cheaptrix/billsum-US_congress_and_house huggingface dataset:
National Park Access Act

To require the Director of the National Park Service to refund to States all State funds that were used to reopen and temporarily operate a unit of the National Park System during the October 2013 shutdown. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the National Park Access Act 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) during the period in October 2013 in which there was a lapse in appropriations (referred to in this section as the Government shutdown (2) pursuant to the agreements described in paragraph (1), the States listed in paragraph (1) advanced approximately $2,000,000 to the National Park Service to pay for park operations during the Government shutdown; (3) the units of the National Park System that were temporarily reopened using State funds also collected gate entry fees; (4) the Government shutdown ended when Congress passed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 ( Public Law 113–46 (5) by virtue of the retroactive appropriation made by Congress, the National Park Service retained an unintended shutdown windfall from the States listed in paragraph (1) of approximately $2,000,000; and (6) the States listed in paragraph (1) that entered into agreements described in paragraph (1) with the National Park Service should be fully reimbursed for advancing funds to maintain public access to iconic national treasures in the National Park System during the Government shutdown. 3. Refund of funds used by States to operate national parks during shutdown (a) In general The Director of the National Park Service shall refund to each State all funds of the State that were used to reopen and temporarily operate a unit of the National Park System during the period in October 2013 in which there was a lapse in appropriations for the unit. (b) Funding Funds of the National Park Service that are appropriated after the date of enactment of this Act shall be used to carry out this section. September 9, 2015 Reported without amendment

Summary: National Park Access Act (Sec. 3) Requires the Director of the National Park Service to refund to each state all of the funds that it used to reopen and temporarily operate a unit of the National Park System during the period in October 2013 in which there was a lapse in appropriations for that unit. Funds of the National Park Service appropriated after the enactment of this Act shall be used to carry out this Act.
Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Medical Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act

To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to modify the hours of employment of physicians and physician assistants employed on a full-time basis by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Medical Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act 2. Modification of hours of employment for physicians and physician assistants employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs Section 7423(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking (a) The hours (a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the hours (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) The Secretary may modify the hours of employment for a physician or physician assistant appointed in the Administration under any provision of this chapter on a full-time basis to be more than or less than 80 hours in a biweekly pay period if the total hours of employment for such employee in a calendar year does not exceed 2,080 hours. .

Summary: Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Medical Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to modify the hours of employment for a physician or physician assistant appointed in the VA on a full-time basis to more or less than 80 hours in a biweekly pay period provided the employee's total hours of employment in a calendar year do not exceed 2,080.
Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act of 2015

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to adjudicate and pay survivor's benefits without requiring the filing of a formal claim, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act of 2015 2. Expedited payment of survivor's benefits (a) In general Section 5101(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking A specific (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a specific (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (B) (i) The Secretary may pay benefits under chapters 13 and 15 and sections 2302, 2307, and 5121 of this title to a survivor of a veteran who has not filed a formal claim if the Secretary determines that the record contains sufficient evidence to establish the entitlement of the survivor to such benefits. (ii) For purposes of this subparagraph and section 5110 of this title, the date on which a survivor of a veteran notifies the Secretary of the death of the veteran shall be treated as the date of the receipt of the survivor's application for benefits described in clause (i). . (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to claims for benefits based on a death occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act of 2015 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay burial and funeral expenses, accrued benefits, dependency and indemnity compensation, and non-service connected disability or death pension amounts to a survivor of a veteran who has not filed a formal claim if the VA determines that the record contains sufficient evidence to establish the survivor's entitlement to such benefits.
Veterans Emergency Health Care Safety Net Expansion Act of 2015

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for reimbursement for emergency medical treatment and to require that the Department of Veterans Affairs be treated as a participating provider for the recovery of the costs of certain medical care, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Emergency Health Care Safety Net Expansion Act of 2015 2. Expansion of emergency medical treatment reimbursement for certain veterans Section 1725(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking an active Department health-care participant enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of this title (2) by striking paragraph (2); and (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2). 3. Treatment of Department of Veterans Affairs as participating provider for recovery of costs of certain medical care Section 1729(f) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking (f) No law (f) (1) In the case of a veteran who is entitled to care (or payment of the expenses of care) under a health-plan contract, for purposes of reimbursement for providing care or services under this chapter to that veteran for a non-service-connected disability described in subparagraph (D) or (E) of subsection (a)(2), the Department shall be treated as a participating provider under that health-plan contract. (2) No law .

Summary: Veterans Emergency Health Care Safety Net Expansion Act of 2015 Eliminates the requirement limiting reimbursement for emergency treatment in a non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility to veterans who are active participants in the VA's health care system. Requires the veteran to be an enrollee in the VA's patient enrollment system. Treats the VA as a participating provider for purposes of allowing the VA to recover the costs it incurs in providing care to a veteran for a non-service connected disability that is covered under the veteran's health plan contract.
Rural ACO Improvement Act of 2015

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the way beneficiaries are assigned under the Medicare shared savings program by also basing such assignment on primary care services furnished by Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinical nurse specialists. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural ACO Improvement Act of 2015 2. Improvements to the assignment of beneficiaries under the Medicare shared savings program Section 1899(c) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395jjj(c) (1) by striking utilization of primary (1) in the case of performance years beginning on or after April 1, 2012, primary ; (2) in paragraph (1), as added by paragraph (1) of this section, by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (2) in the case of performance years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, primary care services provided under this title by an ACO professional described in subsection (h)(1)(B); and (3) in the case of performance years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, primary care services provided under this title by a Federally qualified health center or rural health clinic (as those terms are defined in section 1861(aa)), as determined by the Secretary. .

Summary: Rural ACO Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish additional requirements for assigning Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries to accountable care organizations (ACOs) under the Medicare shared savings program. The program enables ACOs to receive payments for savings stemming from care coordination and management. Specifically, the bill requires the basis for assignment to reflect beneficiaries' utilization of not only primary care services provided by ACO physicians, but also those provided by other ACO practitioners, and those furnished in federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics. Other ACO practitioners include physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and registered dieticians or nutrition professionals.
Cider Investment and Development through Excise Tax Reduction (CIDER) Act

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the types of wines taxed as hard cider. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cider Investment and Development through Excise Tax Reduction (CIDER) Act 2. Modification of definition of hard cider (a) In general Section 5041 (g) Hard cider For purposes of subsection (b)(6), the term hard cider (1) containing not more than 0.64 gram of carbon dioxide per hundred milliliters of wine, except that the Secretary may by regulations prescribe such tolerances to this limitation as may be reasonably necessary in good commercial practice, (2) which is derived primarily from— (A) apples, apple juice concentrate, pears, or pear juice concentrate, and (B) water, (3) which contains no fruit product or fruit flavoring other than apple or pear, and (4) which contains at least one-half of 1 percent and less than 8.5 percent alcohol by volume. . (b) Conforming amendment Paragraph (6) of section 5041(b) of such Code is amended by striking which is a still wine alcohol by volume (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to articles removed during calendar years beginning after December 31, 2015.

Summary: Cider Investment and Development through Excise Tax Reduction (CIDER) Act Amends the Internal Revenue to revise the definition of "hard cider," for purposes of the excise tax on distilled spirits, wines, and beer, to mean a wine: (1) containing not more than .64 gram of carbon dioxide per hundred milliliters of wine (subject to necessary tolerances); (2) which is derived primarily from apples, apple juice concentrate, pears, or pear juice concentrate, and water; (3) which contains no fruit product or fruit flavoring other than apple or pear; and (4) which contains at least one-half of 1% and less than 8.5% alcohol by volume.
Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act of 2015

To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program to cover recipients of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act of 2015 2. Expansion of Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program (a) In general Section 3317(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking in paragraphs (1) and (2) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (9) (b) Effective date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to academic years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act of 2015 Includes under the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program (public-private contributions for educational assistance in addition to post-9/11 educational assistance) the child or spouse of an individual who, on or after September 11, 2001, dies in the line of duty while serving on active duty.
A bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015.

To provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015. 1. Extension of enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015 Section 1 of Public Law 113–198 (1) in the section heading, by striking 2014 2015 (2) by striking calendar year 2014 calendar year 2015 1. Extension of enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015 Section 1 of Public Law 113–198 (1) in the section heading, by inserting and 2015 2014 (2) by striking calendar year 2014 calendar years 2014 and 2015 July 30, 2015 Reported with an amendment

Summary: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to continue to instruct Medicare contractors not to enforce requirements for direct physician supervision of outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015.
Boating Capacity Standards Act of 2015

To require all recreational vessels to have and to post passenger capacity limits and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Boating Capacity Standards Act of 2015 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Passenger The term passenger (2) Recreational vessel The term recreational vessel (A) means any vessel that is— (i) manufactured or used primarily for pleasure; or (ii) leased, rented, or chartered to a person for the pleasure of that person; and (B) does not include a vessel that— (i) is subject to Coast Guard inspection; and (ii) (I) is engaged in commercial use; or (II) carries paying passengers. 3. Capacity limits for recreational vessels (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall— (1) establish standards for determining the maximum passenger capacity for recreational vessels, which shall be expressed in whole number of passengers and in pounds; (2) require each manufacturer of a passenger vessel to post such maximum passenger capacity on the passenger vessel in accordance with subsection (b); and (3) require each operator of a passenger vessel to ensure that— (A) such maximum passenger capacity is posted in accordance with subsection (b); and (B) notice of the need to balance the weight carried by the vessel to avoid capsizing is posted in accordance with subsection (b). (b) Elements of display The maximum passenger capacity, maximum carrying capacity in pounds, and notice of the need to balance the carried weight for a passenger vessel— (1) shall be permanently displayed in a legible matter; and (2) shall be located so as to be clearly visible to a passenger boarding the passenger vessel. (c) Penalties Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall publish regulations that establish appropriate penalties for a manufacturer of a recreational vessel that does not comply with the requirements under this section. (d) Application The requirements under this section shall apply to any recreational vessel manufactured after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Boating Capacity Standards Act of 2015 Directs the Commandant of the Coast Guard to: establish standards for determining the maximum passenger capacity for recreational vessels, expressed in the number of passengers and in pounds; require manufacturers and operators of passenger vessels to permanently display such maximum capacity in a legible manner that is clearly visible to passengers; and require operators to post notice of the need to balance vessel weight to avoid capsizing. Defines a "recreational vehicle" as any vessel that is manufactured or used primarily for pleasure, excluding any vessel that is subject to Coast Guard inspection and engaged in commercial use.
FAST Act

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to stroke telehealth services under the Medicare program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act FAST Act 2. Expanding access to stroke telehealth services under the Medicare program (a) In general Section 1834(m)(4)(C) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(C) (1) in clause (i), by striking The term Subject to clause (iii), the term (2) by adding at the end the following new clause: (iii) Stroke telehealth services With respect to services related to the evaluation or treatment of an acute stroke that are provided within the evidence-based window of treatment, the term originating site . (b) No originating site facility fee for new sites Section 1834(m)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(2)(B) (other than an originating site that is only described in clause (iii) of paragraph (4)(C), and does not meet the requirement for an originating site under clause (i) of such paragraph) the originating site (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to services furnished on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act or the FAST Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) expand access to certain stroke telehealth services to any originating site at which the eligible telehealth individual is located at the time the service is furnished, regardless of where the site is located; and (2) waive the facility fee for certain such originating sites.
Ensuring Equal Access to Treatments Act of 2015

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modify payment under the Medicare program for outpatient department procedures that utilize drugs as supplies, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Equal Access to Treatments Act of 2015 2. Payment under the Medicare program for outpatient department procedures that utilize drugs as supplies Section 1833(t)(2)(G) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(2)(G) shall shall— (i) create additional groups of covered OPD services that classify separately those procedures that utilize contrast agents from those that do not; (ii) create and implement, for services furnished after the date of the enactment of this clause and in a budget neutral manner, additional groups of covered OPD services that classify separately those procedures that utilize a drug (other than contrast agents, diagnostic ra­di­o­phar­ma­ceu­ti­cals, or anesthesia drugs) that both— (I) has a cost above the drug packaging threshold; and (II) functions as a supply when used in a diagnostic test or procedure; from those that do not; and .

Summary: Ensuring Equal Access to Treatments Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create certain additional groups of covered OPD services that classify separately, from those that do not utilize such a drug, procedures that utilize a drug (other than contrast agents, diagnostic radiopharmaceutical, or anesthesia drugs) that both has a cost above the drug packaging threshold and functions as a supply when used in a diagnostic test or procedure.
Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015

To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish new standards for automobile hoods and bumpers to reduce pedestrian injuries, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015 2. Motor vehicle pedestrian protection (a) Rulemaking Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, shall issue a final rule that— (1) establishes standards for the hood and bumper areas of motor vehicles, including passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less, in order to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by pedestrians who are struck by such vehicles; and (2) considers the protection of vulnerable pedestrian populations, including children and older adults. 3. Pedestrian safety roadway improvements Section 120(c)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting including pedestrian hybrid beacons, traffic control signalization, (2) by inserting roadway improvements that provide separation between pedestrians and motor vehicles, including pedestrian sidewalks and crossing islands, safety rest areas, 4. Inclusion of safety public awareness campaigns in highway safety improvement projects Section 148(a)(4)(B) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (xxv) Safety public awareness campaigns. .

Summary: Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015 This bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a final rule that: (1) establishes standards for the hood and bumper areas of motor vehicles, including passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less, in order to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by pedestrians who are struck by such vehicles; and (2) considers the protection of vulnerable pedestrian populations, including children and older adults. The bill amends federal-aid highway provisions to include: (1) pedestrian hybrid beacons and roadway improvements that provide separation between pedestrians and motor vehicles, including pedestrian sidewalks and crossing islands, among projects for which the federal share payable is 100%; and (2) safety public awareness campaigns within the definition of "highway safety improvement project."