hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act

Bill: 110-s-2830
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2008-04-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Clothing
Colombia
Commerce
Commercial arbitration
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Corporation taxes
Customs administration
Dispute settlement
Economics and Public Finance
Free trade
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Government procurement
Import relief
Income tax
International Affairs
Latin America
Law
Tariff
Tax administration
Taxation
Textile fabrics
Textile industry
Trade agreements
User charges

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-08
text: 
United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act - Approves the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (the Agreement) entered into with the government of Colombia. Provides for the Agreement's entry into force upon certain conditions being met on or after January 1, 2009.

Authorizes the President to proclaim actions, and other appropriate officers of the U.S. government to issue regulations, necessary to ensure appropriate implementation of any provision of this Act that takes effect on the date the Agreement enters into force.

Provides for: (1) administration of dispute settlement proceedings; (2) arbitration of certain claims against the United States; and (3) specified tariff modifications. 

Prescribes requirements for: (1) enforcement of textile and apparel rules of origin; (2) actions for relief from imports benefiting from the Agreement; and (3) certain textile and apparel safeguard measures.

Amends the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 to make eligible for U.S. government procurement products or services of a foreign country or instrumentality that is a party to the Agreement.

Provides for the following offsets: (1) amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend the authority for the collection of customs user fees for a specified period; and (2) amends the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 to increase by one percentage point the current increased percentage of any required installment of corporate estimated tax otherwise due in July, August, or September 2012, and by two percentage points the amount of any required installment of corporate estimated tax otherwise due in July, August, or September 2013.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance pursuant to section 2103(c) of Public Law 107-210. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2745-2754)
action_date: 2008-04-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the International Boundary and Water Commission to reimburse State and local governments for expenses incurred by such governments in designing, constructing, and rehabilitating the Lower Rio Grande Valley Flood Control Project.

Bill: 110-s-2832
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Construction costs
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Federal aid to water resources development
Flood control
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: 
 Authorizes the International Boundary and Water Commission to reimburse state and local governments for expenses incurred in designing, constructing, and rehabilitating the Lower Rio Grande Valley Flood Control Project. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2834
Sponsor: Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2008-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: All terrain vehicles
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Infrastructure
Land transfers
Land use
National forests
National parks
Natural areas
Reservoirs
Restoration ecology
Right-of-way
Sports and Recreation
Trails
Transportation and Public Works
Travel
Utah
Water Resources Development
Water districts
Wild rivers
Wilderness areas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: 
Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2008 - Designates specified public lands in Utah as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Provides for the acquisition of land or interests in any such area designated as wilderness. 

Releases certain wilderness study areas in Washington County, Utah, from further study for designation as wilderness. 

Designates specified federal land in Zion National Park in Washington County as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, which shall be known as the Zion Wilderness. 

Establishes the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area in Utah. 

Designates specified segments of the Virgin River and its tributaries across federal land within and adjacent to Zion National Park as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system. 

Requires development of a comprehensive Washington County travel management plan. 

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to designate a trail which shall be known as the &quot;High Desert Off-Highway Vehicle Trail.&quot; 

Provides for the conveyance of certain public land in Washington County. 

Grants the Washington County Water Conservancy District nonexclusive rights-of-way for specified reservoirs. 

Sets forth provisions regarding the management of priority biological areas in Washington County. Authorizes grants and cooperative agreements for the carrying out of initiatives related to the restoration or conservation of such areas.

Provides for the conveyance of specified federal land in Dixie National Forest in Utah. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-493.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the purchase of health insurance with pre-tax dollars, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-2835
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2008-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Finance and Financial Sector
Health
Health insurance
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Long-term care insurance
Medical savings accounts
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) taxpayers who do not itemize their deductions to deduct from gross income the costs of health insurance and long-term care insurance; and (2) payments from health savings accounts for non-group high deductible health plan premiums. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2836
Sponsor: Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA]
Introduced: 2008-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Afghanistan
Armed forces abroad
Armed forces reserves
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Middle East and North Africa
Military occupation
Military operations
Military pensions
National Guard
September 11, 2001
South Asia

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: 
National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2008 - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to back-date to September 11, 2001, the period of active duty or performed active service, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations, for which members of Ready Reserve components of the armed forces shall receive credit in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act

Bill: 110-s-2838
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2008-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Commercial arbitration
Contracts
Health
Long-term care
Nursing homes
Patients' rights
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: 
Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act - Provides that a pre-dispute arbitration agreement between a long-term care facility and a resident (or anyone acting on the resident's behalf) shall not be valid or specifically enforceable.

action_date: 2008-10-01
text: 

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

 
Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act - Provides that a pre-dispute arbitration agreement between a long-term care facility and a resident (or anyone acting on the resident's behalf) shall not be valid or specifically enforceable.
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1109.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 110-518. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 110-518. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2008-06-18
text: Committees on Aging. Joint hearings held with Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 110-618.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2819-2820)
action_date: 2008-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Global Competitiveness Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2839
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative fees
Admission of nonimmigrants
Agricultural labor
Agriculture and Food
Alien labor
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Education of the disadvantaged
Elementary and secondary education
Employers' liability
Federal aid to education
Fraud
Gifted children
Governmental investigations
Health
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Law
Medical personnel
Nurses
Physical therapy
Recruiting of employees
Scholarships
Transfer of employees
Visas
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Global Competitiveness Act of 2008 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the annual cap exemption for returning H-2B aliens (temporary nonagricultural workers).
 
Revises H-1B nonimmigrant visa (specialty occupation) provisions regarding: (1) recapture of unused visas (including a recapture fee); (2) visa increases and increases for exemptions from numerical limitations for aliens with higher education degrees; (3) increased employer petition fees; (4) employer restrictions on outsourcing, advertising, and hiring; and (5) enforcement, information sharing, and labor application penalty increases.
 
Amends the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 regarding: (1) recapture of unused employment-based immigrant visas and redistribution to specified employment categories, including nurses and physical therapists; and (2) a recapture fee (with an exemption for certain health care facilities).
 
Increases the annual limit for National Science Foundation low-income scholarships.
 
Revises L-visa (intracompany transfer) provisions regarding: (1) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to investigate employer fraud; (2) whistleblower protections; and (3) limitations on approval of start-up company petitions.
 
Authorizes (with a supplemental fee) early status adjustment filing for certain employment-based immigrants.
 
Obligates funds from the H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner Account for programs under the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 2001.
 
Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1966 to extend the E-Verify program.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Marine Emergency Protocol and Hull Requirement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2841
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Coast guard
Emergency Management
Environmental Protection
Fuel
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Marine safety
Merchant ships
Oil pollution
Territorial waters
Terrorism
Water pollution control

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Marine Emergency Protocol and Hull Requirement Act of 2008 - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to authorize the Coast Guard's appropriate sector commander, during a time of a terrorist or enemy attack, dangerously low visibility at sea or in port, an oil spill over 5,000 gallons, or any other period of enhanced danger as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security, to assume direct authority over all vessels within the area and to issue any orders to ensure the health and safety of the individuals located in, and the environment of, the sector.
 
Declares that nothing in the amendments made by this Act limits or otherwise preempts any state from establishing a more stringent law or regulation.
 
Prohibits certain cargo vessels that carry a significant (as determined by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating) quantity of oil or petroleum-based fuel to power the vessel from operating in the navigable waters or the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the United States without fuel tanks that have a double hull, or a double containment system as effective as a double hull, for the prevention of a fuel discharge. Phases in the prohibition over a specified period of years, based on vessel age and tonnage.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2947-2948)
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid Levy Enhancement Act

Bill: 110-s-2843
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Health
Medicaid
Social Welfare
Tax administration
Tax liens

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Medicaid Levy Enhancement Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a continuous levy on payments to Medicaid providers and suppliers for delinquent taxes owed by such providers and suppliers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid Fraud Reduction Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2845
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Bank records
Collection of accounts
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Health care fraud
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Medicaid
Social Welfare
Welfare eligibility

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Medicaid Fraud Reduction Act of 2008 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA), for purposes of determining or redetermining an individual's Medicaid eligibility, to direct each state to implement an asset verification program requiring Medicaid applicants or recipients to authorize the state to: (1) obtain records from a financial institution; and (2) use them to verify the individual's financial resources.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide payments to eligible states to establish and carry out practices to reduce fraud under the state Medicaid program.

Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the feasibility of, and potential program savings from, implementing an electronic system for verifying asset transfers, particularly of real property, by Medicaid applicants or recipients. Authorizes the Secretary to require states to implement such a system if feasible and cost-effective.

Requires withholding of federal matching payments to states for: (1) failure to implement an asset verification program; and (2) any expenditures other than for compensation of a state employee or payment to a state entity (for instance, expenditures for consultants).

Requires states to submit to the Secretary state plan amendments for creating Internet-based transparency programs to improve public disclosure of Medicaid payments information.

Amends SSA title XI to permit limitations, restrictions, and suspensions of Medicaid eligibility in cases of Medicaid-related civil or criminal fraud or abuse.

Provides for an extended period of one year to recover Medicaid overpayments resulting from fraud or abuse.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2846
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Fire fighters
Health
Income tax
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Tax refunds
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts Act of 2008 or the SERVE Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a $1,000 refundable tax credit for individuals who are bona fide volunteer members of a qualified volunteer fire department who provide firefighting, ambulance, or emergency medical services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Student Loan Market Liquidity Act

Bill: 110-s-2847
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bank loans
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Federal home loan banks
Federally-guaranteed loans
Higher education
Investments
Securities
Student loan funds
Surety and fidelity

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Emergency Student Loan Market Liquidity Act - Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to allow federal home loan banks to: (1) invest surplus funds in student loan securities; (2) accept student loans and student loan-related securities as collateral; and (3) provide secured long-term advances to member banks so that they can finance the origination of student loans or purchase or finance student loan-related securities.
 
Limits the application of this Act to Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) made under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
 
Makes the banks' authority effective for investments and advances made between February 1, 2008, and two years after this Act's enactment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2949-2950)
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for health care benefits for certain nuclear facility workers.

Bill: 110-s-2848
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Colorado
Employee health benefits
Environmental Protection
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government insurance
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health insurance
Labor and Employment
Nuclear facilities
Nuclear weapons
Ohio
Radiation victims
Radioactive wastes
Retiree health benefits
Subcontractors

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to provide health care benefits for workers who: (1) have been employed by a Department of Energy (DOE) contractor to perform duties under a contract for environmental remediation, waste management, decontamination and decommissioning, maintenance, security, and administrative activities at the Fernald Closure Project (Harrison, Ohio), the Mound Closure Project (Miamisburg, Ohio), or the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Golden, Colorado); and (2) would have qualified for health care benefits available for retirees had the individual's employment not been terminated as a result of the accelerated closure of the site.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to temporarily delay application of proposed changes to the Departmental Appeals Board within the Department of Health and Human Services.

Bill: 110-s-2849
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2008-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Department of Health and Human Services
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Medicaid
Medicare
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: 
Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from taking any administrative action for one year to finalize or otherwise implement provisions contained in the proposed rule published on December 28, 2007, relating to the Department of Appeals Board established in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including provisions allowing the Secretary to review, amend, or reverse Board decisions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Illegal Garnishment Prevention Act

Bill: 110-s-2850
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2008-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Department of the Treasury
Electronic benefits transfers
Federal advisory bodies
Garnishment
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Science, Technology, Communications
Social security beneficiaries

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: 
Illegal Garnishment Prevention Act - Prohibits funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary of the Treasury or the Commissioner of Social Security for FY2009 from being used to promote or otherwise encourage recipients of benefits paid under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to use direct deposit for the payment of such benefits until: (1) the Secretary promulgates rules establishing procedures to ensure that such benefits are protected from attachment and garnishment; and (2) at least five of the seven members of the advisory committee established under this Act concur in advising the Secretary that such procedures provide adequate safeguards.

Establishes a Social Security Benefits Protection from Attachment or Garnishment Advisory Committee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate