hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Troops Phone Home Free Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-718
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2003-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Afghanistan
Armed forces abroad
Families
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Military dependents
Military pay
Science, Technology, Communications
South Asia
Telecommunication rates
Telephone

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Troops Phone Home Free Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide prepaid phone cards, or the equivalent telephone service benefit, to enable military personnel stationed outside the United States who are directly supporting military operations in Iraq or Afghanistan to call family and friends in the United States at no cost. Limits such benefit to $40 per month per person. Terminates the program 60 days after the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Directs the Secretary to work with telecommunications providers to facilitate the deployment of additional telephones for such use as quickly as practicable.
action_date: 2003-04-01
text: Troops Phone Home Free Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide prepaid phone cards, or the equivalent telephone service benefit, to military personnel stationed outside the United States who are directly supporting military operations in Iraq or Afghanistan to enable such personnel to call family and friends in the United States at no cost. Limits such benefit to $40 per month per person. Terminates the program 60 days after the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) work with telecommunications providers to facilitate the deployment of additional telephones for such use as quickly as practicable; and (2) carry out this Act in a manner that allows for competition in the provision of benefits.
Prohibits the Secretary from taking any action under this Act that would compromise the military objectives or mission of the Department of Defense.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-08
text: Executive Comment Requested from DOD.
action_date: 2003-04-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Total Force.
action_date: 2003-04-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2003-04-02
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2003-04-02
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2003-04-01
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text: CR S4620-4621)
action_date: 2003-04-01
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text: CR S4620-4621)
action_date: 2003-04-01
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4615-4621)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 56.
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4441)
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the combat zone income tax exclusion to include income for the period of transit to the combat zone and to remove the limitation on such exclusion for commissioned officers, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-721
Sponsor: Sen. Allen, George [R-VA]
Introduced: 2003-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Caribbean area
Cuba
Estate tax
Excise tax
Families
Income tax
Latin America
Married people
Military bases
Military operations
Military pay
Military personnel
Missing in action
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax administration
Tax exclusion
Tax penalties
Tax rates
Tax returns
Telephone
War casualties
Widowers
Widows
Withholding tax
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to non-taxed "combat zone" compensation to: (1) include "direct transit to the combat zone" within such definition; and (2) eliminate the enlisted personnel compensation ceiling for commissioned officers.
Entitles military personnel eligible for special pay for hostile fire or imminent danger for services at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba, and in the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or any successor operation to specified tax benefits as if such services were performed in a combat zone.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 57.
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4444)
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-722
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2003-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Business records
Clinical trials
Commerce
Communication in medicine
Consumer protection
Data banks
Department of Health and Human Services
Dietary supplements
Drug interactions
Economics and Public Finance
Food industry
Food safety
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Health information systems
Labeling
Law
Manufacturing industries
Marketing
Medical research
Public health
Science, Technology, Communications
Small business
Steroids

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require each manufacturer of a dietary supplement (supplement), and each packer or distributor of a supplement the name of which appears on the labeling, to report serious adverse experiences to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and to investigate such occurrences. Defines a serious adverse experience as an adverse event associated with the use of a supplement in a human that involves death or one of other serious calamities. Directs the Secretary to conduct a clinical evaluation of each such reported experience.
Requires the manufacturer of a dietary supplement to report periodically on other adverse experiences and to review such occurrences.
Allows the Secretary to grant a waiver from the above reporting, reviewing, and investigating requirements with respect to a dietary supplement upon determination that compliance is not necessary to protect the public health.
Authorizes the Secretary to require a manufacturer to conduct postmarket surveillance for a supplement under specified circumstances.
Permits the Secretary to require a manufacturer of a supplement or of an ingredient in a supplement to demonstrate that its product is safe under specified circumstances. Directs the Secretary to approve the continued marketing of such a supplement or ingredient or to disapprove it.
Prohibits any introduction into interstate commerce of a supplement containing a stimulant unless it is approved by the Secretary under this Act.
Amends the Act to exclude a product that bears or contains an anabolic steroid from the definition of a dietary supplement for a specified chapter of the Act.
Eliminates a provision of the Act requiring the United States to bear the burden of proof to show a supplement or an ingredient in a supplement is adulterated due to a safety violation.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3547-3548)
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Electricity Gouging Refund Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-723
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2003-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
California
Commerce
Department of Energy
Electric power
Electric power transmission
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Independent regulatory commissions
Interest
Law
Rebates
Restrictive trade practices
Wholesale trade

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: 
Electricity Gouging Refund Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Power Act to instruct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order a refund (including interest) for that portion of charges on the transmission or sale of electric energy between June 1, 2000, and June 19, 2001, which the Commission finds unjust and unreasonable. 
 
States that the total amount of such refunds shall be not less than $8.9 billion. 
 
Directs the Commission to order the renegotiation of the long-term electricity contracts entered into between the energy companies and the State of California between January 1 and May 31, 2001. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4444)
action_date: 2003-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to exempt certain rocket propellants from prohibitions under that title on explosive materials.

Bill: 108-s-724
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Chemicals
Emergency Management
Engines
Explosives
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Fuel
Hobbies
Import restrictions
Law
Licenses
Rockets (Aeronautics)
Storage

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that certain prohibitions on the importation, manufacture, distribution, and storage of explosive materials shall not apply to commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not to exceed two pounds, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quick and slow matches, electric matches, igniters, or non-detonable rocket propellant intended to be used in rockets that do not carry any: (1) explosive, incendiary, or poison gas; (2) bomb; (3) grenade; (4) explosive or incendiary charge of more than three-quarter ounce; (5) mine; or (6) similar device.
action_date: 2003-06-19
text: 
Amends the Federal criminal code to exempt from certain prohibitions on: (1) the importation, manufacture, distribution, and storage of explosive materials commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not to exceed two pounds, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quick and slow matches, electric matches, igniters, or model rocket motors containing no more than .9 pounds of ammonium perchlorate composite propellant intended to be used in rockets that do not carry any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, explosive or incendiary charge of more than three-quarter ounce, mine, or similar device; and (2) the storage of explosive material up to 25 pounds of such propellant for purposes of powering recreational model rockets.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 146.
action_date: 2003-06-19
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2003-06-19
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2003-06-19
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Tribal Transportation Program Improvement Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-725
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Auditing
Bikeways
Bridges
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crime prevention
Drug abuse
Drunk driving
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to transportation
Finance and Financial Sector
Highway finance
Highway maintenance
Highway planning
Housing and Community Development
Indian lands
Infrastructure
Mass rapid transit
Minorities
Native Americans
Pedestrians
Railroad safety
Road construction
Seat belts
Sports and Recreation
Traffic accidents and safety
Traffic engineering
Trails
Transportation research
Transportation safety

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Tribal Transportation Program Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to authorize appropriations for Indian reservation roads under the Federal Lands Highways Program through FY 2009.
Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from distributing, for years after FY 2003, any amount of obligation authority made available for Indian reservation road bridges and roads.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out the planning, design, engineering, construction, and inspection of certain projects concerning deficient Indian reservation road bridges.
Raises from two percent to four percent the ceiling for the amount of funds made available for Indian reservation roads for each fiscal year that may be allocated to Indian tribal governments applying for transportation planning pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
Requires the Secretary to establish a Federal lands highway program demonstration project for Indian reservation roads and highway bridges located on Indian reservations.
Requires the Secretary to carry out a program to provide to eligible Indian tribes competitive grants for use in establishing tribal transportation safety programs.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue grants to Indian tribes to establish rural transit programs on reservations or other land under tribal jurisdiction.
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the maintenance of roads on Indian reservations is a responsibility of the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and (2) Congress should provide annually to the Bureau funding necessary to carry out all maintenance of roads on Indian reservations.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-04
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 108-122.
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4516-4518)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4514-4516)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Democracy Day Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-726
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Commemorations
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Election Day
Federal employees
Holidays
Labor and Employment
Leave of absence
Voting

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Democracy Day Act of 2003 - Requires the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2004 and in each even-number year thereafter (Election Day) to be treated as a legal public holiday for purposes relating to the pay and leave of Federal employees. Urges private employers to provide their employees flexibility on that day to enable them to vote.
Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study of the impact of such requirement on voter participation.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4518)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4518)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
National Coal Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-727
Sponsor: Sen. Byrd, Robert C. [D-WV]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air pollution control
Carbon cycle
Coal
Commerce
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Corporation taxes
Cost accounting
Cost effectiveness
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric power production
Energy efficiency
Energy research
Environmental Protection
Environmental research
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to research
Finance and Financial Sector
Governmental investigations
Higher education
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Investment tax credit
Mercury
Nitrogen oxides
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research and development
Research centers
Science, Technology, Communications
Smog
Sulphur dioxide
Tax credits
Taxation
Technology assessment
Tennessee Valley development
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: 
 National Coal Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) perform an assessment that identifies cost and performance goals of technologies permitting continued cost-competitive use of coal for electricity generation, as chemical feedstocks, and as transportation fuel in 2007, 2015, and the years after 2020; and (2) implement a technology research, development, and demonstration program to facilitate production and generation of coal-based power through methods and equipment under specified Federal law.
 
Prescribes conditions and criteria for the authorization of appropriations for a clean coal power initiative program.
 
Instructs the Secretary to: (1) fund coal energy generation projects that advance efficiency, environmental performance, and cost competitiveness well beyond the level of technologies in operation as of the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) award competitive, merit-based grants to universities for the establishment of Centers of Excellence for Energy Systems of the Future.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prescribe credits against tax for: (1) production from a qualifying clean coal technology unit; and (2) production from and for investment in a qualifying advanced clean coal technology unit. Prescribes guidelines for the treatment of persons not able to use the entire credit relating to clean coal technology.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4518-4520)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Minnesota MSA Empowerment Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-729
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee health benefits
Financial statements
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Local employees
Medical savings accounts
Minnesota
State employees
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Minnesota MSA Empowerment Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for a Minnesota public employee, who is either receiving State of Minnesota retirement benefits or is a State of Minnesota employee, for amounts contributed to the individual's Minnesota public employee medical savings account.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4520)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to permit the transfer to spouses and children of a portion of the entitlement of certain members of the Armed Forces to educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill, and for other purposes.

Bill: 108-s-730
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, John [R-VA]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Department of Defense
Education
Families
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Married people
Military dependents
Military personnel
Veterans' education

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Authorizes military personnel who have completed at least six years of service and who agree to serve for at least four more years to transfer a portion of their entitlement to veterans' basic educational assistance to a spouse, child, or combination of such individuals. Limits the transferable number of months of such assistance. Requires the member to designate the dependent(s) to whom such assistance is being transferred as well as the number of months being transferred. Allows such members to make, revoke, or modify such transfers at any time. Requires a pro rata repayment of transferred assistance for any of the four-year service period not successfully served by the member (with exceptions in the case of member death or release or discharge for a service-connected disability, for hardship, or for a physical or mental condition).

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Secure Authentication Feature and Enhanced Identification Defense Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-731
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Counterfeiting
Forfeiture
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Identification devices
Public records
Signs and symbols

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Secure Authentication Feature and Enhanced Identification Defense Act of 2003 (SAFE ID Act) - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly trafficking in false authentication features for use in false identification documents, document-making implements, or means of identification.
Directs the court, in addition to any penalty prescribed for fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents and information, to order the forfeiture and destruction or other disposition of all illicit authentication features, identification documents, document-making implements, or means of identification.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S4521)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4520)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Care Safety Net Oversight Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-732
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2003-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Auditing
Block grants
Case management
Case mix (Medical care)
Clinics
Communication in medicine
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to child health services
Federal aid to health facilities
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health information systems
Health insurance
Health surveys
Housing and Community Development
Managed care
Maternal health services
Medicaid
Medical statistics
Medically uninsured
Poor children
Rural health
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Health Care Safety Net Oversight Act of 2003 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act to add a new part D to establish the Safety Net Organizations and Patient Advisory Commission to: (1) conduct an ongoing review of the health care safety net programs; and (2) report annually to Congress, the Comptroller General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the health care needs of the uninsured and the financial and infrastructure stability of the core health care safety net of the United States based on such review.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4521-4522)
action_date: 2003-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate