Rep. Liz Cheney

Second Amendment is Essential Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to designate the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing firearms, or importing or manufacturing ammunition, as a critical infrastructure sector. Additionally, the bill states that individuals who are employed by those entities are critical infrastructure workers. The term critical infrastructure means systems and assets, physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health and safety, or any combination of those matters.

H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 This bill modifies the H-2B (temporary nonagricultural workers) nonimmigrant visa program, including by exempting certain workers from an annual numerical limit on such visas and requiring civil penalties for program violations. Under this bill, if a worker seeking a H-2B visa has been counted toward the 66,000 annual cap on such visas in one of the three preceding fiscal years, that worker shall not be counted against the cap again. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must impose a civil monetary penalty on an employer for (1) failing to meet requirements related to an H-2B visa petition, or (2) making a willful misrepresentation of material fact in such a petition. DHS must also ensure the establishment of an electronic platform (1) for employers to submit and request approval of an H-2B petition, and (2) to act as a single point of access for applicants and the relevant government agencies. The Department of Labor must maintain a publicly available online database of all job orders by H-2B employers. Furthermore, Labor may take certain actions to enforce program requirements, such as imposing penalties and seeking injunctions. The bill provides statutory authority for the current practice of limiting the program to workers who are nationals of countries approved by DHS. DHS may make exceptions to this limitation in individual cases if it is in the U.S. interest to do so. DHS shall select approved countries based on various factors, such as the rate of overstay by H-2B visa holders from each country.

Undoing NEPA’s Substantial Harm by Advancing Concepts that Kickstart the Liberation of the Economy Act or the UNSHACKLE Act This bill revises the environmental review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), including by establishing deadlines for federal agencies to complete reviews of the environmental effects of proposed major federal actions; establishing penalties for agencies that do not comply with these deadlines; limiting the number of assessment documents required for proposed major federal actions, requiring agencies to reuse certain research or documents, and allowing agencies to adopt environmental documents prepared by states or third parties; requiring agencies to only consider alternatives to proposed actions that are technically and economically feasible; prohibiting agencies from considering whether proposed actions or alternatives to those actions will have an effect on climate change; and establishing requirements concerning the judicial review of NEPA cases.

NEPA Legal Reform Act This bill establishes requirements concerning the judicial review of cases about the environmental review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill establishes standing requirements for NEPA claims, including a requirement that a plaintiff must personally suffer, or will likely personally suffer, a direct, tangible harm. In addition, the bill sets a statute of limitations for all claims related to NEPA. The bill also provides statutory authority for certain evidentiary standards concerning motions for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and permanent injunctions. In addition, the bill limits fees that may be awarded to environmental attorneys.

Firearm Due Process Protection Act This bill expands the grounds for pursuing judicial remedies related to certain firearm transfers. Additionally, the bill establishes procedural rules applicable to actions for judicial remedies. Current law authorizes judicial remedies for an individual who is erroneously denied a firearm (e.g., an individual is denied a firearm but the individual is eligible to receive or possess a firearm). This bill authorizes remedies for an individual who experiences an extended delay (i.e., a delay of more than 60 days) on a firearm transfer. Additionally, the bill requires an expedited hearing on an action for judicial remedies and places the burden of proof on the respondent to show by clear and convincing evidence that the individual was ineligible to receive or possess a firearm.

Major Richard Star Act This bill provides that combat-disabled uniformed services retirees with fewer than 20 years of creditable service may concurrently receive, without reduction, veterans' disability compensation and retired pay or combat-related special compensation.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 Crown Road Southwest in Atlanta, Georgia, as the John R. Lewis Post Office Building.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Mishawaka, Indiana, as the "Jackie Walorski VA Clinic" to honor former U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski, who served on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and advocated for veterans. The law requires all federal references - including laws, documents, and maps - to use the new name for the clinic, effective upon enactment. It does not change the clinic’s services, funding, or operations, as it is a purely commemorative naming resolution.

Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.

Presidential Election Reform Act This bill revises the process of casting and counting electoral votes for presidential elections. The bill specifies that the choice of electors must occur in accordance with the laws of the state enacted prior to election day. Next, the bill specifies that the voting time for a state's presidential election may only be extended due to a catastrophic event. Catastrophic event means a major natural disaster, act of terrorism, or widespread power outage if it (1) prevents a substantial portion of a state's electorate from casting a ballot on election day, or (2) causes a substantial number of ballots already cast in a state to be destroyed or rendered unreadable. Additionally, the bill requires each state's governor to certify the appointment of electors for the state. Further, the bill provides for expedited judicial review for an action brought by an aggrieved presidential or vice-presidential candidate with respect to the issuance or transmission of a certificate of appointment. The bill revises the framework for the joint session of Congress to count electoral votes and make a formal declaration of which candidates have been elected President and Vice President. Among other changes, the bill (1) specifies that the role of the presiding officer (the Vice President or, in the absence of the Vice President, the President pro tempore) during the joint session shall be ministerial in nature, and (2) raises the objection threshold in Congress to at least one-third of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.