hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Renewable Energy Production Incentive Reform Act

Bill: 109-s-326
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Appropriations
Authorization
Biomass energy
Commerce
Congress
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Energy
Economics and Public Finance
Electric power production
Electric utilities
Environmental Protection
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Landfills
Methane
Minorities
Native Americans
Natural gas
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public utilities
Reprogramming of appropriated funds
Solar energy
Subsidies
Sunset legislation
Territories (U.S.)
Wind power

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Renewable Energy Production Incentive Reform Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to modify renewable energy production incentive payment guidelines to provide that if there are insufficient appropriations to make full payments for electric production from all qualified renewable energy facilities in any given year, the Secretary of Energy shall assign 60 percent of appropriated funds for that year to facilities that use solar, wind, geothermal, or closed-loop (dedicated energy crops) biomass technologies to generate electricity, and assign the remaining 40 percent to other projects.
Redefines a qualified renewable energy facility as one: (1) owned by certain tax-exempt electricity-generating cooperatives, certain public utilities, a State, territorial, or local governments or an Indian tribal government; and (2) which may involve electricity generation by landfill gas. 
Extends through FY 2015 the deadline for first use of a facility eligible for incentive payments.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Tax Equalization and Compliance Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-327
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Barber and beauty shops
Commerce
Contractors
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Leases
Self-employed
Social Welfare
Social security taxes
Tax credits
Tax returns
Tipping

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Small Business Tax Equalization and Compliance Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax credit for social security taxes paid for employee cash tips to employers of cosmetologists. 
 
Requires employers of cosmetologists to report income and tips of their cosmetologist employees and to provide income and tip information to self-employed cosmetologists to whom they pay more than $600 in the taxable year. Imposes similar reporting requirements upon individuals who rent chairs to cosmetologists. Requires such employers to provide their cosmetologist employees and self-employed cosmetologists with information on the tax and tip reporting obligations of employees and self-employed individuals. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1202-1203)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1202)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Agricultural Export Facilitation Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-328
Sponsor: Sen. Craig, Larry E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Air cargo
Caribbean area
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Collection of accounts
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Cuba
Cubans
Department of the Treasury
Embargo
Export controls
Exports
Food safety
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign banks and banking
Freight
Government Operations and Politics
Immigration
Intellectual property
International banking
Latin America
Law
Licenses
Marine transportation
Marketing of farm produce
Prosecution
Right to travel
Sanctions (International law)
Trademark agreements
Trademarks
Transportation and Public Works
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Agricultural Export Facilitation Act of 2005 - Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSREEA of 2000) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize, under a general license, certain travel-related transactions specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection with activities undertaken in connection with sales and marketing, including the organization and participation in product exhibitions, and the transportation by sea or air of products pursuant to this Act.
 

 

 

 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should issue visas for temporary entry into the United States of Cuban nationals whose itinerary documents an intent to conduct activities, including phytosanitary inspections, related to purchasing U.S. agricultural goods under the provisions of TSREEA of 2000.
 

 
Prohibits the President from restricting direct transfers from a Cuban financial institution to a U.S. financial institution executed in payment for a product authorized for sale under TSREEA of 2000.
 
Repeals the ban in the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 on certain transactions with respect to intellectual property in which the Cuban Government or a Cuban national has an interest regarding a mark or trade or commercial name that is the same as or substantially similar to one that was used in connection with a business or assets that were confiscated, unless the original owner or successor-in-interest has expressly consented. 
 
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to amend the Cuban Asset Control regulations to authorize under general license the transfer or receipt of any trademark or trade name subject to U.S. law in which a designated national has an interest.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Bankruptcy Fairness Act

Bill: 109-s-329
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Civil actions and liability
Claims
Commerce
Corporation directors
Executive compensation
Health
Labor and Employment
Law
Retiree health benefits
Salaries
Severance pay
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Bankruptcy Fairness Act - Amends Federal bankruptcy law to increase from $4,925 to $15,000 the aggregate amount of a claim to recover employee wages and benefits that has priority ranking among unsecured creditor claims. 
 
Authorizes the bankruptcy court to avoid any transfer of compensation made to debtor's personnel or a member of its board of directors 90 days before the date of the filing of the bankruptcy petition if the court finds the transfer to be either out of the ordinary course of business, or unjust enrichment.
 
Revises guidelines governing payment of insurance benefits accrued by retirees to provide that: (1) a retiree whose benefits have been modified during the bankruptcy process shall have a claim for the value of the benefits lost as a result of such modification; and (2) the debtor shall pay such retiree the cost of 18 months of insurance premiums on behalf of the retiree and dependents.
 
Expands the prerequisites for confirmation of a bankruptcy reorganization plan to require that the holder of such a retiree insurance claim receive from the debtor, on the effective date of the plan, cash equal to the cost of 18 months of the retiree's insurance premiums.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1204-1205)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1203-1204)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Voting Integrity and Verification Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-330
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Ballots
Congress
Congressional elections
Data banks
Election administration
Government paperwork
Paper and paper products
Presidential elections
Printing
Public records
Science, Technology, Communications
Voting
Voting machines
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Voting Integrity and Verification Act of 2005 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to revise requirements for voting systems used in an election for Federal office, including to: (1) permit the voter to verify the accuracy of his or her ballot (in a private and independent manner) in an individual paper version before it is cast and counted; and (2) require the voting system to produce an individual permanent paper record for each ballot cast which meets specified requirements relating to manual audit capacity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1205)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-331
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cost of living adjustments
Department of Veterans Affairs
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Indexing (Economic policy)
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration for FY 2007 130 percent of the amount obligated during FY 2005. Adjusts the amount provided for fiscal years after FY 2007 based on the number of enrolled veterans and the number of other persons eligible but not enrolled who are provided care, multiplied by the per capital baseline amount for FY 2005, as increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. 
Prohibits the availability of such funds for: (1) construction, acquisition, or alteration of veterans' medical facilities (other than for repairs provided for before the date of enactment of this Act); or (2) grants for the construction of State home facilities for the furnishing of veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the retirement of F-117 Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft during fiscal year 2006.

Bill: 109-s-332
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Air force
Fighter aircraft
Stealth aircraft

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Prohibits the retirement during FY 2006 of F-117 Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft in use by the Air Force during FY 2005.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1205-1206)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1205)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Watertrail Study Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-336
Sponsor: Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Chesapeake Bay
Commemorations
Delaware
District of Columbia
Governmental investigations
Historic sites
History
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Rivers
Sports and Recreation
Trails
Transportation and Public Works
Virginia
Water Resources Development
Waterways

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Watertrail Study Act of 2005 - Amends the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study to determine the feasibility of designating as a national historic trail the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Watertrail, a series of routes extending along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the District of Columbia that traces Captain Smith's voyages charting the land waterways of the Chesapeake Bay and it's tributaries. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-04-28
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 109-74.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1206-1207)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-337
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces reserves
Finance and Financial Sector
Health
Health insurance
Labor and Employment
Medical economics
Military medicine
Military pensions
National Guard

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act of 2005 - Makes an individual eligible for retired pay for non-regular (reserve) military service if such individual: (1) satisfies one of specified combinations of minimum age (between 53 and 60) and years of service (between 20 and 34); (2) performed the last six years of qualifying service in currently authorized categories of military service, but not while a member of a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; and (3) is not entitled to any other retirement pay from an armed force or as a member of the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve.
 
Authorizes a member of the Selected Reserve to enroll for self or self and family coverage under the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense managed health care program).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-338
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Child health
Coinsurance
Demography
Disabled
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-state relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Health insurance
Hospital care
Insurance premiums
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Managed care
Medicaid
Medical records
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Minorities
Minority health
Poor children
Pregnant women
Quality of care
Social Welfare
Welfare eligibility
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid Act of 2005 - Establishes the Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid to review: (1) each of Medicaid's major functional responsibilities; (2) issues that either threaten or improve the long-term financial condition of Medicaid; (3) Federal and State policies for Medicaid and Medicare enrollment (including enrollment sites), income eligibility, outreach, and documentation; (4) the operation and effectiveness of Medicaid premium assistance programs; and (5) Medicaid payment policies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1208-1211)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Reaffirmation of State Regulation of Resident and Nonresident Hunting and Fishing Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-339
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Animals
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-state relations
Fishing
Hunting
Licenses
Minorities
Native Americans
Residence requirements
Sports and Recreation
State laws

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Reaffirmation of State Regulation of Resident and Nonresident Hunting and Fishing Act of 2005 - Expresses the policy of Congress that it is in the public interest for each State to continue regulating the taking for any purpose of fish and wildlife. Prohibits congressional silence from being construed as imposing a commerce clause barrier to such regulation by a State or Indian tribe. 
 
Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) limit the applicability or effect of any Federal law related to the protection or management of fish or wildlife or to the regulation of commerce; (2) limit the authority of the United States to prohibit hunting or fishing on U.S. lands; or (3) abrogate, abridge, affect, modify, supersede, or alter any treaty-reserved or other right of any Indian tribe as recognized by any other means.

action_date: 2005-04-21
text: 

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

 
Reaffirmation of State Regulation of Resident and Nonresident Hunting and Fishing Act of 2005 - Expresses the policy of Congress that it is in the public interest for each State to continue regulating the taking for any purpose of fish and wildlife. Prohibits congressional silence from being construed as imposing a commerce clause barrier to such regulation by a State or Indian tribe. 
 
Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) limit the applicability or effect of any Federal law related to the protection or management of fish or wildlife or to the regulation of commerce; (2) limit the authority of the United States to prohibit hunting or fishing on U.S. lands; or (3) abrogate, abridge, affect, modify, supersede, or alter any treaty-reserved or other right of any Indian tribe as recognized by any other means.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-04-21
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 85.
action_date: 2005-04-21
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2005-04-21
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2005-04-21
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1214-1215)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1214)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Free Flow of Information Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-340
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2005-02-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Authors and authorship
Business records
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Confidential communications
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Criminal procedure
Discovery (Law)
Evidence (Law)
Freedom of the press
Government Operations and Politics
Informers
Journalism
Journalistic ethics
Newspapers
Periodicals
Press
Prosecution
Radio stations
Science, Technology, Communications
Subpoena
Television stations
Witnesses

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: 
Free Flow of Information Act of 2005 - Prohibits Federal entities from compelling covered persons (specified media outlets or their employees) to testify or produce any document unless a court determines by clear and convincing evidence that: (1) the entity has unsuccessfully attempted to obtain such testimony or document from all non-covered persons; and (2) in a criminal matter, based on information from a non-covered person, there are reasonable grounds to believe a crime has occurred and the testimony or document is essential to the investigation, prosecution, or defense; or (3) in a non-criminal matter, based on information from a non-covered person, the testimony or document is essential to a dispositive issue of substantial importance.
 
Requires the content of compelled testimony or documents to be: (1) limited to the purpose of verifying published information; and (2) narrowly tailored in subject matter and time period covered.
 
Excludes certain commercial or financial information from coverage under this Act.
 
Prohibits compelled disclosure, notwithstanding this Act's conditions for such disclosure, of: (1) the identity of a confidential source; or (2) information reasonably expected to lead to the discovery of such identity.
 
Makes this Act applicable to testimony or documents sought from third parties that are related to business transactions with covered persons. Authorizes compelled disclosure in such cases only where the covered person has received notice and an opportunity to be heard.
 
States that publication or dissemination of testimony or documents does not waive the requirements for compelled disclosure set forth in this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1215)
action_date: 2005-02-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial 1-Cent Coin Redesign Act

Bill: 109-s-341
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Anniversaries
Coins and coinage
Commemorations
Copper
Ex-presidents
Government Operations and Politics
History
Lincoln Administration
Money
Zinc

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial 1-Cent Coin Redesign Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, during 2009, to issue one-cent coins with the reverse side bearing four different designs representing different aspects of the life of Abraham Lincoln.
 
Requires the design of the reverse side, after 2009, to bear an image emblematic of President Lincoln's preservation of the United States of America as a single and united country.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1262-1263)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1262)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Capital Construction Fund Qualified Withdrawal Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-343
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 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: 2005-02-10
text: 
Capital Construction Fund Qualified Withdrawal Act of 2005 - Amends the Merchant Marine Act and the Internal Revenue Code to permit as qualified withdrawals from fishing capital construction funds any 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) acquiring a vessel monitoring system as a safety improvement for a fishing vessel; and (5) acquiring or constructing fishing gear designed to minimize or avoid bycatch. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1271-1272)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate