hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Close the Enron Loophole Act

Bill: 110-s-2058
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2007-09-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Commodity exchanges
Electric power
Energy
Energy prices
Fraud
Futures trading
Gasoline
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Heating
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Methane
Natural gas
Petroleum
Propane

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: 
Close the Enron Loophole Act - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to provide that it applies to an agreement, contract, or transaction in an exempt commodity that is executed or traded on an electronic trading facility that is an energy trading center.

Prohibits any person from entering into an agreement, contract, or transaction for future delivery of an energy commodity that is not a spot sale of cash commodity or a sale of a cash commodity for deferred shipment or delivery on or through an energy trading facility that is not registered as such with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Sets forth registration criteria.

Requires CFTC to ensure that the position limits and accountability levels applicable to contracts in an energy commodity listed for trading on a designated contract market and similar contracts in the same energy commodity listed for trading on an energy trading facility: (1) prevent price manipulation, excessive speculation, price distortion, and disruption of the delivery or cash-settlement process; and (2) are on a parity with each other and are applied in a functionally equivalent manner.

Requires CFTC to take necessary action to direct an energy trading facility or a designated contract market to require a person who has exceeded an applicable position limit or accountability level in an energy commodity to limit, reduce, or liquidate any position to prevent or reduce the threat of price manipulation, excessive speculation, price distortion, or disruption of the delivery or cash-settlement process.

Sets forth provisions concerning the provision of information and records about energy trading contracts to CFTC.

Revises provisions concerning the prohibition on energy contracts designed to defraud or mislead, including by prohibiting any person from cheating or defrauding another person in connection with any contract of sale of any commodity in interstate commerce or for future delivery that is made subject to the rules of a designated contract market for or on behalf of any such person (currently the provisions prohibit members of registered entities, correspondent agents, or employees of members from such actions.)

Requires CFTC to issue a rule regarding the requirements for an application for registration for an energy trading facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S11597-11600)
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11596-11597, S11600-11603)
action_date: 2007-09-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act

Bill: 110-s-2059
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Families
Family leave
Flight crews
Hours of labor
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 with respect to hours-of-service requirements airline flight crews must meet to qualify for leave under such Act.
 
Declares that a flight attendant or flight crewmember will be considered to meet such requirements if he or she has been paid for or has worked 60% of the employer's monthly hour or trip guarantee, or the equivalent annualized over the previous 12-month period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Teachers at the Table Act

Bill: 110-s-2060
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Legislation
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Teachers

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Teachers at the Table Act - Amends title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish the Volunteer Teacher Advisory Committee to monitor the effects of such title (amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) in classrooms, with its focus solely on children and families.
 
Requires that committee membership consist of a diverse group of public school classroom teachers who are past or present Teachers of the Year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11656-11657)
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Fair Home Health Care Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2061
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Caregivers
Health
Home care services
Hours of labor
Minimum wages
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Fair Home Health Care Act of 2007 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt certain home health care workers who are employed on a casual basis from the minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under such Act. Defines employment on a &quot;casual basis&quot; as employment which is irregular or intermittent and does not exceed 20 hours per week in the aggregate.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11657)
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2063
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Congress
Expedited congressional procedure
Federal advisory bodies
Federal budgets
Health
Legislation
Medicare
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Social Welfare
Social security finance

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action Act of 2007 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish the Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action to address, and report to the President and Congress on, the nation's long-term fiscal imbalances, including those attributable to the Medicare and Social Security programs and the gap between their projected revenues and expenditures.

Provides for expedited legislative consideration of Task Force recommendations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-10-31
text: Committee on the Budget. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 110-221.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11662-11664, S11664-11665, S11665)
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Nurse Training and Retention Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2064
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Collective bargaining
Economics and Public Finance
Employee benefit plans
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to health facilities
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Nurses
Nursing education
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Nurse Training and Retention Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a partnership grant program to award grants to eligible entities to carry out comprehensive programs to provide education to nurses and create a pipeline to nursing for incumbent ancillary healthcare workers who wish to advance their careers.

Includes as eligible to receive a grant: (1) a healthcare entity that is jointly administered by a healthcare employer and a labor union representing its employees and that carries out activities using labor management training funds; (2) an entity that operates a training program that is jointly administered by one or more healthcare providers or facilities, or a trade association of healthcare providers, and one or more organizations that represent the interests of direct care healthcare workers or staff nurses who have direct input as to the organization's leadership; or (3) a state training partnership program that consists of nonprofit organizations that include equal participation from industry and labor organizations including joint labor-management training programs.

Requires a healthcare employer, to be eligible for a grant, to demonstrate that it: (1) has an established program within its facility to encourage the retention of existing nurses; (2) provides wages and benefits to its nurses that are competitive for its market or that have been collectively bargained with a labor organization; and (3) provides support for programs funded under this Act through specified mechanisms.

Sets forth requirements for matching funds, collaboration with nursing schools, types of programs funded, types to be provided preference, and program evaluations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11665-11667)
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11665)
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Community Coalitions for Access and Quality Improvement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2065
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Chronically ill
Community health services
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to health facilities
Health services administration
Medically uninsured
Preventive medicine
Quality of care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Community Coalitions for Access and Quality Improvement Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible entities to assist in developing integrated health care delivery systems to serve defined communities to: (1) improve efficiency and coordination among providers; (2) assist local communities in developing programs targeted toward preventing and managing chronic diseases; and (3) expand and enhance services provided.

Requires eligible entities to represent a balanced consortium whose principal purpose is to assure sustained capacity for the provision of a broad range of coordinated services for all residents, including at least one of each of the following providers that serve the community (with exceptions): (1) a federally qualified health center; (2) rural health clinics and rural health networks; (3) a hospital with a low-income utilization rate greater than 25% or a critical access hospital; (4) a public health department; and (5) an interested public or private sector health care provider or organization that has traditionally served medically uninsured and low-income individuals.

Authorizes the Secretary, in awarding grants, to provide priority to applicants that demonstrate the greatest unmet need for a more coordinated system of care.

Requires a grantee to use amounts provided only for: (1) direct expenses associated with achieving greater integration of a health care delivery system to directly provide or ensure the provision of a broad range of culturally competent services; and (2) direct patient care and service expansions to fill identified or documented gaps within an integrated delivery system.

Requires entities to report annually to the Secretary. Conditions grant renewal on demonstrable progress in meeting goals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Back to School: Improving Standards for Nutrition and Physical Education in Schools Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2066
Sponsor: Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture and Food
Beverages
Child nutrition
Department of Agriculture
Department of Health and Human Services
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Exercise
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Food service
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Higher education
Indian education
Law
Minorities
Minority education
Native Americans
Performance measurement
Physical education and training
School lunch program
School personnel
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Standards
Teacher education

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Back to School: Improving Standards for Nutrition and Physical Education in Schools Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to revise the standards that set a minimal nutritional value for competitive foods and beverages (sold outside of the federally-funded school lunch and breakfast programs) so that they are consistent with those described in a report of the Institute of Medicine (Institute) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), dated April 25, 2007.
 Applies such standards to all competitive foods and beverages sold on school campuses during the school day. 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to arrange for the Institute to develop recommendations, every five years, for updating such standards so they reflect the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and scientific knowledge. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture, after receiving the Institute's recommendations, to revise such standards.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish the Nutrition Standards in Schools Task Force to assist in establishing a user friendly system for identifying foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to states, high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), and Indian tribes to provide food service and school personnel with the training needed to implement nutrition standards.
 
Requires federally-funded LEAs to implement policies requiring student participation in physical education programs that meet standards for physical activity issued by the Secretary, based on recommendations from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
 
Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to states, high-need LEAs, and Indian tribes to provide teachers with the training and support needed to implement such physical education programs.
 
Requires the Carol M. White Physical Education program to meet the Secretary's standards for physical activity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Recreational Boating Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2067
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2007-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Boats and boating
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Sports and Recreation
Waste disposal in rivers, lakes, etc.
Waste disposal in the ocean

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: 
Recreational Boating Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (popularly known as the Clean Water Act) to redefine the term &quot;pollutant&quot; to exclude any deck runoff from a recreational vessel, any engine cooling water, gray water, bilge water effluent from a properly functioning recreational marine engine, laundry, shower, and galley sink waste from a recreational vessel, or any other discharge incidental to the normal operation of a recreational vessel. Declares that such exclusion does not apply to rubbish, trash, garbage, or any other similar material discharged overboard by a recreational vessel.

Defines &quot;recreational vessel&quot; to mean a vessel that is: (1) manufactured for operation, or operated primarily for recreational purposes; or (2) leased, rented, or chartered to an individual for recreational purposes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2007-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Homeowner Tax Fairness Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2068
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2007-09-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Local taxation
Property tax
State taxation
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: 
Homeowner Tax Fairness Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an additional standard tax deduction (available to taxpayers who do not itemize) for state and local real property taxes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: Introduced in Senate
GROWTH Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2069
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-09-19 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Community organization
Developing countries
Economic assistance
Entrepreneurs
Exchange of persons programs
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial services
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Labor and Employment
Leadership
Nongovernmental organizations
Poverty
Right of property
Small business
Women
Women in business
Women in public life
Women's employment
Women's organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: 
Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive Act of 2007 or GROWTH Act of 2007 - Targets assistance for women in developing countries with respect to: (1) microenterprises; (2) small and medium enterprises; (3) private property rights and land tenure security; (4) employment access; (5) trade benefits; (6) exchanges with U.S. entrepreneurs; (7) Millennium Challenge Account assistance; and (8) indigenous women's organizations.
 
Directs the Secretary of State to establish the Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive (GROWTH) Fund to enhance economic opportunities for very poor, poor, and low-income women in developing countries with a focus on: (1) increasing women-owned enterprise development; (2) increasing property rights for women; (3) increasing women's access to financial services; (4) increasing women in leadership in implementing organizations, such as indigenous nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, and regulated financial intermediaries; (5) improving women's employment benefits and conditions; and (6) increasing women's ability to benefit from global trade. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11753-11756)
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Government Shutdown Prevention Act

Bill: 110-s-2070
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2007-09-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Biennial budgets
Congress
Continuing resolutions

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: 
Government Shutdown Prevention Act - Provides for automatic continuing appropriations if any regular appropriation for a fiscal year (or, if applicable, for each fiscal year in a biennium) does not become law before the beginning of such fiscal year, or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not in effect.
 
Appropriates amounts necessary to continue any project or activity for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year: (1) in the corresponding regular appropriation Act for such preceding fiscal year; or (2) if such legislation did not become law, then in the joint resolution making continuing appropriations for such preceding fiscal year.
 
Requires the appropriations and funds made available, and authority granted, for any fiscal year for a project or activity to be available for the period beginning with the first day of a lapse in appropriations and ending with the earlier of: (1) the date on which the applicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year becomes law (whether or not such law provides for such project or activity) or a continuing resolution making appropriations becomes law, as the case may be; or (2) the last day of such fiscal year.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 380.
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2007-09-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Action Plan for Public Lands and Education Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2072
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2007-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Hawaii
Idaho
Impact aid
Land transfers
Mines and mineral resources
Mining claims
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
State finance
Utah
Washington State
West (U.S.)
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: 
Action Plan for Public Lands and Education Act of 2007 - Makes grants of land to the following states in lieu of receiving, for the support of the common schools, 5% of the proceeds of the sales of federally land owned within such states which have not been sold by the United States as of July 1, 2005: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. 
 
Makes the amount of land granted to each state 5% of the number of acres of federally owned land within that state as of July 1, 2005. Requires land selected to be held in trust to be sold or leased and the proceeds to be used only for the support of public education.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11856)
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Trails Act Technical Correction Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2073
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2007-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Damages
Land use
Law
Limitation of actions
Railroads
Right of property
Right-of-way
Trails
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: 
 Trails Act Technical Correction Act of 2007 - Prescribes the times for filing a suit and for commencing a civil action by the owner of property subject to an interim use of railroad right-of-way for damage claims brought against the United States. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-514.
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate