hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Pension Benefits Protection Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1304
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2005-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Age discrimination
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Defined benefit pension plans
Department of the Treasury
Early retirement
Employee rights
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Law
Retirement age
Social Welfare
Tax administration
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: 
Pension Benefits Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code with respect to pension benefits of employees in defined benefit plans.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to apply Code provisions regarding continued accrual of benefits beyond normal retirement age under a defined benefit plan, which prohibit certain discrimination based on age, without regard to the portion of the preamble to a specified Treasury Decision which relates to allocation of interest adjustments through normal retirement age under a cash balance plan.

Prohibits forced conversions of certain defined benefit plan participants to cash balance plans, and other such plans that are hybrids of defined benefit and defined contribution plans, by plan amendments which: (1) change the way the accrued benefit to participants or beneficiaries are expressed; and (2) reduce the rate of future benefit accrual of one or more participants. Requires employers, at the time such amendment takes effect, to provide employees who have attained 40 years of age or 10 years of service with certain notices and an election upon retirement to receive benefits as determined either under the plan in effect at time of retirement or under the plan in effect immediately before the plan amendment. 
Sets forth a formula to determine when a plan amendment adopted by a large (100 or more participants) defined benefit plan shall be treated as wearing away accrued benefits.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7312-7313)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Parents' Tax Relief Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1305
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2005-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Computers
Cost of living adjustments
Day care
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Fringe benefits
Government trust funds
Home offices
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Labor and Employment
Married people
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Parents
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Survivors' benefits
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax exemption
Tax rates
Telecommuting
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: 
Parents' Tax Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide for a minimum tax credit for household and dependent care services for dependents under the age of six; (2) increase to $5,000 the amount of the personal tax exemption; (3) eliminate the marriage penalty in all income tax brackets; (4) establish a standard tax deduction for expenses related to business usage of a home; (5) make permanent increases in the child tax credit and adjust the amount of such credit for inflation on an annual basis after 2005; (6) allow employers a tax credit for employees who telecommute; and (7) allow an exclusion from employee gross income for employer-provided computer equipment used to work at home.
 
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to award social security credits to parents who stay at home, instead of working outside the home, to care for children who are either under age six or under age 10 and disabled. Authorizes transfers from the general fund to specified Social Security trust funds to cover the cost of such credits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7313-7314)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act

Bill: 109-s-1306
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2005-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska
Commerce
Compensation (Law)
Corporations
Families
Federal-Indian relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Incorporation
Indian children
Indian claims
Indian lands
Land transfers
Law
Minorities
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Small towns
Social Welfare
Stockholders
Stocks
Trusts and trustees
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: 
Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act - Amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to permit the Native residents of each of the Native Villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, to organize as Urban Corporations and to receive certain settlement lands and other compensation pursuant to this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7314-7316)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7314)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Reorganization Act

Bill: 109-s-1308
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2005-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Authorization
Commerce
Department of Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Executive reorganization
Government Operations and Politics
International competitiveness
Small business
Trade adjustment assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: 
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Reorganization Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish in the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce an Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance to assist the Secretary of Commerce in carrying out his or her responsibilities with respect to the provision of trade adjustment assistance to firms that have been adversely affected by import competition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-11-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12404)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7316)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7316)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Trade Adjustment Assistance Equity for Service Workers Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1309
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2005-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Authorization
Commerce
Department of Labor
Dislocated workers
Economics and Public Finance
Federal employees
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Imports
Labor statistics
Local employees
Location of industries
Occupational retraining
Service industries
State employees
Surveys
Trade adjustment assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: 
Trade Adjustment Assistance Equity for Service Workers Act of 2005 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend trade adjustment assistance (TAA) to workers in a service sector firm or its subdivision or public agency.
 
 Revises group eligibility requirements for TAA to include: (1) a shift, by a public agency to a foreign country, of production of articles or in provision of services, like or directly competitive with articles which are produced, or services which are provided by the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency; and (2) the situation where the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency obtains or is likely to obtain such services from a foreign country.
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor to certify as eligible to apply for TAA any adversely affected secondary workers in a service sector firm or its subdivision or public agency.
 
Specifies criteria for determination of the existence of increased imports of like or directly competitive articles or services. 
 
 Increases from $220 million to $440 million the amount of fiscal year payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to provide technical assistance for the establishment of industrywide programs for new service development.
 
Modifies the trade monitoring system to include imports of services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-11-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12404)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7317-7318)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7316-7317)
action_date: 2005-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Bus Utility and Safety in School Transportation Opportunity and Purchasing Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1311
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2005-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to air pollution control
Federal aid to education
Housing and Community Development
Motor vehicle pollution control
Rural education
School buses
Secondary education
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-24
text: 
Bus Utility and Safety in School Transportation Opportunity and Purchasing Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Education to provide grants, on a competitive basis, to rural local educational agencies (LEAs) to pay the federal share (75%) of costs of purchasing new school buses. Requires the Secretary, in providing such grants, to give priority to rural LEAs that: (1) are transporting students in a bus manufactured before 1977; (2) have a grossly depleted fleet of school buses; or (3) serve a school required by law to provide transportation to students to enable them to transfer to another public school served by the rural LEA.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7378-7379)
action_date: 2005-06-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7378)
action_date: 2005-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Protection of Homes, Small Businesses, and Private Property Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1313
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2005-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Community development
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Eminent domain
Federal aid programs
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Landowners
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Right of property
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: 
Protection of Homes, Small Businesses, and Private Property Act of 2005 - Declares that the power of eminent domain shall be available only for public use, which shall not be construed to include economic development. Applies such limitation to all exercises of eminent domain by the federal government or by state and local governments through the use of federal funds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6449)
action_date: 2005-09-20
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 109-208.
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7429-7430)
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1314
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2005-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative fees
Authorization
Construction costs
Depressed areas
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental technology
Estuaries
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government publicity
Infrastructure
Lakes
Land transfers
Law
Nonpoint source pollution
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Restoration ecology
Revolving funds
Science, Technology, Communications
Sewage treatment
State finance
Stream conservation
Subsidies
Technological innovations
Waste water treatment
Water Resources Development
Water conservation
Water quality
Water treatment plants
Water use

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: 
Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to eliminate certain restrictions on capitalization grants to states under the water pollution control revolving fund program and to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make such grants to accomplish the purposes of the Act. 
 
Revises certain requirements for the construction of publicly-owned treatment works under capitalization grant agreements.
 
 
Directs the Administrator to assist states in establishing simplified procedures for small water systems (serving populations of 20,000 or less) to obtain assistance under the Act. 
Requires state water pollution control revolving funds to be used only for providing assistance for activities which have as a principal benefit the improvement or protection of water quality of navigable waters. Makes revisions concerning uses of funds for: (1) innovative technologies; (2) administrative expenses; (3) small system technical, planning, and management assistance; (4) financially distressed communities; and (5) construction assistance. Authorizes states to give priority to financially distressed communities in making loans from revolving funds. 
 
 
Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2006-2010 for the water pollution control revolving fund program.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Red Tide Emergency Relief Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1316
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2005-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Algal blooms
Animals
Aquaculture
Disaster loans
Emergency Management
Finance and Financial Sector
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
New England
Red tide
Shellfish
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: 
Red Tide Emergency Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Small Business Act to make aquaculture enterprises eligible for Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance loans to small businesses. (Currently, such enterprises are specifically excluded from eligibility for such assistance.)

action_date: 2005-06-27
text: 

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

 
Red Tide Emergency Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Small Business Act to make aquaculture enterprises eligible for Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance loans to small businesses. (Currently, such enterprises are specifically excluded from eligibility for such assistance.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7446-7447; text as passed Senate: CR S7447)
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S7446-7447; text as passed Senate: CR S7447)
action_date: 2005-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to protect States and Federal judges by clarifying that Federal judicial immunity covers all acts undertaken by judges pursuant to legal authority.

Bill: 109-s-1318
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2005-06-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Government liability
Judges
Judicial opinions
Privileges and immunities

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: 
Grants immunity to federal and state judges against any federal civil cause of action arising from the discharge of any legislatively or constitutionally authorized duty, except for actions involving malice.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure.
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7523-7525)
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Employee Stock Ownership Plan Promotion and Improvement Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1319
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2005-06-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: College costs
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Dividends
Education
Employee ownership
Finance and Financial Sector
Higher education
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Minimum tax
Mutual funds
Small business
Stockholders
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax deferral
Tax penalties
Tax refunds
Tax-deferred compensation plans

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: 
Employee Stock Ownership Plan Promotion and Improvement Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exempt certain distributions, including dividends, by S corporations to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) from the penalty tax for premature employee benefit plan withdrawals; (2) exempt deductions for ESOP dividends from corporate alternative minimum tax adjustments based on adjusted earnings and profits; (3) allow deferral of the recognition of gain for certain sales to ESOPs sponsored by any domestic corporation, including S corporations; (4) allow reinvestment of ESOP stock proceeds eligible for nonrecognition of gain in certain mutual funds; (5) modify certain ESOP stock ownership rules; (6) allow early distributions from an ESOP for higher education expenses and first-time homebuyer purchases without penalty; and (7) allow a 
de minimis
 exception from pension plan diversification requirements for ESOP accounts with balances of $2,500 or less. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Multilateral Debt Relief Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1320
Sponsor: Sen. DeWine, Mike [R-OH]
Introduced: 2005-06-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Authorization
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Debt agreements
Debt relief
Developing countries
Development credit institutions
Economics and Public Finance
International Affairs
International monetary system
Negotiations

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: 
Multilateral Debt Relief Act of 2005 - Authorizes: (1) the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive director of each international financial institution (the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the African Development Fund) to reach an agreement among the shareholders to permanently cancel 100 percent of the debts owed to each such institution by an eligible country (as defined by this Act); and (2) appropriations for the U.S. contribution to such agreement if other members of the international financial institutions contribute funds for such purpose.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should pursue additional bilateral and multilateral debt relief for each country eligible for International Development Association grants.
 
Amends the International Development Association Act to authorize, and authorize appropriations for, the U.S. Governor of the Association to contribute necessary sums to the fourteenth replenishment of the Association.
 
Amends the African Development Fund Act to authorize, and authorize appropriations for, The U.S. Governor of the Fund to contribute necessary sums to the tenth replenishment of the Fund. 
 
 Authorizes appropriations to fulfill U.S. commitments to the Enhanced HIPC Initiative (as defined by this Act). 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7525-7526)
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Childhood Obesity Reduction Act

Bill: 109-s-1324
Sponsor: Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN]
Introduced: 2005-06-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Awards, medals, prizes
Child health
Child nutrition
Commemorations
Communication in medicine
Community and school
Congress
Congressional agencies
Congressional reorganization
Congressional tributes
Department of Health and Human Services
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electronic government information
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Exercise
Federal aid to education
Foundations
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health
Health education
Health planning
Internet
Nonprofit organizations
Obesity
Physical education and training
Preventive medicine
School health programs
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Volunteer workers
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: 
Childhood Obesity Reduction Act - Establishes a Congressional Council on Childhood Obesity to engage in the following activities to encourage every U.S. elementary and middle school to develop and implement a plan to reduce and prevent obesity, promote improved nutritional choices, and promote increased physical activity: (1) work with outside experts to develop the Congressional Challenge to Reduce and Prevent Childhood Obesity; (2) develop and maintain a website on best practices for reducing and preventing childhood obesity; (3) assist schools in establishing goals for the healthy reduction and prevention of childhood obesity; (4) consult and coordinate with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and other federal initiatives that are conducting activities to reduce and prevent childhood obesity; (5) reward elementary schools, middle schools, and local educational agencies promoting innovative, successful strategies; (6) provide information to secondary schools; and (7) designate model plans for reducing and preventing childhood obesity that are submitted by schools as Congressional Challenge winners.
 
Establishes the National Foundation for the Prevention and Reduction of Childhood Obesity as a nonprofit private corporation to support and carry out activities to prevent and reduce childhood obesity, including by: (1) establishing a fund to provide endowments for positions within the Council and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) associated with reducing childhood obesity; (2) evaluating model plans used by schools; and (3) making Challenge awards to schools and local agencies for developing and implementing such plans. Requires creation of a committee to incorporate the Foundation under state laws, establish its policies and bylaws, provide for its initial operation, and appoint members of its board of directors.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7531-7534)
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7531)
action_date: 2005-06-28
text: Introduced in Senate