hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the active business definition under section 355.

Bill: 109-s-1327
Sponsor: Sen. Lott, Trent [R-MS]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Affiliated corporations
Commerce
Corporate reorganizations
Corporation taxes
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Securities
Stocks
Tax exemption

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat all members of a corporation's separate affiliated group as one corporation for purposes of determining whether such corporation and its subsidiaries meet the active business test required for corporations seeking nonrecognition of gain from the distribution of property in a reorganization.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7616)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Health Care Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1329
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Health
Health insurance
Income tax
Insurance companies
Insurance premiums
Labor and Employment
Medical economics
Small business
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Small Business Health Care Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain small employers (with between two and 100 employees) a business tax credit for a specified percentage of the health insurance costs of their employees.
 
Directs the Internal Revenue Service, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration, to develop and implement an educational program to inform businesses of the health insurance tax credit provided by this Act. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state and local governments for the operation of health insurance purchasing pools.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Housing America's Workforce Act

Bill: 109-s-1330
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Congress
Congressional investigations
Corporation taxes
Cost of living adjustments
Economics and Public Finance
Employee benefit plans
Federal aid to housing
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Housing subsidies
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Labor and Employment
Mortgages
Rent
Tax credits
Tax exclusion

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Housing America's Workforce Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit for up to 50 percent of the qualified housing expenses paid for the benefit of their employees. Defines &quot;qualified housing expenses&quot; to include homeownership assistance and rental assistance. Limits the amount of such credit to the lesser of $10,000 or six percent of an employee's home purchase price, or up to $2,000 for rental assistance. Excludes from employee gross income the value of employer-paid housing assistance.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to award grants in FY2006-FY2008, on a competitive basis, to nonprofit housing organizations or local governments for certain costs, including operating costs and technical assistance costs, of employer-assisted housing programs. Requires the Secretary to establish a national clearinghouse, including a website, to provide information about employer-assisted housing programs to federal, state, and local governments and other interested entities. 
 
Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a national evaluation of employer-assisted housing programs and provide to the Secretary an interim report by January 1, 2008, and final report by December 31, 2009. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7617-7618)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to charge the date of implementation of country of origin labeling to January 30, 2006.

Bill: 109-s-1331
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agriculture in foreign trade
Animals
Aquaculture
Commerce
Fishes
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Imports
Labeling
Marketing of farm produce
Meat
Peanuts
Seafood
Sheep
Swine

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to change the country of origin labeling implementation date to January 30, 2006. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7619)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Meat Promotion Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1333
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture in foreign trade
Animals
Business records
Commerce
Department of Agriculture
Fines (Penalties)
Food industry
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Labeling
Law
Livestock
Meat

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Meat Promotion Act of 2005 - Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to replace current mandatory country of origin labeling requirements with a voluntary country of origin labeling program for meat and meat products. 
 
Sets forth: (1) limitations on use of United States country of origin labels; and (2) civil penalties for program violations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7632-7633)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Professional Sports Integrity and Accountability Act

Bill: 109-s-1334
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Commerce
Drug abuse
Drug testing
Drugs and athletes
Federal Trade Commission
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Restrictive trade practices
Steroids

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Professional Sports Integrity and Accountability Act - Prohibits a professional sports league from any involvement in a professional sports event without adopting and enforcing a testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs.
 
Requires each such league to adopt policies and procedures that: (1) proscribe the use of prohibited substances and methods; (2) provide for random testing of each professional athlete at least three times a year; and (3) proscribe any person associated with the league from complicity in a violation by an athlete.
 
Prohibits all substances and methods prohibited by the United States Anti-Doping Agency Protocol for Olympic Movement Testing and any other appropriate substance or method as determined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
 
Includes as a violations of the testing policy: (1) the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers; (2) refusing to submit to a test; (3) administering or attempting to administer a prohibited substance or method to any athlete; and (4) assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering up, or any other type of complicity involving a violation by a professional athlete.
 
Allows a league to provide an individual athlete with an exemption for a particular prohibited substance or method for a documented medical condition.
 
Sets the penalties for the first violation at a minimum of two years suspension, permanent suspension for any subsequent violation, and public disclosure of the name of the violator and substance involved.
 
Allows the FTC to seek civil penalties for violations of this Act.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the individual records of athletes achieved while using performance-enhancing drugs should be invalidated.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-09-28
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 109-525.
action_date: 2005-07-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7905-7906, S7907)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR 7/1/2005 S7906-7907)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Justice for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1335
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law judges
Administrative remedies
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive reorganization
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Medicare
Social Security Administration
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Justice for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2005 - Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to require administrative law judges in the Department of Health and Human Services involved with the Medicare appeals process to be bound only by applicable statutes, regulations, and rulings issued in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act. Declares that such judges shall not be required to give substantial deference to local coverage determinations, local medical review policies, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services program guidance.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure, in providing for the geographic distribution of administrative law judges, that: (1) there is at least one site in each state, the District of Columbia, and each territory for in-person hearings before a judge; and (2) there are at least two such sites in the five states with the largest populations, geographically distributed within each state.
 
Directs the Secretary to ensure that: (1) if an individual entitled to or enrolled for Medicare benefits requests a hearing before an administrative law judge, it shall be in-person unless he or she requests that it be conducted using tele- or video-conferencing technologies; and (2) the time frame to decide an appeal is not different for either kind of hearing.
 
Delays from October 1, 2005, until October 1, 2006, the transfer of the adjudication authority of administrative law judges responsible for hearing Medicare cases from the Commissioner of Social Security and the Social Security Administration to the Secretary and the Department of Health and Human Services.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7634-7635)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Consumer Identity Protection and Security Act

Bill: 109-s-1336
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Agricultural credit
Agriculture and Food
Airlines
Bank records
Brokers
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Consumer complaints
Consumer credit
Consumer education
Credit unions
Crime and Law Enforcement
Federal Trade Commission
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Identification devices
Identity theft
Independent regulatory commissions
Insurance companies
Investment advisers
Law
Legal fees
Medical records
Mutual funds
Restrictive trade practices
Science, Technology, Communications
Telecommunication industry
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Consumer Identity Protection and Security Act - Requires a consumer reporting agency to place a security freeze on a private information file when requested to do so by the consumer, subject to waiver by such consumer with respect to limited or temporary access to such file to a particular third party.
 
Identifies federal, state, and local agencies permitted access to such frozen information files. 
 
Grants the Federal Trade Commission and specified federal agencies enforcement powers for violations of this Act.
 
Empowers the consumer to file a civil action in any court if a consumer reporting agency violates the requirements of this Act.
 
Prohibits a consumer reporting agency from imposing service fees or charges for implementing the consumer security freeze requests authorized under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Fair and Reliable Medical Justice Act

Bill: 109-s-1337
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2005-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution
Courts of special jurisdiction
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Health planning
Law
Liability insurance
Medical malpractice
Quality of care
State laws

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: 
Fair and Reliable Medical Justice Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award up to ten demonstration grants to states for the development, implementation, and evaluation of alternatives to current tort litigation for resolving disputes over injuries allegedly caused by health care providers or health care organizations. Requires such states to: (1) develop such an alternative to current tort litigation; and (2) promote a reduction of health care errors by allowing for patient safety data related to such disputes to be collected and analyzed by organizations that engage in voluntary efforts to improve patient safety and the quality of health care delivery.
 
Sets forth model alternatives to current tort litigation that states may utilize. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-06-22
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 109-710.
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7637-7638)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7635-7637)
action_date: 2005-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans' Enhanced Transition Services Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1341
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2005-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces reserves
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Counseling
Disabled
Entrepreneurs
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Homeless
Housing and Community Development
Labor and Employment
Medical screening
Mental health services
Military bases
Military discharges
Military hospitals
National Guard
Physical examinations
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Small business
Social Welfare
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' disability compensation
Veterans' employment
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' organizations
Veterans' rehabilitation
Vocational guidance

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: 
Veterans' Enhanced Transition Services Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary concerned to: (1) require preseparation counseling for members of reserve components who have been serving on active duty continuously for at least 180 days; and (2) ensure that commanders authorize such members to obtain counseling during duty time.
 
Requires preseparation counseling on: (1) certification and licensure requirements for civilian occupations; and (2) civilian occupations that correspond to military occupational specialties. Requires such counseling to include additional information for veterans, including job training programs, small business ownership, veterans' preference, housing counseling, health care benefits, and disability compensation.
 
Extends preseparation counseling to members of the National Guard being separated from long-term duty.
 
Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to require participation in the Department of Labor transitional services program unless members previously participated in the program or are returning to previously held employment or educational pursuits. Requires the Secretary concerned to ensure that commanders authorize such members to obtain counseling during duty time.
 
Directs the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to jointly submit to Congress a plan to maximize access to benefits delivery at discharge programs for members of the Armed Forces.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to prescribe minimum content and standards for required medical examinations, including screening for mental health disorders, and to provide follow-up services.
 
Requires the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to facilitate veteran-to-veteran preseparation counseling.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-11-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12596)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR 7/1/2005 S7825-2827)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 7/1/2005 S7822-7825)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1342
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2005-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Cemeteries and funerals
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Veterans Affairs
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Health
Labor and Employment
Law
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: 
Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans to establish a separate account for the funding of outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and a separate subaccount for the funding of outreach activities of the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish and maintain procedures for ensuring the effective coordination of Department outreach activities between and among such elements, the Office of the Secretary, and the Office of Public Affairs; and (2) ensure that outreach is provided in locations proximate to populations of veterans and other individuals in States that offer a high probability of improving veterans' outreach and assistance. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to appropriate State veterans agencies for such purpose.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR 7/1/2005 S7828)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 7/1/2005 S7827-7828)
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Foster Care Mentoring Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1343
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2005-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Academic performance
Adoption
Alcohol and youth
Child abuse
Child development
Child welfare
Church and social problems
Community organization
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Dropouts
Drug abuse
Drugs and youth
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Evaluation research (Social action programs)
Family violence
Federal aid to education
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Foster home care
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government paperwork
Graduate education
Higher education
Homeless
Identification of criminals
Indian children
Information services
Internet
Juvenile delinquency
Labor and Employment
Mentoring
Minorities
Native Americans
Problem children
Religion
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Student loan funds
Teenage pregnancy
Telephone
Volunteer workers
Web sites
Youth services

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: 
Foster Care Mentoring Act of 2005 - Amends title IV part B (Child-Welfare Services) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to states to support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs using networks of public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children in foster care. Authorizes a grant award directly to a political subdivision if the subdivision serves a substantial number of foster care youth.

Prescribes program implementation guidelines, including: (1) application requirements; (2) training; (3) screening; (4) educational requirements; (5) federal and nonfederal share of funds for the program; (6) considerations in awarding grants; and (7) use of funds. 
Sets forth a maximum grant amount to be awarded to a state or political subdivision. 
Authorizes the Secretary to award a competitive grant to an eligible entity to establish a National Hotline Service or website to provide information to individuals interested in becoming mentors to youth in foster care. 
Instructs the Secretary of Education to implement a program to provide for the discharge or cancellation of the federal student loan indebtedness of an eligible mentor.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Community Health Center Volunteer Provider Protection Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-1344
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2005-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Claims
Clinics
Community health services
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to health facilities
Government liability
Law
Liability (Law)
Medical malpractice
Physicians
Psychologists
Public health personnel
Social Welfare
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: 
Community Health Center Volunteer Provider Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem volunteer practitioners at health centers as employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing services to patients at such health centers.
 
Defines &quot;volunteer practitioner&quot; as a licensed physician who: (1) at the request of the entity, provides services to patients of a public or nonprofit entity receiving Federal funds for serving medically underserved areas; (2) provides such service at a site at which the entity operates or at a site designated by the entity; and (3) does not receive any compensation for the provision of services.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to study the adequacy of funding for liability coverage for: (1) public or nonprofit private entities receiving federal funds for health centers; and (2) volunteer practitioners serving such centers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2005-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate