hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to repeal the sunset of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 with respect to the affordable education provisions of such Act, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-2050
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2004-02-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Building construction
College costs
Congress
Costs
Education
Education savings accounts
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Employee benefit plans
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Graduate education
Health
Higher education
Income tax
Interest
Labor and Employment
Married people
Medical education
Medical personnel
Military medicine
Public health personnel
Scholarships
School buildings
Secondary education
Student loan funds
Sunset legislation
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax-exempt securities
Teachers
Teaching materials

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-03
text: 
Amends the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 to render its expiration date inapplicable to subtitles A through C of title IV (Affordable Education Provisions) of that Act.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the income tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S541)
action_date: 2004-02-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S541)
action_date: 2004-02-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Animal Feed Protection Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2051
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2004-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Animal diseases
Animals
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Brain diseases
Cattle
Commerce
Crime and Law Enforcement
Deer
Defective products
Department of Health and Human Services
Destruction of property
Dietary supplements
Drugs
Due process of law
Elk
Employee training
Export controls
Feeds
Fines (Penalties)
Food safety
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Forfeiture
Goats
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Import restrictions
Injunctions
Interstate commerce
Labor and Employment
Law
Searches and seizures
Sheep
Standards
Veterinary medicine

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-05
text: 
Animal Feed Protection Act of 2004 - Makes it unlawful for any person to introduce into interstate or foreign commerce a covered article that contains: (1) specified risk material from a ruminant, or any material from a ruminant that was in any foreign country when there was a risk of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and may contain specified risk material from a ruminant; or (2) any material from a ruminant exhibiting signs of a neurological disease.
 
States that the head of a Federal agency may: (1) seize and destroy an article that is introduced into interstate or foreign commerce in violation of this Act; or (2) require any person who is in violation of this Act to cease the violation, to recall any sold article and refund the purchase price, to destroy or forfeit the article to the United States for destruction, or to cease production operations until the head of the appropriate Federal agency determines that there is no longer a violation of this Act. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for related civil and monetary penalties.
 
Defines &quot;covered article&quot; as: (1) animal feed, nutritional supplement, or medicine; and (2) any other article that is ordinarily ingested, implanted, or otherwise taken into an animal. Sets forth exceptions.
 
Defines &quot;specified risk material&quot; as: (1) the skull, brain, trigeminal ganglia, eyes, tonsils, spinal cord, vertebral column, or dorsal root ganglia of cattle and bison 30 months of age and older, or sheep, goats, deer, and elk 12 months of age and older; (2) the intestinal tract of any ruminant; and (3) any other material of a ruminant that may carry a prion disease.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S650)
action_date: 2004-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Emergency Meth Lab Cleanup Funding Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2054
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2004-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Consultants
Criminal justice information
Drug abuse
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to law enforcement
Forfeiture
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes
Indian law enforcement
Informers
Laboratories
Landowners
Methamphetamine
Minorities
Native Americans

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-06
text: 
Federal Emergency Meth Lab Cleanup Funding Act of 2004 - Makes funding available from the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund for payment to designated State, local, or tribal law enforcement, environmental, or health entities for experts and consultants needed to clean up areas formerly used as methamphetamine laboratories.
 
Provides that if a methamphetamine laboratory is located on private property not more than 90 percent of the costs may be paid only if the property owner: (1) did not have knowledge of the existence or operation of such laboratory before the law enforcement action to close it; or (2) notifies law enforcement not later than 24 hours after discovering the existence of such laboratory.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act

Bill: 108-s-2055
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2004-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Disabled
Hearing aids
Income tax
Social Welfare
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-09
text: 
Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a nonrefundable income tax credit of up to $500 for the purchase of a qualified hearing aid for an individual who is either: (1) age 55 or older; or (2) is claimed as a dependent of the taxpayer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S723)
action_date: 2004-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Soledad Canyon Mine Lease Cancellation Act

Bill: 108-s-2058
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: California
Commerce
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal-city relations
Government Operations and Politics
Landowners
Mining engineering
Mining leases
Sand and gravel industry
Transportation and Public Works
Trucking
Trucks
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: 
Soledad Canyon Mine Lease Cancellation Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to cancel two specified Bureau of Land Management leases pertaining to the extraction of sand and gravel from the Federal mineral estate in land in Soledad Canyon adjacent to the City of Santa Clarita, California. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to issue new leases for the extraction of sand and gravel in the Soledad Canyon, California.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S793)
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to permit certain local law enforcement officers to carry firearms on aircraft.

