hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Landfill Gas Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-3997
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Biomass energy
Commerce
Energy
Energy prices
Environmental Protection
Gas industry
Income tax
Landfills
Methane
Natural gas
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Landfill Gas Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business-related tax credit for the production of natural gas at a high Btu fuel facility (a facility that produces high Btu biomass fuel and is placed in service before January 1, 2012). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Servicemembers' Cellular Phone Contract Fairness Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-3998
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Commerce
Contracts
Families
Fees
Military dependents
Military personnel
Science, Technology, Communications
Telecommunication rates
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Servicemembers' Cellular Phone Contract Fairness Act of 2006 - Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow members of the Armed Forces who are called to active duty for a period of not less than 90 days to cancel or suspend their cell phone contracts without incurring early termination or reactivation fees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10683-10684)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Broadband Initiative Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-3999
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Advice and consent of the Senate
Broadband
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Agriculture
Economics and Public Finance
Federal advisory bodies
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government publicity
Internet
Presidential appointments
Public-private partnerships
Revolving funds
Rural economic development
Science, Technology, Communications
Strategic planning
Technology assessment

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Rural Broadband Initiative Act of 2006 - Amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to establish in the Department of Agriculture the Office of Rural Broadband Initiatives, to be headed by the Under Secretary for Rural Broadband Initiatives.
 
States that the Under Secretary shall: (1) administer all rural broadband-related grant and loan programs previously administered by the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service, including the rural broadband access loan and loan guarantee program and the community connect grant program; (2) conduct rural outreach; (3) foster development of a comprehensive rural broadband strategic vision; (4) assess relevant technologies; (5) serve as a single information source for all federal rural broadband programs and services; and (6) provide technical assistance to state, regional, and local governments to develop broadband deployment strategies.
 
Directs the Under Secretary to submit a comprehensive rural broadband strategy report to the President and to Congress.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Canyon Ferry National Recreation Area Act

Bill: 109-s-4002
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Airports
Camping
Dams
Energy
Hydroelectric power
Land transfers
Montana
National forests
National recreation areas
Sports and Recreation
Transportation and Public Works
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Canyon Ferry National Recreation Area Act - Designates specified federal land in Montana as the Canyon Ferry National Recreation Area and provides for its management and funding.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Ethanol Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4003
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alcohol as fuel
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Energy transportation
Federal aid to transportation
Governmental investigations
Legislation
Pipelines
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Ethanol Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Transportation, to award up to $1 million to one or more eligible firms to conduct feasibility studies for the construction of one or more dedicated ethanol pipelines.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10688-10689)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain structures, parts, and components for use in an isotopic separation facility in southern Ohio.

Bill: 109-s-4004
Sponsor: Sen. DeWine, Mike [R-OH]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Energy
Equipment and supplies
Nuclear facilities
Ohio
Tariff
Uranium enrichment

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to suspend temporarily the duty on certain structures, parts, and components for use in an isotopic separation facility in southern Ohio.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S10689)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4005
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Building construction
Building laws
Climate
Coastal zone
Computers
Conferences
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Ecosystem management
Emergency communication systems
Engineering
Evacuation of civilians
Federal aid to research
Flood damage prevention
Floods
Government Operations and Politics
Hurricane aftermath legislation
Hurricanes
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Meteorological research
Oceanographic research
Policy sciences
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Storms
Technological innovations
Urban affairs
Urban planning
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2006 - Requires the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere of the Department of Commerce and the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a National Hurricane Research Initiative and to cooperate with other specified federal agencies to carry it out. 
 
Requires such Initiative to set research objectives (based on a National Science Board report on the need for such Initiative) to: (1) make recommendations to the Board; (2) assemble the expertise of U.S. science and engineering capabilities through a multi-agency effort focused on infrastructure, the natural environment, and improving understanding of hurricane prediction, intensity, and mitigation on coastal populations; and (3) make grants for hurricane research, including regarding hurricane dynamics, modification, and observation, air-sea interaction, relationships between hurricanes and climate, predicting flooding and storm surge, coastal infrastructure, building construction, emergency communication networks, information utilization by public officials, and sharing computational capability.
 
Directs the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the National Science and Technology Council, to coordinate U.S. activities related to the Initiative as a formal program with a well-defined organizational structure and execution plan. 
 
Directs the Under Secretary and the Director to: (1) establish a National Infrastructure Database to catalog infrastructure, provide information to improve information public policy related to hurricanes, and provide data to improve researchers' abilities to measure hurricane impacts in order to improve building codes and urban planning; and (2) develop a National Hurricane Research Model to conduct integrative research and facilitate the transfer of research knowledge to operational applications.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Imagery, Mapping, and Geospatial Enhancement Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4006
Sponsor: Sen. Allen, George [R-VA]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Commerce
Competition
Entrepreneurs
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government and business
Government procurement
International competitiveness
Remote sensing
Space activities
Space commercialization
Technological innovations

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Imagery, Mapping, and Geospatial Enhancement Act of 2006 - Amends the Technology Administration Act of 1998 to include among the functions of the Office of Space Commercialization promoting growth and advancement in U.S. space and airborne remote sensing technologies and related value-added services by: (1) examining the role of, and federal agency use of, commercial remote sensing firms, facilitating a reduction in the use of government remote sensing products and services, and increasing the use of commercial remote sensing firms; (2) promoting the objectives of the U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy, particularly provisions on relying on U.S. capabilities and developing a long-term relationship between the government and the U.S. commercial remote sensing community; (3) creating an environment in which all such firms have the opportunity to compete and expand; (4) evaluating federal and private sector efforts to assist such firms and making recommendations to promote their establishment and growth; (5) serving as the focal point for complaints and suggestions concerning federal activities that affect such firms; (6) counseling such firms on government relations; (7) proposing needed changes in federal policies; (8) representing such firms before government agencies; (9) involving such firms in developing federal procurement strategies; (10) disseminating information about the use of remote sensing and the capabilities of such firms; (11) making recommendations to assist the development and strengthening of such firms.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
New Mexico Rivers Feasibility Studies Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4007
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Governmental investigations
Infrastructure
New Mexico
Rivers
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
New Mexico Rivers Feasibility Studies Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to conduct feasibility studies to identify opportunities to increase the surface flows of the Rio Grande, Canadian, and Pecos Rivers in New Mexico.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S10690)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10689-10690)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4008
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Animals
Construction costs
Economics and Public Finance
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal aid to water resources development
Infrastructure
New Mexico
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Reservoirs
Water rates
Water supply
Water treatment plants

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Act of 2006 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial and technical assistance to the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority to assist in planning, designing, conducting preconstruction activities for, and constructing the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System. 
 
Limits the federal share of the cost of any activity to 75%. Provides that the total cost of the System shall include any costs incurred by the Authority on or after October 1, 2003, for System development.
 
Makes the Authority responsible for annual operation, maintenance, and replacement costs. Directs the Authority to develop an operation, maintenance, and replacement plan that establishes rates and fees necessary to ensure that the System is properly maintained and capable of delivering approximately 16,500 acre-feet of water per year. Prohibits the use of funds under this Act until such plan is developed and until the Secretary and the Authority have complied with applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Directs the Secretary to consult with the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission and the Authority in preparing any required biological assessment under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S10690-10691)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10690)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Environmental Justice Enforcement Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4009
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Civil rights enforcement
Damages
Economics and Public Finance
Evidence (Law)
Federal aid programs
Governmental investigations
Law
Legal fees
Punitive damages
Racial discrimination
Witnesses

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Environmental Justice Enforcement Act of 2006 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to declare that discrimination based on disparate impact under federally assisted programs (including exclusion from participation and denial of benefits) is established only if a person aggrieved by discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin demonstrates that: (1) a covered entity has a policy or practice causing a disparate impact on that basis and fails to demonstrate that the challenged policy or practice is related to and necessary to achieve the nondiscriminatory goals of the program or activity alleged to have been operated in a discriminatory manner; or (2) a less discriminatory alternative policy or practice exists, but the covered entity refuses to adopt it.
 
Authorizes an aggrieved person to: (1) bring a civil action in federal or state court to enforce such person's rights; and (2) recover equitable relief, attorney's fees, and costs.
 
Makes the effective date of this Act retroactive to April 24, 2001.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10691-10692)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 to restore State authority to waive the application of the 35-mile rule to permit the designation of a critical access hospital in Cass County, Minnesota.

Bill: 109-s-4011
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Hospitals
Housing and Community Development
Medicare
Minnesota
Rural health
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to permit the designation of a critical access hospital in Cass County, Minnesota, by exempting it from the requirement that it be certified by the state before January 1, 2006, as being a necessary provider of health care services to residents in the area. (Thus restores to Minnesota state authority to waive the application of the 35-mile rule.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
National Transitional Fuel Security Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4012
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Armed Forces and National Security
Aviation fuels
Carbon cycle
Coal
Construction costs
Defense procurement
Department of Energy
Energy facilities
Environmental Protection
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Investments
Law
Marketing
Petroleum refineries
Petroleum reserves
Strategic materials
Synthetic fuel
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
National Transitional Fuel Security Act of 2006 - Instructs the Secretary of Energy to submit to Congress a plan for the construction of coal-to-fuel demonstration facilities relying upon Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel-producing technology.
 
Prescribes requirements for: (1) construction of such facilities; (2) up to 49% non-federal investment; and (3) divestiture of federal ownership of the facilities after certain production and related goals are met.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to sell petroleum products withdrawn from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at a public sale to finance the construction of the facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the resources eligible for the renewable energy credit to kinetic hydropower, and for other purposes.

Bill: 109-s-4013
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Energy
Estuaries
Hydroelectric power
Income tax
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Ocean currents
Ocean energy resources
Tax credits
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include kinetic hydropower as a renewable resource eligible for the tax credit for electricity produced from certain renewable resources. Defines &quot;kinetic hydropower&quot; as: (1) ocean free flowing water derived from flows from tidal currents, ocean currents, waves, or estuary currents; (2) ocean thermal energy; or (3) free flowing water in rivers, lakes, man made channels, or streams.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10692)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Home Ownership Protection Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4015
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Income tax
Tax exclusion

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Home Ownership Protection Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from $250,000 to $350,000 the amount of gain a taxpayer may exclude from gross income from the sale of a principal residence.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act

Bill: 109-s-4016
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government Operations and Politics
Injunctions
Intellectual property
Judicial opinions
Judicial review
Labeling
Law
Licenses
Patent infringement
Patents
Product safety

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a process for the approval of a comparable biological product based on its similarity to a previously licensed biological product (the reference product). Allows a person to file an abbreviated comparable product application with the Secretary of Health and Human Services that includes: (1) data demonstrating that the product is comparable to the reference product; (2) information to show that the conditions or conditions of use prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the labeling proposed for the comparable product have been previously approved for the reference product; and (3) information to show that the route of administration, the dosage form, and the strength of the comparable product are the same as those of the reference product.
 
Sets forth conditions for approval of such an application by the Secretary.
 
Allows an applicant to request that the Secretary make a determination as to the interchangeability of a comparable product and the reference product. Provides market exclusivity to such an interchangeable product.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish requirements for the efficient review, approval, suspension, and revocation of comparable biological product applications.
 
Sets forth provisions governing patent infringement claims against the license holder of a comparable product. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Hospital Payment Improvement and Equity Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-4017
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2006-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Disabled
Hospital personnel
Housing and Community Development
Labor and Employment
Law
Medicare
Metropolitan areas
Rehabilitation of the disabled
Rural health
Social Welfare
Urban affairs
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: 
Hospital Payment Improvement and Equity Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a process under which a hospital may appeal its wage index classification under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act and select another area within the state (or, at the Secretary's discretion, within a contiguous state) to which to be reclassified.
 
Prescribes special rules for: (1) a competitively disadvantaged hospital in a single-hospital Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) surrounded by rural counties; and (2) rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10693-10694)
action_date: 2006-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate