hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
National Naval Force Structure Policy Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-902
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Amphibious operations
Congress
Congress and military policy
Military readiness
Navy
Peace
Warships

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: National Naval Force Structure Policy Act of 2003 - States that it is U.S. policy to rebuild as soon as possible the size of the U.S. Navy fleet to no fewer than 375 vessels in active service, including 15 aircraft carrier battle groups and 15 amphibious ready groups.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5357)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Renewal Community Employment Credit Improvement Act

Bill: 108-s-903
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Depressed areas
Economics and Public Finance
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Poverty
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Renewal Community Employment Credit Improvement Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code concerning the renewal community employment credit to permit employers in a renewal community to also qualify by employing residents of certain other renewal communities (within the same State).

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5357)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to clarify the scope of provisions relating to applicable rates of interest and other charge limitations.

Bill: 108-s-904
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Deposit insurance
Finance charges
Interest rates
Loans

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: 
Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act regarding the applicable interest rate and other charge limitations for the branch of any out-of-State insured depository institution established pursuant to an interstate bank merger in a State with a constitutional provision setting a maximum lawful annual percentage rate of interest on any contract at not more than five percent above the discount rate for 90-day commercial paper in effect at the Federal reserve bank for the Federal reserve district in which such State is located. Declares that the existing statutory formula governing the maximum interest rate or amount of interest shall apply to any other lender doing business in the State as well.
 
Defines other lender as any person engaged in the business of selling or financing the sale of personal property (and any servicers incidental to such a sale) in the State, but excluding: (1) an insured depository institution; or (2) any person or entity engaged in the business of providing a short-term case advance to any consumer in exchange for a consumer's personal check or share draft, in the amount of the advance plus a fee, where presentment or negotiation of such check or share draft is deferred by agreement of the parties until a designated future date, or a consumer authorization to debit the consumer's transaction account, in the amount of the advance plus a fee, where such account will be debited on or after a designated future date. (Thus exempts from the applicable rate and charge limitations any fee charged by insured depository institutions and persons or entities that provide a short-term case advance in exchange for deferred payment by personal check or direct debit (draw) at a future time upon the consumer's transaction account.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a broadband Internet access tax credit.

Bill: 108-s-905
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Antennas
Broadband
Cable television
Capital investments
Commerce
Communication satellites
Cooperative societies
Corporation taxes
Department of the Treasury
Depressed areas
District of Columbia
Economics and Public Finance
Enterprise zones
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Income tax
Internet
Investment tax credit
Law
Lease and rental services
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax returns
Tax-exempt organizations
Telecommunication industry
Telecommunication systems
Telephone
Television relay systems
Urban affairs
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a broadband credit equal to the sum of: (1) the current generation broadband credit; plus (2) the next generation broadband credit. Defines: (1) the current generation broadband credit for any taxable year as ten percent of the qualified expenditures incurred with respect to qualified equipment providing current generation broadband services to qualified subscribers and taken into account with respect to such taxable year; and (2) the next generation broadband credit for any year as twenty percent of the qualified expenditures incurred with respect to qualified equipment providing next generation broadband services to qualified subscribers and taken into account with respect to such taxable year.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5359-5361)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Care Access for Small Businesses Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-906
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Discrimination in insurance
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid programs
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Health insurance
Insurance premiums
Law
Medical economics
Medically uninsured
Nonprofit organizations
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Health Care Access for Small Business Act of 2003 - Amends the Social Security Act to add a new title XXII (Providing for the Uninsured) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations for the certification of three-share programs for purposes of offering a refundable tax credit to small businesses who participate in such programs where: (1) not more than 30 percent of the cost of the monthly premium for health coverage (including prescription drug benefits) is paid by the qualified employee who lacks access to health coverage and desires coverage; and (2) at least 70 percent of such cost is paid by the qualified employer of such a qualified employee.
Authorizes the Administrator to award startup grants to eligible entities to establish three-share programs for certification.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a refundable tax credit in the case of an eligible employer in an amount equal to 40 percent of the costs of a three-share program resulting from the participation of the taxpayer in such program during the taxable year.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5361-5363)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5120-5121)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Flat Tax Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-907
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Campaign funds
Charitable contributions
Checkoff
Coal
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Cost of living adjustments
Economics and Public Finance
Employee health benefits
Energy
Estate tax
Finance and Financial Sector
Flat-rate tax
Gift tax
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Health
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Inheritance tax
Interest
Labor and Employment
Lobbying
Miners
Mortgages
Pension funds
Presidential elections
Retiree health benefits
Social Welfare
Tax deductions
Tax returns
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Flat Tax Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal current tax provisions for individuals and businesses and replace them with provisions for a flat tax of 20 percent of the income of individuals and businesses.
Allows an individual: (1) a standard deduction, with an inflation adjustment; (2) limited charitable contribution deductions; and (3) a limited deduction for home acquisition indebtedness.
Allows deductions to a business for: (1) the cost of business inputs (the cost of specified goods, services, travel, entertainment, and lobbying and political expenditures); (2) compensation paid to employees; and (3) the cost of personal and real property used in business activities.
Repeals the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Repeals provisions concerning: (1) financing of presidential elections; and (2) coal industry health benefits.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5365-5370)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide State and local governments with flexibility in using funds made available for homeland security activities.

Bill: 108-s-909
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
EBB Terrorism
Economics and Public Finance
Employee training
Equipment and supplies
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
International Affairs
Labor and Employment
Planning
State-local relations
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to allow up to 20 percent of a grant made to a State or local government for the purchase of equipment for homeland security or counterterrorism activities to be used for preparedness activities, including planning, training, and exercises.
Amends the Robert T. Stafford Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to allow a State to use a grant made for a specific homeland security activity for another homeland security activity, if the alternative use is consistent with the State plan and approved by the President.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Wage Tax Cut Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-911
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Corporation taxes
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Payroll deductions
Tax administration
Tax credits
Tax rebates
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Wage Tax Cut Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to pay to each eligible individual the lesser of $765, or the amount of the individual's social security taxes, or payments to a State or local governmental pension plan, for 2001.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a 2002 refund for eligible individuals who did not receive their full 2001 refund, as provided for by this Act.
Provides employers with an income tax credit of up to $765 for payroll taxes paid during the payroll tax holiday (the 12-month period beginning with the first month after the date of enactment of this Act).

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Oil Region National Heritage Area Act

Bill: 108-s-912
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Architecture
Arts, Culture, Religion
Citizen participation
Commemorations
Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Environmental Protection
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Grants-in-aid
Historic sites
History
Land use
National parks
Nature conservation
Nonprofit organizations
Outdoor recreation
Pennsylvania
Petroleum industry
Planning
Signs and signboards
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Oil Region National Heritage Area Act - Establishes the Oil Region National Heritage Area in Pennsylvania.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, to enter into a compact with the Oil Heritage Region, Inc. (the management entity for the Area) to carry out this Act.
Bars the use of funds under this Act to acquire real property.
Directs the Secretary, in cooperation with the Historic American Building Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record, to conduct studies to document the industrial, engineering, building, and architectural history of the Area.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Deposit Insurance Fairness and Economic Opportunity Act

Bill: 108-s-913
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Commerce
Deposit insurance
Economics and Public Finance
Financial institutions
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: 
Deposit Insurance Fairness and Economic Opportunity Act - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to direct the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to distribute in the form of a dividend any excess amounts remaining from semiannual assessments imposed upon insured depository institutions (excess deposit insurance funds).
 
Defines excess amounts as the amount of funds exceeding 1.40 percent of the total estimated deposits insured by theBank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to apply look-thru rules for purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation to dividends from foreign corporations not controlled by a domestic corporation.

Bill: 108-s-914
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Dividends
Earnings
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign corporations
Foreign tax credit
Income tax
Profit
Taxation of foreign income

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise, and apply, the application of look-thru rules to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5375)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy and Science Research Investment Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-915
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Authorization
Computers
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Energy
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Employee training
Energy
Energy research
Federal aid to research
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Laboratories
Mathematics
Nanotechnology
Nuclear energy
Nuclear energy research
Research and development
Research grants
Scientists
Technology transfer

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: 
Energy and Science Research Investment Act of 2003 - Instructs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) conduct a comprehensive program of fundamental research, including research on chemical sciences, physics, materials sciences, biological and environmental sciences, geosciences, engineering sciences, plasma sciences, mathematics, and advanced scientific computing; (2) maintain, upgrade, and expand the scientific user facilities maintained by the Office of Science and ensure that they are an integral part of the departmental mission for exploring the frontiers of fundamental science; (3) maintain a leading-edge research capability in the energy-related aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, advanced scientific computing, and genome research; (4) ensure that the fundamental science programs of the Department of Energy (DOE) help inform the applied research and development programs of DOE; and (5) ensure that DOE research programs support sufficient numbers of graduate students to maintain the pipeline of scientists and engineers that is critical for the future vitality of Federal laboratories and overall U.S. science leadership.
 
Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5455)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5375-5376)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area Act

Bill: 108-s-916
Sponsor: Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Commemorations
Cultural property
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Grants-in-aid
Historic sites
History
Mormons
Nature conservation
Nonprofit organizations
Outdoor recreation
Regional planning
Religion
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Utah

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area Act - Establishes the National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area in Utah. Designates the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance as the Heritage Area's management entity.
Prohibits the Alliance from using Federal funds provided under this Act to acquire real property.
Requires the Board of Directors of the Alliance, with public participation, to develop and submit a management plan for the Area.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical assistance and grants to: (1) units of government, non-profit organizations, and other persons; and (2) the Alliance for developing and implementing the management plan.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to require the use of a certain minimum amount of funds for winter motorized access trails.

Bill: 108-s-917
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Excise tax
Federal aid to transportation
Gasoline
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Maps
Public service advertising
Right-of-way
Snowmobiles
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Taxation
Trails
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Directs the Secretary of Transportation to annually estimate revenues to the Highway Trust Fund derived from fuel purchased in each State for use in a snowmachine (defined as a motorized off-road vehicle intended to operate on snow, propelled by means of a revolving track or tracks), using information submitted by the Departments of Commerce and Treasury, and the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association.
Requires not less than the amount of such estimated revenues for a State to made available to that State for motorized access under the recreational trails program for activities that enhance winter motorized recreational trails. Sets forth permissible uses of such funds.
Directs that $50,000 of the sums available to the Secretary for the administration of and research and technical assistance under the recreational trails program and for administration of the National Recreational Trails Advisory Committee be used each fiscal year for public information campaigns educating the public about, and encouraging, the safe use of snowmachines.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5377)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team Implementation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-918
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2003-04-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Defense budgets
Defense procurement
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Government Operations and Politics
Military civic action
Military personnel
Military readiness
National Guard
Weapons of mass destruction

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team Implementation Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to fully implement, by September 30, 2004, requirements under the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 that the Secretary: (1) establish 23 additional Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams, for a total of 55; and (2) ensure that at least one such team is established in each State and territory. Increases the authorized end strengths for full-time Army and Air National Guard personnel as of September 30, 2004, in order to meet such requirements. Provides funding through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5378)
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Introduced in Senate