hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Patriot Penalty Elimination Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-624
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces abroad
Armed forces reserves
Commerce
Employment subsidies
Income tax
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Leave of absence
Military operations
Military pay
National Guard
Tax credits
Taxation
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: 
Patriot Penalty Elimination Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay income preservation pay to a member of the reserves: (1) who is called or ordered to active duty (other than voluntarily); (2) who serves on such duty outside the United States during at least six out of 12 consecutive months; and (3) whose preservice income exceeds the amount earned from the military service. Provides a formula for determining the appropriate income preservation amount, with a limit of $50,000. Terminates such pay authority five years after the enactment of this Act.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a Ready Reserve-National Guard employee credit equal to 50 percent of the lesser of the actual compensation amount with respect to the employee for the taxable year, or $30,000. Provides such credit, with respect to such employee, for: (1) active duty outside the United States under a call or order for a period in excess of 179 days or for an indefinite period, in connection with which the employee is entitled to reemployment rights and other benefits or to a leave of absence from employment; and (2) hospitalization incident to such duty. Terminates such credit five years after the enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
SERVE Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-625
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Fire fighters
Health
Income tax
Paramedical personnel
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Tax refunds
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts Act of 2005 or the SERVE Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a $1,000 refundable tax credit for bona-fide volunteer members of a qualified volunteer fire department (an organization providing firefighting or emergency medical services). Prorates the credit for part-year active members.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2739-2740)
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Diabetes Self Management Training Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-626
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Accreditation (Medical care)
Ambulatory care
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Diabetes
Health education
Medical fees
Medical personnel
Medicare
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: 
Diabetes Self Management Training Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for the recognition of certified diabetes educators as Medicare providers for purposes of diabetes outpatient self-management training services.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the barriers that exist for individuals with diabetes in accessing diabetes self-management training.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2740)
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Investment in America Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-627
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Corporation taxes
Income tax
Research and development tax credit
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: 
Investment in America Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax credit for increasing research activities; (2) increase the rates of the alternative incremental credit for certain research expenses; and (3) permit a taxpayer election of an alternative simplified tax credit for research expenses in lieu of the standard tax credit for increasing research activities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2741-2742)
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2740-2741)
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Railroad Carriers and Mass Transportation Protection Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-629
Sponsor: Sen. Sessions, Jeff [R-AL]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Arson
Biological warfare
Bombings
Bridges
Capital punishment
Chemical warfare
Conspiracy
Criminal negligence
Energy
Environmental Protection
Explosives
Fraud
Labor and Employment
Mass rapid transit
Nuclear fuels
Nuclear terrorism
Passenger ships
Radioactive wastes
Railroad employees
Railroad equipment
Railroad passenger traffic
Railroad safety
Railroad terminals
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Terrorism
Traffic accidents and safety
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation of hazardous substances
Tunnels

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: 
Railroad Carriers and Mass Transportation Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal criminal code to rewrite provisions prohibiting acts of destruction and violence against trains, railroad equipment and structures, and the mass transportation system to: (1) correspond with current prohibitions against acts of violence against the mass transportation system; (2) apply such provisions to acts committed knowingly (currently, willfully); (3) specifically cover such acts against passenger vessels; and (4) add as an aggravated offense the commission of such prohibited act under circumstances in which the railroad on-track equipment, passenger vessel, or mass transportation vehicle was carrying high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or specified hazardous material. 

action_date: 2005-04-25
text: 
Railroad Carriers and Mass Transportation Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the federal criminal code to rewrite provisions prohibiting acts of destruction and violence against trains, railroad equipment and structures, and the mass transportation system to: (1) correspond with current prohibitions against acts of violence against the mass transportation system; (2) apply such provisions to acts committed knowingly (currently, willfully); (3) cover such acts against passenger vessels; and (4) add as an aggravated offense the commission of such prohibited act under circumstances in which the railroad on-track equipment, passenger vessel, or mass transportation vehicle was carrying high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or specified hazardous material. 
 
Provides for the death penalty where the offense results in the death of any person.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-04-25
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 92.
action_date: 2005-04-25
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2005-04-25
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2005-04-21
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Tribal Acknowledgment and Indian Bureau Enhancement Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-630
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Arts, Culture, Religion
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Evidence (Law)
Families
Federal aid to Indians
Federal-Indian relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Language and languages
Law
Marriage
Minorities
Religion
Right of petition
Social life and customs
State government-Indian relations
Tribes and tribal system

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: 
Tribal Acknowledgment and Indian Bureau Enhancement Act of 2005 - Requires any Indian group in the continental United States that desires to be acknowledged as an Indian tribe to submit to the Secretary of the Interior a letter of intent in advance of or with its documented petition to substantiate claims of continuous existence as an Indian tribe.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) publish at least every three years a list of all Indian tribes entitled to receive services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs; (2) make guidelines available for, and provide advice on, the preparation of documented petitions; and (3) consider the criteria for acknowledgment to be met upon determining that it is more likely than not that the evidence presented demonstrates that the petitioner has met each mandatory criterion.
 
Specifies the requirements of a petition for acknowledgment.
 
Sets forth the mandatory criteria for Federal acknowledgment, including evidence that: (1) the group has been identified as an American Indian group on a substantially continuous basis since 1900; (2) a predominant portion of the group has composed a distinct community throughout the historical period; and (3) the petitioner has maintained political influence and authority over its members as an autonomous entity throughout the historical period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2743-2744)
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide grants to ensure full and fair participation in certain decisionmaking processes of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Bill: 109-s-631
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2005-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Administrative remedies
County politics and government
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to Indians
Federal-Indian relations
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Indian claims
Indian lands
Law
Minorities
Trusts and trustees

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: 
Requires the Secretary of the Interior, if necessary to protect the interests of the Government, an eligible Indian group, or an eligible local government, and it would promote the interest of just administration in the Bureau of Indian affairs, to provide grants of up to $500,000 to such Indian groups or local governments to assist them in participating in the decision-making process relating to a pending action with respect to federally acknowledged tribal status or related land claims.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2743-2744)
action_date: 2005-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the extension of unconditional and permanent nondiscriminatory treatment (permanent normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Ukraine, and for other purposes.

Bill: 109-s-632
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2005-03-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Emigration
Europe
Human rights
Immigration
International Affairs
Most favored nation principle
Normal trade relations
Ukraine

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: 
Authorizes the President to extend unconditional and permanent nondiscriminatory (permanent normal trade relations) treatment to the products of the Ukraine.

action_date: 2005-11-18
text: 

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

 
Authorizes the President to extend unconditional and permanent nondiscriminatory (permanent normal trade relations) treatment to the products of the Ukraine.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-03-09
text: Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1953)
action_date: 2005-11-18
text: Ordered held at desk by unanimous consent.
action_date: 2005-11-18
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S13409)
action_date: 2005-11-18
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S13409)
action_date: 2005-11-18
text: Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S13409)
action_date: 2005-11-18
text: Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S13409)
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2848)
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2847-2848)
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to clarify allowable payment terms for sales of agricultural commodities and products to Cuba.

Bill: 109-s-634
Sponsor: Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA]
Introduced: 2005-03-16 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Caribbean area
Collection of accounts
Cuba
Export controls
Exports
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Latin America
Sanctions (International law)

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: 
Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 with respect to agricultural sales to Cuba to define permitted payment of cash in advance sales as the payment by the purchaser of an agricultural commodity or product and the receipt of such payment by the seller prior to: (1) transfer of title to the purchaser; and (2) release of control to the purchaser.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2848-2849)
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Kidney Care Quality and Improvement Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-635
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2005-03-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accreditation (Medical care)
Ambulatory care
Case mix (Medical care)
Collection of accounts
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Diabetes
Employee health benefits
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Health education
Health surveys
Home care services
Kidney diseases
Labor and Employment
Licenses
Medical economics
Medical fees
Medical research
Medicare
Nurse practitioners
Nurses
Paramedical personnel
Physicians
Physicians' assistants
Quality of care
Science, Technology, Communications
Self-care
Social Welfare
Social work
Surgeons
Surgery
Technical education
Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc.
Vaccination

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: 
Kidney Care Quality and Improvement Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) review surgical procedures, evaluate whether to include among them the full range of dialysis access procedures, and revise them to reflect the findings; and (2) review the relative value units applicable to physicians' services for vascular access procedures, and revise them to reflect accurately the difficulty of such procedures. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish demonstration projects for an outcomes-based ESRD financial incentives reimbursement system to evaluate methods that improve the quality of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease. 
 
Sets forth required training for patient care dialysis technicians.
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for the: (1) establishment of annual update framework for the Medicare end stage renal disease composite rate; and (2) extension of Medicare as secondary payer.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the impact of the temporary codes (G-codes) for nephrologists' services applicable under the Medicare fee schedule for physician's services.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish demonstration projects to: (1) increase public awareness about chronic kidney disease; (2) enhance surveillance systems and expand chronic kidney disease research; and (3) enable individuals with ESRD to develop self-management skills.
 
Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for Medicare coverage of kidney disease patient education services.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish blood flow monitoring demonstration projects; (2) provide for appropriate incentives to improve the Medicare home dialysis benefit; (3) arrange with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate the barriers to increasing the number of individuals with ESRD who elect to receive home dialysis services under Medicare; and (4) establish an independent, multidisciplinary, nonpartisan End-Stage Renal Disease Advisory Committee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to direct the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to submit semi-annual reports regarding settlements relating to false claims and fraud against the Federal Government.

Bill: 109-s-636
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2005-03-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Business ethics
Claims
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Corporate accountability
Crime and Law Enforcement
Damages
Department of Justice
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government liability
Health
Inspectors general
Medicaid
Parties to actions
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: 
Amends the Inspector General Act to require the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Justice (DOJ), in preparing semiannual reports on the activities of the IG's office, to describe each settlement or compromise of any claim, suit, or other action entered into with the DOJ that: (1) related to an alleged violation of statutory provisions prohibiting major fraud or false claims against the United States (including all settlements of alternative remedies); and (2) results from a claim of damages in excess of $100,000.
 
Specifies the required elements of each such description.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2850)
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2849-2850)
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-637
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2005-03-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Catastrophic health insurance
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost accounting
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Employee health benefits
Federal employees
Federal preemption
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government employees' health insurance
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health insurance
Health insurance continuation
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Insurance premiums
Internet
Labor and Employment
Law
Local laws
Medical economics
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Nonprofit organizations
Office of Personnel Management
Rebates
Reinsurance
Science, Technology, Communications
Self-employed
Small business
Social Welfare
State laws
Subsidies
Tax credits
Tax refunds
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: 
Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management to administer a separate health insurance program for non-Federal employees who are either self-employed or employees of a small business with fewer than 100 employees.
 
Allows the Office to contract with carriers to provide health insurance under this Act. Requires rates charged to reasonably and equitably reflect the costs of the benefits provided. Requires a carrier to determine the amount of premiums to assess for coverage based on a community rate that may be annually adjusted based on geographic area, family status, and age.
 
Permits the Office to reimburse a carrier for costs that exceed premiums received by a specified percentage. Requires a carrier to make payments to a contingency reserve fund established by the Office if the carrier's costs are lower than expected by a specified percentage. Allows the Office to use such funds to provide assistance to carriers that experience unanticipated financial hardships.
 
 Requires the Office to establish a reinsurance fund to provide payments to carriers that experience a catastrophic claim (a claim over $50,000) for benefits provided to an individual enrolled under this Act.
 
Allows a participating employer to offer supplemental coverage options to employees for excepted benefits that are not subject to the Public Health Service Act requirements for health plans.
 
Authorizes the Office to contract with entities to administer this health program regionally.
 
Allows certain benefits to be offered to Medicare beneficiaries.
 
Requires the Office to implement a public education campaign regarding this health insurance program.
 
 Allows a refundable tax credit for health insurance expenses of small employers who pay a specific percentage of employee expenses under such a health plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-03-16
text: Introduced in Senate