hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend the provisions of title III of the Trade Act of 1974 relating to violations of the TRIPS Agreement, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-1911
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2003-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Administration of justice
American investments
Caribbean area
Commerce
Copyright
Crime and Law Enforcement
Dispute settlement
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic commerce
Exports
Free trade
Governmental investigations
Information technology
Intellectual property
International Affairs
Latin America
Patent infringement
Patents
Science, Technology, Communications
Tariff preferences
Technological innovations
Trade agreements
Trade negotiations
Trademark agreements
Trademarks

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: 
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to make specified determinations about U.S. rights within 30 days after a dispute settlement procedure is concluded if the USTR considers that U.S. rights are involved under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) or the GATT 1994 relating to products subject to intellectual property protection.
 
Amends the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) and the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) to require the USTR to ensure a timely review and disposition of requests received from an interested party that the President reconsider the status of a country as a beneficiary country under such Acts.
 
Amends the Trade Act of 1974, CBERA, and ATPA to revise the requirement that the President, when making a determination to designate a country as a beneficiary developing country entitled to certain trade benefits, to take into account, among other things, the extent to which such country is providing adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights. Requires the President to make such determination notwithstanding the fact that the country may be in compliance with TRIPS (thus making TRIPS compliance necessary but not sufficient evidence of adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Retirement Account Portability Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1912
Sponsor: Sen. Jeffords, James M. [I-VT]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Annuities
Civil service retirement
Defined benefit pension plans
Defined contribution plans
Forfeiture
Government Operations and Politics
Government corporations
Government paperwork
Income tax
Individual retirement accounts
Law
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Pension funds
Pension portability
Retirement
Tax penalties
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Taxation
Trusts and trustees

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Retirement Account Portability Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 with respect to pensions and retirement assets to: (1) permit nonspouse beneficiaries (children, parents, etc.) to rollover retirement plan distributions; (2) revise provisions concerning the determination of exercise of control by a beneficiary or participant upon certain rollovers and distributions; (3) provide for the faster vesting of employer nonelective contributions; (4) eliminate the higher (25 percent versus 10 percent) penalty on certain early &quot;simple retirement account&quot; (SIMPLE) distributions; (5) remove specified restrictions on SIMPLE plan portability; (6) revise provisions concerning state and local government pension programs; (7) permit direct rollovers from retirement plans to Roth IRAs; and (8) allow certain mandatory distributions under $5,000 to be made to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15408-15411)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15408)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Presidential Funding Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1913
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Campaign funds
Checkoff
Computer software
Cost of living adjustments
Economics and Public Finance
Election candidates
Electronic government information
Fund raising
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Political conventions
Political parties
Presidential elections
Primaries
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax returns
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Presidential Funding Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (including the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act) and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to, among other things: (1) increase the presidential primary $250 one-to-one match to a four-to-one match; (2) increase the presidential primary qualifying threshold of $5,000 in 20 States to $15,000 in 20 States; (3) require candidates to be eligible to receive funding under the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act to have received payments under the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act; (4) revise candidate expenditure limits, including permitting the national committee of a political party to make expenditures in connection with the general election campaign of any candidate for President of the United States who is affiliated with such party in an amount of up to four (currently, two) cents multiplied by the U.S. voting age population and permitting an eligible candidate for the office of President of the United States to receive payments from the Secretary of the Treasury of up to $75,000,000 with respect to a campaign for nomination for election or of up to $75,000,000 with respect to a campaign for election to such office; and (5) double the three dollar presidential campaign tax return check-off to six dollars.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15411-15412)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the closure or realignment of impatient services at the Aleda E. Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan, as proposed under the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services initiative.

Bill: 108-s-1914
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Executive reorganization
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Hospital care
Michigan
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from carrying out the closure or realignment of inpatient services at the Aleda E. Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan, as proposed under the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) initiative.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15413-15414)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15413)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1916
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Annuities
Armed forces reserves
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Families
Labor and Employment
Military dependents
Military pensions
Survivors' benefits
Widowers
Widows
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003 - Adjusts the basic Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity amount for surviving spouses, age 62 and older, of former military personnel to: (1) 35 percent of the retired pay of the decedent (current law), for months before October 2005; (2) 40 percent for months beginning after September 2005 and before October 2008; (3) 45 percent for months beginning after September 2008 through September 2014; and (4) 55 percent for months after September 2014. Adjusts similarly percentage amounts with respect to survivors of reserve personnel and survivors of persons who die while on active duty. Provides a corresponding phased elimination of the SBP supplemental annuity authorized to be provided to such surviving spouses. Requires periodic recomputation of: (1) annuity amounts beginning in October 2005; and (2) retired pay reductions for supplemental survivor annuities. 
Provides a one-year open enrollment period for SBP participation, commencing October 1, 2005, for those currently not participating, those electing to increase current coverage, and those wishing to participate in the supplemental SBP. 
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to require appropriate premiums for SBP participation.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Clean Air and Water Investment and Infrastructure Act

Bill: 108-s-1917
Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Air pollution control
Environmental Protection
Environmental technology
Equipment and supplies
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Infrastructure
Science, Technology, Communications
Sewage disposal
Sewerage
Tax-exempt securities
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Water supply
Water treatment plants

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Clean Air and Water Investment and Infrastructure Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) permit the issuance of tax-exempt bonds for certain air and water pollution control facilities; and (2) provide that the volume cap for private activity bonds shall not apply to bonds for such air and water pollution control facilities, facilities for the furnishing of water, and sewage facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15414)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15414)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that qualified homeowner downpayment assistance is a charitable purpose.

Bill: 108-s-1918
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Charitable contributions
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Income tax
Mortgages
Tax deductions
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to specify that qualified homeowner down payment assistance is a charitable activity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15414-15415)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate a portion of the United States courthouse located at 2100 Jamieson Avenue, in Alexandria, Virginia, as the "Justin W. Williams United States Attorney's Building".

Bill: 108-s-1919
Sponsor: Sen. Allen, George [R-VA]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Courthouses
Law
Names
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Designates the portion of the U.S. Courthouse located at 2100 Jamieson Avenue in Alexandria, Virginia, (commonly known as the Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse) that is attached to the courthouse main tower structure, described as &quot;A-Wing&quot; in the architectural plans, and currently occupied by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, as the Justin W. Williams United States Attorney's Building. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend chapter 3 of title 28, United States Code, to provide for 11 circuit judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Bill: 108-s-1921
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Appellate courts
District of Columbia
Judges

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Amends the Federal judicial code to reduce the number of judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit from 12 to 11.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
American Manufacturing Jobs Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1922
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting
Affiliated corporations
Agricultural cooperatives
Agriculture and Food
Commerce
Computer software
Copyright
Exports
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign corporations
Intellectual property
Manufacturing industries
Minimum tax
Payroll deductions
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax rates
Taxation of foreign income
Trademarks

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
American Manufacturing Jobs Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the exclusion from gross income of extraterritorial income (gross income attributable to foreign trading gross receipts).
 
Allows a deduction equal to nine percent of the qualified domestic production activities income, up to 50 percent of the W-2 wages paid by the employer for the taxable year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15416-15418)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15415-15416)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
National Film Preservation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1923
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion
Subjects: Archives
Authorization
Congress
Congressional agencies
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to the arts and humanities
Government Operations and Politics
Libraries
Library of Congress
Motion pictures

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
National Film Preservation Act of 2003 - Amends the National Film Preservation Act of 1996 to reauthorize appropriations to the Library of Congress for the National Film Preservation Board.
 
Directs the Librarian of Congress to: (1) coordinate the national film preservation program with other collection, preservation, and accessibility activities; and (2) the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center of the Library of Congress at Culpeper, Virginia, to ensure that preserved films included in the National Film Registry are stored in a proper manner, and disseminated to researchers, scholars, and the public as may be appropriate in accordance with U.S. copyright law and the terms of any agreements between the Librarian and persons who hold copyrights to such audiovisual works.
 
 Directs the Board to review special projects submitted for its approval by the National Film Preservation Foundation. 
 
 National Film Preservation Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2003 - Amends specified Federal law to reauthorize appropriations to the Library of Congress for the National Film Preservation Foundation. 
 
Allows the Foundation's board of directors to determine the location of its principal office.
 
Directs the Foundation to design and support cooperative film preservation and access initiatives, with the approval of the Librarian and the Board.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8669)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15418-15419)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15418)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Dairy Farm Workers Fairness Act

Bill: 108-s-1924
Sponsor: Sen. Jeffords, James M. [I-VT]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Admission of nonimmigrants
Agricultural labor
Alien labor
Immigration
Labor and Employment
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Dairy Farm Workers Fairness Act - Provides H-2A nonimmigrant worker program coverage for dairy farm workers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15420)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15419-15420)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Employee Free Choice Act

Bill: 108-s-1925
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Collective bargaining
Commerce
Disciplining of employees
Discrimination in employment
Dismissal of employees
Employee rights
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Industrial arbitration
Injunctions
Labor contracts
Labor unions
Law
Mediation
National Labor Relations Board
Unfair labor practices
Wage restitution

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Employee Free Choice Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board to certify a bargaining representative without directing an election if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative and there is no other individual or labor organization currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit.
 
Sets forth special procedural requirements for reaching an initial collective bargaining agreement following certification or recognition.
 
Revises enforcement requirements with respect to unfair labor practices during union organizing drives. Provides, under injunction provisions, for priority to be given to preliminary investigation of charges of violations by employers or other entities. Adds to remedies for such violations: (1) back pay plus liquidated damages; and (2) additional civil penalties.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Airliner Protection Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1927
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Aviation safety
Bombs
Economics and Public Finance
Explosives
Federal aid to transportation
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Technological innovations
Transportation safety

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Airline Protection Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security to award grants for the production of bomb scanners for airline baggage. Limits grant eligibility to U.S.-based entities that have demonstrated the ability to produce scanners with false positive and false negative rates below specified percentages which are not cost prohibitive to install.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15470)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Predatory Lending Consumer Protection Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1928
Sponsor: Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2003-11-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Commercial arbitration
Consumer credit
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Credit insurance
Debtor and creditor
Fees
Housing and Community Development
Law
Life insurance
Loan defaults
Mortgage interest rates
Mortgages
Restrictive trade practices

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Predatory Lending Consumer Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act guidelines for certain credit transactions secured by the consumer's principal dwelling (high-cost mortgage). Redefines a high-cost mortgage, lowering the maximum interest rates involved. Specifies additional costs, fees, and penalties included among points and fees. Defines bona fide discount points and benchmark rate. 
Requires additional disclosures that the consumer is contracting to pay a much higher loan than most people pay. Specifies additional prohibitions against prepayment penalties, except in certain circumstances. Prohibits all balloon payments. Prohibits the terms of a high-cost mortgage from including advance collection of a premium on a single premium basis for specified credit insurance products. 
Restricts the number of points and amount of fees which a creditor may finance in connection with a high-cost mortgage. Prohibits certain creditors from financing the prepayment fees or penalties due from the consumer. 
Prohibits a high-cost mortgage creditor from engaging in specified practices, including actions encouraging default and requiring arbitration or any other nonjudicial procedure as a method for resolving any controversy or claims arising from the transaction. Prescribes consumer counseling requirements. 
Declares a consumer's waiver of the right of rescission ineffective if the creditor either advised, or encouraged such waiver, or required it as a precondition for a transaction. 
Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require that each high-cost mortgage creditor (including the successor creditor) report the debtor's complete payment history to certain consumer reporting agencies in accordance with specified regulations.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15471-15473)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15470-15471)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Introduced in Senate