hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Government Reform Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1632
Sponsor: Rep. Royce, Edward R. [R-CA-40]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional veto
Cost accounting
Cost control
Economics and Public Finance
Executive orders
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Federal budget process
Federal budgets
Government downsizing
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Law
Legislation
Legislative resolutions
Nonprofit organizations
Presidential appointments
Presidential commissions
Privatization
Productivity in government
Public meetings
Social Welfare
Waste in government spending

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Government Reform Act of 2003 - Establishes a Government Reform Commission to: (1) examine the current configuration of executive agencies and investigate their duties and responsibilities; (2) review agency operational jurisdictions to determine whether areas of overlap exist and whether the mission of any agency has become obsolete; (3) review and report to the President and Congress on existing Government Accounting Office, Congressional Budget Office, and Inspector General reports, together with any other existing governmental and nongovernmental recommendations, including those offered by the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, for reducing waste in executive agencies; (4) submit to the President and Congress a proposed reorganization plan which shall provide for the realignment or closure of executive agencies to reduce duplication of services and increase productivity; and (5) transmit a copy of the plan to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, who shall issue a public report detailing the predicted savings in Federal expenditures that would result from implementing such plan.
Sets forth separate provisions for presidential and congressional consideration of and actions on the proposed reorganization plan.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
SCHIP Web-Based Enrollment Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1633
Sponsor: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-29]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Health insurance
Internet
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Poor children
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: SCHIP Web-Based Enrollment Act of 2003 - Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to encourage the use of Internet web-based enrollment systems under SCHIP.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for grants to enable States to develop and implement web-based enrollment systems under their SCHIP child health plans.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E666-667)
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a shorter recovery period for the depreciation of certain leasehold improvements.

Bill: 108-hr-1634
Sponsor: Rep. Shaw, E. Clay, Jr. [R-FL-22]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Building construction
Commerce
Depreciation and amortization
Income tax
Leases
Office buildings
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify qualified leasehold improvement property (defined as certain improvements made to an interior portion of nonresidential real property) as ten-year property for depreciation purposes under the Accelerated Cost Recovery System.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Medicare Outpatient Copayment Reduction Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1635
Sponsor: Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Ambulatory care
Coinsurance
Finance and Financial Sector
Hospital rates
Medical economics
Medicare
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Medicare Outpatient Copayment Reduction Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), with respect to the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services, to provide for an extended period through 2010 of increased graduated reduction of the Medicare beneficiary copayment for a covered OPD service furnished under Medicare.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-04-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E670)
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
To authorize the Secretary of the Army to convey certain land at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Tennessee, for the purpose of realigning and upgrading United States Highway 79 from a 2-lane highway to a 4-lane highway.

Bill: 108-hr-1637
Sponsor: Rep. Tanner, John S. [D-TN-8]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Army
Cemeteries and funerals
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Highway finance
Kentucky
Labor and Employment
Land transfers
Military bases
Military training
Relocation
Right-of-way
Road construction
Surveying
Tennessee
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to convey to the department of transportation of Tennessee specified real property at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Tennessee, for purposes of realigning and upgrading United States Highway 79 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane highway.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
BRAC Repeal Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1638
Sponsor: Rep. Taylor, Gene [D-MS-4]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Military base closures

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: BRAC Repeal Act of 2003 - Amends the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to repeal the authority of the Secretary of Defense to make recommendations for an additional round of military installation closures or realignments in 2005.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a married couple who operates an unincorporated business as co-owners to file separate returns for purposes of the self-employment tax, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-hr-1640
Sponsor: Rep. Udall, Mark [D-CO-2]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Earnings
Families
Family enterprises
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Married people
Self-employed
Social Welfare
Social security taxes
Tax returns

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that with respect to a qualified joint business conducted by a husband and wife who file a joint return: (1) such joint business shall not be treated as a partnership; (2) all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit shall be divided between the spouses as they designate; and (3) each spouse shall take into account such spouse's respective share of such items as if attributable to a sole proprietorship.
Includes each spouse's share of income or loss from a qualified joint business in determining net income from self-employment.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E673-674)
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Cell Phone Service Disclosure Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1642
Sponsor: Rep. Weiner, Anthony D. [D-NY-9]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer complaints
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Electronic government information
Federal Communications Commission
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Independent regulatory commissions
Internet
Law
Telecommunication industry
Telephone
Web sites
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Cell Phone Service Disclosure Act of 2003 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to: (1) establish and administer a system, including a toll-free telephone number, for registering complaints with regard to the quality or performance of commercial mobile telephone services; and (2) require each service provider to include in each subscriber's bill a statement informing the subscriber of such system.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Teacher Tax Credit Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1643
Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Heather [R-NM-1]
Introduced: 2003-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Education
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Income tax
School personnel
Secondary education
Tax credits
Teachers

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Teacher Tax Credit Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an eligible educator an annual $2,000 tax credit.
Defines: (1) "eligible educator" as an individual who is a kindergarten through grade 12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in an eligible elementary or secondary school for at least 900 hours during a school year; and (2) "eligible elementary or secondary school" as a school that is eligible for schoolwide assistance under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001).

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-03
text: Introduced in House
To establish a research, development, and demonstration program in genetics, protein science, and computational biology of microbes and plants to support the energy and environmental mission of the Department of Energy.

Bill: 108-hr-1645
Sponsor: Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Bacteria
Biological research
Biomass energy
Carbon dioxide
Economics and Public Finance
Energy research
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to research
Genetic research
Health
Heavy metals
Hydrogen
Planning
Plants
Pollution control
Proteins
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Radioactive pollution
Radioactive wastes
Refuse and refuse disposal
Research and development
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Soil conservation
Soil pollution
Technological innovations
Water pollution control

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a research, development, and demonstration program in genetics, protein science, and computational biology of microbes and plants to support the energy and environmental mission of the Department. Provides that the program shall support individual investigators and multidisciplinary teams of investigators through competitive, merit-reviewed grants.
Establishes as the program goal developing technologies and methods, based on the biological functions of microbes and plants, that: (1) can facilitate the production of fuels; (2) convert carbon dioxide to organic carbon; and (3) detoxify soils and water at DOE facilities contaminated with heavy metals and radiological materials. Requires the Secretary to: (1) transmit to Congress a research plan describing how the program will accomplish that goal; (2) contract with the National Academy of Sciences to review the plan; and (3) transmit the review to Congress along with the Secretary's response to recommendations.
Prohibits the Secretary from conducting biomedical research in carrying out such program.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to modify the State exemption provisions for advancement of time.

Bill: 108-hr-1646
Sponsor: Rep. Carson, Julia [D-IN-7]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Federal preemption
Government Operations and Politics
State laws
Time

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: 
Amends the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to limit the State exemption from the required advancement of time to daylight savings time with respect to States that have areas lying in more than one time zone. 
 
Terminates the State option to exempt from such advancement one of its time zones alone. Permits such States to exempt only the entire State from daylight savings time advancement.
 
Declares that this Act shall not apply to any State that, after enactment of this Act but before April 6, 2004, enacts a law exempting the entire area of the State lying within any time zone from the required advancement of time to daylight savings time.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
Crane Conservation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1647
Sponsor: Rep. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI-2]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Citizen participation
Cranes (Birds)
Crime and Law Enforcement
Ecological research
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Employee training
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
Environmental education
Environmental law enforcement
Environmental monitoring
Environmental protection groups
Federal advisory bodies
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Habitat conservation
Human-animal relationships
Hunting
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
Labor and Employment
Land use
Migratory bird conservation
Nongovernmental organizations
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public meetings
Research
Restoration ecology
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Treaties
Water Resources Development
Wetlands
Wild animal trade
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife management
Wildlife reintroduction

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Crane Conservation Act of 2003 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance for approved projects relating to the conservation of cranes, using amounts in the Crane Conservation Fund established by this Act.
Allows a project proposal to be submitted by: (1) any wildlife management authority of a country that is located in the African, Asian, European, or North American range of a species of crane and carries out at least one activity that affects crane populations; (2) the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and (3) any person or organization with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of cranes.
Establishes the Crane Conservation Fund in the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
Authorizes the Secretary to convene an advisory group representing public and private organizations actively involved in the conservation of cranes to assist in carrying out this Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the Social Security Act to clarify rules for determining whether certain agent-drivers and commission-drivers are employees.

Bill: 108-hr-1649
Sponsor: Rep. Crane, Philip M. [R-IL-8]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Finance and Financial Sector
Investments
Labor and Employment
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Service industries
Social Welfare
Social security taxes
Transportation and Public Works
Truck drivers

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Social Security Act to revise rules applied in determining whether certain agent-drivers and commission-drivers are employees.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
Milk Regulatory Equity Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1650
Sponsor: Rep. Nunes, Devin [R-CA-21]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices
Agricultural subsidies
Arizona
Marketing orders
Milk
Nevada

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Milk Regulatory Equity Act of 2003 - Subjects specified Class I milk handlers (including producer-handlers) to Federal milk marketing order minimum and uniform price requirements applicable to the county in which the plant of the handler is located, at Federal order class prices, if the handler has packaged fluid milk product route dispositions, or sales of packaged fluid milk products to other plants, in a marketing area located in a State that requires handlers to pay minimum prices for raw milk purchases. Exempts from such provision: (1) a handler operating an exempt plant; or (2) a producer-handler for any month during which packaged fluid milk route dispositions and sales to other plants are less than six million pounds of milk.
Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act, reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to subject a Class I milk handler in the Arizona-Las Vegas marketing area to minimum milk price requirements for any month in which the handler distributes in such area at least six million pounds of Class I products from his or her own production.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-24
text: Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
action_date: 2003-04-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
Unemployment Benefits Extension Act

Bill: 108-hr-1652
Sponsor: Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Job hunting
Labor statistics
Part-time employment
State laws
Unemployment
Unemployment insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Unemployment Benefits 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 benefits; (3) revise unemployment rate triggers for TEUC benefit periods; and (4) provide for regular unemployment compensation for certain individuals 

based on part-time work or an alternative base period.

Extends the TEUC program through weeks of unemployment ending before December 28, 2003. Provides a phaseout period for individual payments up to weeks beginning after July 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.
Establishes a program of payments to States to provide regular unemployment compensation benefits for individuals 

who otherwise would be ineligible because: (1) the base period does not count wages earned in the most recently completed calendar quarter; or (2) the individuals seek or are available for less than full-time work.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
To amend title 10, United States Code, to change the effective date for paid-up coverage under the military Survivor Benefit Plan from October 1, 2008, to October 1, 2003.

Bill: 108-hr-1653
Sponsor: Rep. Saxton, Jim [R-NJ-3]
Introduced: 2003-04-07 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Families
Labor and Employment
Military dependents
Military pensions
Retired military personnel
Social Welfare
Survivors' benefits

Summary:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Amends Federal provisions relating to the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) to change from October 1, 2008, to October 1, 2003, the effective date on or after which no reduction may be made in the retired pay of an SBP participant for any month after the later of: (1) the 360th month for which such pay was so reduced; and (2) the month during which the participant attains 70 years of age.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Introduced in House