Guaranteeing Ukrainian Autonomy by Reinforcing its Defense (GUARD) Act of 2022 This bill provides support for Ukraine and imposes sanctions related to Nord Stream 2, the pipeline constructed to increase exports of natural gas from Russia. The Department of State must periodically report to Congress a determination as to whether Russia's government meets the criteria to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism. The bill authorizes the State Department to provide Foreign Military Financing assistance to Ukraine in FY2022. The bill also authorizes providing Ukraine with lethal assistance, such as anti-armor weapon systems and anti-aircraft weapons systems. From FY2022-FY2026, Ukraine shall have priority access to excess defense articles. During the same time period, the bill also authorizes providing Ukraine with assistance, including (1) International Military Education and Training assistance; (2) assistance to strengthen cybersecurity and intellectual property enforcement; (3) support and training for banking reform, subsidy reform, corporate governance, and the privatization of state-owned enterprises; and (4) assistance to combat corruption and improve the rule of law. Within 15 days of this bill's enactment, the President must impose sanctions on any entity responsible for planning, constructing, or operating Nord Stream 2, as well as any corporate officer of such an entity. The bill also subjects the President's authority to waive certain sanctions to congressional review. The U.S. Agency for Global Media may expand broadcasting in countries of the former Soviet Union to combat Russian disinformation. The bill requires reports to Congress on various topics, including a strategy on using U.S. diplomacy to support Ukraine.
Falun Gong Protection Act This bill requires the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign persons that are knowingly responsible for, are complicit in, or have engaged in the involuntary harvesting of organs in China. The sanctions shall not apply to certain activities, such as authorized U.S. intelligence or law enforcement activities. The President must (1) maintain an updated list of foreign persons subject to the sanctions, and (2) impose the sanctions according to the most recent version of the list.
Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2021 This bill establishes programs, grants, and other activities to address substance use disorders. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish a program for purchasing and distributing opioid overdose reversal drugs for states and Indian tribes. HHS must also award grants for and otherwise support addressing substance use, particularly in states, tribes, territories, and localities with disproportionately high drug overdose rates; increasing access to preventive, medical, recovery, and related services; developing innovative models of delivering treatment and harm reduction services; and expanding the treatment capacity of Medicaid providers. In addition, HHS must issue model standards of care for treatment services and recovery residences and may award grants for training health care professionals. The bill also supports prevention and treatment services for workers, addiction and pain management research, and data collection on substance use disorders. Further, dispensers, distributors, and manufacturers of schedule II controlled substances (e.g., oxycodone), with the exception of opioid treatment programs, must certify that they maintain effective drug diversion controls. Violators are subject to specified civil and criminal penalties. Collected penalties shall be used for the grant programs and other substance use disorder activities established under the bill.
Upholding the Law at Our Border Act This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to periodically investigate and report on certain issues until there have been fewer than 35,000 apprehensions at the southwest border for three consecutive months. When required, the reports must address certain issues, including (1) the vetting procedures applicable to aliens seeking entry into the United States who were apprehended along the southwest border, (2) the total number of individuals not lawfully present who have been processed and released into the United States, (3) the number of such individuals who have received parole, and (4) an audit of the parole applications. The office must submit such reports (and provide briefings on the reports) to the President, Congress, DHS, and the Department of Justice.
Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency Act or the FIX Clemency Act This bill establishes the independent U.S. Clemency Board, which shall review applications and recommend individuals for clemency directly to the President. It also abolishes the Office of the Pardon Attorney of the Department of Justice and transfers its functions, assets, and personnel to the board.
Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This bill places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, the bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for schedule I research that is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Veterans Affairs or that is conducted under an investigative new drug exemption from the Food and Drug Administration. The bill also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.
Removing Waste and Protecting Medicare Act This bill makes several budgetary changes, including (1) prohibiting sequestration orders in 2022, (2) rescinding certain COVID-19 state and local relief funds, and (3) extending certain adjustments under Medicare with respect to sequestration and payments under the physician fee schedule. It also modifies requirements relating to federal programs and benefits, such as permanently requiring taxpayers to include Social Security numbers on their tax returns in order to qualify for the child tax credit.
Public Safety Enhancement Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program. Additionally, the bill requires a certain amount of funds made available under the COPS grant program to be used for the hiring and retention of law enforcement officers.
Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal HIV Discrimination Act of 2022 or the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act of 2022 This bill addresses federal and state laws, policies, and regulations that may burden people living with HIV/AIDS. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the White House Office of National AIDS Policy to initiate a national review of federal (including military) and state laws, policies, regulations, and judicial precedents and decisions regarding criminal and related civil commitment cases involving people living with HIV/AIDS. DOJ must transmit to Congress and make publicly available the results of such review with related recommendations. The White House Office of National AIDS Policy must also develop and publicly release guidance to assist states with handling relevant cases. The office, DOJ, HHS, and DOD must transmit to the President and Congress any proposals necessary to implement adjustments to federal laws, policies, or regulations. This bill shall not be construed to discourage the prosecution of individuals who act with the intent to do harm to another individual by intentionally transmitting HIV.
Recognizing the Unborn Act of 2021 This bill replaces the term fetus with unborn child throughout federal law, including provisions relating to abortions and medical research. The bill also creates a default statutory definition for unborn child : a child in utero, or a member of the species Homo sapiens , at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb.
National Response to Exploitation and Sexual abuse of Children in Unaddressed Emergencies Act or the Child RESCUE Act This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a national working group—the United States Working Group on Children in Imminent Danger—to study policing strategies and resource needs to rescue children who are victims of child sexual abuse material or victims of sexual abuse involving child sexual abuse material. The working group must report to Congress on its findings and conclusions, as well as recommendations for legislation.
Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the payment of a settlement to an alien for a civil action brought against the United States in connection with the alien's inadmissibility to, or unlawful presence in, the United States.
