Issue Spotlight: Immigration

Here are some bills introduced in Congress related to immigration reform. Weigh in and POPVOX will deliver your message to your Members of Congress. (Bills listed chronologically, in order of introduction date.)

• Framework Senate Bipartisan Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform: A bipartisan group of Senators have proposed a comprehensive set of immigration reform principles, which include giving immigrants a path to citizenship, strengthening border security, and reforming our legal immigration system to reunite families and strengthen our economy while protecting American workers.
• HR 519 The Uniting American Families Act: would allow gay and lesbian Americans to sponsor their permanent partners for legal residency in the US. (According to the bill’s sponsor.)
• HR 478 The E-Verify Modernization Act: To make the E-Verify Program permanent and mandatory, and to provide for certain changes to procedures for participants in the Program.
• HR 477 The Nuclear Family Priority Act: To make changes related to family-sponsored immigrants and to reduce the number of such immigrants.
• HR 463 The U Visa Reform Act: Reducing chain migration by limiting visas granted under the program to only spouses and children of victims; Requiring that recipients of U visas be a victim of an actual crime; Limiting the duration of the U visa from 4-years to the lesser of 3-years or the period of limitations prescribed under applicable law for the qualifying crime; and Making the U visa a true temporary visa by eliminating the ability of illegal immigrants to adjust status to that of a legal permanent resident under the program. (According to the bill’s sponsor.)
• HR 459 The STEM Visa Act: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote innovation, investment, and research in the US and to eliminate the diversity immigrant program.
• HR 458 The Fallen Heroes Families Act: To provide for nonimmigrant status for an alien who is the parent or legal guardian of a US citizen child if the child was born abroad and is the child of a deceased member of the US Armed Forces.
• HR 457 The Criminal Alien Accountability Act: To impose mandatory sentencing ranges with respect to aliens who reenter the US after having been removed.
• S 202 The Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act: To expand the use of E-Verify and hold employers accountable.
• S 189 The StartUp Visa Act: To establish an employment-based immigrant visa for alien entrepreneurs who have received significant capital from investors to establish a business in the US.
• S 169 The I-Squared Act: To authorize additional visas for well-educated aliens to live and work in the US.
• SJRes 4 A joint resolution proposing a Constitutional amendment relating to US citizenship stating that a person born in the US shall not be a US citizen unless: (1) at the time of the person’s birth, one parent of the person is a US citizen, an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the US who resides in the US, or an alien performing active service in the US Armed Forces; or (2) the person is naturalized in accordance with the laws of the US.
• S 1 The Immigration Reform that Works for America’s Future Act: to reform America’s broken immigration system.
• HR 406 To provide discretionary authority to an immigration judge to determine that an alien parent of a US citizen child should not be ordered removed, deported, or excluded from the US.
• HR 242 The Legal Agricultural Workforce Act: To provide for a temporary agricultural worker program.
• HR 140 The Birthright Citizenship Act: To clarify those classes of individuals born in the US who are nationals and citizens of the US at birth.

1. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

2. Banning the “Five-seveN” handgun and ammunition with the ability to pierce body armor. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

3. The Respecting States’ Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act: To allow reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

4. Honoring the life of Trayvon Martin, urging the repeal of Stand Your Ground laws, and calling on the United States Government to address the crisis of racial profiling. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

5. The Gun Trafficking Prevention Act: To prevent gun trafficking.

6. The Assault Weapons Ban: A bill to regulate assault weapons, to ensure that the right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited.

7. Federal Employee Pay Freeze:  To eliminate the 2013 statutory pay adjustment for Federal employees. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

8. Common Sense Legislation to End Gun Violence: Washington needs to pass gun laws that will keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other prohibited purchasers and keep military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines off of our streets. (Sponsored campaign by Mayors Against Illegal Guns*)

9. The Ammunition Background Check Act: A bill to appropriately restrict sales of ammunition. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

10. The Second Amendment Protection Act: To express the sense of the Congress that the US should not adopt any treaty that poses a threat to national sovereignty or abridges any rights guaranteed by the Constitution, such as the right to keep and bear arms, and to withhold funding from the United Nations unless the President certifies that the United Nations has not taken action to restrict, attempt to restrict, or otherwise adversely infringe upon the rights of individuals in the US to keep and bear arms, or abridge any of the other constitutionally protected rights of US citizens. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

11. The Safe Skies Act: To require the Secretary of Transportation to modify the final rule relating to flightcrew member duty and rest requirements for passenger operations of air carriers to apply to all-cargo operations of air carriers. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

12. The High Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act: A bill to prohibit the transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

13. The Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act: A bill to require face to face purchases of ammunition, to require licensing of ammunition dealers, and to require reporting regarding bulk purchases of ammunition. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

14. The Assault Weapons Ban: To regulate assault weapons, to ensure that the right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

15. Senate Bipartisan Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

16. The Restore the Constitution Act: To provide that any executive action infringing on the Second Amendment has no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.

17. The Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act: To prohibit the transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices.

18. The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act: To improve hydropower. — Debuting on the “Top Bills” list! —

19. The Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act: A bill to provide that any executive action infringing on the Second Amendment has no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.

20. The Handgun Licensing and Registration Act: To provide for the mandatory licensing and registration of handguns.

More than 40 bills have been introduced in the 113th Congress. (Note: Since some of these bills have just been introduced, bill text isn’t available yet. It generally takes a few days for the Government Printing Office to make the bill text available.)

• S 150 The Assault Weapons Ban: A bill to regulate assault weapons, to ensure that the right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited.
• HR 226 The SAFER Streets Act: To amend the tax code to allow a credit against tax for surrendering to authorities certain assault weapons. 
• HR 538 Banning the Five-seveN Pistol: To protect the Nation’s law enforcement officers by banning the Five-seveN Pistol and 5.7 x 28mm SS190, SS192, SS195LF, SS196, and SS197 cartridges, testing handguns and ammunition for capability to penetrate body armor, and prohibiting the manufacture, importation, sale, or purchase of such handguns or ammunition by civilians. 
• S 33 The High Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act: A bill to prohibit the transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices.
• HR 138 The High Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act: To prohibit the transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices.

• HR 720 : To increase public safety by permitting the Attorney General to deny the transfer of a firearm or the issuance of firearms or explosives licenses to a known or suspected dangerous terrorist. —Just introduced!—
• S 174 The Ammunition Background Check Act: A bill to appropriately restrict sales of ammunition. —Just introduced!—
• S 35 The Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act: A bill to require face to face purchases of ammunition, to require licensing of ammunition dealers, and to require reporting regarding bulk purchases of ammunition.
• HR 142 The Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act: To require face to face purchases of ammunition, to require licensing of ammunition dealers, and to require reporting regarding bulk purchases of ammunition.
• HR 238 The Fire Sale Loophole Closing Act: To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to restrict the ability of a person whose Federal license to import, manufacture, or deal in firearms has been revoked, whose application to renew such a license has been denied, or who has received a license revocation or renewal denial notice, to transfer business inventory firearms. 
• HR 34 The Blair Holt Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act: To provide for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms.
• HR 93 The Fire Sale Loophole Closing Act: To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to restrict the ability of a person whose Federal license to import, manufacture, or deal in firearms has been revoked, whose application to renew such a license has been denied, or who has received a license revocation or renewal denial notice, to transfer business inventory firearms.
• HR 404 The Straw Purchaser Penalty Enhancement Act: To enhance criminal penalties for straw purchasers of firearms.
• HR 236 The Crackdown on Deadbeat Gun Dealers Act: To ensure greater accountability by licensed firearms dealers. 
• S 34 The Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act: A bill to increase public safety by permitting the Attorney General to deny the transfer of firearms or the issuance of firearms and explosives licenses to known or suspected dangerous terrorists.

• S 22 The Gun Show Background Check: A bill to establish background check procedures for gun shows.
• HR 141 Closing the ‘gun show loophole.’ To require criminal background checks on all firearms transactions occurring at gun shows.
• HR 137 The Fix Gun Checks Act: To ensure that all individuals who should be prohibited from buying a firearm are listed in the national instant criminal background check system and require a background check for every firearm sale.
• HR 21 The NRA Members’ Gun Safety Act: To provide for greater safety in the use of firearms.

• HR 793 : to impose an excise tax on concealable firearms and to require the Attorney General to establish a firearms buyback grant program. — Just Introduced!—
• HR 578 The Respecting States’ Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act: To allow reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms. —Just introduced!—
• S 147 The Common Sense Concealed Firearms Permit Act: A bill to establish minimum standards for States that allow the carrying of concealed firearms.

• HR 722 : To combat illegal gun trafficking. —Just introduced!—
• HR 427 The Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act: To prevent the illegal sale of firearms.
• HR 452 The Gun Trafficking Prevention Act: To prevent gun trafficking. 
• S 179 The Gun Trafficking Prevention Act: A bill to prevent gun trafficking. 
• S 54 The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act: A bill to increase public safety by punishing and deterring firearms trafficking.

• S 261 : To establish and clarify that Congress does not authorize persons convicted of dangerous crimes in foreign courts to freely possess firearms in the United States. —Just introduced!—
• HR 575 The Second Amendment Protection Act: To express the sense of the Congress that the United States should not adopt any treaty that poses a threat to national sovereignty or abridges any rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, such as the right to keep and bear arms, and to withhold funding from the United Nations unless the President certifies that the United Nations has not taken action to restrict, attempt to restrict, or otherwise adversely infringe upon the rights of individuals in the United States to keep and bear arms, or abridge any of the other constitutionally protected rights of citizens of the United States.
• S 82 The Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act: A bill to provide that any executive action infringing on the Second Amendment has no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.
• HR 410 The Restore the Constitution Act: To provide that any executive action infringing on the Second Amendment has no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.

• HR 619 : To amend title 18, United States Code, to place limitations on the possession, sale, and other disposition of a firearm by persons convicted of misdemeanor sex offenses against children. —Just introduced!—
• S 2 Sandy Hook Elementary School Violence Reduction Act: A bill to reduce violence and protect the citizens of the United States.
• HR 133 The Citizens Protection Act: To repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 and amendments to that Act.
• HR 65 Raising the age of legal handgun ownership to 21. To prevent children’s access to firearms.
• HR 35 Eliminating ‘gun free zones’ in schools. To restore safety to America’s schools.

• HR 577 The Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act: To clarify the conditions under which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated mentally incompetent for certain purposes. 
• HR 449 The Veterans’ Heritage Firearms Act: To provide an amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register certain firearms in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. 
• HRes 40 House Resolution expressing that active duty military personnel who are stationed or residing in the District of Columbia should be permitted to exercise fully their rights under the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

• HR 227 The Buyback our Safety Act: To establish a gun buyback grant program. 

• HR 117 The Handgun Licensing and Registration Act: To provide for the mandatory licensing and registration of handguns.

• HR 661 : To repeal certain impediments to the administration of the firearms laws. —Just introduced!—
• HR 431 The Gun Transparency and Accountability (Gun TRAC) Act: To restore certain authorities of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to administer the firearms laws. 

• HR 332 The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act: To provide victims of gun violence access to the same civil remedies as are available to those injured through other means.
• HR 321 The Firearm Safety and Public Health Research Act: To amend the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112-175) to permit research on firearms safety and gun violence. 

Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn’t imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we’re simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.

In a letter to House Republicans on May 25, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor laid out the House legislative agenda for the summer and fall. Among the bills up for a vote in the coming months is the Postal Reform Act (H.R. 2309), sponsored by Representative Darrell Issa [R, CA-49].

According to Majority Leader Cantor:

“Our constituents have been—or will soon be—impacted by the closure and hours of operation changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) facilities across the country. This is the result of yet another government backed entity that cannot meet its financial obligations and is in need of vast reforms to its business plan and operations.”

Note: highlighting a bill doesn’t imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way.