hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Next Generation Hispanic Serving Institutions Act

Bill: 108-s-1190
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Building construction
Community and school
Curricula
Distance education
Dropouts
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational technology
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Graduate education
Higher education
Hispanic Americans
Internet
Junior colleges
Laboratories
Mentoring
Minorities
Minority education
Scholarships
School buildings
School libraries
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific education
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Social Welfare
Teacher education
Teaching materials

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Next Generation Hispanic Serving Institutions - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise provisions for Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) under title V (Developing Institutions).
 
Establishes a program of competitive grants to eligible HSIs that offer postbaccalaureate certifications or degrees (part B grants). Limits a part B grant award's duration to not more than five years. Prohibits the Secretary of Education from awarding more than one part B grant to an HSI in any one fiscal year.
 
Authorizes appropriations for FY 2005 through FY 2009 for: (1) the current part A program of grants to HSIs that offer baccalaureate degrees or are junior or community colleges; and (2) the new part B program of grants to HSIs that offer postbaccalaureate certifications or degrees.
 
Eliminates the requirement that an eligible HSI provide assurances that at least 50 percent of its Hispanic students be low-income students.
 
Includes, among authorized activities under part A grants, articulation agreements and student support programs to help transfers from two-year to four-year institutions.
 
Eliminates the two-year wait-out period between any two five-year part A grants to an HSI.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7478-7479)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7478)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Intellectual Property Protection Restoration Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1191
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Civil actions and liability
Compensation (Law)
Constitutional law
Copyright
Damages
Due process of law
Evidence (Law)
Expert witnesses
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Injunctions
Intellectual property
Interest
Law
Legal fees
Liability (Law)
Patent infringement
Plant protection
Profit
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Science, Technology, Communications
Semiconductors
State constitutions
State employees
State laws
State officials
Trademarks

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Intellectual Property Protection Restoration Act of 2003 - Amends Federal patent law to prohibit the award of remedies in civil actions brought for infringement of a patent issued on or after January 1, 2004, if a State or State instrumentality is or was at any time the legal or beneficial owner of such patent, except upon proof that by the date the infringement commenced (or January 1, 2006, whichever is later) the State has waived its immunity from suit in Federal court for any infringement of intellectual property protected under Federal law.
 
Exempts patents from such limitation if it would materially and adversely affect a legitimate contract-based expectation in existence before January 1, 2004, or the party seeking remedies was a bona fide purchaser for value of the patent, and, at the time of the purchase, did not know and was reasonably without cause to believe that a State or State instrumentality was once the legal or beneficial owner of the patent.
 
Amends Federal copyright law and the Trademark Act of 1946 to apply the same condition of State waiver of immunity to suit under Federal law to the award of remedies in any civil action brought under such laws where a State or State instrumentality is or was at any time the legal or beneficial owner of the copyright or trademark involved.
 
Provides that in actions against an officer or employee of a State or its instrumentality for violations of provisions of Federal copyright or patent laws, the U.S. Code, the Trademark Act of 1946, or the Plant Variety Protection Act, remedies shall be available against such individual in the same manner and to the same extent as they available in an action against a private individual under like circumstances.
 
Imposes liability on States for violations of the fifth or fourteenth amendment of the U.S. Constitution (takings or due process violations) involving intellectual property under such Federal laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7480-7482)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7479-7480)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Consumer and Small Business Energy Commission Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1192
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer organizations
Department of Energy
Electric utility rates
Energy consumption
Energy demand
Energy prices
Energy shortages
Energy supplies
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Gasoline
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Infrastructure
Natural gas
Price fixing
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Consumer and Small Business Energy Commission Act of 2003 - Establishes the Consumer and Small Business Energy Commission to study and report to Congress on significant price spikes in major United States consumer energy products since 1990.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7482-7483)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7482)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Capital Construction Fund Qualified Withdrawal Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1193
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commerce
Department of Commerce
Equipment and supplies
Fees
Fisheries
Fishery management
Fishing boats
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Individual retirement accounts
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine safety
Merchant seamen
Overfishing
Shipbuilding
Subsidies
Sustainable fisheries
Tax deferral
Tax exclusion
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Capital Construction Fund Qualified Withdrawal Act of 2003 - Amends the Merchant Marine Act and the Internal Revenue Code to permit as qualified withdrawals from fishing capital construction funds money used by retiring fishermen for the following purposes: (1) retiring an owner's commercial fishing vessels and related commercial fishing permits; (2) making a rollover contribution into an owner's individual retirement plan; (3) making a payment of an industry fee authorized by the fishing capacity reduction program; (4) the acquisition of a vessel monitoring system as a safety improvement for a fishing vessel; and (5) the acquisition or construction of fishing gear designed to minimize or avoid bycatch.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7483)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Safety Net Hospital Pharmacy Access Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1195
Sponsor: Sen. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Auditing
Business records
Commerce
Drug industry
Drugs
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Medicaid
Prescription pricing
Public hospitals
Rebates
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Safety Net Hospital Pharmacy Access Act of 2003 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to exclude inpatient prices charged to certain high-volume disproportionate share hospital (DSH) safety net providers from the Medicaid &quot;best price&quot; rule. (Thus allows such providers to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to receive deeper discounts on the prices of inpatient drugs. Currently such entities are able to receive discounts only on outpatient drugs because of a specified Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services interpretation of the &quot;best price&quot; exemption under the Medicaid drug rebate program.) Applies to any such drug purchased for inpatient use certain auditing and recordkeeping requirements under the Public Health Service Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7488)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Permanent Marriage Penalty Relief Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1196
Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Congress
Earned income tax credit
Families
Income tax
Married people
Sunset legislation
Tax deductions
Tax rates

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Permanent Marriage Penalty Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the basic standard deduction on a joint return shall be equal to 200 percent of the dollar amount of an individual who is not married.
 
Makes the maximum taxable income in the lowest joint bracket equal to double the maximum taxable income in the lowest single filer bracket.
 
Increases the earned income credit phaseout amount on a joint return by $3,000. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7489)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7488-7489)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1197
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accreditation (Education)
Accreditation (Medical care)
Administrative procedure
Department of Health and Human Services
Education
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Imaging systems in medicine
Law
Licenses
Medical education
Medical personnel
Medical tests
Performance measurement
Quality of care
Radiotherapy
Science, Technology, Communications
Standards
X-rays

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards to assure the safety and accuracy of medical imaging or radiation therapy. States that such standards shall include licensure or certification, accreditation, and other requirements determined by the Secretary.
Exempts the standards from applying to physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
Requires individuals prior to performing or preparing such imaging or therapy to have successfully completed a national exam approved by the Secretary.
Directs the Secretary to certify private nonprofit organizations or State agencies as approved bodies with respect to the accreditation of educational programs or the administration of examinations if such organizations or agencies meet certain standards and give certain assurances. Allows the Secretary to withdraw approval from an approved body.
Permits the Secretary to develop alternative standards for rural areas if such action is needed to assure access to quality medical imaging.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7490-7491)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7489-7490)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
FOCUS Act

Bill: 108-s-1198
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Access to health care
Agriculture and Food
Child care workers
Child development
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Day care
Demography
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational planning
Elementary and secondary education
Employee health benefits
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to education
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Health insurance
Higher education
Indian children
Indian education
Insurance premiums
Labor and Employment
Labor turnover
Medical economics
Minorities
Poor children
Preschool education
Recruiting of employees
Salaries
Scholarships
School lunch program
Social Welfare
Teacher education
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Focus On Committed and Underpaid Staff for Children's Sake Act (FOCUS Act) - Establishes: (1) the Child Care Provider Development and Retention Grant Program; and (2) the Child Care Provider Scholarship Program.
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allot funds to eligible States (and Indian tribes and tribal organizations) for distribution directly, or at State option, through local governments, to pay the Federal share of the cost of making grants to eligible child care providers under both such programs.
Healthy Early Education Workforce Grant Program Act - Authorizes the Secretary to allot funds to eligible States (and Indian tribes and tribal organizations) to pay for the Federal share of the cost of providing access to affordable health benefits coverage for: (1) eligible child care providers; and (2) at State option, the spouses, domestic partners, and dependents of such providers. Directs the Secretary to conduct an evaluation of several such funded State programs representing various approaches to increasing the rate of coverage for child care providers.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7491-7492)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1199
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Cemeteries and funerals
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Veterans Affairs
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Health
Law
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans to establish a separate account for the funding of outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and a separate subaccount for the funding of outreach activities of the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish and maintain procedures for ensuring the effective coordination of Department outreach activities between and among such elements, the Office of the Secretary, and the Office of Public Affairs; and (2) ensure that outreach is provided in locations proximate to populations of veterans and other individuals in States that offer a high probability of improving veterans' outreach and assistance. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to appropriate State veterans agencies for such purpose.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-07-10
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7493)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7492)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1200
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Animals
Arts, Culture, Religion
Biological diversity
Camping
Cultural property
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Endangered species
Energy
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to transportation
Fire prevention
Flood damage prevention
Forest ecology
Forest fires
Forest roads
Habitat conservation
Hazardous wastes
Infrastructure
Land transfers
Landscape protection
Logging
Mining leases
National forests
Oil pollution
Outdoor recreation
Potable water
Religion
Restoration ecology
Road construction
Soil conservation
Soil pollution
Sports and Recreation
Timber sales
Traffic accidents and safety
Transportation and Public Works
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Water quality
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2003 - Prohibits road construction and road reconstruction in inventoried roadless areas of the National Forest System. Specifies exceptions, including because: (1) there is threat of a catastrophic event; (2) a natural resource restoration action is necessary; or (3) a Federal-aid highway project is in the public interest or is consistent with the purposes for which the land was reserved or acquired.
Forbids timber from being cut, sold, or removed in an inventoried roadless area. Permits various exceptions, including for specified environmental reasons, if the responsible official determines that the cutting, sale, or removal of timber is expected to be infrequent.
Declares that this Act does not: (1) revoke, suspend, or modify legal instruments and decisions concerning the use of NFS land made before January 12, 2001; (2) compel the amendment or revision of any land and resource management plan; or (3) apply to specified activities in the Tongass National Forest.
States that the prohibitions and restrictions of this Act cannot be reconsidered, modified, or terminated under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
YMCA Healthy Teen Act

Bill: 108-s-1201
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Alcohol and youth
Charities
Child health
Child nutrition
Drug abuse
Drug abuse prevention
Drugs and youth
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Health
Health education
Mental health services
Physical fitness
Poor children
Preventive medicine
Smoking and youth
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Youth services
Youth violence

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: YMCA Healthy Teen Act - Directs the Attorney General to award a grant to the YMCA of the USA to make subgrants to local YMCAs for programs to promote healthy living among teenage youth.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7493-7494)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Meat and Poultry Products Traceability and Safety Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1202
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural estimating and reporting
Animals
Business records
Cattle
Commerce
Crime and Law Enforcement
Food industry
Food safety
Fraud
Goats
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Horses
Identification devices
Livestock
Meat inspection
Meat packing industry
Poultry
Produce trade
Sheep
Swine

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Meat and Poultry Products Traceability and Safety Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, respectively, to direct that cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules and other equines, and poultry presented for slaughter for human consumption, and the carcasses or parts of carcasses and the meat and food products of those animals, shipped in interstate commerce be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary of Agriculture to trace: (1) each animal to any location at which the animal was held at any time before slaughter; and (2) each carcass or part of a carcass and food product forward from slaughter through processing and distribution to the ultimate consumer.
Authorizes the Secretary to prohibit or restrict entry to a slaughtering establishment of an animal not so identified.
Directs the Secretary to establish a traceability system for all stages of production, processing, and distribution of meat and meat food products and poultry and poultry food products.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Distance Education and Online Learning Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1203
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Accreditation (Education)
Administrative procedure
Auditing
Correspondence schools and courses
Department of Education
Distance education
Economics and Public Finance
Educational accountability
Federal aid to education
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Law
Teaching materials

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: 
Distance Education and Online Learning Act of 2003 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise title IV student assistance requirements for distance education courses and programs with respect to student eligibility, eligible programs, and criteria for recognition of accrediting agencies that evaluate institutions of higher education offering such programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7495)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7494-7495)
action_date: 2003-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate