hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Prosthetics Parity Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3517
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative remedies
Auditing
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Coinsurance
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Labor
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health insurance
Labor and Employment
Law
Medical economics
Prosthesis
Quality of care

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Prosthetics Parity Act of 2008 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to require a group health plan that provides both medical and surgical benefits and benefits for prosthetic devices and components to provide prosthetics coverage under terms and conditions that are no less favorable than those applicable to substantially all medical and surgical benefits provided under the plan.
 
Prohibits the prosthetics benefit from being subject to separate or more restrictive financial requirements or more restrictive treatment limitations.

Applies the requirements of this Act separately with respect to in-network and out-of-network benefits.

Requires a group health plan to apply the same prior authorization requirements to the prosthetics benefit as apply for all similar benefits under the plan.
 
Limits the required prosthetics benefit to the most appropriate device or component that adequately meets the medical requirements of the patient. Includes repair or replacement of prosthetic devices and components within such coverage.
 
Prohibits a group health plan from imposing any annual or lifetime dollar limitation on benefits for prosthetic devices and components required to be covered under this Act that is not applied in the aggregate to all medical and surgical benefits provided under the plan.
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor to: (1) assist enrollees with any questions or problems regarding compliance with the requirements of this Act; and (2) conduct random audits of group health plans to ensure compliance.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to evaluate the effects of this Act, including on the cost of and access to heath insurance coverage.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9028-9030)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9028)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3518
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Bonds
Brokers
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Interest
Local finance
Tax deductions
Tax exemption

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2008 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the small issuer exemption from interest expense allocation rules for financial institutions to: (1) increase from $10 to $30 million the annual limit on small issuers of tax-exempt municipal bonds; (2) allow an inflation adjustment to such increased limit amount after 2009; (3) repeal aggregation rules relating to the determination of small issuer eligibility; (4) allow small issuers an election to treat borrowers separately for purposes of issuance limitations; and (5) allow financial institutions and brokers to hold up to 2% of their assets in tax-exempt securities without affecting their interest expense tax deduction. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9031)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9030-9031)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act

Bill: 110-s-3519
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Commerce
Dogs
Law
Licenses
Pets
Protection of animals
Retail trade
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to define &quot;retail pet store&quot; as a person that: (1) sells an animal directly to the public for use as a pet; and (2) does not breed or raise more than 50 dogs for use as pets during any one-year period.

Exempts from requirements to obtain a license as an animal dealer or exhibitor under such Act any retail pet store or other person who: (1) does not breed or raise more than 50 dogs for use as pets during any one-year period; and (2) derives less than a substantial portion of their income from the breeding and raising of dogs or cats on their own premises and sells such dogs or cats to a dealer or research facility.

Requires: (1) a dealer to provide each dog it holds that is 12 weeks or older with a minimum of two exercise periods during each day for a total of no less than one hour of exercise; (2) such exercise to include removing the dog from the dog's primary enclosure and allowing the dog to walk for the entire exercise period; and (3) such exercise to not include use of a treadmill, catmill, jenny mill, slat mill, or similar device, unless prescribed by a doctor of veterinary medicine. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9032)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9031-9032)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3520
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Access to health care
Cardiovascular diseases
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Employee training
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Health planning
Labor and Employment
Medical supplies
Paramedical personnel
School health programs
School personnel
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act of 2008, or the Josh Miller HEARTS Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for use in their schools; and/or (2) provide training to meet the grant requirement that at least five adult employees or volunteers at each school where an AED is to be used successfully complete training in its use and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
 
Requires LEA grant applicants also to demonstrate that: (1) the AEDs are integrated into the schools' emergency response procedures; and (2) emergency services personnel are notified of their locations.
 
Gives grant priority to schools that: (1) lack an AED; (2) typically have a significant number of students, staff, and visitors present during the day; (3) generally have a longer wait for emergency medical services than other public facilities in the community; and (4) have not received funds under the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 95 Dogwood Street in Cary, Mississippi, as the "Spencer Byrd Powers Jr. Post Office".

Bill: 110-s-3521
Sponsor: Sen. Cochran, Thad [R-MS]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Government Operations and Politics
Mississippi
Names
Postal facilities

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 95 Dogwood Street in Cary, Mississippi, as the "Spencer Byrd Powers Jr. Post Office."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2008-10-02
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S10422)
action_date: 2008-10-02
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S10422)
action_date: 2008-10-02
text: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S10422)
action_date: 2008-10-02
text: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S10422)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Board of Certification Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3522
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Advertising
Bank records
Executive reorganization
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Law
Mortgages
Risk
Secondary mortgage market
Securities industry
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Federal Board of Certification Act of 2008 - Establishes a Federal Board of Certification to certify that the mortgages within a security instrument meet the underlying standards they claim to meet with regards to such mortgage characteristics as: (1) documentation; (2) loan to value ratios; (3) debt service to income ratios; and (4) borrower credit standards and geographic concentration. States that the purpose of this certification process is to increase the transparency, predictability, and reliability of securitized mortgage products.

Authorizes market participants, including firms that package mortgage loans into mortgage securities, to elect to have their mortgage securities evaluated by the Board.

Authorizes the Board to: (1) promulgate regulations establishing enumerated security standards to use in certifying mortgage securities; (2) establish uniform principles and standards and report forms for the regular examination of such securities; and (3) develop uniform reporting systems for ascertaining mortgage security risk.

Grants the Board access to all books, accounts, records, reports, files, memorandums, papers, things, and property belonging to or in use by federal financial institutions regulatory agencies.

Requires any publication, transmission, or webpage containing an advertisement for or invitation to buy a mortgage security to carry a disclaimer that certification by the Federal Board of Certification can in no way be considered a guarantee of the mortgage security, but is merely a judgment of the degree of risk offered by the security in question.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9033-9034)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9032-9033)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Improvements Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3524
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Department of Homeland Security
Disaster relief
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to law enforcement
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
International Affairs
Science, Technology, Communications
Technology transfer
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Improvements Act of 2008 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reassign to the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement (Office). Establishes within the Office: (1) the Law Enforcement Information Sharing Resource Center to provide technical assistance relating to information sharing and intelligence; (2) the Foreign Liaison Officers Against Terrorism Program; and (3) the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program to make counterterrorism technology, equipment, and information available to local law enforcement agencies. 

Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for State and Local Law Enforcement to establish a National Law Enforcement Deployment Team Program to respond to the threat or occurrence of a natural or man-made incident.

Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to make grants to states and local governments for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9035-9036)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9034-9035)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 110-s-3525
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Anniversaries
Armed Forces and National Security
Coins and coinage
Europe
Finance and Financial Sector
Flags
History
Maryland
Military history
Military parks
National anthems
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Silver
United Kingdom
War

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the 
Star-Spangled Banner
.

Requires a coin design emblematic of the battle for Baltimore that formed the basis for the 
Star-Spangled Banner.

Authorizes the Secretary to issue the coins only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2012.

Requires specified surcharges in sales of the coin, which shall be paid to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission for the purpose of supporting bicentennial activities, educational outreach activities, and preservation and improvement activities pertaining to the sites and structures relating to the War of 1812.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9037)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9036-9037)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3526
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil actions and liability
Conspiracy
District courts
Drug abuse
Drug law enforcement
Drug traffic
Evidence (Law)
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Identification devices
Jurisdiction
Law
Marine transportation
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sentencing guidelines
Submarines
Transportation and Public Works
U.S. Sentencing Commission

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or embarking in any submersible or semisubmersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating in, or has navigated into, through, or from, waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over violations of this Act.

Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this Act that a vessel operated at the time of a violation was: (1) a vessel of the Untied States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation; (2) classed by and designated in accordance with the rules of a classification society; (3) lawfully operated in a government-regulated or licensed activity; or (4) equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or a long range identification and tracking system. Specifies the documents required to conclusively prove an affirmative defense. 

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to promulgate or amend existing guidelines to provide adequate penalties for violations of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-11-18
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1116 under authority of the order of the Senate of 11/17/2008.
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3527
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2008-09-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Biennial budgets
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Veterans Affairs
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: 
Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act of 2008 - Requires, beginning with FY2010, a two-fiscal-year budget authority for the following accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) Medical Services; (2) Medical Administration; and (3) Medical Facilities.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the adequacy and accuracy of VA baseline model projections for health care expenditures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9038)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9037-9038)
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Introduced in Senate
General Services Administration Portfolio Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3528
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
District of Columbia
History
Land transfers
Museums
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: 
General Services Administration Portfolio Enhancement Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to convey to the National Women's History Museum, Inc. (the Museum) the northern part of specified property in the District of Columbia, which the Administrator and the Museum deem appropriate for a museum facility. 

Grants the Administrator the authority to convey the southern part of such property to the Museum. 

Requires the Administrator to enter into an agreement with the Museum for the conveyance. 

Permits separate conveyance of the northern and southern parts. 

Requires the northern part to be dedicated for use as a site for a national women's history museum for a 99-year period and allows the southern part to be used for any purposes permitted by applicable laws and regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Global Food Security Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3529
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2008-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: AIDS (Disease)
Agricultural assistance
Agricultural education
Agricultural innovations
Agricultural production
Agricultural research
Agriculture and Food
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Curricula
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational exchanges
Executive Office of the President
Executive reorganization
Farms
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Food relief
Food supply
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Higher education
Human immunodeficiency viruses
Hunger
International agricultural cooperation
Nutrition
Poverty
Presidential aides
Science, Technology, Communications
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: 
Global Food Security Act of 2008 - States that is U.S. policy to promote global food security, improve agricultural productivity, and support the development of institutions of higher learning. 
 
Directs the President to designate an individual to serve as the Special Coordinator for Food Security to advise the President on international food security issues and oversee implementation of a comprehensive food security strategy. 
 
Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize appropriations for programs of agriculture, rural development, and nutrition. Permits certain of such funds to be made available for: (1) the collaborative research support program; and (2) the consultative group on international agricultural research.
 
Establishes: (1) the higher education collaboration for technology, agriculture, research, and extension to provide assistance for policies and programs in eligible countries that advance agricultural productivity and hunger alleviation through partnerships with institutions of higher education; (2) the Board for Global Agricultural Education; and (3) a United States Emergency Food Assistance Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9207-9209)
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9206-9207)
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3530
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2008-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Awards, medals, prizes
Congressional tributes
Donation of organs, tissues, etc.
Ex-Members of Congress
Fund raising
Health
House of Representatives
Names
Ohio

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: 
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act of 2008 - Makes any organ donor, or the family of any organ donor, eligible for a Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to direct the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to establish an application procedure, determine eligibility, and arrange for the presentation of medals.

Allows only one medal per family. Requires that such medal be presented to the donor or, in the case of a deceased donor, the family member who signed the consent form authorizing the organ donation.

Authorizes the Network to collect funds to offset expenditures relating to the issuance of medals.

Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to design and strike the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medals using certain specifications.

Provides that a medal under this Act shall not be treated as valuable consideration for purposes of prohibiting transferring human organs for valuable consideration.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate