hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Foreclosure Prevention and Sound Mortgage Servicing Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5679
Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-35]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Commercial arbitration
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Contracts
Counseling
Debtor and creditor
Economics and Public Finance
Federally-assisted loans
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreclosure
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government paperwork
Housing finance
Law
Mortgage interest rates
Mortgages
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Foreclosure Prevention and Sound Mortgage Servicing Act of 2008 - Amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 to impose on a mortgagee a duty to engage in loss mitigation of covered federally related mortgage loans.
 
Prohibits initiation of foreclosure on such loans if the mortgagee or servicer has at any time failed to comply with the requirements of this Act.
 
Requires a mortgagee or servicer to pursue specified priority loss mitigation activities, with notice to the borrower or mortgagor, before considering secondary loss mitigation activities.
 

 
Sets forth criteria governing the affordability of scheduled payments due from the borrower pursuant to loss mitigation activities.
 
Requires the mortgagee or servicer to notify the mortgagor in writing within certain deadlines concerning prospective adjustable rate mortgage increases.
 

 
Requires a mortgagee or servicer to provide the borrower with direct access to authorized loss mitigation personnel.
 
Requires a servicer or mortgagee to forward to a housing counseling agency approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development the contact information of any borrower whose federally related mortgage loan payment is more than 60 days late.
 
Prohibits a mortgagee for a federally related mortgage loan from requiring a borrower to: (1) limit or waive the right to bring any claims, defenses, demands, proceedings, actions, or causes of action against the mortgagee or servicer as a condition of accepting an offer of any loss mitigation activities; or (2) agree to arbitration as a condition of receiving loan modification activities.
 

 
Requires the servicer of a federally related mortgage loan to make available without charge, upon borrower's written request, specified account status and documentation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
Innovation Tax Credit Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5681
Sponsor: Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-11]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax
Research and development tax credit
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
 Innovation Tax Credit Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax credit for increasing research activities by: (1) phasing in increases in the alternative simplified tax credit rate through 2009; (2) establishing a 20% alternative simplified tax credit rate in 2010 in lieu of the standard research tax credit rate; (3) increasing the amount of basic and contract research expenses eligible for such tax credit; and (4) making such tax credit permanent. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
Mortgage and Rental Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5685
Sponsor: Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Disaster relief
Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Housing subsidies
Mortgages
Rent

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Mortgage and Rental Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2008 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide temporary assistance in the form of mortgage or rental payments for individuals and families who, because of financial hardship caused by a major disaster occurring on or after August 24, 2005, certify that they face dispossession or eviction from a residence by reason of a foreclosure of any mortgage or lien, cancellation of any contract of sale, or termination of any lease, entered into prior to such disaster. 
 
Limits assistance to not more than 18 months. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E486)
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5686
Sponsor: Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Employee training
Equipment and supplies
Fire departments
Fire fighters
Governmental investigations
Health
Labor and Employment
Occupational health and safety
Standards
Surveys

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) conduct a survey of and report to Congress on the compliance of fire departments in the United States with national consensus standards for staffing, training, safe operations, personal protective equipment, and fitness; and (2) establish a Task Force to Enhance Firefighter Safety to develop a plan to enhance firefighter safety by increasing compliance with such standards and to consider ways in which the federal government, states, and localities can promote, encourage, or require compliance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in House
TARGET Act

Bill: 110-hr-5688
Sponsor: Rep. Weller, Jerry [R-IL-11]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Collection of accounts
Crime and Law Enforcement
Economics and Public Finance
Federal-state relations
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Labor statistics
State laws
Unemployment
Unemployment insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Targeted Assistance to Restore Growth in Employment Throughout 2008 Act, or the TARGET Act - Provides for federal-state agreements under which a state will make targeted extended unemployment compensation payments, for any week of unemployment beginning in the individual's eligibility period, to individuals who: (1) have exhausted all rights to regular compensation under such state law; (2) have no rights to compensation (including both regular and extended compensation) with respect to a week under such law or any other state or federal unemployment compensation law (and are not paid or entitled to be paid such additional compensation); and (3) are not receiving compensation for such week under the unemployment compensation law of Canada.
 
Declares that such period of eligibility shall consist of any week which begins between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009. Denies eligibility to an individual unless his or her benefit year ends on or after July 1, 2007.
 

 
Specifies criteria for Tier-1, Tier-2, and Tier-3 periods of increasing unemployment in a state for purposes of calculating payments under this Act. Prescribes formulas for crediting amounts to recipient accounts for each period.
 
Requires federal payments to states in the amount of specified percentages of the targeted extended unemployment compensation payments a state has paid to individuals. Sets such percentages with respect to a week at: (1) 50% for a Tier-1 period; (2) 75% for a Tier-2 period; and (3) 100% for a Tier-3 period.
 
Provides for handling of fraud and overpayments of such compensation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Middle Class Assistance Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5691
Sponsor: Rep. Shea-Porter, Carol [D-NH-1]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: College costs
Education
Energy
Government Operations and Politics
Heating
Higher education
Income tax
Local taxation
Petroleum
Property tax
State taxation
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax refunds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Middle Class Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a deduction from gross income for state and local real property taxes on the principal residences of taxpayers who elect not to deduct state and local income and general sales taxes (making such deduction available to taxpayers who do not itemize); (2) allow a refundable tax credit, up to $500, for increased home heating oil costs in 2008; and (3) increase and make permanent the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Infant Crib Safety Act

Bill: 110-hr-5692
Sponsor: Rep. Tauscher, Ellen O. [D-CA-10]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative courts
Child safety
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Day care
Environmental Protection
Families
Furniture industry
Government Operations and Politics
Hotels, motels, etc.
Independent regulatory commissions
Infants
Labeling
Law
Product safety
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Infant Crib Safety Act - Amends the Federal Hazardous Substances Act to make it unlawful for any commercial user to manufacture, sell, or otherwise place in the stream of commerce any full-size or nonfull-size crib which was made before 1999, does not conform to the standards of this Act, or has any missing, loose, or broken components. 
 
Makes it unlawful for any hotel, motel, or similar lodging facility to offer or provide such a crib. 
 
Considers to be a banned hazardous product under the Consumer Product Safety Act any crib which does not conform to specified regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations and standards of the American Society for Testing Materials, unless labeled as not intended to be used for, and dangerous to, an infant.
 
Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to begin a rulemaking to include the requirements of the American Society for Testing Materials standards and to address any hazards due to crib and play yard durability.
 
Requires the CPSC to promulgate a consumer product safety rule to require that cribs manufactured and introduced into interstate commerce contain a label warning consumers against the use of soft bedding.
 
Includes in the definition of commercial user any person who manufactures or sells cribs or, by his or her occupation holds himself or herself out as having knowledge or skill peculiar to cribs, including child care facilities and family child care homes. Excludes from that definition an individual who sells a used crib at a one-time private sale.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
action_date: 2008-04-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H505-506)
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5693
Sponsor: Rep. Boozman, John [R-AR-3]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Emergency Management
Fire fighters
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Act of 2008- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow volunteer firefighters with eight or more years of service a $1,500 tax credit ($1,000 for three or more years). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Volunteer Firefighter/Emergency Medical Service Gas Price Relief Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5694
Sponsor: Rep. Boozman, John [R-AR-3]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Expense accounts
Fire fighters
Health
Income tax
Medical personnel
Paramedical personnel
Social Welfare
Tax deductions
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Volunteer Firefighter/Emergency Medical Service Gas Price Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow volunteers who provide firefighting or emergency medical services a tax deduction for up to $250 of their travel expenses, whether or not such taxpayer itemizes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Noncitizen Voting Prevention Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5695
Sponsor: Rep. Brown-Waite, Ginny [R-FL-5]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Aliens
Congress
Congressional elections
Deportation
Fraud
Immigration
Law
Presidential elections
Signs and signboards
Voter registration
Voting

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Noncitizen Voting Prevention Act of 2008 - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require applications for voter registration with respect to federal office to include a statement regarding the deportability of aliens making false claims of U.S. citizenship.
 
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require posting at polling places of notices that it is a violation of federal law for an individual who is not a U.S. citizen to cast a ballot in an election for federal office. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
To make a technical correction to section 3009 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

Bill: 110-hr-5696
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Equipment and supplies
Housing and Community Development
Television broadcasting
Television stations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to extend through FY2012 the requirement for the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce to make payments from the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund to implement a program to reimburse each licensee of an eligible low-power television station for equipment to upgrade low-power television stations from analog to digital in eligible rural communities.
 
Requires such reimbursements to be issued to eligible stations on or after February 18, 2009 (currently, no earlier than FY2010).
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Defend the Olympic Spirit Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5697
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Appropriations
Boycott
China
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Dissenters
East Asia
Economics and Public Finance
Federal employees
Federal officials
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Human rights
Olympic games
Political prisoners
Political violence
Public demonstrations
Sanctions (International law)
Sports and Recreation
Sudan
Tibet

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Defend the Olympic Spirit Act of 2008 - Prohibits the expenditure of appropriated funds to enable any U.S. officer or official to attend the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in the People's Republic of China. 

Permits expenditures to provide security during the Games to any U.S. athlete or associated support staff.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Restoring the Partnership for County Health Care Costs Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5698
Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-23]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Finance and Financial Sector
Health
Health insurance
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Poor children
Prisoners
Supplemental security income program
Welfare eligibility

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Restoring the Partnership for County Health Care Costs Act of 2008 - Amends titles XVI (Supplementary Security Income) (SSI), XVIII (Medicare), XIX (Medicaid), and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) to allow benefits under such titles for persons in custody in a public institution pending disposition of charges. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support.
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-04-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E507-508)
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
Blogger Protection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5699
Sponsor: Rep. Hensarling, Jeb [R-TX-5]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Campaign funds
Congress
Congressional elections
Internet
Journalism
Presidential elections
Press and politics
Reporters and reporting
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: 
Blogger Protection Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to: (1) exempt uncompensated individual Internet activity from treatment as a contribution to or expenditure of a campaign for federal office; and (2) cover blogs and other Internet and electronic publications under the general media exemption pertaining to expenditures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
SERVE Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5700
Sponsor: Rep. Hinchey, Maurice D. [D-NY-22]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Fire fighters
Health
Income tax
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Tax refunds
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
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 emergency response organization who provide firefighting, ambulance, or emergency medical services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
To extend the temporary suspension of duty on Acetamiprid.

Bill: 110-hr-5701
Sponsor: Rep. Holden, Tim [D-PA-17]
Introduced: 2008-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Tariff

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend the temporary suspension of duty on Acetamiprid.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Introduced in House