Bill: 108-s-2060
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2004-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Airline passenger traffic
Aviation safety
Commercial aircraft
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Transportation
Firearms
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Law enforcement officers
Police

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: 
Directs the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security to prescribe regulations that permit qualified local law enforcement officers to carry accessible weapons while onboard an aircraft to the same extent and subject to the same limits as Federal law enforcement officers are permitted to do so.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S807)
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a demonstration project on priorities in the scheduling of appointments of veterans for health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-2063
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2004-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Ambulatory care
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Health
Hospital care
Medical statistics
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: 
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) carry out a demonstration project to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing for priorities in scheduling appointments for health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs in accordance with the Department's Waiting Time for Appointments goals (30-30-20) of 2000 and the provisions of the Veterans Health Administration directives entitled Priority for Outpatient Medical Services and Inpatient Hospital Care (VHA Directive 2002-059) and Priority Scheduling for Outpatient Medical Services and Inpatient Hospital Care for Service Connected Veterans (VHA Directive 2003-062); (2) select three Veterans Integrated Service Networks for the project and ensure that the project is carried out in urban, rural, and highly rural areas; (3) schedule each appointment under the project at a Department facility unless the cost is unreasonable or medical or other reasons necessitate an appointment at a non-Department facility. 
 
Requires the Secretary to report to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs in the Senate and the House of Representatives annually on waiting times of veterans for Department health care appointments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-22
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S808)
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S807-808)
action_date: 2004-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Administrative Law Judges Pay Reform Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2064
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2004-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law judges
Federal employees
Judicial compensation
Law
Pay equity

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: 
Administrative Law Judges Pay Reform Act of 2004 - Increases the minimum and maximum rates of basic pay for administrative law judges by linking those rates to level III of the Executive Schedule (currently level IV). Increases the maximum rate of locality pay for administrative law judges to level II of the Executive Schedule (currently level III). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce,  and the District of Columbia.
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act

Bill: 108-s-2065
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2004-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Divorce
Drugs
Families
Federal employees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government employees' health insurance
Health
Insurance premiums
Married people
Medical economics
Medicare
Military dependents
Military hospitals
Military medicine
Pharmacies
Prescription pricing
Retired military personnel
Retiree health benefits
Social Welfare
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' medical care
Widowers
Widows
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: 
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member; and (5) a family member.
 
Directs the Secretary to reimburse such eligible persons for pharmacy benefits received from a pharmacy that is not a TRICARE (Department of Defense managed health care plan) network pharmacy in the same manner as the Secretary would reimburse such person for such benefits received from a TRICARE network pharmacy. Requires such persons, in order to receive such reimbursement, to submit a certification from their physician stating that the person does not have access to a TRICARE network pharmacy due to physical or medical constraints.
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to waive the monthly part B premium (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for the Aged and Disabled) with respect to: (1) an individual who is entitled to military retired or retainer pay based upon service that began before December 7, 1956; and (2) the spouse, widow, or widower of such individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to withdraw the Los Padres National Forest in California from location, entry, and patent under mining laws, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-2067
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: California
Energy
Geothermal resources
Mining claims
Mining leases
National forests

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: 
Withdraws the Los Padres National Forest in California from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; and (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1019)
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Guard and Reserve Enhanced Benefits Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2068
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2004-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Age
Armed forces reserves
Authorization
Block grants
College costs
Commerce
Day care
Department of Health and Human Services
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Employee health benefits
Employee rights
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government paperwork
Health
Health insurance continuation
Higher education
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Interest
Labor and Employment
Leave of absence
Married people
Medical economics
Military dependents
Military leave
Military medicine
Military pay
Military pensions
National Guard
Parents
Retired military personnel
Salaries
Scholarships
Self-employed
Small business
Social Welfare
Student loan funds
Students' rights
Tax credits
Taxation
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' education
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: 
Guard and Reserve Enhanced Benefits Act of 2004 - Provides for benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserves who serve extended periods on active duty, including special assistance to them and their families through: (1) family leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; (2) child care, under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990; (3) educational assistance, under Federal law relating to Montgomery GI Bill benefits; (4) student loan deferments, under the Higher Education Act of 1965; (5) preservation of educational status and tuition, under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act; (6) non-reduction in pay in the case of those who are Federal employees, under Federal civil service law; (7) a tax credit to their employers for the income differential between their wages and their military pay, or a self-employment credit, under the Internal Revenue Code; (8) reduced minimum age for non-regular service retired pay, under Federal law relating to the Armed Services; and (9) health benefits, through expanded eligibility for the TRICARE program and continuation of non-TRICARE plan coverage for dependents, under Federal law relating to the Armed Services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6916-6917)
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1288-1289)
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
International Weapons of Mass Destruction Informant Act

Bill: 108-s-2069
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2004-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Admission of nonimmigrants
Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms sales
Classified defense information
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Executive reorganization
Families
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Informers
Married people
Parents
Science, Technology, Communications
Technology transfer
Visas
Weapons of mass destruction

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: 
International Weapons of Mass Destruction Informant Act - Expands the S nonimmigrant visa classification of the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens who possess and are willing to share with the U.S. Government critical reliable information concerning the activities of governments or organizations with respect to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and related delivery systems, where those weapons or systems are at risk of being developed, sold, or transferred. Provides for S nonimmigrant status for specified family members of such aliens in appropriate circumstances.
 
Increases the numerical limitation on S nonimmigrant visas to 3,500 per fiscal year.
 
Establishes a Weapons of Mass Destruction Informant Center within the Directorate for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection of the Department of Homeland Security, which shall : (1) receive and report to specified Federal agencies all information provided by aliens granted S nonimmigrant status under this Act; (2) ensure that aliens who have provided WMD-related information are given the highest consideration for S nonimmigrant visas; (3) educate consular officers and immigration inspectors and examiners regarding the expanded visa classification; (4) facilitate, receive, and evaluate visa requests submitted pursuant to this Act and facilitate the issuance of visas when requests are approved; (5) facilitate the cooperation with the U.S. Government of aliens receiving WMD-related S nonimmigrant visas; (6) ensure that aliens who receive such visas comply with visa terms; and (7) ensure that such visas are not used to gain entry into the U.S. for purposes other than those outlined in this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
United States Animal Identification Plan Implementation Act

Bill: 108-s-2070
Sponsor: Sen. Hagel, Chuck [R-NE]
Introduced: 2004-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural subsidies
Animals
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Cattle
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Confidential communications
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Data banks
Feeds
Food safety
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Health
Identification devices
Law
Livestock
Planning
Proteins
Right of privacy
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: 
United States Animal Identification Plan Implementation Act - Amends the Animal Health Protection Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to implement the animal identification plan (developed by the National Animal Identification Development Team) for: (1) beef and dairy cattle that are at least 30 months old on the date of enactment of this Act, not later than 60 days after such enactment; (2) all other beef and dairy cattle, not later than 90 days after the date of such enactment; (3) all other ruminate livestock, not later than 180 days after the date of such enactment; and (4) all other livestock, not later than one year after the date of such enactment.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into State or third-party information collection agreements. Provides for: (1) confidentiality of producer information; and (2) nonapplication of the Freedom of Information Act. 
 
Directs: (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to monitor and report on the implementation of certain regulations relating to prohibited animal proteins in ruminant feed; and (2) the Secretary to develop a related enforcement plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1289)
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2070)
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to expand the definition of immediate relative for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Bill: 108-s-2071
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2004-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Aliens
Families
Immigrants
Parents
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act by expanding the definition of &quot;immediate relative&quot; to include the unmarried child (under age 21) of a parent of a U.S. citizen, where the child is accompanying or following to join the parent.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1290)
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1289-1290)
action_date: 2004-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate