Lone Star Reimbursement Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to provide approximately $1.43 billion to the state of Texas as reimbursement for the costs of Operation Lone Star incurred in FY2021 and FY2022. (Operation Lone Star is a border security operation initiated and carried out by the state of Texas.)
Asylum Claims Improvement Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from taking into account the mental health of a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) when determining whether that individual qualifies as a refugee. (Generally, a refugee is an individual who is unable to return to their country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of certain characteristics, such as race or religion.) The bill also prohibits DHS from taking into account a non-U.S. national's mental health when determining whether that individual is protected by a provision that generally prohibits removing an individual to a country where that individual's life or freedom would be threatened.
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.
Border Safety and Security Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to suspend the entry of any non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) without valid entry documents during any period when DHS cannot detain such an individual or return the individual to a foreign country contiguous to the United States. A state may sue DHS to enforce this requirement. (Under current law, non-U.S. nationals who arrive at the border without entry documents are generally subject to expedited removal. However, if such an individual is found to have a credible fear of persecution, they are typically subject to detention while their asylum claim is being considered.) The bill also authorizes DHS to suspend the entry of non-U.S. nationals without entry documents at the border if DHS determines that such a suspension is necessary to achieve operational control over such a border.
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.
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.
Protecting Innocence in Education Act This bill prohibits federally mandated sex education in elementary schools. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from (1) requiring states, local educational agencies, or elementary schools to implement federal policies relating to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) punishing these entities (e.g., withholding federal funds or levying fines) for failing to implement or carry out these federal policies. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education from (1) developing recommendations for these entities with respect to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) assessing ED's ability to levy intermediate fines for noncompliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities.
Solitary Confinement Reform Act of 2022 This bill limits the use of restrictive housing (such as solitary confinement) in certain prison facilities. These facilities are those under the jurisdiction of (1) the Bureau of Prisons, (2) the Department of Defense, or (3) a state or local government in which persons are held in custody pursuant to a contract or agreement with the federal government and the facility receives federal funds for law enforcement purposes. For example, the bill specifies that inmates shall be housed in the least restrictive setting necessary for safety purposes. It also requires that inmates remain in restrictive housing for no longer than necessary to address each specific reason for such placement.
Justice for Americans Act of 2022 This bill generally prohibits sentencing an individual to a term of imprisonment for violating a rule made by a federal agency, department, or nonlegislative entity. It also (1) requires federal law enforcement officers to record each interview, and (2) repeals authorizations for issuing national security letters.
Maddy summaryHR 7415 would repeal the 1990 Gun-Free School Zones Act, which prohibited firearms within 1,000 feet of school grounds. It removes specific references to school zones from federal gun law provisions in Title 18 of the U.S. Code. This change would eliminate the federal prohibition on firearms in designated school zones, altering the scope of existing gun law enforcement. The bill does not create new safety measures but modifies how federal gun laws apply to school areas.
