hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
American History Achievement Act

Bill: 108-s-2721
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Authorization
Department of Education
Economics and Public Finance
Educational accountability
Educational tests
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
History
Secondary education

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
American History Achievement Act - Amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (NAEPAA) to direct the Commissioner for Education Statistics to: (1) give a priority to conducting national assessments of student achievement in history at least once every four years in grades 4, 8, and 12; and (2) conduct trial State academic assessments of student achievement in U.S. history in grades 8 and 12 in not less than ten States representing geographically diverse regions of the United States.
 
 Directs the National Assessment of Educational Progress governing board to select the States to participate in, and authorizes appropriations for, such trial State assessments in U.S. history.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-09-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9008-9009)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8704)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8703-8704)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to maintain and expand the steel import licensing and monitoring program.

Bill: 108-s-2722
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Commerce
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government statistics
Import restrictions
Imports
Iron
Iron and steel industry
Law
Licenses
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Steel

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Declares that the steel import licensing and monitoring program established by the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Commerce shall remain in effect and be established by the Secretary of Commerce as a permanent program.
 
Requires the Secretaries to expand the program to include specified iron and steel, and articles of iron and steel.
 
Requires release of the import and licensing data made available to the public as part of this program, based upon classifications at the tenth digit level of the Harmonized Schedule of the United States.
 
Grants the Secretaries authority to maintain the program and to expand it as necessary and appropriate in accordance with this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend section 33(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U. S. C. 657c(a)) to clarify that the National Veterans Business Development Corporation is a private entity.

Bill: 108-s-2724
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Disabled
Entrepreneurs
Federal incorporation
Government Operations and Politics
Labor and Employment
Small business
Veterans' employment
Veterans' organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Amends the Small Business Act to state that the National Veterans Business Development Corporation is a private entity, and not an agency, instrumentality, authority, entity, or establishment of the United States Government.

action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Amends the Small Business Act to state that the National Veterans Business Development Corporation is a private entity, and not an agency, instrumentality, authority, entity, or establishment of the United States Government.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Closing the Coverage Gap Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2725
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Coinsurance
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Generic drugs
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Health insurance
Health maintenance organizations
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Managed care
Medical economics
Medical fees
Medical savings accounts
Medicare
Metropolitan areas
Prescription pricing
Rebates
Social Welfare
Subsidies
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Taxation
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Closing the Coverage Gap Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to eliminate: (1) the initial standard prescription drug coverage limit of $2,250 (adjusted for inflation); and (2) the MedicareAdvantage regional plan stabilization fund.
 
Repeals the Premium Support Demonstration Program.
 
Eliminates Health Savings Accounts under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8707)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Flight Attendant Security Training Act

Bill: 108-s-2726
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Airlines
Commerce
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Transportation
EBB Terrorism
Employee training
Explosives
Flight crews
Flight training
Government Operations and Politics
Labor and Employment
Law
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Flight Attendant Security Training Act - Amends Federal transportation law to direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop detailed guidance for a scheduled passenger air carrier flight and cabin crew training program to prepare crew members for potential threat conditions. Sets forth certain guidance requirements, including training in the proper conduct of a cabin search and explosive recognition. Requires each air carrier to develop a flight and cabin crew training program in accordance with such guidance and submit it to the Administrator for approval. Requires each air carrier, within 180 days after the Administrator approves the air carrier's training program, to complete the training of all flight and cabin crews in accordance with such program. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8707)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
International and Foreign Language Studies Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2727
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Area studies
Authorization
Department of Education
Economics and Public Finance
Educational research
Educational statistics
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Graduate education
Higher education
International Affairs
International education
Language and languages
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Teachers

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
 International and Foreign Language Studies Act of 2004 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise provisions for international and foreign language studies (part A of title VI, international education). 
 
Includes support for instructors of less commonly taught languages among activities of national language and area centers and programs.
 
Makes undergraduate students eligible for fellowships for foreign language and area or international studies (in addition to graduate students under current law).
 
Allows a portion of funds for undergraduate international studies and foreign language programs to be used for subgrants to undergraduate students for educational programs abroad that promote foreign language literacy and cultural knowledge and are closely linked to grant program goals.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to support data collection, analysis, and dissemination that helps achieve part A purposes.
 
Extends and increases the authorization of appropriations for part A.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8708)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Cheaper Car Insurance Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2728
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Accreditation (Medical care)
Automobile industry
Automobile parts
Automobile repair
Business records
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Conspiracy
Criminal investigation
Criminal statistics
Department of Justice
Executive reorganization
Finance and Financial Sector
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health
Insurance companies
Law
Licenses
Prosecution
Public prosecutors
Recidivists
Salvage
Self-insurance
State laws
Traffic accidents and safety
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Cheaper Car Insurance Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit automobile insurance fraud.
 
Directs the Department of Justice to publish best practices for the States to use in licensing: (1) auto body shops that perform work paid for by insurers; and (2) medical treatment provided to people who are injured in automobile accidents.
 
Requires the Attorney General to: (1) cooperate with the offices of the U.S. Attorneys to aggressively investigate fraudulent chop shops and salvage yards, to aggressively prosecute automobile insurance fraud, and to report statistics on investigations, prosecutions, and convictions; and (2) establish Federal-State-Local Anti-Auto Insurance Fraud Task Forces in the offices of the U.S. Attorneys in the ten U.S. cities that are most severely affected.
 
Grants an insurance company the right to require a mandatory inspection by an insurance company representative or agent of any motor vehicle prior to agreeing to provide insurance coverage. Permits a company to waive such right under specified circumstances. Allows an insurer to require a pre-insurance inspection of an otherwise exempt motor vehicle, but prohibits basing such decision on the age, race, sex, religion, or marital status of the applicant or insured or the fact that the vehicle has been insured through a residual or non-voluntary insurance market.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Getting Results for Advanced Degrees Act

Bill: 108-s-2729
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Arts
Arts, Culture, Religion
Authorization
College costs
College teachers
Department of Education
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Graduate education
Health
Health insurance
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Income tax
Married people
Minorities
Minority education
Nonprofit organizations
Scholarships
Social Welfare
Social sciences
Student housing
Student loan funds
Tax exclusion
Taxation
Teacher education
Women
Women's education

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Getting Results for Advanced Degrees Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise and reauthorize provisions relating to graduate student assistance.
 
Extends and increases the authorization of appropriations for: (1) Jacob K. Javits Fellowships (Javits Fellows); and (2) graduate assistance in areas of national need. Sets the amount of a stipend under both such programs at the same level as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, without regard to financial need. Revises Board membership requirements under the Javits Fellows program.
 
Establishes, and authorizes appropriations for, the Patsy T. Mink Fellowship program of awards to assist highly qualified minorities and women to acquire the doctoral degree, or highest possible degree available, in academic areas in which such individuals are underrepresented, to enable them to enter the higher education professoriate.
 
Revises family contribution calculations for independent students with, and those without, dependents other than spouses. Allows a greater income protection allowance for such students. 
 
Revises cost of attendance calculations for students with one or more dependents to include actual living expenses incurred for dependents, which includes their room, board and health insurance as well as dependent care.
 
Increases unsubsidized Stafford loan limits for graduate and professional students.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat reasonable room, board, and special needs services allowances as part of permitted higher education expenses, in cases of qualified scholarships or of tuition reduction programs for teaching and research assistants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8708)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare, Medicaid, and MCH Tobacco Cessation Promotion Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2730
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Ambulatory care
Block grants
Coinsurance
Drug abuse
Drug therapy
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Health counseling
Health education
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Maternal health services
Medicaid
Medical fees
Medicare
Physical examinations
Physicians
Pregnant women
Prescription pricing
Smoking
Social Welfare
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Medicare, Medicaid, and MCH Tobacco Cessation Promotion Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of: (1) counseling for cessation of tobacco use; and (2) tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy. 

Provides for similar benefits under SSA titles V (Maternal and Child Health Services) and XIX (Medicaid).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8709)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Captive Exotic Animal Protection Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2731
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Animals
Arrest
Environmental Protection
Exotic animals
Fines (Penalties)
Forfeiture
Hunting
Protection of animals
Searches and seizures
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sports and Recreation
Warrants (Law)
Wild animal trade

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Captive Exotic Animal Protection Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly transferring, transporting, or possessing a confined exotic animal for purposes of allowing the killing or injuring of that animal for entertainment or the collection of a trophy.
 
Permits any person authorized by the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to: (1) arrest without warrant any person who violates this Act in the presence or view of the arresting person; (2) execute any warrant or other process issued by an officer or court of competent jurisdiction to enforce this Act; and (3) with a search warrant, search for and seize any animal taken in violation of this Act. 
Declares that any animal seized shall be held by the Secretary of the Interior or a U.S. marshal and, upon a defendant's conviction, be forfeited to the United States and disposed of by the Secretary. 
Permits the Director to use by agreement the personnel and services of any other Federal or State agency to enforce this Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8710-8711)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8709-8710)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Bus Utility and Safety in School Transportation Opportunity and Purchasing Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2732
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to air pollution control
Federal aid to education
Housing and Community Development
Motor vehicle pollution control
Rural education
School buses
Secondary education
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Bus Utility and Safety in School Transportation Opportunity and Purchasing Act of 2004 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide grants, on a competitive basis, to rural local educational agencies (LEAs) to pay the Federal share (75 percent) of costs of purchasing new school buses. Requires the Administrator in providing such grants to give priority to rural LEAs that: (1) are transporting students in a bus manufactured before 1977; (2) have a grossly depleted fleet of school buses; or (3) serve a school that is required by law to provide transportation to students to enable them to transfer to another public school served by the rural LEA.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8711-8712)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8711)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
National Enterprise Zone Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2733
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting
Capital gains tax
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Depreciation and amortization
Depressed areas
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational accountability
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Enterprise zones
Estates (Law)
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Income tax
Inventories
Law
Local laws
Local taxation
Married people
Residence requirements
Saving and investment
Secondary education
State laws
State taxation
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax incentives
Tax rates
Trusts and trustees
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
National Enterprise Zone Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize: (1) the governor of a State or U.S. territory or the Mayor of the District of Columbia to nominate by written application one or more enterprise zones for consideration by the Secretary of the Treasury; and (2) any resident of an enterprise zone, including estates, trusts, and corporations (other than S corporations), to elect an alternative income tax based upon National Enterprise Zone taxable income.
 
Sets forth: (1) procedures for applications and eligibility criteria for designating an enterprise zone, including population, poverty, and unemployment rate requirements; and (2) rules for determining National Enterprise Zone taxable income for individuals and corporations residing in such a Zone. Requires all jurisdictions seeking enterprise zone designations to be in substantial compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and certain tax laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Indian Tribal Detention Facility Reform Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2734
Sponsor: Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [R-CO]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Appropriations
Building construction
Building laws
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Correctional institutions
Correctional personnel
Cost accounting
Cost effectiveness
Criminal justice information
Department of the Interior
Detention of persons
Economics and Public Finance
Executive reorganization
Federal employees
Federal-Indian relations
Fugitives from justice
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Halfway houses
Indian law enforcement
Law
Leases
Maintenance and repair
Minorities
Prison administration
Prison violence
Prisons
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Indian Tribal Detention Facility Reform Act of 2004 - Amends the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act with respect to the operation of tribal detention systems in American Indian communities.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish within the Division of Law Enforcement Services a separate Branch of Detention Services.
 
Requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to develop and implement protocols for reporting on serious incidents, particularly escapes, to appropriate law enforcement authorities. Requires the Division of Law Enforcement Services to conduct a preliminary inquiry of any serious incident to determine whether a full investigation is warranted.
 
Directs the BIA to complete an assessment of the physical conditions and needs of all detention facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8712-8713)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8712)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
14th Amendment Interstate Highway Initiation Act

Bill: 108-s-2735
Sponsor: Sen. Miller, Zell [D-GA]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Alabama
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to transportation
Georgia
Governmental investigations
Highway finance
Infrastructure
Interstate highway system
Mississippi
Road construction

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
14th Amendment Interstate Highway Initiation Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to complete a study and report to the appropriate congressional committees on the steps and estimated funding necessary to construct a new route to be designated as &quot;Interstate Route I-14&quot; and known as the 14th Amendment Highway, from Augusta, Georgia, to Natchez, Mississippi (formerly designated the Fall Line Freeway in the State of Georgia).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate