Break the Chain Act This bill makes various changes related to family-sponsored immigration, such as narrowing the definition of what constitutes an immediate relative and lowering the annual numerical cap on certain classes of family-sponsored 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 reduces the baseline annual cap for family-sponsored visas from 480,000 to 87,934, 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. A spouse or child of a sponsoring alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence shall be subject to the family-sponsored visa cap. The bill revises the rules for determining whether an alien is a child for the purposes of family-sponsored immigration, and establishes that an alien who is married or turns 25 years old prior to a visa becoming available for issuance shall not qualify as a child. The bill creates a nonimmigrant classification for alien parents of adult U.S. citizens, which authorizes such alien parents for admission into the United States for an initial five-year period. Such alien parents shall not be authorized for employment or to receive any public benefits.
Rep. W. Gregory Steube
Sponsored bills
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.
States Have A Say Act This bill prohibits the Office of Refugee Resettlement from resettling a refugee in a state if that state's governor does not consent to the resettlement.
Preventing Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes Act This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of anti-Semitic hate crimes and reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes. Further, the bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies on expanding public education campaigns to raise awareness of anti-Semitic hate crimes. Finally, the bill increases the statutory maximum prison term for an individual who is convicted of a federal hate crime offense after a prior conviction for a hate crime offense under federal law or a hate crime felony under state law.
Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2021 This bill establishes new federal crimes related to conduct involving certain types of human-animal chimeras. The term human-animal chimera means an organism that, from an early stage of development, contains human and nonhuman parts. This bill makes is unlawful to create or attempt to create a prohibited human-animal chimera, transfer or attempt to transfer a human embryo into a nonhuman womb, transfer or attempt to transfer a nonhuman embryo into a human womb, or transport or receive for any purpose a prohibited human-animal chimera. A violator is subject to civil and criminal penalties.
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.
Prioritizing National Security in Export Controls Act of 2022 This bill transfers from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Defense (DOD) all authorities regarding implementation and enforcement of matters relating to export control. Specifically, DOD's Defense Technology and Security Administration must carry out these export control activities.
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2022 This bill bars the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water that is under the jurisdiction of such departments and made available for hunting or fishing. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the applicable department determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.
Border Patrol First Act This bill transfers $240 million previously made available to the Department of State for refugee and humanitarian assistance to the Department of Homeland Security. The transferred funds shall be available (1) for U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities, and (2) to reimburse the states of Texas and Arizona for activities related to border security.
Mahsa Amini Human rights and Security Accountability Act or the MAHSA Act This bill requires the President to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain persons (individuals and entities) affiliated with Iran. The President must make determinations about whether certain existing sanctions apply to specified persons and impose the applicable sanctions, including determinations concerning (1) the Supreme Leader of Iran and any official in the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran, (2) the President of Iran and any official in the Office of the President of Iran, and (3) any entity overseen by the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran which is complicit in supporting human rights abuses or terrorism.