hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to provide for the rescission of funds made available for fiscal year 2009 for Iraq reconstruction.

Bill: 110-s-3450
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2008-09-08 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Military assistance
Rescission of appropriated funds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: 
Rescinds specified Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 funds: (1) under the Economic Support Fund for Iraq; and (2) under the Iraq Security Forces Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8134)
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8133-8134)
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthening Our Economy Through Small Business Innovation Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3451
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2008-09-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Ballistic missile defenses
Computer security measures
Defense budgets
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Energy research
Federal aid to research
Government spending reductions
Infrastructure
Lasers
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Small business
Technological innovations
Technology transfer
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation research
Water Resources Development
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: 
Strengthening Our Economy Through Small Business Innovation Act of 2008 - Amends the Small Business Act to extend: (1) the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program through FY2022; and (2) the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program through FY2023.

Increases, for FY2009 and thereafter, the percentage allocation of a federal agency's annual extramural research and development budget that may be allocated to SBIR and STTR programs.

Increases, for both the SBIR and STTR programs, the individual small business award levels for program participation at phase one and two levels.

Includes energy, security, transportation, and water related research topics as &quot;special consideration&quot; SBIR research topics.

Directs the Secretary of Defense to terminate the Airborne Laser program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8134)
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the expansion of the Fort Davis National Historic Site in Fort Davis, Texas, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3452
Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-09-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Boundaries
Commemorations
Federal-Indian relations
Historic sites
History
Land transfers
Military bases
Military history
Minorities
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire additional acreage to increase the size of the Fort Davis National Historic Site near the town of Fort Davis, Texas, by acquiring certain land from willing sellers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the adjustment of status for immediate family members of aliens who served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.

Bill: 110-s-3453
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-09-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Afghanistan
Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Armed forces reserves
Families
Immigrants
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Military dependents
Military operations
National Guard
South Asia
War casualties

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to adjust to permanent resident status certain alien family members of specified Armed Forces members or veterans who are serving or have served honorably on or after October 7, 2001, in the National Guard, the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve, or in active-duty status.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Iraq Self-Sufficiency and American Energy Independence Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3454
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Energy efficiency
Energy research
International Affairs
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Military assistance
Reprogramming of appropriated funds
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
War relief

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Iraq Self-Sufficiency and American Energy Independence Act of 2008 - Transfers to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and to the Office of Science for research, development, and demonstration to develop renewable energy and improve energy efficiency in the United States unexpended amounts: (1) in the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund; (2) in the Iraq Security Forces Fund; and (3) authorized for the Economic Support Fund that are available to Iraq.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8181-8182)
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Rescission of Unneeded Iraq Reconstruction Funds Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3455
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Military assistance
Rescission of appropriated funds
War relief

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Rescinds any amounts that remain unexpended in: (1) the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund; (2) the Iraq Security Forces Fund; and (3) the Economic Support Fund authorized under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 that are available for Iraq.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8181-8182)
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Five-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 110-s-3456
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Coins and coinage
College teachers
Finance and Financial Sector
Foundations
Gold
Higher education
Kansas
Military education
Officer personnel
Silver
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Five-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins in recognition of five United States Army Five-Star Generals: George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Henry &quot;Hap&quot; Arnold, and Omar Bradley, alumni of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 

Requires the design of the coins to include portraits of the generals.

Restricts the issuance of such coins to calendar 2013. 

Requires specified surcharges in the sale of such coins, which shall be paid promptly to the Command and General Staff College Foundation to help finance its support of the College.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Support for Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3457
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administration of justice
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Boundaries
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Constitutions
Democracy
Diplomacy
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Ethnic groups
Extremist movements in politics
Freedom of the press
Government Operations and Politics
Human rights
International broadcasting
Law
Minorities
Radio broadcasting
Rule of law
Science, Technology, Communications
Somalia
United Nations
Women
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Support for Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia Act of 2008 - States that the President should take additional steps to support the implementation of democracy and governance institutions and organizations in Ethiopia consistent with the Ethiopian Constitution of 1994 and related national law, including: (1) support of democracy development; (2) promotion of judicial independence; (3) support of human rights programs, especially regarding women and minorities; (4) expansion of the Voice of America (VOA) and other independent media; (5) support of international efforts to gain full access to the Ogaden and other conflict-affected regions; and (6) support of a United Nations Special Envoy to launch a dialogue to bring about the normalization of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea and who works with both governments to address issues of stability both along their border as well as more broadly across the Horn of Africa, including in Somalia.
 
Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8182)
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit golden parachute payments for former executives and directors of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Bill: 110-s-3458
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bank employees
Federal home loan banks
Golden parachutes
Housing and Community Development
Mortgage banks

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Amends the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended by the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008, to require the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to prohibit any golden parachute payment on or after enactment of this Act with respect to any executive officer or director of: (1) the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and any affiliate; (2) Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and any affiliate; and (3) any Federal Home Loan Bank.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3459
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Career education
Colleges
Commerce
Community and school
Community colleges
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuing education
Curricula
Depressed areas
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Educational technology
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to education
Green products
Health
Health care industry
Higher education
Indian education
Labor and Employment
Labor unions
Manufacturing industries
Minorities
Native Americans
Nonprofit organizations
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Teacher education
Teaching materials
Technical education
Textbooks
Unemployment
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Act of 2008 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Demonstration Grant program awarding competitive matching grants to states and local educational agencies (LEAs) that partner with businesses, postsecondary institutions, workforce investment boards, labor organizations, or nonprofit community organizations.
 
Requires such grants to be used to: (1) assess emerging industry pathways and the academic skills needed to succeed in such pathways; (2) develop school- and work-based curricula or programs to teach such skills; (3) implement the new curricula or programs in schools where at least 30% of the students are impoverished, that have graduation rates below their state's average, and whose community is experiencing significant or increased unemployment; and (4) evaluate best practices from such curricula or programs and disseminate them to other educational entities. 
 
Requires such curricula or programs to: (1) meet challenging state academic content standards; and (2) prepare students for both direct entry into careers with emerging industries in their communities and success in postsecondary education.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8183-8186)
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8182-8183)
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in Senate
State Cyber Security Protection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3460
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Computer security measures
Science, Technology, Communications
Technological innovations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
State Cyber Security Protection Act of 2008 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a State Cyber Security Pilot Program to demonstrate best practices, innovation, and knowledge transfer regarding cyber security within state governments. 

Directs the Secretary of DHS: (1) through the Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications, to be responsible for administering the Pilot Program; and (2) to ensure the maintenance of geographic and population diversity among selected Pilot Program participants.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Skills Standards Certification Evaluation Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3461
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Commerce
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Labor supply
Manufacturing industries
Skilled labor
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
Skills Standards Certification Evaluation Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) evaluate skills certification programs for employees; (2) rank such programs or determine best practices models for them; and (3) make recommendations on the merits of a unified national approach to such programs, and ways to streamline duplicative and similar programs into a single, widely recognized certification.
 
 
Requires the Secretaries to post evaluation results on the Internet and make them available to Congress and to interested parties.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8277-8278)
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to ensure that the courts of the United States may provide an impartial forum for claims brought by United States citizens and others against any railroad organized as a separate legal entity, arising from the deportation of United States citizens and others to Nazi concentration camps on trains owned or operated by such railroad, and by heirs and survivors of such persons.

Bill: 110-s-3462
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Claims
Commerce
Compensation for victims of crime
Concentration camps
Crime and Law Enforcement
Damages
Deportation
District courts
History
International Affairs
Jewish holocaust (1939-1945)
Jurisdiction
Limitation of actions
Railroads
Transportation and Public Works
War crimes

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
Grants U.S. district courts original jurisdiction over any civil action for damages for personal injury or death that: (1) arose from the deportation of persons to Nazi concentration camps between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1944; and (2) is brought by or on behalf of such person against a railroad that owned or operated the trains on which the persons were deported and that was organized as a separate legal entity.

Provides that: (1) no law limiting the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts shall preclude any such action; and (2) no such action shall be barred because a statute of limitations has expired. Makes this Act applicable to any action pending on or commenced after January 1, 2002.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to establish pilot project offices to improve Federal permit coordination for renewable energy.

Bill: 110-s-3463
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Arizona
Biomass energy
California
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Electric power transmission
Energy facilities
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Hydroelectric power
Law
Licenses
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Ocean energy resources
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Solar energy
Wind power
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of Energy to: (1) designate field or district offices of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming to serve as Renewable Energy Pilot Project Offices for coordination of federal permits for renewable energy projects and transmission lines to integrate renewable energy; and (2) enter into an amended memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Chief of Engineers to provide for the inclusion of the additional Renewable Energy Pilot Project Offices in the Federal Permit Streamlining Pilot Project.

Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to make the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund available to the Secretary of the Interior for expenditures for the coordination and processing of oil and gas and renewable energy use authorizations on onshore federal land under the jurisdiction of the Pilot Project Offices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8900-8901)
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in Senate
International Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3464
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Developing countries
Diplomats
Economic assistance
Intellectual property
International Affairs
International competitiveness
Nontariff trade barriers
Sanctions (International law)

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
International Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require the United States Trade Representative (USTR), within 90 days after submitting the annual National Trade Estimate, to develop an action plan for foreign countries that have spent at least one year on the priority watch list that calls for such countries to meet benchmarks designed to assist them to achieve: (1) effective protection of intellectual property rights; and (2) equitable market access for U.S. persons that rely upon intellectual property protection.
 
Authorizes the President to impose certain economic sanctions on foreign countries that do not substantially comply with the benchmarks of an action plan. 
 
Directs the President to ensure that an intellectual property attach&eacute; with the title of Minister-Counselor is placed in the U.S. embassy of each foreign country that has a commercially significant relationship with the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Reliable, Effective, and Sustained Procurement of New Devices for Emergency Responders Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3465
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2008-09-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Auctions
Broadcasting
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Licenses
Telecommunication industry

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: 
Reliable, Effective, and Sustained Procurement of New Devices for Emergency Responders Act of 2008 or the RESPONDER Act of 2008 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish the First Responders Interoperable Device Availability Trust Fund. Requires that the Fund consist of 5% of the net proceeds from competitive bidding for broadcast licenses and 100% of the net proceeds from competitive bidding for D-block broadcast licenses. (Defines &quot;D-block&quot; as the electromagnetic spectrum between 758 and 763 megahertz and between 788 and 793 megahertz.) Requires that amounts from the Fund be used by the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to make grants, beginning in FY2012, to purchase interoperable devices for use by public safety personnel. 
 
Entends the authority of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant a license or permit under competitive bidding provisions until September 30, 2014.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2008-09-10
text: Introduced in Senate