hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to assure that immigrants do not have to wait longer for an immigrant visa as a result of a reclassification from family second preference to family first preference because of the naturalization of a parent or spouse.

Bill: 108-hr-4018
Sponsor: Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-2]
Introduced: 2004-03-23 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Aliens
Families
Immigrants
Naturalization
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-23
text: 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow alien beneficiaries of approved family second preference petitions to continue claiming their family second preference priority date following their reclassification to family first preference as the result of a petitioning parent's naturalization if no family first visas are immediately available. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E448)
action_date: 2004-03-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-03-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E433-434)
action_date: 2004-03-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-23
text: Introduced in House
To address the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

Bill: 108-hr-4019
Sponsor: Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Conferences
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
East Asia
Europe
Health
International agencies
Switzerland
Taiwan
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of State to: (1) initiate, and instruct the U.S. delegation to implement, a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual World Health Assembly summit in May 2004, in Geneva, Switzerland; (2) introduce a resolution in support of observer status for Taiwan at such summit; and (3) report annually on U.S. efforts to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly held yearly by the World Health Organization (WHO).

action_date: 2004-04-21
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of State to: (1) initiate, and instruct the U.S. delegation to implement, a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual World Health Assembly summit in Geneva, Switzerland; and (2) introduce a resolution in support of observer status for Taiwan at such summit. 
 
Directs the Secretary to report annually on U.S. efforts to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly held yearly by the World Health Organization (WHO).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-22
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 416 - 0 (Roll no. 124). (text: CR H2215)
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 416 - 0 (Roll no. 124).(text: CR H2215)
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2226)
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4019.
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2215-2217)
action_date: 2004-04-21
text: Mr. Chabot moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2004-03-31
text: Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-03-31
text: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2004-03-31
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
State Veterans Home Nurse Recruitment Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4020
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Education
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to health facilities
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Nurses
Nursing education
Recruiting of employees
Scholarships
Soldiers' homes

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
State Veterans Home Nurse Recruitment Act of 2004 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make payments to States for assisting State veterans' homes in the hiring and retention of nurses and the reduction of nursing shortages at such homes. Makes eligible for such assistance State homes that: (1) currently receive per diem payments from the Secretary for the care of veterans; and (2) have in effect an employee incentive scholarship or other program designed to promote the hiring and retention of nursing staff and reduce nursing shortages. Limits such assistance to no more than 50 percent of the fiscal year costs of such a program.
 
Requires the assistance program to be implemented as expeditiously as possible, so that payments are made to eligible States commencing no later than January 1, 2005.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-05-13
text: -Provision incorporated. See H.R. 4231, Section 6.
action_date: 2004-05-06
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2004-04-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E442)
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require that only countries that have a democratic form of government and that support United States nonproliferation objectives may be designated as major non-NATO allies for purposes of that Act and the Arms Export Control Act.

Bill: 108-hr-4021
Sponsor: Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-5]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Arms control
Arms control agreements
Arms sales
Ballistic missiles
Biological warfare
Chemical warfare
Congress
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Conventional weapons
Export controls
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Military assistance
Military technology
Nuclear nonproliferation
Nuclear weapons
President and foreign policy
Science, Technology, Communications
Technology transfer
Weapons of mass destruction

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to state that the President may designate a country as a major non-NATO ally for purposes of this Act and the Arms Export Control Act only if: (1) the country has a democratic form of government; (2) the country participates with the United States in specified and other international agreements or arrangements that restrict the export of chemical, biological, nuclear and other weapons, delivery systems, and related dual use components, and (3) the President notifies Congress prior to designation that the country meets such requirements 
 
Directs the President to notify Congress prior to terminating any such designation. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to postpone the 2005 round of base closures and realignments until 2007.

Bill: 108-hr-4023
Sponsor: Rep. Ortiz, Solomon P. [D-TX-27]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Military base closures

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Amends the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to postpone until: (1) 2007 the implementation of recommendations for military base closures and realignments currently scheduled for 2005; and (2) corresponding dates two years later certain dates for reviews, recommendations, and reports related to to such closures and realignments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.
action_date: 2004-04-06
text: Executive Comment Requested from DOD.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
TV Consumer Freedom Act

Bill: 108-hr-4024
Sponsor: Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Cable television
Commerce
Direct broadcast satellites
Education
Educational television
Elementary and secondary education
Federal Communications Commission
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Higher education
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Restrictive trade practices
Television
Television broadcasting
Television programs
Television relay systems
Television stations

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: TV Consumer Freedom Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to allow any cable system or other multichannel video programming distributor to retransmit the signal of a broadcasting station, or any part thereof, only with the express authority of that station (thereby removing authority under current law for such retransmission in the case of the carriage of local television signals by satellite carriers and cable operators). Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to commence a rulemaking proceeding to revise regulations governing the exercise by broadcast stations of the right to grant such consent. 
Repeals Federal provisions requiring cable operators to carry the signals of local commercial television stations and qualified noncommercial educational television stations. 
Terminates upon the enactment of this Act all FCC regulations requiring television receivers sold in the United States to include particular types of features or functions, or specifying the type of technology to be used to provide such features or functions.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E442)
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
Child Health Care Affordability Act

Bill: 108-hr-4025
Sponsor: Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Cancer
Child health
Disabled
Families
Health
Hospital care
Households
Income tax
Long-term care
Medical economics
Parents
Siblings
Social Welfare
Social security taxes
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax refunds
Terminally ill

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Child Health Care Affordability Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for the medical expenses of a dependent. Limits the amount of such credit to $500 (adjusted for inflation) per dependent. Increases the amount of the credit to $3,000 (adjusted for inflation) for a dependent who has a terminal disease, cancer, a disability, or any other health condition requiring hospitalization or other forms of specialized care. (Coordinates the credit allowed by this Act with the income tax credit credit for household and dependent care services and the income tax deduction for medical expenses to prevent a double tax benefit.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E444)
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4026
Sponsor: Rep. Pickering, Charles W. "Chip" [R-MS-3]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Broadband
Broadcast journalism
Commerce
Competition
Direct broadcast satellites
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Federal Communications Commission
Government Operations and Politics
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Licenses
Radio broadcasting
Radio programs
Radio stations
Telecommunication industry

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2004 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revise its regulations to provide that digital audio radio satellite service (DARSS): (1) licensees shall not provide services that are locally differentiated or that result in programming being delivered to consumers in one geographic market that is different from programming delivered in any other geographic market; and (2) repeaters shall be restricted to simultaneously retransmitting the programming transmitted by satellite directly to DARSS subscribers' receivers.
 
Requires the FCC to complete a rulemaking proceeding to determine whether DARSS licensees should be permitted to provide locally oriented services on nationally distributed channels, taking into account, among other things, the ability of such licensees to afford listeners the same emergency and other information as is afforded listeners of local broadcast stations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
To prohibit the award of a Federal contract unless the contractor agrees to offer their employees certain health insurance benefits.

Bill: 108-hr-4028
Sponsor: Rep. Wynn, Albert Russell [D-MD-4]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Commerce
Competitive bidding
Cost control
Employee health benefits
Federal employees
Government contractors
Government employees' health insurance
Health
Labor and Employment
Privatization

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Prohibits giving any advantage to a proposal for outsourcing to save costs for the Federal Government by: (1) failing to offer employer-sponsored health insurance benefits to workers to be employed under the contract; or (2) offering employer-sponsored health insurance benefits to such workers that are less than the benefits provided for Federal employees under the Federal Employees Health Benefit plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a 15-year recovery period for depreciation of designated low-income buildings and to allow passive losses and credits attributable to qualified low-income buildings.

Bill: 108-hr-4029
Sponsor: Rep. Wynn, Albert Russell [D-MD-4]
Introduced: 2004-03-24 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting
Apartment houses
Commerce
Depreciation and amortization
Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Income tax
Losses
Low-income housing
Rental housing
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a 15-year recovery period for depreciation of certain low-income buildings eligible for the tax credit for low-income housing; and (2) exempt such buildings from provisions disallowing certain passive investment activity tax losses and credits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-24
text: Introduced in House
Children's Express Lane to Health Coverage Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4031
Sponsor: Rep. Carson, Julia [D-IN-7]
Introduced: 2004-03-25 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Caregivers
Child nutrition
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Government Operations and Politics
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Parents
Poor children
Pregnant women
School lunch program
Social Welfare
State laws
Welfare eligibility
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: 
Children's Express Lane to Health Coverage Act of 2004 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of providing that Medicaid or SCHIP financial eligibility requirements are met for children based on their eligibility for nutrition assistance or similar public programs with comparable income standards and methodologies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2004-03-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1717, E486)
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Introduced in House
Veterans Fiduciary Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4032
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53]
Introduced: 2004-03-25 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Accounting
Administrative procedure
Auditing
Collection of accounts
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Department of Veterans Affairs
Ex-offenders
Families
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Identification of criminals
Law
Liability (Law)
Licenses
Married people
Negligence
Nonprofit organizations
Parents
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Social Welfare
Surety and fidelity
Trusts and trustees
Veterans' benefits

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: 
Veterans Fiduciary Act of 2004 - Defines &quot;fiduciary,&quot; for purposes of Federal veterans' benefits provisions, as a guardian or any other person having been appointed or legally vested with the responsibility or care of a veterans' benefit claimant or beneficiary, or of money paid for the use and benefit of a minor, incompetent, or other beneficiary.
 
Requires any certification of a person as a fiduciary for such purposes to be made on the basis of: (1) an investigation of their fitness to so serve; (2) adequate evidence that such certification is in the best interest of such beneficiary; and (3) the furnishing of any required bond. Requires the investigation to include whether the person has been convicted of any offense which resulted in imprisonment for more than one year.
 
Prohibits a fiduciary from collecting a fee from a beneficiary for any month with respect to which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or a court finds that the fiduciary misused all or part of the individual's benefit. Provides liability for fiduciaries for misused benefits. Requires the Secretary to pay a beneficiary any amounts or benefits misused by a fiduciary when the negligent failure of the Secretary to investigate or monitor a fiduciary results in such misuse.
 
Provides additional protections for beneficiaries with fiduciaries, including: (1) periodic onsite reviews of institutional fiduciaries such as certified community-based nonprofit social service agencies; (2) requiring a fiduciary to file a report or accounting; (3) civil monetary penalties; and (4) authority for judicial orders of restitution.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H9770)
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: -Similar provision incorporated. See H.R. 4658, Title III, Sections 301-307.
action_date: 2004-06-16
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2004-04-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.
action_date: 2004-03-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E457-458)
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Introduced in House
Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4033
Sponsor: Rep. Jenkins, William L. [R-TN-1]
Introduced: 2004-03-25 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Acreage allotments
Administrative remedies
Agricultural credit
Agricultural subsidies
Agriculture in foreign trade
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Compensation (Law)
Economics and Public Finance
Eminent domain
Farm lands
Farm production quotas
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign trade promotion
Law
Marketing of farm produce
Marketing orders
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Taxation
Tobacco
Tobacco exports
Tobacco industry
Tobacco tax

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: 
Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 - Amends, and repeals, specified agricultural Acts to eliminate tobacco quota and price support programs.
 
Provides for: (1) transitional payments (funded by appropriations made by this Act) to tobacco quota holders and active producers of quota tobacco; (2) geographic restrictions on tobacco expansion through penalties for tobacco grown outside traditional tobacco counties; and (3) county committee resolution of payment disputes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-31
text: Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Introduced in House