Rep. Ken Buck

Sanctioning Supporters of Slave Labor Act This bill expands existing sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses (e.g., such as torture or forced labor) against members of Muslim minority groups or other persons in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. Specifically, this bill requires sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that knowingly (1) provide material support to the parties subject to the existing sanctions for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, or (2) engage in a significant transaction relating to such human rights abuses.

Biometric Verification for Entry and Reconfirming Identity with Forensics Act of 2022 or the B-VERIFY Act of 2022 This bill addresses various issues pertaining to immigration, such as (1) requiring any applicant for an immigration benefit, including a U.S. national applying for a noncitizen beneficiary, to provide biometric information, including DNA; (2) permanently barring a noncitizen from becoming a U.S. citizen if the noncitizen is the parent of an unaccompanied alien child who arrives at the U.S. border; and (3) prohibiting the Department of Health and Human Services from expending government funds to provide counsel to detained unaccompanied alien children in legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal funding for any activities related to Executive Order 14074 (issued May 25, 2022), which aimed to improve policing and criminal justice practices. It directly affects federal agencies that would otherwise implement the executive order's requirements using taxpayer dollars. The key provision blocks all federal funds from being used to carry out the order's provisions, effectively halting its implementation through budgetary means. The bill does not alter the executive order itself but prevents its federal financial support.

Competition and Transparency in Digital Advertising Act This bill limits certain large digital advertising companies from owning multiple types of advertising exchanges or brokerages and imposes certain duties with respect to the interests of the customers of such brokerages. Advertising exchanges and brokerages generally facilitate advertisers and publishers in buying and selling advertising inventory through an automated bidding process. Specifically, companies with more than $20 billion in annual digital advertising revenue are prohibited from owning more than one type of service within the digital advertising marketplace. For example, a company, such as Google, may not own a digital advertising exchange and provide software that assists publishers of online advertisements in selling advertising space on their websites. Additionally, companies with more than $5 billion in annual digital advertising revenue that provide brokerage services to buyers or sellers of digital advertisements must act in the best interest of their brokerage customers. The bill also establishes transparency and privacy requirements for such brokerages. The bill provides for enforcement of these requirements by the Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and private right of action.

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.

Unborn Protection Act This bill creates new federal crimes related to the performance of an abortion on an unborn child based on the results of a laboratory developed prenatal test. The term laboratory developed prenatal test means a type of in vitro diagnostic test that is designed, developed, manufactured, validated, or performed within a single laboratory and is not cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration It subjects a violator to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. It also authorizes civil remedies, including damages and injunctive relief. A woman who undergoes such an abortion may not be prosecuted or held civilly liable.

National Education Association Charter Repeal Act This bill repeals the federal charter granted to the National Education Association of the United States.

No User Fees for Gun Owners Act This bill prohibits a state or local government from imposing any insurance requirement, tax, user fee, or similar charge as a condition of the manufacture importation, acquisition, transfer, or continued ownership of a firearm or ammunition, with the exception of a proportionate sales tax. The bill imposes the same prohibition under the Internal Revenue Code for firearms, pistols, or revolvers, but allows for the assessment of a proportionate sales tax.

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.

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).