Ukraine Human Rights Policy Act of 2022 This bill provides for congressional oversight of sanctions on foreign persons associated with human rights abuses in territory controlled by Russia and requires reports on human rights abuses related to Ukraine.
Ending Catch and Release Act of 2022 This bill changes the treatment of certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) without lawful immigration status, including by prohibiting the release of asylum seekers into the United States while their cases are pending. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may not (with some exceptions) release an individual who is not clearly entitled to admission into the United States while the individual's case is pending, even if the individual is an asylum seeker. DHS may instead detain the individual or return the individual to a neighboring country in certain situations. The bill also expands expedited removal from the United States (i.e., removal without further hearing or review) to include individuals present in the United States without being admitted, with certain exceptions. Under current law, individuals are subject to expedited removal if they lack proper documentation or obtained an immigration benefit through fraud; such individuals are still subject to expedited removal under the bill. The bill also modifies the standard for establishing a credible fear of persecution to avoid expedited removal. Generally, an asylum seeker may avoid expedited removal if an asylum officer finds such a credible fear. Under this bill, an officer may find credible fear if it is more likely than not the individual can establish their eligibility for asylum, whereas under current law, the officer may find credible fear if there is a significant possibility that the individual can establish their eligibility.
Preventing Underhanded and Nefarious Iranian Supported Homicides Act of 2022 or the PUNISH Act of 2022 This bill extends sanctions and national emergencies related to Iran established by specified executive orders and limits the authority of the President to waive sanctions related to Iran. The bill requires the Department of State to periodically report whether Iran or any foreign person has supported specified activities, including murder or politically motivated detention in Iran of a U.S. citizen.
Protecting Kids from Candy-Flavored Drugs Act This bill establishes enhanced criminal penalties for certain federal drug offenses involving the manufacture or distribution of candy-flavored controlled substances or similar products for minors. Specifically, the bill imposes enhanced criminal penalties for a federal drug offense that involves manufacturing, creating, distributing, dispensing, or possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance listed in schedule I or II that is combined with a candy or drink, marketed to appear similar to a candy or drink, or modified by flavoring or coloring to appear similar to a candy or drink. To be subject to an enhanced penalty, the individual must have knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance will be distributed, dispensed, or sold to an individual who is under 18 years of age.
Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act This bill revises various statutes with respect to violent crimes and establishes new criminal offenses. For example, the bill (1) increases the statutory maximum penalty for carjacking, and (2) establishes enhanced criminal penalties for certain federal drug offenses involving the manufacture or distribution of candy-flavored controlled substances or similar products for minors.
Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act This bill makes the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death a first degree murder. An individual who is guilty of first degree murder by distributing fentanyl is subject to death or life in prison.
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.
Protect Children's Innocence Act This bill places restrictions on the provision of gender affirming care. Gender affirming care includes performing surgery, administering medication, or performing other procedures for the purpose of changing the body of an individual to correspond to a sex that differs from the individual's biological sex. Specifically, the bill makes it a felony to perform any gender affirming care on a minor and it permits a minor on whom such care is performed to bring a civil action against each individual who provided the care. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for gender affirming care or for health insurance that covers such care. Such care may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for gender affirming care. Further, plans that include coverage for such care are not eligible for federal subsidies. Finally, the bill prohibits institutions of higher education from offering instruction in gender affirming care. It also makes any non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who performs gender affirming care on a minor deportable and inadmissible to the United States. The restrictions under this bill do not apply to the provision of care under certain circumstances such as when an individual does not have normal sex chromosome structure, sex steroid hormone production, or sex steroid hormone action.
Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop scenario-based training curricula (or identify existing curricula) that includes topics such as alternatives to the use of force, de-escalation tactics, and safely responding to an individual experiencing a mental, behavioral health, or suicidal crisis. The bill also directs DOJ to make grants to states for costs associated with providing the training to law enforcement officers or mental health professionals.
Protecting Families from Fertility Fraud Act of 2022 This bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for knowingly misrepresenting the nature or source of DNA used in assisted reproductive technology or assisted insemination. The term assisted reproductive technology includes any treatment or procedure that involves the handling of human oocytes or embryos, such as in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian transfer, and zygote intrafallopian transfer. The term assisted insemination includes any procedure that involves the handling of sperm including intrauterine insemination. A violation is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. Additionally, the bill makes the violation a predicate offense (i.e., an underlying offense) for prosecutions under the federal racketeering statute.
