hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to require the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation to use dynamic economic modeling in addition to static economic modeling in the preparation of budgetary estimates of proposed changes in Federal revenue law.

Bill: 108-s-675
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2003-03-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Commerce
Congress
Congressional Budget Office
Congressional agencies
Congressional joint committees
Congressional reporting requirements
Economic forecasting
Economic impact statements
Economic research
Economic statistics
Federal budgets
Fiscal policy
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Joint Taxation
Legislation
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Expresses the sense of the Congress that it is necessary to ensure that the Congress is presented with reliable information from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation as to the dynamic macroeconomic feedback effects to changes in Federal law and the probable behavioral responses of taxpayers, businesses, and other parties to such changes.
Requires the Joint Committee and CBO to prepare fiscal estimates of each proposed change in Federal revenue law on the basis of assumptions that estimate the probable behavioral responses of personal and business taxpayers and other relevant entities to such change and its dynamic macroeconomic feedback effects. Applies such requirement only to proposed changes that, pursuant to static fiscal estimates, have a fiscal impact exceeding $275 million in any fiscal year.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-20
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Financial Management, the Budget, and International Security.
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Read twice and referred jointly to the Committees on the Budget; Governmental Affairs pursuant to the order of August 4, 1977, with instructions that if one Committee reports, the other Committee have thirty days to report or be discharged. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4172-4173)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4172)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Introduced in Senate
World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Review Commission  Act

Bill: 108-s-676
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2003-03-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional veto
Dispute settlement
Expedited congressional procedure
Free trade
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
House rules and procedure
International Affairs
International agencies
Judges
Law
Legislative resolutions
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Presidential appointments
Presidential commissions
Senate rules and procedure
Trade agreements
Trade negotiations
Veto

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: 
World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Review Commission Act - Establishes the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Review Commission to review: (1) all reports of dispute settlement panels or the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in proceedings initiated by other parties to the WTO that are adverse to the United States and that are adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body; and (2) upon the request of U.S. Trade Representative or specified congressional officials, any other report of a dispute settlement panel, or the Appellate Body that is adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body.
 
Requires the Commission, with respect to such reports that are adverse to the United States and adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body, to conduct a review and determine whether the panel or Appellate Body: (1) exceeded its authority or its terms of reference; (2) added to the obligations, or diminished U.S. rights under the Uruguay Round Agreement that is the subject of the report; (3) acted arbitrarily or capriciously, engaged in misconduct, or demonstrably departed from the procedures specified for panels and Appellate Bodies in the applicable Uruguay Round Agreement; and (4) deviated from the applicable standard of review, including in antidumping, countervailing duty, and other unfair trade remedy cases, the standard of review set forth in Article 17.6 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 1994. Requires the Commission, if it makes an affirmative determination about the action of a panel or an Appellate Body, to determine further whether the action materially affected the outcome of the report.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4173-4174)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4173)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to enhance book donations and literacy.

Bill: 108-s-680
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2003-03-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Books
Charitable contributions
Commerce
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Inventories
Literacy programs
Publishers and publishing
Valuation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth a rule for determining the amount of the deduction allowable for charitable book inventory contributions for educational purposes.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4178-4179)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4178)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Electricity Market Manipulation Prevention Act

Bill: 108-s-681
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Commerce
Contracts
Crime and Law Enforcement
Electric utilities
Energy prices
Fines (Penalties)
Marketing
Wholesale trade

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: 
The Electricity Market Manipulation Prevention Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to instruct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review, at least annually, the characteristics of each market in which a public utility is authorized to sell wholesale electric energy at market-based rates to determine whether sales by the public utility in that market are subject to effective competition.
 
 Requires FERC to revoke immediately the authority of a public utility to sell wholesale electric energy at market-based rates upon a determination that: (1) sales in a market by such utility are not subject to effective competition; (2) rates charged by the utility are unjust, unreasonable, unduly discriminatory or preferential; (3) the public utility has intentionally engaged in an activity in a wholesale electric energy market that violates a FERC rule, tariff, or order; or (4) the public utility has engaged in or attempted to engage in fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive activity in a wholesale electric energy market.
 
 Directs FERC, upon a finding of fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive activity, to: (1) establish the just and reasonable rate for all prospective sales made by the public utility; and (2) require the public utility to refund any revenues collected in excess of the average wholesale power cost of service within the regional power market for the period in which the public utility engaged in the activity.
 
Prohibits FERC from applying the public interest standard in reviewing a transaction executed at market-based rates, unless: (1) the standard is explicitly contained in the contract at issue; and (2) FERC does not find that the contract was not subject to effective competition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4277-4278)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Genomes to Life Research and Development Act

Bill: 108-s-682
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Biotechnology
Carbon dioxide
Climate
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Energy
Environmental Protection
Genetic engineering
Genetic research
Hydrogen
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research and development
Research and development facilities
Technological innovations
Technology transfer

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: 
The Genomes to Life Research and Development Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to implement a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application, to be known as the Genomes to Life Program, in systems biology and proteomics (the determination of the structure, function, and expression of proteins encoded in any genome, including new protein sequences encoded in a genome for which the structural or functional correlates are not currently known). 
 
Directs the Secretary to prepare a program plan describing how knowledge and capabilities would be developed and applied to Department of Energy missions relating to energy, environmental cleanup, and mitigation of global climate change. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4279-4280)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4278-4279)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Military Families Leave Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-683
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Military dependents
Military personnel

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Military Families Leave Act of 2003 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to entitle an eligible employee to 12 work weeks of leave during any 12-month period because a spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is a member of the Armed Forces who is either on active duty in support of a contingency operation or has been notified of an impending call or order to such status. Allows such leave only for issues relating to or resulting from such family member's military duty.
Amends Federal law to grant leave under the same conditions to civil service employees.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4281-4282)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4280-4281)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Low Income Taxpayer Protection Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-685
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative fees
Administrative procedure
Bank deposits
Colleges
Community and school
Computer software
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost control
Earned income tax credit
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electronic data interchange
Electronic funds transfers
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial services
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Higher education
Identification devices
Income tax
Indian lands
Interest rates
Law
Licenses
Loans
Minorities
Native Americans
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Tax administration
Tax penalties
Tax preparers
Tax refunds
Tax returns
Tax-exempt organizations
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Low Income Taxpayer Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require the registration of income tax preparers, including tax refund anticipation loan providers, and subjects unregistered preparers and providers to a $500 per incident violation fine; (2) provide for improved taxpayer services, including, improved electronic filing services, tele-filing, terminating the debt indicator program, assisting low-income taxpayers in receiving direct deposits from the U.S. Treasury, and establishing pilot mobile tax return offices; (3) provide for demonstration grants to eligible entities (federally insured depository institutions, State agencies, Indian tribal organizations, labor organizations, and etc.) to provide tax preparation services and assistance along with establishing an account in a federally insured depository institution for individuals not having such an account; and (4) provide grants for matching funds for the development, expansion, or continuation of qualified tax preparation clinics for low-income tax payers.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4284-4285)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4283-4284)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect Military Children Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-687
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Armed forces abroad
Department of Defense
Families
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Married people
Military dependents
Military operations

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Protect Military Children Act of 2003 - Prohibits the Secretary of Defense from authorizing the concurrent deployment to a combat zone of both spouses of a military family with one or more minor children.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4387)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Transition to Competition in the Electric Industry Act

Bill: 108-s-688
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Bob [D-FL]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alternative energy sources
Biomass energy
Cogeneration of electric power and heat
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Contracts
Department of Energy
Electric power production
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Environmental Protection
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Refuse as fuel
Solar energy
Wind power

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: 
Transition to Competition in the Electric Industry Act - States that no electric utility shall be required, under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), to enter into a new contract or obligation to purchase or sell electricity or capacity from or to qualifying cogeneration and small power production facilities.
 
Requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to promulgate and enforce regulations designed to ensure that no electric utility shall be required to absorb, directly or indirectly, the costs associated with purchases of electric power or capacity from a qualifying facility pursuant to PURPA obligations before enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4287-4288)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Prevention of Stock Option Abuse Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-690
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commerce
Corporation directors
Employee stock options
Executive compensation
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Independent regulatory commissions
Information disclosure (Securities law)
Investors
Labor and Employment
Law
Securities and Exchange Commission
Securities regulation
Stockholders
Stocks

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: 
Prevention of Stock Option Abuse Act of 2003 - Instructs the Securities and Exchange Commission to promulgate stock option rules requiring a publicly traded corporation to: (1) obtain prior shareholder approval of stock option compensation plans; and (2) issue to directors or executive officers stock options that have a minimum five-year vesting period.
 
Mandates that such rules also: (1) stagger both the percentage of company stock sold by a director or executive officer and the time periods within which it may be sold; and (2) require quarterly corporate filings to include the total quantity of outstanding stock options held by senior management and staff, as well as a stock option status report.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with the Nebraska State Forester to carry out watershed restoration and protection activities on National Forest System land in the State of Nebraska.

Bill: 108-s-691
Sponsor: Sen. Hagel, Chuck [R-NE]
Introduced: 2003-03-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advertising
Animals
Commerce
Delegation of powers
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal-state relations
Forest conservation
Forest management
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Logging
Lumber trade
National forests
Nebraska
Pests
Restoration ecology
Subcontractors
Timber sales
Trees
Water Resources Development
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with the Nebraska State Forester to carry out watershed restoration and protection activities, including treatment of insect-infested trees and reduction of hazardous fuels, on National Forest System land in Nebraska.
Terminates such authority on September 30, 2006.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4295)
action_date: 2003-03-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Digital Consumer Right to Know Act

Bill: 108-s-692
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2003-03-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Arts, Culture, Religion
Authors and authorship
Competition
Computer viruses
Consumer education
Copyright
Federal Trade Commission
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Independent regulatory commissions
Intellectual property
Interactive media
Internet
Law
Licenses
Reporters and reporting
Science, Technology, Communications
Sound recording and reproducing
Teaching
Video tape recording

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Digital Consumer Right to Know Act - Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue rules to implement requirements that a producer or distributor of copyrighted digital content disclose the nature of restrictions that limit the practical ability of the content purchaser to play, copy, transmit, or transfer such content on, to, or between devices commonly used with respect to that type of content. Requires such disclosure in the case of limitations on: (1) the recording for later viewing or listening of certain audio or video programming; (2) the reasonable and noncommercial use of legally acquired audio or video content; (3) making backup copies of legally acquired content subject to accidental damage, erasure, or destruction; (4) using limited excerpts of legally acquired content; and (5) engaging in the secondhand transfer or sale of legally acquired content. Provides disclosure exceptions. Requires the FTC to annually review the effectiveness of such rules.
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) competition among distribution outlets and methods generally benefits consumers; and (2) copyright holders selling digital content in electronic form for distribution over the Internet should offer to license such content to multiple unaffiliated distributors.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2838)
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4327-4328)
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4326-4327)
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Civil Air Patrol Homeland Security Benefits Act

Bill: 108-s-693
Sponsor: Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO]
Introduced: 2003-03-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Air force
Aircraft pilots
Armed Forces and National Security
Emergency Management
Families
Military civic action
Rescue work
Survivors' benefits
Transportation and Public Works
Volunteer forces

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Civil Air Patrol Homeland Security Benefits Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include as a "public safety officer" for purposes of provisions governing death benefits a volunteer civilian member of the Civil Air Patrol engaged in: (1) active service rendered in performance or support of operational missions of the Patrol under the direction of the Department of the Air Force and performed consistent with written authorization that specifies a finite assignment; or (2) travel to or from such service.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Federal Trade Commission to monitor and investigate gasoline prices under certain circumstances.

Bill: 108-s-694
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2003-03-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Energy prices
Energy supplies
Federal-state relations
Gasoline
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Petroleum industry
Petroleum refineries
Petroleum reserves
Price fixing
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public meetings
Restrictive trade practices
Strategic materials

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: 
 Requires the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the retail price of gasoline in a State to determine if it is being artificially manipulated if, based on weekly data published by the Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy, the average price of regular grade gasoline has increased 20 percent or more for at least seven days during any three-month period. 
 
Requires the Commission to: (1) report investigation results to Congress; (2) present such results in a public hearing in the affected State; and (3) cooperate with the Attorney General of the affected State to take appropriate action if it finds market manipulation.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy, within two weeks of notification by the Commission that such increase in gasoline prices is not due to market manipulation, to decide if the Strategic Petroleum Reserve should be used to assure adequate supplies of gasoline. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4328)
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Introduced in Senate