[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 92 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2754-S2755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Hagerty):
S. 4315. A bill to address the foreign production of precursor
chemicals that are used for the illicit production of narcotics and
psychotropic drugs and other controlled substances, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill
for introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill addresses the
foreign production of precursor chemicals that are used for the illicit
production of narcotics and psychotropic drugs and other controlled
substances.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 4315
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting America from
Narcotics and Illicit Chemicals Act of 2022'' or the ``PANIC
Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. MODIFIED DEFINITION OF MAJOR ILLICIT DRUG PRODUCING
COUNTRY.
Section 481(e)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2291(e)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``; or'' and inserting
a semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``or'' after the
semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(E) that is a direct source of covered synthetic drugs or
psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, including
precursor chemicals, when those precursor chemicals are used
in the production of such drugs and substances, significantly
affecting the United States;''.
______
By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Moran, Mr. Tillis,
and Mr. Lankford):
S. 4324. A bill to clarify that convictions for kidnapping or sexual
abuse are grounds for inadmissibility and deportability under the
Immigration and Nationality Act; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 4324
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Reverse Entry for Migrant
Offenders and Violence Expulsion Act''.
SEC. 2. GROUNDS FOR INADMISSIBILITY.
Section 212(a)(2)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)(F)) is amended to read as follows:
``(F) Kidnapping; sexual abuse.--Any alien who has been
convicted of--
``(i) any offense under chapter 55 of title 18, United
States Code (related to kidnapping); or
``(ii) any offense under chapter 109A of such title
(related to sexual abuse),
is inadmissible.''.
SEC. 3. GROUNDS FOR DEPORTATION.
Section 237(a)(2)(D)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(D)(i)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``chapter 55 (relating to kidnapping),''
after ``espionage),''; and
(2) by inserting ``chapter 109A (relating to sexual
abuse),'' after ``sabotage),''.
______
By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Lujan, Mr.
Heinrich, and Mrs. Murray):
S. 4327. A bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide hazard
mitigation assistance for mitigating and preventing post-wildfire
flooding and debris flow, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
______
By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Lujan, Mr.
Heinrich, and Mrs. Murray):
S. 4328. A bill to modify the fire management assistance cost share,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fire Suppression
Improvement Act and the Post Fire Flooding and Debris Flow Act.
Currently, the Fire Management Assistance Grant, FMAG, Program is
available to State, local, and Tribal governments for the mitigation,
management, and control of fires that threaten such destruction that
they would constitute a major disaster.
However, under current law, FMAGs can only be used to reimburse
expenses incurred after it is granted.
The Fire Suppression Improvement Act would explicitly allow for State
or local governments to use FMAGs for the predeployment of assets and
resources. These predeployed assets are critical to suppression of
fires and are sometimes the only way to contain a fire before it gets
out of hand and needs a major disaster declaration. This bill would
simply allow for FMAGs to help State and local governments cover the
cost of fighting incidents from the beginning of the high-risk event.
Additionally, this bill would make FMAGs consistent with other FEMA
disaster assistance by stating that the Federal cost share of FMAGs
shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such
assistance. This bill does not mandate any cost share increase but
simply allows for flexibility. FMAGS are granted on an incident-by-
incident basis, and as we have seen across the West, fires often occur
in the same area consecutively in the same year.
Wildfires leave behind severe vegetation loss and soil exposure in
the form of burn scars, which can cause destructive and large-scale
flooding and debris flow when exposed to rainfall. Sudden and deadly
postfire events of this type are well documented throughout the Western
United States, particularly in Southern California. These events are
one of the most dangerous postfire hazards and pose a serious threat to
life and property and have the possibility to block drainage ways and
damage public infrastructure.
The Post Fire Flooding and Debris Flow Act would explicitly include
mitigating and preventing postwildfire flooding and debris flow as
eligible under FEMA's HMGP. This inclusion would allow for State and
local governments to act quickly when storms are incoming to protect
property, public infrastructure, and lives.
This bill would also make HMGP consistent with other FEMA disaster
assistance by stating that the Federal cost share of HMGP shall be not
less than 75 percent of the eligible cost of such assistance. This bill
does not mandate any increase but simply allows for flexibility and
increased federal assistance where necessary.
As States and local governments continue to step up, respond, and
work to recover from more frequent and more
[[Page S2755]]
dangerous fires, it is imperative that the Federal Government has the
flexibility to adequately support them.
These two bills represent commonsense steps forward to meet the
current crisis facing the Western United States and to better support
initial suppression efforts and postfire risk reduction.
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