.

Protect Americans from Foreign Criminals Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct background checks before releasing from custody an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States. Specifically, before releasing such an individual from detention while removal proceedings are pending, DHS must conduct a background check using criminal history databases covering the United States, the individual's country of origin, and any country that the individual transited through. DHS may not release the individual if the individual is (1) facing charges for (or convicted of) an aggravated felony, (2) a member of a criminal street gang, or (3) subject to mandatory detention on various crime- or security-related grounds. Furthermore, DHS must review and determine whether the criminal history databases of countries around the world meet standards for accessibility, accuracy, and other factors. DHS may not release a detained individual if a background check for that individual is required from a country with databases that fail to meet the relevant standards.

Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 202 1 This bill modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo (i.e., without giving deference to the agency's interpretation) all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of (1) constitutional and statutory provisions, and (2) rules made by agencies. No law may exempt a civil action from the standard of review required by this bill except by specific reference to such provision.

Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should promote religious freedom in China and makes statements of policy related to such freedom. In particular, the bill states that it is U.S. policy to consider senior Chinese government officials who are responsible for the persecution of Christians or other religious minorities in China to have committed (1) a gross violation of internationally recognized human rights for the purpose of imposing certain sanctions, and (2) a particularly severe violation of religious freedom for the purpose of determining whether such an individual is admissible into the United States.

Working to Integrate Networks Guaranteeing Member Access Now Act or the WINGMAN Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide veterans with the option to grant read-only access to their records in the databases of the Veterans Benefits Administration to covered congressional employees. The covered congressional employees must be employed in the office of the Member of Congress who represents the district where the veteran resides. Under the bill, a covered congressional employee is (1) a permanent, full-time employee of a Member of Congress who is responsible for assisting constituents with federal agencies and departments; (2) designated by the Member; and (3) someone who satisfies the criteria required by the VA for recognition as an agent or attorney. However, the bill specifies that a covered congressional employee may not be recognized as an agent or attorney with respect to veterans' benefit claims.