hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to link recidivist penalties for certain drug crimes.

Bill: 109-s-344
Sponsor: Sen. DeWine, Mike [R-OH]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Drug abuse
Drug traffic
Drugs and youth
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Playgrounds
Public housing
Recidivists
School buildings
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Swimming pools
Video games
Youth services

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 

 
Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that any offense of distributing or manufacturing a controlled substance in or near a school, distributing such a substance to a person under age 21, or employing or using a person under age 18 in a drug operation shall constitute a second offense by a person already convicted of any of such offenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-345
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Commerce
Drug industry
Drugs
Finance and Financial Sector
Insurance premiums
Medical economics
Medicare
Prescription pricing
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2005 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) offer one or more Medicare operated prescription drug plans nationally that offer qualified prescription drug coverage and access to negotiated prices, while allowing the plan to offer supplemental prescription drug coverage in the same manner as other qualified prescription drug coverage offered by other prescription drug plans; and (2) enter into negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce the purchase cost of covered Medicare part D drugs for eligible part D individuals, and encourage the use of more affordable therapeutic equivalents.
 
Requires the monthly beneficiary premium charged under such a plan to be uniform nationally. Makes the premium for months in 2006 $35. Bases the premium for months in succeeding years on the average monthly per capita actuarial cost of offering the Medicare operated prescription drug plan for the year involved, including administrative expenses. Allows for adjustment of such premium amount in case of supplemental prescription drug coverage.
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10525-10526)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1273)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1272-1273)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Canadian Waste Import Ban Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-346
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Canada
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Federal-state relations
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Import restrictions
Incineration
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
Law
Municipal solid waste
Transboundary pollution
Treaties

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Canadian Waste Import Ban Act of 2005 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit the importation into any State, and acceptance by a solid waste management facility, of Canadian municipal solid waste for disposal or incineration until the date on which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgates regulations to implement and enforce the Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste between the United States and Canada.
 
Authorizes State Governors to opt out of such prohibition pending promulgation of regulations if notice is submitted to the Administrator.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) perform the functions of the Designated Authority of the United States described in the Agreement with respect to the importation and exportation of municipal solid waste; and (2) implement and enforce the Agreement. 
 
Directs the Administrator, when making importation decisions under the Agreement, to obtain the consent of each State and to consider the impact of importation on homeland security, public health, and the environment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1274)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1273-1274)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate Poland as a program country under the visa waiver program established under section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and for other purposes.

Bill: 109-s-348
Sponsor: Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Admission of nonimmigrants
Aliens
Europe
Passports
Poland
Tourism
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Designates Poland as a program country for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act's visa waiver program, notwithstanding designation requirements of current law.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-05-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4678)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1277-1278)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for the appointment of additional judges for the district of New Mexico.

Bill: 109-s-349
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Advice and consent of the Senate
Congress
District courts
Government Operations and Politics
Judges
Judicial districts
New Mexico
Presidential appointments

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Requires the President to appoint two additional permanent district judges and one additional temporary district judge for the District of New Mexico.
 
States that the first vacancy in the office of district judge in such district occurring ten years or more after confirmation of the temporary district judge shall not be filled.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1278)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1278)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-350
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: AIDS (Disease)
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Agriculture and Food
Caribbean area
Child health
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Community health services
Community organization
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Developing countries
East Asia
Economic assistance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Estates (Law)
Families
Family services
Food relief
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Higher education
Human immunodeficiency viruses
Indigenous peoples
International agencies
Labor and Employment
Latin America
Law
Mental health services
Nongovernmental organizations
Orphans
Performance measurement
President and foreign policy
School lunch program
Teacher education
Widows
Women
Women's rights
Youth employment

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to provide assistance, including through nongovernmental or international organizations, for basic care for orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries, including assistance for: (1) community-based care; (2) school food programs; (3) education and employment training; (4) mental health care; (5) protection of inheritance rights; and (6) HIV/AIDS care.
 
Directs the President to develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a coordinating strategy for such assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1278-1279)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
action_date: 2005-01-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S382)
Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-351
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accreditation (Medical care)
Ambulatory care
Armed Forces and National Security
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Clinics
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Disciplining of employees
Discrimination in employment
Electronic government information
Employee rights
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Home care services
Hospital personnel
Hours of labor
Internet
Labor and Employment
Law
Legislation
Medical ethics
Medicare
Mental health services
Military hospitals
Nurses
Quality of care
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Veterans' hospitals
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to place limitations on mandatory overtime for nurses, protect nurses against retaliation in any manner with respect to any aspect of employment, and provide for civil money penalties for violations of such provisions.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report to Congress on standards to establish for the maximum number of hours that a nurse may work without compromising the safety of their patients.
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to study and report to Congress on the extent to which federally operated medical facilities have in effect practices and policies with respect to overtime requirements for nurses that are inconsistent with the overtime requirements added by this Act. 


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 S1279-1280)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-352
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative fees
Administrative remedies
Admission of nonimmigrants
Alien labor
Aliens
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crime prevention
Delegation of powers
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Labor
Economics and Public Finance
Employers' liability
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Labor and Employment
Labor statistics
Law
Seasonal labor
Temporary employment
Visas
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2005 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit an alien counted toward the numerical limitation applicable to H-2B nonimmigrants (temporary nonagricultural workers) during any of the three fiscal years prior to submission of an H-2B petition from being counted toward the limitation in the year of petition approval. Makes this provision effective as if enacted on October 1, 2004. Provides for its expiration on October 1, 2006.
 
Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to impose a fraud prevention and detection fee on employers filing H-2B petitions. Mandates the deposit of such fees into the Fraud Prevention and Detection Account.
 
Authorizes additional penalties for a substantial failure to meet any condition of an H-2B petition or the willful misrepresentation of a material fact in such a petition.
 
Requires the allocation of the numerical limitation on the issuance of H-2B visas (currently, 66,000) such that the total number of H-2B nonimmigrants entering the United States during the first six months of a fiscal year is not more than 33,000.
 
Amends the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 to require the Secretary to submit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Senate information regarding: (1) the numbers of aliens granted H-2B status or terminated from H-2B status, on a quarterly basis; and (2) the countries of origin, occupations of, and compensation paid to aliens granted H-2B status, the number of aliens terminated from such status, and the number of aliens provided such status during both the fiscal year reported and the preceding fiscal year, on an annual basis. Requires the Secretary of State to provide information relevant to such reports.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-04-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3533)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1281)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1280-1281)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1999 to direct the Secretary of the Army to provide assistance to design and construct a project to provide a continued safe and reliable municipal water supply system for Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Bill: 109-s-353
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Construction costs
Easements
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal aid to water resources development
Federal-local relations
Government Operations and Politics
Infrastructure
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Law
Municipal services
North Dakota
Right-of-way
Transportation and Public Works
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1999 to direct the Secretary of the Army to enter into a local cooperation agreement with the non-Federal interest to provide assistance in designing and constructing a project to provide a continued safe and reliable municipal water supply system for Devils Lake, North Dakota.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1284)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-354
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accident insurance
Blood
Child health
Civil actions and liability
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Conflict of interests
Crime and Law Enforcement
Damages
Disability insurance
Disabled
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drugs
Evidence (Law)
Expert witnesses
Families
Federal preemption
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Health insurance
Labeling
Labor and Employment
Law
Legal fees
Liability (Law)
Liability insurance
Limitation of actions
Medical malpractice
Medical supplies
Minors
Packaging
Parties to actions
Physicians
Product safety
Products liability
Punitive damages
State laws
Vaccines
Workers' compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare Act of 2005 or the HEALTH Act of 2005 - Sets forth provisions regulating lawsuits for health care liability claims concerning the provisions of health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce.
 
Sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions.
 
Provides that nothing in this Act limits recovery of the full amount of available economic damages. Limits noneconomic damages to $250,000. Makes each party liable only for the amount of damages directly proportional to such party's percentage of responsibility.
 
Allows the court to restrict the payment of attorney contingency fees. Limits the fees to a decreasing percentage based on the increasing value of the amount awarded.
 
Prescribes qualifications for expert witnesses.
 
Requires the court to reduce damages received by the amount of collateral source benefits to which a claimant is entitled, unless the payor of such benefits has the right to reimbursement or subrogation under Federal or State law.
 
Authorizes the award of punitive damages only where: (1) it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that a person acted with malicious intent to injure the claimant or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury such person knew the claimant was substantially certain to suffer; and (2) compensatory damages are awarded. Limits punitive damages to the greater of two times the amount of economic damages or $250,000.
 
 Prohibits a health care provider from being named as a party in a product liability or class action lawsuit for prescribing or dispensing an Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription drug or device.
 
 Provides for periodic payments of future damage awards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1603-1605)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Foreign Debt Ceiling Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-355
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Balance of payments
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Economic statistics
Economics and Public Finance
Foreign investments
Foreign loans
Gross national product
International Affairs
Planning

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Foreign Debt Ceiling Act of 2005 - Requires the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), every three months, to determine if: (1) the net U.S. foreign debt for the preceding 12-month period is more than 25 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the same period; or (2) the U.S. trade deficit for such period is more than five percent of the GDP for the same period. Requires the USTR, whenever an affirmative determination is made, to: (1) convene an emergency meeting of the Trade Policy Review Group to develop a plan of action to reduce the U.S. trade deficit; and (2) report to Congress on the details of the plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1284-1285)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Geary County, Kansas, Land Conveyance Act

Bill: 109-s-356
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Army
Emergency Management
Fire departments
Kansas
Land transfers
Military bases

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Geary County, Kansas, Land Conveyance Act - Directs the Secretary of the Army to convey to the Geary County Fire Department certain land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary in Geary County, Kansas. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Next Generation Hispanic Serving Institutions Act

Bill: 109-s-357
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Authorization
Building construction
Community and school
Curricula
Department of Education
Distance education
Dropouts
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational technology
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Graduate education
Higher education
Hispanic Americans
Internet
Junior colleges
Laboratories
Mentoring
Minorities
Minority education
Scholarships
School buildings
School libraries
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific education
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Social Welfare
Teacher education
Teaching materials

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Next Generation Hispanic Serving Institutions Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise requirements for Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) under title V (Developing Institutions).
 
Establishes a program of competitive grants to eligible HSIs that offer postbaccalaureate certifications or degrees (part B grants). Limits a part B grant award's duration to not more than five years. Prohibits the Secretary of Education from awarding more than one part B grant to an HSI in any one fiscal year.
 
Authorizes appropriations for: (1) the current part A program of grants to HSIs that offer baccalaureate degrees or are junior or community colleges; and (2) the new part B program of grants to HSIs that offer postbaccalaureate certifications or degrees.
 
Eliminates the requirement that an eligible HSI provide assurances that at least 50 percent of its Hispanic students are low-income students.
 
Includes, among authorized activities under part A grants, articulation agreements and student support programs to help transfers from two-year to four-year institutions.
 
Eliminates the two-year wait-out period between any two five-year part A grants to an HSI.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1286-1287)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1285-1286)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to maintain and expand the steel import licensing and monitoring program.

Bill: 109-s-358
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2005-02-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Commerce
Economic statistics
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government statistics
Import restrictions
Imports
Iron
Iron and steel industry
Law
Licenses
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Steel

Summary:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: 
Declares that the steel import licensing and monitoring program established by the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Commerce shall remain in effect and be established by the Secretary of Commerce as a permanent program.
 
Requires the Secretaries to expand the program to include all iron and steel, and all articles of iron and steel, specified in this Act. 
 
Requires release of the import and licensing data made available to the public as part of this program, based upon classifications at the tenth digit level of the Harmonized Schedule of the United States.
 
Grants the Secretaries authority to maintain the program and to expand it as necessary and appropriate in accordance with this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1287-1288)
action_date: 2005-02-10
text: Introduced in Senate