hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1079
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2003-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Unemployment insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 2003 - Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUCA) to extend the TEUCA program through November 30, 2003, with a phaseout period through February 28, 2004 .
(The TEUCA program provides: (1) an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits (TEUC) to jobless workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits; and (2) another additional 13 weeks of benefits (TEUC-X), for a total of 26 additional weeks, for such workers in high unemployment States.)

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 101.
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Antitrust Improvements Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1080
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2003-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Antitrust law
Crime and Law Enforcement
Fines (Penalties)
Law
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
U.S. Sentencing Commission

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: 
Antitrust Improvements Act of 2003 - Amends the Sherman Act to increase criminal penalties for restraint of trade among the States or with foreign nations, monopolizing trade, or specified other restraints of trade among U.S. territories, States, foreign nations, and the District of Columbia.
 
Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements to: (1) ensure that they reflect the serious nature of the offenses and penalties, the growing incidence of serious antitrust criminal offenses, and the need to modify the guidelines and statements to deter, prevent, and punish such offenses; (2) consider whether the guideline offense levels and enhancements for Sherman Act violations are sufficient to deter and punish and are adequate in view of the increases in penalties, and whether the guideline offense levels and enhancements for such violations are consistent with recent amendments applicable to white collar offenses; (3) ensure reasonable consistency with other relevant directives and with other sentencing guidelines; (4) account for any additional aggravating or mitigating circumstances that might justify exceptions to the generally applicable sentencing ranges; (5) make any necessary conforming changes to the sentencing guidelines; and (6) ensure that the guidelines adequately meet the purposes of sentencing.
 
Repeals provisions that prohibit importing articles from a foreign country into the United States systematically below market value with the intent of destroying or injuring a U.S.industry, and authorize private lawsuits by injured persons for treble damages.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6631-6632)
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend section 504(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to eliminate the 2-year wait out period for grant recipients.

Bill: 108-s-1081
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2003-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to education
Higher education
Hispanic Americans
Minorities
Minority education

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: 
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to eliminate a two-year wait-out period between grants under a program for Hispanic-serving institutions (thus permitting an eligible institution to apply for a subsequent five-year grant award immediately after the expiration of its most recent five-year award). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6632)
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6632)
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Iran Democracy Act

Bill: 108-s-1082
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2003-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Democracy
Foreign leaders
Freedom of the press
Government Operations and Politics
Human rights
International broadcasting
International propaganda
Iran Hostage Crisis
Language and languages

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: 
Iran Democracy Act - Declares that it is the policy of the United States to support full democracy in Iran.
 
 Directs the Broadcasting Board of Governors to: (1) require the head of Radio Farda to develop programming for Radio Farda after consulting with certain groups; and (2) ensure that a significant percentage of that programming is devoted to discussing democratic change in Iran, including a certain internationally-monitored democratic referendum in Iran.
 
Requires the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) at the Department of State and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the Department of State to provide grants to appropriate entities to create and maintain websites, translate and distribute books, videos, documents, and other materials on democracy, rule of law, and free market economics.
 
Authorizes the MEPI and the ECA to award grants to certain eligible entities to fund programs and activities to promote a democratic referendum in Iran.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2003-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Children's Express Lane to Health Coverage Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1083
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Caregivers
Child nutrition
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Government Operations and Politics
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Parents
Poor children
Pregnant women
School lunch program
Social Welfare
State laws
Welfare eligibility
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Children's Express Lane to Health Coverage Act of 2003 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of providing that Medicaid or SCHIP financial eligibility requirements are met for children based on their eligibility for nutrition assistance or similar public programs with comparable income standards and methodologies.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6708-6709)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
United States Military Cancer Institute Center of Excellence Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1084
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cancer
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Defense
Environmental Protection
Environmentally induced diseases
Epidemiology
Ethnic groups
Executive reorganization
Genetic research
Genetics
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Medical research
Military medicine
Minorities
Nursing
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: 
United States Military Cancer Institute Center of Excellence Act of 2003 - Establishes in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences the United States Military Cancer Institute Center of Excellence to carry out a research study on the epidemiological causes of cancer among populations of various ethnic origins, as well as complementary research on oncologic nursing.
 
Directs the Center to conduct the study in collaboration with other cancer research organizations and entities selected by the Center.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6709)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6709)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Reclamation Rural and Small Community Water Enhancement Act

Bill: 108-s-1085
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to water resources development
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: 
Reclamation Rural and Small Community Water Enhancement Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a program to investigate and identify opportunities for ensuring safe and adequate regional rural water supply systems (serving areas with populations not exceeding 40,000, with exceptions) for use in small communities and rural areas through the construction of new regional systems and the enhancement of existing ruralsystems. Limits participation in such program to the States and areas (and Indian reservation lands within such States and areas) referred to in the Reclamation Act of 1902.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) submit to specified congressional committees a report setting forth the status of all rural water projects within the Secretary's jurisdiction authorized prior to enactment of this Act and the Secretary 's plan for completing such projects within their respective time frames; and (2) take steps to complete such projects within such time frames.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to undertake appraisal investigations to identify opportunities for the construction of new systems and enhancement of existing systems for small communities and rural areas; and (2) participate with appropriate Federal, State, tribal, regional, and local authorities in studies to determine the feasibility of such projects where such an investigation so warrants .


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-539.
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6710-6711)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6709-6710)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Judicial Use of Discretion to Guarantee Equity in Sentencing Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1086
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Government Operations and Politics
Mandatory sentences
Public meetings
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sentencing guidelines

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Judicial Use of Discretion to Guarantee Equity in Sentencing Act of 2003 (JUDGES Act) - Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to report to Congress on the incidence of downward departures from the U.S. sentencing guidelines (i.e., imposition of a sentence below the range established by such guidelines). Includes among required report contents: (1) a discussion of the history and purpose of departures in the Federal system; (2) information on rates of departures from the guidelines among different districts and judicial circuits and among different offense and departure types; (3) an analysis of the grounds provided by district court judges when they depart from the guidelines; (4) a comparison of the departure authority in Federal law with that of mandatory State systems; and (5) an assessment of the extent to which departures undermine or promote the purposes of sentencing.
Repeals specified nonconforming (sentencing reform) provisions of the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 (PROTECT Act), including provisions that limit judges' discretion in sentencing, require the Chief Judge of each district court to submit written reports to the Commission within 30 days of entry of judgment in every criminal case, and make changes to the composition of the Commission.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6711-6713)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1087
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to research
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health education
Medical personnel
Medical research
Medical statistics
Minorities
Minority health
Reproduction
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2003 - Directs the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate programs for the conduct and support of research with respect to uterine fibroids. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and disseminate to the public information regarding uterine fibroids, including on: (1) the elevated risk for minority women; and (2) the availability of a range of treatment options. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to develop and disseminate to health care providers information on uterine fibroids, including on: (1) the elevated risk for minority women; and (2) and treatment options.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6713-6714)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Enhanced Penalties for Enabling Terrorists Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1088
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Airline passenger traffic
Airports
EBB Terrorism
Fraud
Identification devices
Imprisonment
International Affairs
Mandatory sentences
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Terrorism
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Enhanced Penalties for Enabling Terrorists Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal criminal code to modify provisions regarding fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents and information to: (1) provide for a mandatory fine and imprisonment for up to 25 years (currently, a fine, imprisonment, or both) if the offense is committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism; and (2) provide for such penalties for acts of domestic terrorism.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6714)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Cuba Transition Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1089
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2003-05-20 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Cuba
Cubans
Democracy
Department of State
Dissenters
Education
Executive reorganization
Federal officials
Foreign leaders
Foreign students
Freedom of speech
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Human rights
International cooperation
International organization
Labor and Employment
Latin America
Political prisoners

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: 
Cuba Transition Act of 2003 - Directs the the Secretary of State to designate, within the Department of State, a coordinator responsible for designing an overall strategy to coordinate specified preparations for a transition in Cuba that targets economic, political and financial developments.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to designate specified funds to be provided to the Organization of American States (OAS) for: (1) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights activities relating to the situation of human rights in Cuba; (2) the funding of an OAS emergency fund for the deployment of human rights observers, election support, and election observation in Cuba; and (3) scholarships for Cuban students attending colleges, universities, or other educational programs in member states of the OAS.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should begin consultation with: (1) governments of other Western Hemisphere countries regarding a transition in Cuba; and (2) international partners and governments regarding a multilateral diplomatic and financial support program for response to a transition in Cuba.
 
Authorizes the President to furnish assistance and provide other support for individuals and independent nongovernmental organizations to support specified democracy-building efforts for Cuba.
 
Authorizes appropriations to the President to establish a fund to provide assistance to a transition government in Cuba.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6714-6715)
action_date: 2003-05-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Highway Funding Equity Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1090
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2003-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Appalachia
Bridges
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to transportation
Government trust funds
Highway finance
Highway maintenance
Highway planning
Highway use tax
Interstate highway system
Metropolitan areas
Motor vehicle pollution control
Road construction
Taxation
Traffic congestion
Trails
Transportation planning

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: 
Highway Funding Equity Act of 2003 - Revises Federal highway funding minimum guarantee provisions. Requires the Secretary of Transportation, for each of FY 2004 through 2009, to allocate among the States amounts sufficient to ensure that the percentage for each State of the total apportionments for the fiscal year for the National Highway System (NHS), the high priority projects program, the Interstate maintenance program, the surface transportation program, metropolitan planning, the highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation program, the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program, the recreational trails program, the Appalachian development highway system, and the minimum guarantee equals or exceeds 95 percent of the ratio that the estimated tax payments to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (other than the Mass Transit Account) attributable to highway users in the State bears to such payments attributable to highway users in all States (with a specified exception for any State having a population density of less than 50 individuals per square mile).
 
 Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the programmatic distribution of NHS funds exceeding $2.8 billion; (2) the apportionment of the remainder of funds to the States; and (3) required adjustments where the sum of State percentages exceeds 100. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6855-6856)
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6855)
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act

Bill: 108-s-1091
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2003-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to education
Higher education
Public defenders
Public prosecutors
Scholarships
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish a program of student loan forgiveness for borrowers who agree to remain employed, for at least three years, as public attorneys who are: (1) State or local criminal prosecutors; or (2) State, local, or Federal public defenders in criminal cases.
Directs the Secretary of Education to provide such student loan repayment benefits for such public attorneys on a first-come, first-served basis, and subject to the availability of appropriations. Requires priority to be given to borrowers who received repayment benefits for the preceding fiscal year and have completed less than three years of the first required service period. Allows the borrower and the Secretary to enter into an additional agreement, after the required three-year period, for a successive period of service which may be less than three years. Limits the amount paid under such program on behalf of any borrower to $6,000 per calendar year and $40,000 total.
Includes public defenders among those eligible under a current HEA program of cancellation of student loans for certain public service.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
National War Permanent Tribute Historical Database Act

Bill: 108-s-1092
Sponsor: Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [R-CO]
Introduced: 2003-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Commemorations
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic data interchange
Electronic government information
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Internet
Maintenance and repair
Monuments and memorials
Photography
Science, Technology, Communications
War casualties
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: 
National War Permanent Tribute Historical Database Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish and maintain the National War Permanent Tribute Historical Database for identifying and cataloging the many thousands of permanent tributes that commemorate U.S. military conflicts and the service and sacrifice of U.S. armed forces. Requires the Database to be publicly accessible through the Internet or other means in a format that permits the public to submit information for the purpose of updating and expanding the Database.
 
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress assessing the efficacy and desirability of establishing a permanent fund within the Treasury for the repair, restoration, and maintenance of the memorials identified and cataloged.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-27
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-600.
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6857)
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6856-6857)
action_date: 2003-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate