hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Reverend Oliver L. Brown.

Bill: 108-s-2179
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2004-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Black history
Blacks
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil rights workers
Clergy
Congress
Congressional gold medals
Desegregation in education
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Foundations
History
Kansas
Law
Minorities
Religion
Social Welfare
Supreme Court decisions

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: 
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal in commemoration of the Reverend Oliver L. Brown (the lead plaintiff in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education) in recognition of his and his fellow plaintiffs' enduring contributions to civil rights and American society. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to permit the planting of chicory on base acres.

Bill: 108-s-2182
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE]
Introduced: 2004-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Acreage allotments
Agricultural subsidies
Herbs
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: 
Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to permit the planting of chicory on base acres for purposes of direct and counter-cyclical payments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Early Attention to Nutrition (EATN) Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2183
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2004-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Caregivers
Child nutrition
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Exercise
Families
Federal aid to education
Food service
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health
Health education
Labor and Employment
Lifestyle
Parent-school relationships
Performance measurement
School health programs
Science, Technology, Communications
Sports and Recreation
State officials
Teachers

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: 
Early Attention to Nutrition (EATN) Act of 2004 - Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to establish multidisciplinary team nutrition networks, through grants to State education agencies and national activities, to promote the nutritional health of school children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2444-2445)
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2444)
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 10 United States Code, to increase the rates of educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-2184
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY]
Introduced: 2004-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces reserves
Cost of living adjustments
Education
National Guard
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' education

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Increases, for months occurring during FY 2004 and thereafter, the rates of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve. Prohibits any rate increase for FY 2005 through 2007 based on cost-of-living adjustments.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Temporary Agricultural Work Reform Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2185
Sponsor: Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA]
Introduced: 2004-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Admission of nonimmigrants
Agricultural labor
Agriculture and Food
Alien labor
Aliens
Commuting
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal aliens
Criminal justice information
Data banks
Department of Agriculture
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Labor
Disaster relief
Disasters
Dismissal of employees
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Employee rights
Executive reorganization
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Identification devices
Identification of criminals
Illegal aliens
Indexing (Economic policy)
Labor and Employment
Labor contracts
Law
Legal aid
Mediation
Minimum wages
Ombudsman
Relocation
Residence requirements
Science, Technology, Communications
Seasonal labor
Temporary employment
Transfer of employees
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Visas
Wage restitution
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: 
Temporary Agricultural Work Reform Act of 2004 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to revise the H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) program. 
 
Eliminates the labor certification process and instead requires employers seeking H-2A workers to provide attestations concerning: (1) wages and working conditions; (2) the nondisplacement of U.S. workers; (3) the lack of a strike or lockout; and (4) compliance with prior H-2A approvals. Establishes penalties for failing to meet, or misrepresentations concerning, attestations. 
 
Replaces the adverse effect wage rate with a prevailing wage rate. Requires employers of H-2A workers to: (1) pay the greater of the prevailing wage or the applicable State minimum wage; (2) offer to provide housing or a housing allowance; (3) reimburse costs of initial transportation to the place of employment and provide transportation to the work site; and (4) guarantee employment for a specified period of time.
 
Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a procedure for the expedited adjudication of H-2A petitions.
 
Renders inadmissible and ineligible for H-2A status those aliens who previously violated the terms of their admission. Provides a one-time waiver for those who are outside the United States.
 
Amends the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 to prohibit the Legal Services Corporation from: (1) providing legal assistance to aliens unless those aliens are present in the United States as H-2A workers; and (2) bringing a civil action on behalf of H-2A workers unless the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has attempted to mediate the dispute.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2445-2446)
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
HRIFA Improvement Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2187
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Bob [D-FL]
Introduced: 2004-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Aliens
Department of Homeland Security
Deportation
Families
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Guardian and ward
Haiti
Haiti compilation
Haitians
Immigrants
Latin America
Law
Parents
Residence requirements
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: 
HRIFA Improvement Act of 2004 - Amends the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 (HRIFA) to remove document fraud as a ground of inadmissibility for qualifying Haitians who apply for adjustment of status under HRIFA. 
 
Requires determinations regarding derivative status for the children of such qualifying Haitians to be made using the age of the child as of the date of enactment of this Act. Authorizes parents or guardians of children seeking derivative status to file an adjustment application on the child's behalf if the child is physically present in the United States on the date of filing.
 
Permits qualifying Haitians seeking benefits pursuant to this Act to file new status adjustment applications and motions to reopen. Extends to those who file such new applications or motions the same protection from exclusion, deportation, removal, or enforcement of a voluntary departure order as currently applies to HRIFA beneficiaries.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2548-2550)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Domestic Violence Connections Campaign Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2189
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2004-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Commerce
Computer literacy
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Employee training
Evaluation research (Social action programs)
Family violence
Federal aid to research
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Information services
Labor and Employment
Military dependents
Military personnel
Public service advertising
Public-private partnerships
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Statistics
Telephone
Victims of crimes
Volunteer workers
Wife abuse
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: 
Domestic Violence Connections Campaign Act of 2004 - Directs the Attorney General to award: (1) a grant to the National Domestic Violence Hotline for technology and telecommunication training and assistance for those affiliated with the Hotline in using improved equipment made available through the Connections Campaign; (2) a grant to a university or other research institution to study the Hotline; and (3) a grant to an experienced organization to conduct a campaign to raise public awareness of domestic violence issues and the Hotline.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2557)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2557-2558)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Life at Conception Act

Bill: 108-s-2190
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2004-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Abortion
Constitutional amendments
Equality before the law
Families
Fetus
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Law
State laws

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: 
Life at Conception Act - Declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being beginning at the moment of fertilization, cloning, and other moment at which an individual comes into being.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2558)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide the venue for the judicial review of actions by certain Federal agencies.

Bill: 108-s-2191
Sponsor: Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY]
Introduced: 2004-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
District courts
Government Operations and Politics
Judicial review
Land use
National forests
National parks
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: 
Amends the Federal judicial code to permit any civil action seeking judicial review of a final agency action by the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Director of the National Park Service, or the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, relating to the use of land administered by the Secretary to be brought only in: (1) the U.S. district court for the district in which the land is located; or (2) any of the districts in which the land is located (if the land is located in more than one district).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7778-7779)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Loan Revitalization Act

Bill: 108-s-2193
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2004-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative fees
Congress
Economics and Public Finance
Export finance
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fees
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government lending
Liens
Loans
Small business
Sunset legislation

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: 
Small Business Loan Revitalization Act - Amends the Small Business Act (the Act) to provide requirements for the making of a Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed loan to a small business within 120 days after a commercial loan is obtained by that small business. Makes such small business ineligible for the SBA loan unless the commercial loan does not exceed $2 million.
 
Allows the commercial loan to be: (1) made by the lender providing the guaranteed financing or by a different lender; (2) secured by a senior lien; and (3) made by a lender in the Preferred Lenders Program. Requires a fee to be paid by the lender to the SBA if the commercial loan has a senior credit position to that of the guaranteed loan.
 
Prohibits a small business from receiving combination financing (an SBA-guaranteed loan and a commercial loan) in an amount greater than $4 million.
 
Makes current SBA-guaranteed loan fees inapplicable to loans approved from the day after enactment of this Act until September 30, 2004. Applies a loan fee with respect to loans approved during the period beginning on: (1) October 1, 2002, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act of 0.25 percent of the outstanding balance of the deferred participation share of the loan; and (2) the first day after the enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 2004, of 0.35 percent of such outstanding balance.
 
Directs the SBA to reconsider, before considering any other application, any application submitted on or after December 23, 2003, and before January 8, 2004, for an SBA loan guarantee that was rejected based on the loan amount requested if the applicant is otherwise eligible for financial assistance under the Act. Requires any small business that received SBA export working capital financing before January 1, 2004, and requests a financing renewal to have their request approved regardless of the size of such financing, if the small business is otherwise eligible for such financing.
 
Directs the SBA, ten days after the enactment of this Act, to allow general small business start-up loans up to the maximum amount permitted under the Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3595)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2560-2561)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/12/2004 S2559-2560)
action_date: 2004-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify that per diem payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the care of veterans in State homes shall not be used to offset payments that are made under the medicaid program for the purpose of assisting veterans.

Bill: 108-s-2196
Sponsor: Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [R-CO]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Collection of accounts
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Health
Medicaid
Social Welfare
Soldiers' homes
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to state that per diem payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the care of veterans in State homes shall not be considered a liability of a third party for any purpose under Medicaid (title XIX of the Social Security Act). (Such payments, if considered a liability, would be required to be offset from the amount of authorized Medicaid assistance.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/12/2004 S2721)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/12/2004 S2720-2721)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in Senate
CDQ Community Preservation Act

Bill: 108-s-2197
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Bering Sea
Community development
Fisheries
Fishery management
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Rural economic development

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
CDQ Community Preservation Act - Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to make a community eligible for participation in the western Alaska community development quota (CDQ) program (under which a percentage of the total allowable catch of any Bering Sea fishery is allocated to the program) if the community was: (1) listed in a specified table in the Code of Federal Regulations as eligible to apply for such quota; and (2) approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service on April 19, 1999.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/12/2004 S2721-2722)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/12/2004 S2721)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Consolidated Student Loan Reduction Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2198
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government lending
Higher education
Interest rates
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
Consolidated Student Loan Reduction Act of 2004 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow borrowers to refinance Federal consolidation loans and Federal direct consolidation loans at the same interest rate as Federal Stafford loans, whenever the interest rate of the respective consolidation loan exceeds one percent of the Stafford loan rate. Prohibits charging a fee to any student for such refinancing. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/12/2004 S2722)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Family Abduction Prevention Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2199
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crime prevention
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
Custody of children
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Extradition
Families
Federal aid to law enforcement
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Kidnapping
Labor and Employment
Police training
Public service advertising
Student records

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
Family Abduction Prevention Act of 2004 - Directs the Attorney General to make grants to States for projects involving: (1) the extradition of individuals suspected of committing a family abduction back to the State from which the child was taken; (2) investigation by law enforcement agencies of family abduction cases; (3) training for law enforcement agencies in responding to family abductions and recovering abducted children; (4) outreach and media campaigns to educate parents on the dangers of family abductions; and (5) notifying law enforcement authorities of the name and address of anyone requesting the school records of an abducted child. Requires that not less than 50 percent of the cost of a project for which a grant is made be provided by non-Federal sources.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/12/2004 S2723)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/12/2004 S2722-2723)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Laos.

Bill: 108-s-2200
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: East Asia
International Affairs
Laos
Most favored nation principle
Normal trade relations
Reciprocity
Trade agreements

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations) to the products of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/12/2004 S2723)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide for secondary containment to prevent methyl tertiary butyl ether and petroleum contamination.

Bill: 108-s-2201
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Energy
Environmental monitoring
Fines (Penalties)
Groundwater
Law
Oil pollution
Oxygenates
Petroleum pipelines
Petroleum storage
Pollution measurement
Potable water
Reformulated gasoline
Standards
Transportation and Public Works
Underground storage
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Wells

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require: (1) secondary containment of any new or replaced underground storage tank system; and (2) the monitoring for leaks of the space between the primary and secondary containment if the new or replaced tank or piping are within 1,000 feet of a community water system, potable drinking water well, or other sensitive area. 
 
Establishes civil penalties for a violation of these requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Star Print ordered on the bill.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/12/2004 S2723-2724)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in Senate