hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6778
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2008 - Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution or facility. 

Requires the chief correctional officer of each state to inform convicted felons within 30 days after their release of their right to vote in elections for federal office and the date of the next election in which they are eligible to vote. 

Provides for enforcement and remedies for violations of this Act. 

Specifies that: (1) nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a state from enacting any state law that affords the right to vote in any election for federal office on terms less restrictive than those terms established by this Act; and (2) the rights and remedies established by this Act shall be in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by law, and shall not supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
To authorize the State of Virginia to petition for authorization to conduct natural gas or crude oil (or both) exploration and extraction activities in any area that is at least 50 miles beyond the coastal zone of the State, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-6781
Sponsor: Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Continental shelf
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Gas in submerged lands
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Land use
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Oil and gas royalties
Oil pollution
Oil well drilling
Petroleum in submerged lands
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Revenue sharing
Virginia
Water Resources Development
Water conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the governor of Virginia to petition the Secretary of the Interior for authorization to conduct natural gas or crude oil (or both) exploration and extraction activities in any area that is at least 50 miles beyond the state's coastal zone.
 
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit into a Clean Energy Fund of 50% of all rentals, royalties, bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to the United States from leases entered into under this Act for natural gas or crude oil (or both) exploration and extraction activities. Requires deposit of the other 50% into a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse: (1) 75% to the state; (2) 12.5% to provide financial assistance to states in accordance with the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965; and (3) 12.5% to a reserve fund to be used to mitigate for any environmental damage that occur as a result of extraction activities authorized under this Act.
 
Specifies alternative mandatory uses of such funds by Virginia.
 
Declares that the lines extending seaward and defining the state's Adjacent Zone are as indicated on the map entitled &quot;Atlantic OCS Region State Adjacent Zones and OCS Planning Areas,&quot; dated September 2005 and on file in the Office of the Director, Minerals Management Service.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1696-1697)
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Pledge Language is English Declaration and Government Endorsement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6783
Sponsor: Rep. Broun, Paul C. [R-GA-10]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Allegiance
Civil actions and liability
Commemorations
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
English language
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Law
National anthems
Oaths
Secondary education

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Pledge Language is English Declaration and Government Endorsement Act of 2008 - Prohibits state or local educational agencies from requiring or permitting the Pledge of Allegiance or national anthem to be recited or sung in any language other than English in any elementary or secondary school under their jurisdiction. 
 
Withholds federal funds from state or local educational agencies that violate such prohibition, unless the funds are specifically appropriated to such agencies after they have been found to be violating the prohibition.
 
Establishes a private right of action for persons injured by violations of such prohibition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Home Heating Oil Assistance Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6784
Sponsor: Rep. Shays, Christopher [R-CT-4]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Energy prices
Income tax credits
Lighting and heating
Lighting, heating, cooling
Oil and gas
Public utilities and utility rates

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Home Heating Oil Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual taxpayer an income-based refundable tax credit for the lesser of 33% of such taxpayer's residential energy costs for a taxable year, or $500. Defines &quot;residential energy costs&quot; as amounts paid: (1) to any utility for electricity or natural gas used in the taxpayer's principal residence during the heating season (October through March); and (2) for any qualified fuel (e.g., propane, heating oil, kerosene, wood, and wood pellets) used as the primary fuel for heating the taxpayer's principal residence. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
No One Strike Eviction Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6785
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Housing and community development funding
Marriage and family status
Public housing
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
No One Strike Eviction Act of 2008 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to revise the requirement that a public housing agency (PHA) establish administrative grievance procedures for one strike evictions of tenants from public and federally assisted housing for violent or drug-related criminal activity on or off such premises, or any activity resulting in a felony conviction.
 
Requires the PHA or other reviewing body, during such procedures, to consider all mitigating circumstances and the impact of such actions upon the family and dependents of that person.
 
Exempts a tenant from eviction or denial or termination of a tenancy based solely upon such individual's familial relationship to a person who has been convicted of a criminal offense.
 
Amends the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 to modify tenant requirements for PHA programs or federally assisted housing to make only an individual ineligible (currently, the entire household with the individual) if such individual is an illegal drug user or alcohol abuser.
 
Authorizes a PHA or owner to deny criminal offenders admission to such programs or housing, but not other members of the offender's household.
 

 

 

 

 
Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to exempt a tenant in public housing or housing assisted under the voucher program or any other section 8 rental assistance program from eviction for criminal or drug-related activity engaged in by a member of a tenant's household, or any guest or other person under the tenant's control, if: (1) the tenant did not know and should not have known of the activity; or (2) the tenant, a member of the tenant's household, or any guest or other person under the tenant's control was the victim of criminal activity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Delaware Judgment Funds Distribution Settlement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6786
Sponsor: Rep. Sullivan, John [R-OK-1]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Government trust funds
Indian claims
Oklahoma

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Delaware Judgment Funds Distribution Settlement Act of 2008 - Directs the United States to offer to file with the Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma, a joint motion for entry of judgment of a specified sum in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims as a final settlement of all trust claims of that Tribe that were or could have been brought regarding trust fund mismanagement.

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out necessary actions to satisfy any remaining monetary obligations identified in the judgment for 
Delawares of Idaho, Inc., et al. v. Clark
, and subsequent orders of that court. Requires: (1) the Secretary to pay to the Tribe's governing body for programming purposes each per capita payment of an eligible member of the Delaware Tribe identified as underpaid in an amount that is less than $5; and (2) any amounts remaining one year after 80% of the initial distributions have been made to be provided to the governing body for such purposes.

Finds that a December 3, 1940 letter of the Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs, approved by Assistant Secretary Chapman for the Department of the Interior on January 23, 1941, determined that the Tribe was eligible to organize as a separate tribe under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act. Provides that if the Tribe elects to be, and is, reorganized by the Secretary under that Act, such restoration shall be subject to specified provisions regarding the resolution of issues between the Delaware Tribe and the Cherokee Nation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1700)
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Healthy Forests Restoration Amendments Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6787
Sponsor: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Fires
Forests, forestry, trees

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Healthy Forests Restoration Amendments Act of 2008 - Amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to revise requirements with respect to the areas of federal land on which authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects may be conducted. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2008-08-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
SCHIP Full Funding Extension Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6788
Sponsor: Rep. Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. [R-NY-29]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Health care costs and insurance
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
SCHIP Full Funding Extension Act of 2008 - Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to extend through FY2012 funding under the SCHIP program, including additional allotments to maintain SCHIP funding for such fiscal years in shortfall states.
 
Grants qualifying states the option to receive the enhanced portion of the SCHIP matching rate for Medicaid coverage of certain children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Expanding Access to Foreclosure Counseling Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6790
Sponsor: Rep. Cardoza, Dennis A. [D-CA-18]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Lawyers and legal services
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Expanding Access to Foreclosure Counseling Act of 2008 - Amends the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, Division B of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, with regard to priority consideration the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NRC) is required to give when making grants to Department of Housing and Urban Development-approved counseling intermediaries which target loss mitigation counseling services to minority and low-income homeowners or provide such services in neighborhoods with high concentrations of minority and low-income homeowners.
 
Revises the requirement that the NRC give priority consideration to counseling intermediaries and legal organizations that provide legal assistance in the 100 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with the highest home foreclosure rates.
 
Requires the NRC, in the case of any of such MSAs which do not have adequate counseling intermediaries and legal organizations providing such legal assistance, to give priority consideration to counseling intermediaries and legal organizations that: (1) do provide such legal assistance in areas near such MSA; and (2) have the capacity to provide it also in such MSA.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
National Cancer Fund Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6791
Sponsor: Rep. Higgins, Brian [D-NY-27]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Cancer
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Government trust funds
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Licensing and registrations
Medical research
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
National Cancer Fund Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish in the Treasury the National Cancer Fund for programs to fight cancer, including for expenditures for cancer research, early detection and treatment, and tobacco cessation; (2) increase the excise tax rate on tobacco products and dedicate increased tax revenues to the Fund; and (3) impose permit, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements on manufacturers of processed tobacco.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) revise the membership and duties of the President's Cancer Panel; and (2) require the Panel to study the feasibility of additional funding sources for the National Cancer Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6792
Sponsor: Rep. Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [D-SD-At Large]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Federal employees
Geriatrics
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Higher education
Medical education
Medical personnel
Physical therapy
Recruiting of employees
Scholarships
Trauma care
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2008 - Establishes in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) the position of Director of Physical Therapy Service; and (2) degree and license requirements for appointment to a physical therapist position.
 
Establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatric, Amputee, Polytrauma, and Rehabilitation Research Fellowships Program to assist in the recruitment of qualified physical therapists for VHA positions specializing in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma care, and rehabilitation research. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
To provide for grants to assist municipalities to facilitate the ability of local farmers to grow food crops and certain livestock to be sold locally, grants to enable local nongovernmental farming associations to support the formation of community-supported agricultural projects, and grants to provide start-up funds to farmers who must diversify their operations in order to participate in the projects, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-6793
Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural cooperatives
Agricultural credit
Agricultural societies
Agricultural subsidies
Animals
Community organization
Economics and Public Finance
Farmers
Federally-guaranteed loans
Grants-in-aid
Leases
Livestock
Marketing of farm produce
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to: (1) municipalities to facilitate the ability of local farmers to grow food crops or raise livestock for local community sale; (2) local nongovernmental farming associations that promote community-based farming or to qualified farmers to provide technical, advisory, and other assistance for a municipally-based agricultural project; and (3) provide startup funding to agricultural producers who must diversify in order to participate in a community-supported agricultural project.
 
Directs the Secretary to provide marketing assistance to a participating farmer who has received a lease or loan guarantee that has not been terminated to assist the farmer in marketing to community institutions, including schools, child care centers, and senior centers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
Emergency Election Audit Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6794
Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2008-08-01 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government studies and investigations
State and local finance
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: 
Emergency Election Audit Act of 2008 - Requires the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse states for the reasonable costs incurred in conducting manual audits, meeting specified requirements, of the results of the general elections for federal office to be held in November 2008. Requires such payments also if, at the state's option, the state conducts audits of elections for state and local office held at the same time as the general election.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Introduced in House