hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Call Center Consumer's Right to Know Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1873
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Customer service
Federal Trade Commission
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Independent regulatory commissions
Internet
Law
Science, Technology, Communications
Telemarketing
Telephone

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Call Center Consumer's Right to Know Act of 2003 - Directs each U.S. corporation or subsidiary that utilizes a call center to initiate telephone calls to, or receive calls from, individuals located in the United States to require each call center employee to disclose the physical location of such employee at the beginning of each call.
 
Requires such corporation or subsidiary to annually certify to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) their compliance with such requirement. Subjects noncomplying corporations or subsidiaries to such civil penalties as the FTC may prescribe.
 
Directs the FTC to prescribe rules for effective monitoring and compliance with such requirement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14966)
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14965-14966)
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act

Bill: 108-s-1874
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congress
Congressional elections
Congressional reporting requirements
Electronic government information
Financial statements
Government paperwork
Science, Technology, Communications
Senate

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require Senate candidates to file designations, statements, and reports in electronic form.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14967)
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14966)
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Mental Health Parity Reauthorization Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1875
Sponsor: Sen. Gregg, Judd [R-NH]
Introduced: 2003-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Health insurance
Labor and Employment
Mental health services
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: 
Mental Health Parity Reauthorization Act of 2003 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to extend mental health parity provisions through 2004. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 400.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve the enrollment of cropland into the conservation reserve program through the farmable wetlands program.

Bill: 108-s-1877
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Agricultural subsidies
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Nature conservation
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Water Resources Development
Wetlands

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to include playas (temporary water areas) in the wetland and buffer acreage conservation pilot program (farmable wetlands program). Increases maximum acreage and payment acreage limits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Special Blue Ribbon Commission on Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Pollution Control Financing Act

Bill: 108-s-1880
Sponsor: Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agricultural pollution
Agriculture and Food
Chesapeake Bay
Commerce
District of Columbia
Environmental Protection Agency
Estuaries
Eutrophication
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Infrastructure
Law
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Maryland
Nonpoint source pollution
Pennsylvania
Performance measurement
Planning
Public-private partnerships
Restoration ecology
Sediment control
Sewage treatment
Standards
Storm drains
Urban affairs
Urban runoff
Virginia
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Water quality
Water treatment plants
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Special Blue Ribbon Commission on Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Pollution Control Financing Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish the Special Blue Ribbon Commission on Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Pollution Control Financing. Charges the commission with the duty to oversee development of a comprehensive implementation plan to address: (1) the funding needs for reducing, by not later than 2010, nutrient pollution loads in the Chesapeake Bay to a level sufficient to comply with the nutrient and sediment reduction goals of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement; (2) the appropriate responsibilities of the Federal Government and State and local governments in financing sewage treatment plant upgrades, nonpoint source runoff controls, and urban stormwater management and in adoption of an appropriate variety of financial incentives and regulatory measures to achieve that reduction goal; and (3) opportunities for enhancing the role of the private sector in financial support for the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15065-15066)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Terrorist Apprehension Act

Bill: 108-s-1882
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Computer matching
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
EBB Terrorism
Electronic government information
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Firearms control
Gangs
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Identification of criminals
Science, Technology, Communications
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Terrorist Apprehension Act - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to provide that if the national instant criminal background check system (NICS) determines that a prospective firearms transferee is listed in the Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization file or a similar terrorist watch list, regardless of the eligibility of such person to purchase a firearm, NICS shall provide this information to the employee at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Criminal Justice Information Services Division that is accessing it (NICS operator).
 
Directs the NICS operator, upon receiving this information, to immediately provide the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the terrorist task force and State and local law enforcement in the jurisdiction in which the firearm purchase is being attempted with: (1) the name, date of birth, and any other identifying information reported by the prospective transferee; (2) the time and place of the attempted firearm purchase; and (3) the type of weapon, if known, that the prospective transferee attempted to purchase. Requires the NICS operator to also immediately provide that information to the agency that placed the name of the suspected terrorist on the terrorist watch list.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15066-15067)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Frontier Healthcare Access Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1883
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Community health services
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to health facilities
Housing and Community Development
Public health

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Frontier Healthcare Access Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include residents of frontier areas (as defined by this Act) within the population groups making a servicing health facility eligible for &quot;health center&quot; grants and loans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S15068)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15067-15068)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Manufacturing Job Production Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1885
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Capital gains tax
Community development
Computer software
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Corporation taxes
Depreciation and amortization
Depressed areas
Economic development
Enterprise zones
Environmental Protection
Environmental technology
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Income tax
Industrial standards
Infrastructure
Interest
Labor and Employment
Law
Manufacturing industries
Military technology
Payroll deductions
Science, Technology, Communications
Small business
Tax administration
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax deferral
Tax exclusion
Tax-exempt securities
Taxation
Technology transfer
Terrorism
Trusts and trustees
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Manufacturing Job Production Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase, in the case of an employee's first taxable year beginning in any applicable calendar year (years 2004 and 2005), the amount of the work opportunity credit determined for the taxable year by the increased manufacturing wages payroll tax rebate amount (as defined).
 
Increases the from 50 to 75 percent the exclusion for gain from certain small business stock and to 100 percent for a small critical technology company, manufacturing corporation, or specialized investment company. Doubles the amount of allowable aggregate gross assets for a qualified small business eligible for the exclusion.
 
Permits an eligible small business to pay taxes in four equal installments (or six, in the case of a qualified manufacturer).
 
Makes permanent the temporary increased ($100,000) expensing amount, the temporary increased ($400,000) phaseout amount, and permanently allows for the expensing of off-the-shelf computer software.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15068-15072)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
MADE in America Act

Bill: 108-s-1886
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Block grants
Capital investments
Continuing education
Curricula
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electronic government information
Elementary and secondary education
Executive reorganization
Federal aid programs
Federal aid to education
Federal-state relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Higher education
Intellectual property
Labor and Employment
Manufacturing industries
Mentoring
Nonprofit organizations
Patent infringement
Patents
Public-private partnerships
Skilled labor
Small Business Administration
Small business
Social Welfare
Student loan funds
Technical education
Trade adjustment assistance
Vocational and technical education
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Manufacturing Assistance, Development, and Education in America Act or MADE in America Act - Amends the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to define for such Acts the term &quot;small manufacturer,&quot; the production facilities of which must be located in the United States.
 
Establishes in the Small Business Administration (SBA) the National Office for the Development of Small Manufacturers, to be administered by the Associate Administrator for Small Manufacturing. Requires the Associate Administrator to establish within the Office the Manufacturing Corps to focus on the education and training of the existing and potential small manufacturer workforce.
 
Directs the Administrator to award block grants to States to develop and implement manufacturing training programs. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants and enter into agreements to expand business-to-business relationships between large and small manufacturers. Requires the Associate Administrator to establish a mentor-protege program that pairs small manufacturers with larger, more experienced manufacturers.
 
Provides increased access to SBA loans for small manufacturers. Authorizes the Administrator to make small business disaster loans (with limits) to small manufacturers, and to refinance such loans or business debts of such manufacturers that were outstanding on the day of the disaster.
 
Authorizes: (1) SBA-guaranteed loans for increasing the productive capacity of, or job creation or retention for, small manufacturers; and (2) small business investment companies to make SBA-guaranteed loans to small manufacturers.
 
Includes small manufacturers under the SBA's new market venture capital program.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to make grants from the Small Business Foreign Patent Protection Grant Fund to assist small businesses in seeking foreign patent protection.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15069-15072)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Saudi Arabia Accountability Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1888
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Americans in foreign countries
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms sales
Bombings
Charities
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Diplomats
EBB Terrorism
Education
Educational facilities
Elementary and secondary education
Export controls
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Fund raising
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
International cooperation
Law
Middle East and North Africa
President and foreign policy
Right to travel
Sanctions (International law)
Saudi Arabia
Social Welfare
State-sponsored terrorism
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Saudi Arabia Accountability Act of 2003 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Government of Saudi Arabia must immediately and unconditionally: (1) provide complete, unrestricted, and unobstructed cooperation to the United States in the investigation of terror groups and individuals; (2) close permanently all organizations in Saudi Arabia that fund, train, incite, encourage, or in any way aid and abet terrorism anywhere in the world; (3) end all funding for terror organizations outside Saudi Arabia (&quot;offshore terror organizations&quot;); and (4) block all funding from private Saudi citizens and entities to Saudi-based or offshore terror organizations.
 
Directs the President to certify to Congress that the Government of Saudi Arabia is fully cooperating with the United States in investigating and preventing terrorist attacks, has closed permanently all Saudi-based terror organizations, has ended funding for any offshore terror organization, and has made all efforts to block funding from private Saudi citizens and entities to offshore terror organizations. Requires the President to prohibit certain exports to Saudi Arabia and restrict travel of certain Saudi diplomats if the President cannot certify that the Government of Saudi Arabia has taken the measures required by this Act to combat terrorism. Allows the President to waive such sanctions if the President determines that it is in the national security interest to do so.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S15080)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid/SCHIP Optional Coverage for Young Adults Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1889
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2003-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Government Operations and Politics
Health insurance
Housing and Community Development
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Poor children
Rural health
Youth

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: 
Medicaid/SCHIP Optional Coverage for Young Adults Act of 2003 - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of providing SCHIP and Medicaid coverage, with an enhanced matching rate, to low-income youth up to age 23.
 
Directs the Secretary to provide for grants to small and rural States in order to enable them to implement expansions of eligibility for children and young adults under SSA titles XIX and XXI. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Stock Option Accounting Reform Act

Bill: 108-s-1890
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Corporation taxes
Cost accounting
Economic growth
Economic impact statements
Employee ownership
Employee stock options
Executive compensation
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial statements
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Industrial research
Information disclosure (Securities law)
International competitiveness
Labor and Employment
New products
Recruiting of employees
Skilled labor
Small business
Standards
Tax deductions
Valuation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: 
Stock Option Accounting Reform Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require an issuer of registered securities to show as an expense in its mandatory annual report the fair value of all stock purchase options granted to certain of its senior executive officers after December 31, 2004.
 
Exempts small business issuers from such requirement.
 
Amends the Securities Act of 1933 to require reporting of: (1) stock option expenses as a reduction of the total expense in the fiscal year in which they expire or are forfeited; and (2) as income any excess by which such reduction exceeds total option expenses for any fiscal year.
 
Requires any accounting principle recognized as "generally accepted" by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the expensing of stock purchase options to comply with this Act. Denies recognition to any such accounting principle until the Secretaries of Commerce and of Labor complete a joint study on the economic impact of mandatory expensing of all employee stock options.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15188-15190)
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Customs Business Fairness Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1891
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2003-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Debtor and creditor
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Surety and fidelity
Tariff

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: 
Customs Business Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law governing priority among claims and expenses to place in the tenth order of priority allowed unsecured claims for duties, taxes, or other charges paid to the U.S. Customs Service by customs brokers and sureties on behalf of the debtor arising out of the importation of merchandise entered for consumption within one year before the date of the filing of the petition in bankruptcy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate