hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Aerial Firefighter Relief Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-989
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Aircraft pilots
Aviation safety
Emergency Management
Families
Fire fighters
Fire prevention
Flight crews
Forest fires
Government contractors
Labor and Employment
Survivors' benefits
Transportation and Public Works
Workers' compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Aerial Firefighter Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend public safety officer death benefits to certain aerial firefighters, including contractors, who serve a public agency.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 32, United States Code, to increase the maximum Federal share of the costs of State programs under the National Guard Challenge Program, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-990
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2003-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Authorization
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
National Guard

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Amends Federal provisions concerning State participation in the National Guard Challenge Program (a civilian youth opportunities program conducted by the Secretary of Defense) to: (1) provide a maximum Federal matching funds level of 65 percent of the costs of operating the State program during FY 2004, 70 percent during FY 2005, and 75 percent during FY 2006; and (2) authorize appropriations for the Program for FY 2004 and beyond.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-991
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2003-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Communication in medicine
Damages
Department of Health and Human Services
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Hospital care
Hospitals
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Medical personnel
Medical records
Medical statistics
Medicare
Nurses
Patients' rights
Quality of care
Social Welfare
Wages
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2003 - Amends part D (Miscellaneous) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) require each participating hospital to adopt and implement a staffing system that ensures a number of registered nurses on each shift and in each unit of the hospital to ensure appropriate staffing levels for patient care; (2) provide for the reporting and release to the public of certain staffing information, including a daily posting for each shift in the hospital of the current number of licensed and unlicensed nursing staff directly responsible for patient care in each unit of the hospital; (3) set forth recordkeeping, data collection, and evaluation requirements for participating hospitals; (4) provide for enforcement of this Act through civil monetary penalties; and (5) provide whistleblower protections.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5734-5735)
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5734)
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Life Insurance Tax Simplification Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-992
Sponsor: Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK]
Introduced: 2003-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Dividends
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Insurance companies
Life insurance
Mutual funds
Tax deductions
Tax deferral

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Life Insurance Tax Simplification Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions: (1) providing for the reduction in certain deductions of mutual life insurance companies; and (2) relating to distributions to shareholders from pre-1984 policyholders surplus accounts.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5735-5736)
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Reclamation Water Resources Project Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-993
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2003-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Administrative fees
Agriculture and Food
Animals
Authorization
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Depressed areas
Drainage
Droughts
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Energy
Energy conservation
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federal aid to water resources development
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Fishery management
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government paperwork
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Irrigation
Land transfers
Landscape protection
Law
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Minorities
Multipurpose projects
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Urban affairs
Urban beautification
Water conservation
Water pollution control
Water quality
Water rights
Water supply
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Small Reclamation Water Resources Project Act of 2003 - Amends the Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956 to: (1) include irrigation projects and Indian tribes; and (2) revise the definitions of "project" and "water quality improvements."
Establishes within the Bureau of Reclamation a program under which the Secretary of the Interior may make grants on a 50-percent-matching-funds basis to organizations to carry out reclamation projects.
Establishes the Small Reclamation Water Resources Management Partnership Program to make grants and loans to implement projects that can be performed by the recipient organization's workforce or contractors in 18 months or less. Limits partnership grants and loans to $5 million each, to be matched on a 50 percent basis. Sets forth eligible activities under the partnership program, including water conservation, water quality improvements, water management for urban landscapes, drought assistance, fish and wildlife improvements, public safety improvements, and watershed planning. Authorizes the Secretary to include additional activities, as specified.
Establishes a demonstration program for guaranteeing loans for approved projects. Allocates available funds between reclamation and partnership projects. Prohibits the maximum guarantee percentage for loans from exceeding 75 percent of total project costs. Prohibits any guarantee from being issued after ten years following initial funding of projects under this Act.
Sets forth an examination fee structure.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-13
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-64.
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Commodity Distribution Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-996
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Education
Elementary and secondary education
Farm produce
School lunch program
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Commodity Distribution Act of 2003 - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to revise requirements relating to the level of commodity purchases under the school lunch program.
Requires a specified portion of such program assistance to be in the form of commodity assistance. Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from using commodities provided under the authority of any other Act to meet such program requirement for the school year.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5774)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5773-5774)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Army to carry out critical restoration projects along the Middle Rio Grande.

Bill: 108-s-997
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Animals
Dredging
Easements
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to water resources development
Flood control
Forest conservation
Forest ecology
Infrastructure
Land transfers
New Mexico
Outdoor recreation
Parks
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Relocation
Restoration ecology
Right-of-way
Riparian ecology
Rivers
Sports and Recreation
Transportation and Public Works
Waste disposal sites

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Directs the Secretary of the Army to: (1) carry out critical restoration projects along the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico, from Cochiti Dam to the headwaters of the Elephant Butte Dam; and (2) consult with certain local environmental groups in carrying out such projects. Requires non-federal interests to pay 25 percent of project costs. Prohibits recreational features of a project from comprising more than 30 percent of the total project cost.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5775)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5774-5775)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend section 376 of title 28, United States Code, to allow a period of open enrollment for certain individuals who are elevated to the position of chief judge of a district.

Bill: 108-s-998
Sponsor: Sen. Breaux, John B. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Annuities
District courts
Families
Judges
Judicial compensation
Labor and Employment
Survivors' benefits

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Amends the Federal judicial code to include a chief judge of a district as a "judicial official" who may provide for survivor annuities. Allows six months for an individual who became such a chief judge between January 1, 2002, and the date of this Act's enactment, but who has not filed a written notification of his or her intention to provide for survivor annuities, to file such notification.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Highlands Stewardship Act

Bill: 108-s-999
Sponsor: Sen. Corzine, Jon S. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Agriculture and Food
Arts, Culture, Religion
Civil actions and liability
Commemorations
Connecticut
Cultural property
Department of Agriculture
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Forest conservation
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Greenways
Historic sites
History
Land transfers
Land use
Law
Natural areas
Nature conservation
New Jersey
New York State
Open space lands
Pennsylvania

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: 
Highlands Stewardship Act - Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to establish the Highlands Stewardship Area in the Highlands region (an area encompassing nearly 2,000,000 acres extending from eastern Pennsylvania through New Jersey and New York to northwestern Connecticut (the Highlands States)).
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish: (1) within the Department of Agriculture the Office of Highlands Stewardship to advise the Secretaries and the Governors of the Highlands States on priorities for projects carried out with financial or technical assistance under this Act, land conservation partnership projects, Highlands region research, policy and education initiatives necessary to implement the findings of the Highlands Regional Study (conducted by the Forest Service in 1990) and the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Assessment Update (conducted by the Service in 2001), and to implement the strategies of the study, the update, and other studies in consultation with the Highlands States; and (2) the Highlands Stewardship Area Work Group to assist with such implementation. Authorizes the Office to provide financial and technical assistance to an eligible entity to carry out a project to protect, restore, preserve, promote, or interpret natural, agricultural, historical, cultural, or recreational resources of the Area.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, from among proposed land conservation partnership projects submitted by the Governors of the Highlands States, to annually designate those projects that are eligible to receive financial assistance under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5776-5777)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5775-5776)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
National Guard and Reserves Reform Act for the 21st Century

Bill: 108-s-1000
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Commerce
Employee rights
Finance and Financial Sector
Health
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Labor and Employment
Medical economics
Military medicine
Military pay
Military pensions
Military training
Retirement age
Self-employed
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: National Guard and Reserves Reform Act for the 21st Century - Makes an individual eligible for retired pay for non-regular (reserve) military service if such individual: (1) satisfies one of specified combinations of minimum age (between 55 and 60) and years of service (between 20 and 30); (2) performed the last six years of qualifying service in currently authorized categories of military service, but not while a member of a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; and (3) is not entitled to any other retirement pay from an armed force or as a member of the Fleet Reserves. 
Authorizes a member of the Selected Reserve to enroll for self or for self and family under the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense managed health care program).
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a reserve component employment credit equal to the sum of the employment credit with respect to all qualified employees of the taxpayer and the self-employment credit of a qualified self-employed taxpayer. Limits the credit to $25,000 for each qualified employee. Disallows the credit for failure to comply with reserve member employment or reemployment rights, or when a reserve member is called or ordered to active duty for training.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5777-5779)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Amateur Sports Integrity Act

Bill: 108-s-1002
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Baseball
Basketball
College sports
Drug abuse
Drug abuse prevention
Drug testing
Drugs and athletes
Drugs and youth
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Federal aid programs
Football
Gambling
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Higher education
Hormones
Injunctions
Law
Lotteries
Medical laboratories
Olympic games
Pharmaceutical research
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Sports and Recreation
Steroids
Students

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Amateur Sports Integrity Act - Athletic Performance-Enhancing Drugs Research and Detection Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to: (1) establish a program to support research into the use of performance-enhancing substances by athletes and methods of detecting their use; (2) consider research proposals involving performance-enhancing substances banned from use by competitors in events sanctioned by professional and collegiate sports organizations; (3) fund research on the detection of naturally-occurring steroids, other testosterone precursors, and other substances for which no tests are available but for which there is evidence of abuse or abuse potential; (4) fund research that focuses on population studies to ensure that tests are accurate for men, women, all relevant ages, and major ethnic groups; (5) not fund research on drugs of abuse; and (6) develop a grant program to fund educational substance abuse prevention and intervention programs related to the use of such banned performance-enhancing substances by high school and college student athletes.
Amends the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to make it unlawful to sponsor, operate, advertise, promote, license, or authorize a betting, gambling, or wagering scheme based on a competitive game at the Summer or Winter Olympics or in which high school or college athletes participate.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5785-5786)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5784-5785)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Children Learn Act

Bill: 108-s-1004
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Asthma
Case management
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Eye care
Families
Federal aid to education
Health education
Health insurance
Hearing
Infants
Medicaid
Medical centers
Medical screening
Medical supplies
Medical tests
Medically uninsured
Mortality
Poor children
Preventive medicine
School health programs
Social Welfare
Students

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Healthy Children Learn Act - Amends the Head Start Act to authorize early Head Start and Head Start programs to carry out asthma, vision, and hearing screening programs.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary Of Health and Human Services to award grants to local educational agencies for asthma, vision, hearing, and other health screening programs for public school children.
States that nothing under any law relating to a program that provides health benefits coverage for children and including the payment limitation known as the "free care rule" shall be construed as prohibiting or restricting assistance for children receiving asthma, vision, hearing, or other health screening tests.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5786-5787)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to reduce temporarily the duty on certain articles of natural cork.

Bill: 108-s-1006
Sponsor: Sen. Burns, Conrad R. [R-MT]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Tariff
Wood

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: 
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to reduce, through December 31, 2006, the duty on certain articles of natural cork.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1007
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Child nutrition
Commerce
Competition
Department of Agriculture
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Food service
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Law
School lunch program
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2003 - Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA) to revise nutritional requirements for the school breakfast program under CNA and the school lunch program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA).
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to base regulations for the school breakfast and lunch programs on sound nutritional science.
Authorizes the Secretary, through such Federal regulations, to prohibit the sale of certain competitive foods in food service facilities or areas during the time of school breakfast or school lunch program service (by eliminating a provision of current law that bars such regulations from prohibiting such sale of competitive foods approved by the Secretary during such time).
Requires Federal regulations relating to service of foods in schools participating in the breakfast or lunch programs to apply throughout the entire school, including the school grounds, until the end of the time of service of food under the school lunch program.
Directs the Secretary, in promulgating such regulations, to consider: (1) the nutritional needs of students in various grade levels; (2) the proximity of any area where foods of minimal nutritional value may be sold, donated, or served without charge to the food service facilities or areas; (3) the extent to which students will likely substitute consumption of foods of minimal nutritional value for other food served in participating schools; and (4) the benefits to a school of permitting the sale, donation, or service without charge of foods of minimal nutritional value, including the extent to which the proceeds of such sales inure to the benefit of a school or an organization of students approved by a school.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5787-5788)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5787)
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for the establishment of summer health career introductory programs for middle and high school students.

Bill: 108-s-1008
Sponsor: Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [R-CO]
Introduced: 2003-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Career education
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Federal aid to education
Health
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Medical education
Secondary education

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-07
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Bureau of Health Professions of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award up to five grants to higher education institutions to establish summer health career introductory programs for middle and high school students. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5861)
action_date: 2003-05-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5861)
action_date: 2003-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate