hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the development of an exhibit to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin.

Bill: 108-s-1852
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2003-11-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: American Revolution
Anniversaries
Arts, Culture, Religion
Authors and authorship
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Historic sites
History
Leadership
Monuments and memorials
Museums
Pennsylvania
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientists

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide a grant to the Franklin Institute to: (1) rehabilitate the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial (including the Franklin statue) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and (2) develop an exhibit featuring artifacts and multimedia collections relating to Franklin, to be displayed at a museum adjacent to the Memorial.

action_date: 2004-10-10
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide a grant to the Franklin Institute to: (1) rehabilitate the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial (including the Franklin statue) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and (2) develop an interpretive exhibit relating to Benjamin Franklin, to be displayed at a museum adjacent to the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.
 
Authorizes appropriations and requires matching funds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2004-10-10
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S11127-11183; text as passed Senate: CR S11173)
action_date: 2004-10-10
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S11127-11183; text as passed Senate: CR S11173)
action_date: 2004-09-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 723.
action_date: 2004-09-28
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-364.
action_date: 2004-09-28
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-364.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2004-07-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-704.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14808)
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Unemployment Compensation Extension Act

Bill: 108-s-1853
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-11-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Railroad employees
Transportation and Public Works
Unemployment insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: 
Unemployment Compensation Extension Act - Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUCA) to: (1) extend the TEUC program; (2) provide for additional weeks of TEUC and TEUC-X benefits; and (3) revise unemployment rate triggers for TEUC-X benefit periods.
 
Extends the TEUC program through weeks of unemployment ending before July 1, 2004. Provides a phase-out period for individual payments up to weeks beginning after December 31, 2004.
 
Increases to 26 weeks an eligible individual's TEUC payments. Provides for an additional seven weeks of payments, for a total of 33 weeks, for individuals in high-unemployment States (TEUC-X). (Current law provides 13 weeks of regular TEUC payments, with an additional 13 and total 26 in TEUC-X States.)
 
Revises requirements for determining TEUC-X States, using certain triggers based on insured unemployment rates and on total unemployment rates.
 
Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to provide a temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Digital Opportunity Investment Trust Act

Bill: 108-s-1854
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2003-11-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Academic performance
Archives
Arts
Arts, Culture, Religion
Auctions
Charities
Colleges
Commerce
Community colleges
Computer software
Computers
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional witnesses
Cultural centers
Distance education
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational technology
Elementary and secondary education
Employee training
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Fees
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Higher education
Information technology
Internet
Labor and Employment
Libraries
Licenses
Mathematics
Museums
Nonprofit organizations
Public broadcasting
Radio spectrum allocation
Research and development
Scientific education
Social Welfare
Tax-exempt organizations
Taxation
Teaching materials
Technological innovations
Technology assessment
Venture capital

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Digital Opportunity Investment Trust Act - Establishes the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (the Trust), which shall receive 30 percent of the cash payment received by the Federal Government each fiscal year quarter through FY 2020 from auctions of the publicly owned electromagnetic spectrum and fees derived from the use of such spectrum. 
Establishes a Board to oversee administration of Trust funds. 
 Establishes a Director of the Trust. Provides authorized Trust uses. 
Allows the Director of the Trust to award contracts and grants to nonprofit public institutions (with or without private partners) for innovative and experimental ideas and techniques to enhance learning and achieve specified related goals.
Directs the Director to invest funds of the Trust in U.S. interest bearing or U.S.-guaranteed obligations.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Charles "Pete" Conrad Astronomy Awards Act

Bill: 108-s-1855
Sponsor: Sen. Allen, George [R-VA]
Introduced: 2003-11-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Asteroids
Astronauts
Astronomy
Awards, medals, prizes
Commemorations
Directories
Names
Scientists
Space activities
Space sciences

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Charles "Pete" Conrad Astronomy Awards Act - Authorizes the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to: (1) establish the Charles "Pete" Conrad Astronomy Awards Program to reward outstanding amateur astronomers who make asteroid discoveries and to augment the Government's asteroid discovery efforts; and (2) contract with the Minor Planet Center of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to administer the program. Provides for annual awards to: (1) the amateur astronomer who, using amateur equipment only, discovers the largest absolute magnitude new asteroid having a near-Earth orbit during the preceding calendar year; (2) an amateur astronomer for pre-discovery and recovery efforts; and (3) the amateur astronomer, or the professional not funded for optical astronomy, who provides the greatest service to update the minor planet catalogue.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Sunnyside, Queens, New York, as the "Thomas P. Noonan, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic".

Bill: 108-s-1856
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2003-11-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Congress
Congressional tributes
Health
Names
New York City
Veterans' hospitals

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Designates the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Sunnyside, Queens, New York, as the Thomas P. Noonan, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Multiemployer Pension Plan Procedural Fairness Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1857
Sponsor: Sen. Lott, Trent [R-MS]
Introduced: 2003-11-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Annuities
Commerce
Corporate governance
Defined benefit pension plans
Law
Liability (Law)
Pension funds
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: 
Multiemployer Pension Plan Procedural Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions concerning the common control rules for multiemployer pension plans to establish special rules with respect to any transaction made to evade or avoid liability, and made five years or more before the date of the complete or partial withdrawal, under the employer withdrawal provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14808-14809)
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR 11/14/2003 S14810)
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Introduced in Senate
National Veterinary Medical Service Act

Bill: 108-s-1858
Sponsor: Sen. Cochran, Thad [R-MS]
Introduced: 2003-11-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Animals
College costs
Compensation (Law)
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Income tax
Law
Medical education
Scholarships
Student loan funds
Taxation
Veterinary medicine

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: 
National Veterinary Medical Service Act - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a veterinary school loan repayment program (including resultant tax liability payments) for persons who perform qualifying veterinary services in shortage and emergency situations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14810)
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-11-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the age and service requirements for eligibility to receive retired pay for non-regular service.

Bill: 108-s-1859
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2003-11-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces reserves
Labor and Employment
Military pensions
National Guard
Retirement age
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Makes an individual eligible for retired pay for non-regular (reserve) military service if such individual: (1) satisfies one of the combinations of minimum age (between 53 and 60) and years of service (between 34 and 20); (2) performed the last six years of qualifying service in currently authorized categories of military service, but not while a member of a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve (with an exception); and (3) is not entitled to any other retirement pay from an armed force or as a member of the Fleet Reserves.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR 11/14/2003 S14811)
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14810-14811)
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Defense Trade Cooperation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1862
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2003-11-14 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Arms control
Arms control agreements
Arms sales
Australia
Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Conventional weapons
Europe
Foreign Trade and International Finance
International cooperation
Law
License agreements
Licenses
Military agreements
Military and naval supplies
Military command and control
Military operations
Military readiness
Oceania
Science, Technology, Communications
Technology transfer
United Kingdom

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: 
Defense Trade Cooperation Act of 2003 - Amends the Arms Export Control Act (the Act) to make the requirement of a bilateral agreement prior to the transfer of defense articles or services from the United States to a foreign country inapplicable to a bilateral agreement between the United States and the Government of: (1) Australia, with respect to transfers or changes in end use within Australia of defense items that will remain subject to the licensing requirements of the Act after such agreement enters into force; or (2) the United Kingdom, for an exemption from such licensing requirements. Requires the President, at least 30 days before authorizing such an exemption, to certify to the congressional foreign and international relations committees that such an agreement: (1) is in the national interest of the United States; (2) does not adversely affect the ability of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to provide controls for licensed exports of U.S. defense items; and (3) will not adversely affect the duties or requirements of the Secretary of State under the Act. Directs the President to submit to such committees a text of the regulations that authorize such a licensing exemption.
 
Requires a report from the President to such committees on licensing requirement exemption issues raised during consultations with respect to the terms of any bilateral agreements with such countries.
 
Directs the Secretary of State to notify such committees within 90 days after receiving credible information regarding the unauthorized end-use or diversion of U.S. exports made pursuant to any agreement with a country to gain exemption from such licensing requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 388.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Transfer of Naval Vessels Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1863
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2003-11-14 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Arms sales
Bahrain
Defense budgets
Europe
Middle East and North Africa
Military assistance
Portugal
Surplus government property
Warships

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: 
Transfer of Naval Vessels Act of 2003 - Authorizes the President to transfer the following guided missile frigates on a grant basis under provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961: (1) the USS GEORGE PHILIP to the Government of Bahrain; and (2) the USS SIDES to the Government of Portugal. States that the value of such transferred vessels shall not be counted against the aggregate value of excess defense articles authorized to be transferred to foreign countries under such Act. Requires transfer costs to be borne by the recipients.
 
Authorizes the President to transfer the destroyer FLETCHER to the Government of Chile on a sales basis under provisions of the Arms Export Control Act.
 
Mandates that the President require, as a condition of transfer of any such vessels, that the recipient country have any necessary vessel repair or refurbishment performed at a U.S. shipyard, including a Navy shipyard.
 
Terminates all such transfer authority two years after the enactment of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 389.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in Senate
National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1867
Sponsor: Sen. Jeffords, James M. [I-VT]
Introduced: 2003-11-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Alcoholic beverages
Auditing
Beverage containers
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Consumer price indexes
Environmental law enforcement
Federal-state relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Food industry
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Intellectual property
Labeling
Marketing
Packaging
Planning
Recycling industry
Retail trade
Soft drink industry
Standards
Trademarks
User charges
Valuation
Waste disposal sites

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2003 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require beverage brand owners (manufacturers or importers of beverages sold in containers) to implement effective redemption, transportation, processing, marketing, and reporting systems for the reuse and recycling of their used beverage containers. 
Prohibits the sale of a beverage in a beverage container unless a clear refund value statement prominently appears on the container. 
Requires each brand owner to submit to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency a recycling management plan subject to the Administrator's approval and a fee to cover administrative costs. 
Requires sellers of beverages to collect from each purchaser at the time of sale a deposit no greater than a specified minimum refund value and pay the refund value upon container returns either in cash or in the form of a voucher. 
Establishes a redemption rate performance standard and penalties for failure to achieve such rate. Requires arbitration to settle disputes between a brand owner and a return site. 
Imposes penalties for violations of this Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14816-14817)
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Health Training Incentive Act

Bill: 108-s-1868
Sponsor: Sen. Craig, Larry E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Access to health care
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Health
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Medical education
Physicians

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Rural Health Training Incentive Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) award a three-year grant to the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho joint medical school to strengthen and expand programs to encourage health professionals to practice in rural areas; and (2) award grants (beginning in FY 2007) in other geographic areas to regional university and associated medical school partnerships that have at least a two-month old rural training program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill for the relief of Robert Kuan Liang and Chun-Mei Hsu-Liang

Bill: 108-s-1869
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Private Legislation
Subjects: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Declares that Robert Kuan Liang and Chun-Mei Hsu-Liang shall be eligible for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence upon filing the appropriate application.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to establish an alternative trigger for determining if an extended benefit period is in effect for a State for purposes of certain benefits under the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002.

Bill: 108-s-1870
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Unemployment insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUCA) to establish an alternative trigger for determining if an extended benefit period is in effect for a State, for purposes of determining eligibility for TEUC Second Tier benefits (also known as TEUC-X, providing additional weeks of payments for individuals in high-unemployment States), based on an exhaustion of TEUC First Tier benefits (also known as regular TEUC benefits).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize salary adjustments for Justices and judges of the United States for fiscal year 2004.

Bill: 108-s-1871
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Appellate courts
Courts of special jurisdiction
District courts
Judges
Judicial compensation
Supreme Court justices

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Authorizes salary adjustments for U.S. justices and judges for FY 2004 concurrently with increases in the General Schedule of Compensation for Federal employees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to award a congressional gold medal to Lord Robertson of Port Ellen.

Bill: 108-s-1872
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Alliances
Armed Forces and National Security
Congressional gold medals
Europe
International Affairs
International military forces
Leadership
Military assistance
NATO military forces
Peacekeeping forces

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Lord Robertson of Port Ellen (Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in recognition of his contributions to maintaining the security fo the Euro-Atlantic region. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate