Rep. Elise M. Stefanik

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 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.

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.

Shall Not Be Infringed Act This bill repeals the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law on June 25, 2022. The act makes various changes to federal firearms laws, including to expand background check requirements, broaden the scope of existing restrictions, and establish new criminal offenses. The act also reauthorizes, funds, and supports various programs, grants, and activities to promote access to behavioral and mental health services, enhance school safety and security initiatives, and address gun violence in communities.

Make American Flags in America Act of 2022 This bill addresses the display and procurement of U.S. flags. Specifically, the bill prohibits the display on federal property and the procurement by a federal agency of a U.S. flag unless it has been made in the United States. Further, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must conduct a study that (1) assesses and describes the enforcement scheme for country-of-origin labeling for U.S. flags; (2) determines how many fines or penalties, if any, have been imposed for violations of such scheme; and (3) identifies the percentage of violations that are subsequent violations committed by an entity that has previously been found to have violated such scheme. Additionally, the FTC must report to Congress the results of the study and any recommendations to improve the enforcement scheme and its deterrent effect.

Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act This bill requires certain state and local prosecutors to report data on criminal referrals and outcomes of cases involving murder or non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson, or any offense involving the illegal use or possession of a firearm. The reporting requirement applies to state and local prosecutors in a jurisdiction with 380,000 or more persons that receives funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. The report must contain data on cases referred for prosecution, cases declined for prosecution, cases resulting in a plea agreement with the defendant, cases initiated against defendants with previous arrests or convictions, and defendants charged who were released or eligible for bail.

Secure Every School and Protect Our Nation’s Children Act or the STOP II Act This bill reauthorizes and supports various grants to enhance school safety and security initiatives. It also provides statutory authority for the federal clearinghouse of school safety resources. (The clearinghouse identifies and publishes best practices and recommendations for school safety for use by state and local educational and law enforcement agencies, institutions of higher education, health professionals, and the public.)

Leaker Accountability Act of 2022 This bill establishes a new federal crime for the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by officers or employees of the Supreme Court. Specifically, the bill prohibits an officer or employee of the Supreme Court from knowingly publishing, divulging, disclosing, or making known in any manner or to any extent not authorized by law any confidential information coming to that officer or employee in the course of the employment or official duties of that officer or employee. A violation is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.

Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act of 2022 This bill modifies federal bankruptcy law to allow an individual debtor to exempt from their bankruptcy estate one or more firearms up to a total maximum value of $3,000. The bill also specifies that such firearms are household goods that are not subject to liens in bankruptcy.

Early Migration Alert Program Act or the EMAP Act This bill establishes within the Department of Homeland Security a program to (1) lead the dissemination of information pertaining to the release of non-U.S. nationals ( alien under federal law) from custody, and (2) formalize partnerships with regional stakeholders relating to such information. The bill also requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide certain information to the relevant state and local governments at least 24 hours before releasing a non-U.S. national from custody.