Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution; (2) LGBTQIA+ Pride Month should be celebrated; and (3) all Americans should be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2022 This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Justice's Office of Environmental Justice. It also establishes grants to improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal governments to enforce environmental laws involving environmental justice matters.

Gun Violence Prevention and Safe Communities Act of 2022 This bill increases by .5% the excise tax on firearms, including pistols, revolvers, and shells and cartridges. The bill establishes the Gun Violence Prevention Trust Fund into which the increased tax revenues are deposited to fund gun violence prevention programs. The Trust Fund creates separate accounts for violence prevention, gun violence research, hate crimes data collection and enforcement, and firearm forensics. The bill also requires an inflation adjustment to the amount of the special tax on importers, manufacturers, and dealers in firearms and the transfer tax on firearms.

Miranda Rights Restoration Act of 2022 This bill provides a private right of action for a violation of specified procedural rights related to custodial interrogation. It also provides individuals with a statutory right to sue and recover damages from federal officials for violations of their constitutional rights.

State Firearms Dealer Licensing Enhancement Act This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to states and tribal governments for the development, implementation, improvement, or evaluation of firearms dealer licensing programs.

Firearm Industry Crime and Trafficking Accountability Act This bill outlines certain requirements (and establishes related penalties for failure to comply with these requirements) for manufacturers or importers of firearms. For example, the bill generally requires each manufacturer or importer to create a monitoring database to retain essential facts about the criminal diversion or potential misuse of their firearms.

Firearm Industry Fairness Act This bill imposes a 20% surtax on the total revenue of each semi-automatic assault weapon manufacturer or importer. The bill defines semi-automatic assault weapon to include a semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 15 rounds, semiautomatic pistols and shotguns, and other identified assault weapons. The bill establishes the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Trust Fund to hold tax revenues generated by this bill to carry out the Bureau of Justice Assistance Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative to prevent and reduce violent crime in communities.

Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine or imprisonment.

Afghan Adjustment Act This bill expands eligibility for special immigrant visas to certain Afghan nationals (and accompanying spouse and children) and addresses related issues. The Department of Homeland Security may provide such visas to Afghan nationals who provided qualifying service as a member of the Afghan Air Force or other specified entities and meet eligibility requirements, such as passing a background check. Currently, special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals are generally only available to those who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan. Such visas shall also be available to an Afghan national who is a qualifying relative of a veteran or member of the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill also modifies procedures for providing lawful permanent resident status to certain classes of Afghan nationals, such as by (1) providing a streamlined process with specified vetting requirements for certain individuals, including those who provided support to the U.S. government in Afghanistan; and (2) preserving the eligibility of certain battered spouses whose eligibility for such status stemmed from a marriage that has terminated. Furthermore, the Department of State (1) must respond to inquiries from Members of Congress about specific applications from Afghan nationals seeking special immigrant or refugee status; and (2) establish an office in Afghanistan to perform certain tasks, such as issuing visas, if no U.S. embassies are operational in Afghanistan. The President must establish a task force to develop and implement a strategy to assist Afghan nationals who qualify for admission to the United States.

Responsible Gun Ownership Licensing Act This bill establishes a federal firearm licensing program through which an individual must obtain a federal firearm license from the Department of Justice prior to purchasing or receiving a firearm. To be eligible for such a license, the individual must have completed training in firearms safety and be subject to a background investigation and criminal history check.