hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to clarify provisions relating to statutory copyright licenses for satellite carriers.

Bill: 109-s-4068
Sponsor: Sen. Sununu, John E. [R-NH]
Introduced: 2006-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Copyright
Direct broadcast satellites
Intellectual property
Law
Licenses
Subscription television
Television programs
Television relay systems
Television stations

Summary:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: 
Grants a statutory license to provide a secondary transmission of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a network station to a satellite carrier found to have engaged in a pattern or practice of violations of delivering such a primary transmission to subscribers who are not eligible to receive it, notwithstanding any injunction that has been issued.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4069
Sponsor: Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL]
Introduced: 2006-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Civil rights enforcement
Congress
Congressional elections
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Department of Justice
Election administration
Election candidates
Election fraud
Fines (Penalties)
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Law
Political parties
Presidential elections
Prosecution
Public service advertising
Science, Technology, Communications
Voting
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: 
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2006 - Amends the Revised Statutes and federal criminal law to prohibit any person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, from knowingly deceiving any other person regarding: (1) the time, place, or manner of conducting any federal election; (2) the qualifications for or restrictions on voter eligibility for any such election; (3) the political party affiliation of any candidate running in any such election; or (4) the sponsor, endorser, or originator of any public communication that promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes a clearly identified candidate in any such election. Creates a private right of action for any person aggrieved by a violation of such prohibition.
 
Prescribes a criminal penalty for such deceptive acts.
 
Authorizes any person to report a deceptive act to the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (or a designee).
 
Requires the AAG to investigate such a report within 48 hours after its receipt and provide correct information to the voters if it is determined that an act of deception occurred.
 
Requires an immediate investigation if such a report is received within 72 hours before an election. Directs the AAG, in such an instance, to undertake immediately all effective measures necessary to provide correct information to voters affected by the deception.
 
Directs the Attorney General to study the feasibility of providing such corrective information through public service announcements, the emergency alert system, or other forms of public broadcast. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas.

Bill: 109-s-4070
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2006-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Asian American ethnic groups
East Asia
Families
Guerrilla warfare
History
Immigrants
Military dependents
Philippines
Visas
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under the Immigration Act of 1990 from worldwide or numerical limitations on immigrant visas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11071-11072)
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the placed-in-service date requirement for low-income housing credit buildings and bonus depreciation property and the period for rehabilitation expenditures in the Gulf Opportunity Zone.

Bill: 109-s-4071
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2006-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alabama
Commemorations
Depreciation and amortization
Emergency Management
Historic sites
History
Housing and Community Development
Hurricane aftermath legislation
Hurricanes
Income tax
Louisiana
Low-income housing
Mississippi
Residential rehabilitation
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2010: (1) the tax credit for certain low income housing property in the Gulf Opportunity Zone, the Rita GO Zone, and the Wilma GO Zone; (2) bonus depreciation for Gulf Opportunity Zone property; and (3) the increase in the tax credit for rehabilitation expenditures for Gulf Opportunity Zone property.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11072)
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11072)
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Gulf Coast Back to Business and Homes Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4072
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2006-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Alabama
Disaster loans
Disaster relief
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Finance and Financial Sector
Government lending
Grants-in-aid
Hurricane aftermath legislation
Hurricanes
Louisiana
Mississippi
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: 
Gulf Coast Back to Business and Homes Act of 2006 - Authorizes appropriations for the Economic Development Administration of the Department of Commerce to make grants to appropriate state government agencies in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas for assistance to small businesses located in a disaster area that was negatively affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita in 2005.
 
Amends the Small Business Act to require the deferment of payments of principal and interest on loans made by the Small Business Administration (SBA) before December 31, 2006, to a small business located in a disaster area negatively affected by such hurricanes.
 
Amends the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 to authorize the SBA Administrator to waive the duplication of certain benefits with respect to hurricane recovery loans made to affected small businesses in Louisiana.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11074)
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11073-11074)
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Satellite and Cable Access Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4074
Sponsor: Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO]
Introduced: 2006-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Cable television
Copyright
Direct broadcast satellites
Intellectual property
Law
Licenses
Subscription television
Television broadcasting
Television relay systems
Television stations

Summary:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: 
Satellite and Cable Access Act of 2006 - Amends federal copyright law and the Communications Act of 1934 to allow certain counties and areas to receive broadcast transmissions of network televsion stations located in the capital of the state in which such counties and areas are located. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to apply the joint return limitation for capital gains exclusion to certain post-marriage sales of principal residences by surviving spouses.

Bill: 109-s-4075
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Families
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Income tax
Survivors' benefits
Tax exclusion
Widowers
Widows
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a surviving spouse to exclude from gross income up to $500,000 of the gain from the sale or exchange of a principal residence owned jointly with a deceased spouse if the sale or exchange occurs within two years of the death of the spouse and other ownership and use requirements have been met. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide an alternate sulfur dioxide removal measurement for certain coal gasification project goals.

Bill: 109-s-4076
Sponsor: Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Coal
Environmental Protection
Sulphur dioxide

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide an alternate sulfur dioxide removal measurement for certain coal gasification project goals.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish milestones for such projects so that by year 2020 they will be able to: (1) remove at least 99% of sulfur dioxide (as currently required); or, in the alternative, (2) emit not more than 0.04 pound SO2 per million Btu, based on a 30-day average.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Australian Wheat Board Accountability Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4077
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Australia
Congress
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Energy
Food relief
Governmental investigations
Import restrictions
International Affairs
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Nontariff trade barriers
Oceania
Petroleum
Tariff
Trade agreements
Trade negotiations
United Nations
Wheat

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Australian Wheat Board Accountability Act of 2006 - Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate an investigation in accordance with title III of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine if actions by the Australian Wheat Board with respect to the Board's abuse of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme constitutes an act, policy, or practice and justifies taking action against unfair trade practices and to enforce U.S. rights under trade agreements.
 
Deems economic damage suffered by U.S. wheat farmers as a result of the practices of the Australian Wheat Board related to the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme during the period 1999 to 2003 to be such an act, policy, or practice.
 
Requires the USTR to seek a negotiated settlement with the Australian government upon an affirmative determination that the actions of the Australian Wheat Board have resulted in barriers to U.S. wheat exports or meet the requirements for mandatory action.
 
Imposes additional duties upon Australian imports in the event of failure to reach a negotiated settlement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11316-11317)
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, as the "Gale W. McGee Post Office".

Bill: 109-s-4078
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Congress
Congressional tributes
Ex-Members of Congress
Government Operations and Politics
Names
Postal facilities
Senate
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, as the "Gale W. McGee Post Office."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to authorize improvements for the security of dams and other facilities, and for other purposes.

Bill: 109-s-4079
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Authorization
California
Central Valley Reclamation Project (California)
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Dams
Earth movements and building
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to water resources development
Hydrology
Infrastructure
Irrigation
Safety measures
Security measures
Seismology
Water rates
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Amends the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make modifications that are reasonably required to preserve the site security of Bureau of Reclamation dams and related facilities. Provides for specified reimbursement for costs incurred for building and site security activities.
 
Requires dam safety and site security costs allocated to irrigation, municipal, and industrial water service for the Central Valley Project, California, to be collected by the Secretary exclusively through inclusion of such costs in operation and maintenance rates, capital water rates, or a combination of both, not segregated from other project costs for separate allocation or repayment. Directs the Secretary, during site security-related construction, to consider cost containment measures.
 
 Prohibits the obligation of funds exceeding a specified amount for carrying out actual construction to modify an existing dam, the cause of which results from new hydrologic or seismic data or changes in the state-of-the-art criteria deemed necessary for site security or structural safety purposes, prior to 30 calendar days after the Secretary has transmitted a report on such existing dam to Congress.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) report annually to Congress on building and site measures carried out during the applicable fiscal year (including a summary of expenditures and information relating to a five-year plan for security measures detailed to show pre- and post-September 11, 2001 costs); (2) provide written notice to project beneficiaries upon identifying a Bureau facility for a site security measure; and (3) include in required reports the Secretary's response when a modification is the result of new data deemed necessary for structural safety purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to waive reporting requirements that could adversely impact site security.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11196-11197)
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11196)
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 17, United States Code, with respect to settlement agreements reached with respect to litigation involving certain secondary transmissions of superstations and network stations.

Bill: 109-s-4080
Sponsor: Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Copyright
Direct broadcast satellites
Injunctions
Intellectual property
Law
Subscription television
Television programs
Television relay systems
Television stations

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Allows the court to: (1) approve a settlement agreement executed after December 1, 2006, by plaintiffs or defendants in connection with litigation that resulted in the entry of an injunction against a satellite carrier for a willful or repeated pattern or practice of delivering a primary transmission made by a network station and embodying a performance or display of a work to subscribers who are not eligible to receive the transmission; and (2) modify the injunction accordingly.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 670.
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4081
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Detention of persons
Habeas corpus
International Affairs
Judicial review
Jurisdiction
Law
Military law
Prisoners' rights
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2006 - Repeals provisions of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 that eliminated the jurisdiction of any court to hear or consider applications for a writ of habeas corpus filed by aliens who have been determined by the United States to have been properly detained as enemy combatants (or who are awaiting such determination) and actions against the United States relating to the detention of such aliens and to military commissions (thus restoring habeas corpus rights existing prior to the enactment of such Act).
 
Allows courts to hear or consider legal challenges to military commissions only as provided by the Code of Military Justice or by a habeas corpus proceeding. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11198)
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11197-11198)
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to make a conforming amendment to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act with respect to examinations of certain insured depository institutions, and for other purposes.

Bill: 109-s-4082
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2006-12-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bank examination
Deposit insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: 
Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to increase from $250 million to $500 million the maximum size of a small insured depository institution which the appropriate federal banking agency may subject to a full-scope, on-site examination every 18 months (instead of every 12 months), if the greater amount would be consistent with the principles of institution safety and soundness.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11199)
action_date: 2006-12-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Hospital Quality Reporting Improvement Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4083
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2006-12-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Hospital care
Hospital rates
Housing and Community Development
Medicare
Quality of care
Rural health
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: 
Hospital Quality Reporting Improvement Act of 2006 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare), as amended by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, with respect to requirements for payments to hospitals for inpatient hospital services.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to adopt certain consensus-based measures, approved by national organizations with health care quality expertise, which are designed to reduce the likelihood of hospital medication errors.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Introduced in Senate
San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act

Bill: 109-s-4084
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2006-12-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Animals
Bonds
California
Central Valley Reclamation Project (California)
Civil actions and liability
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Dams
Department of Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Endangered species
Energy
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal aid to water resources development
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government securities
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Hydroelectric power
Infrastructure
Land transfers
Law
Licenses
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Restoration ecology
Rivers
Salmon
Water allocation (Policy)
Water rights
Water storage
Water supply
Water use

Summary:
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: 
San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement the terms and conditions of the Stipulation of Settlement dated September 13, 2006, in 
Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. v. Kirk Rodgers, et al.
, in cooperation with the state of California, including measures to: (1) design and construct channel and structural improvements; (2) modify Friant Dam operations to provide Restoration Flows and Interim Flows; (3) acquire water, water rights, or options to acquire water from willing sellers; (4) implement terms and conditions related to recirculation, recapture, reuse, exchange, or transfer of water released for such flows; and (5) develop and implement the Recovered Water Account.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements with California to facilitate or expedite Settlement implementation; and (2) identify impacts associated with such actions and measures to mitigate impacts on adjacent and downstream water users and landowners. Provides that Settlement implementation and the reintroduction of Chinook salmon shall not result in the involuntary reduction in contract water allocations to Central Valley Project long-term contractors apart from Friant Division contractors.
 
 Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) acquire through purchase from willing sellers property needed to implement the Settlement; and (2) dispose of such property. Requires proceeds from the disposal of such property to be deposited into the San Joaquin River Restoration Fund (established by this Act). 
 
Declares that the Settlement satisfies and discharges the Secretary's obligations under the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992. Provides for the reintroduction of Chinook salmon into the San Joaquin River.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11327-11329)
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11326-11327)
action_date: 2006-12-06
text: Introduced in Senate