[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.

                          ____________________