hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
International Clean Development Technology Fund Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3273
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2008-07-16 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Air pollution control
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Development credit institutions
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Environmental Protection
Environmental technology
Executive reorganization
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign loans
Foreign trade promotion
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
International environmental cooperation
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: 
International Clean Development Technology Fund Act of 2008 - Establishes in the Treasury the International Clean Development Technology Fund to provide assistance to qualified entities for: (1) capacity building programs such as greenhouse gas emissions measuring and related technology and policy assessments; and (2) greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in eligible countries. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6873)
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3275
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2008-07-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Affordable housing
Apartment houses
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to housing
Housing authorities
Housing subsidies
Rent
Residential rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: 
Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a pilot program under which funds in the residual receipts account of an eligible multifamily housing property are transferred, at the time of a qualified sale or exchange, to preservation entities to facilitate the transfer of multifamily housing projects with expiring section 8 housing assistance payments contracts under the United States Housing Act of 1937.

Defines &quot;preservation entity&quot; as a HUD-approved housing agency, organization, or entity (for profit or nonprofit) that has the capacity and commitment to successfully acquire and preserve an eligible multifamily housing property. 

Requires the Secretary to: (1) determine whether the preservation entity's plan for rehabilitation and operation maintains and restores the decent, safe, and sanitary condition of the eligible multifamily housing property, and is viable for at least 30 years; and (2) monitor the affordability and use restrictions for the property.

Imposes penalties on preservation entities for noncompliance with this Act.

Requires the Secretary to designate at least three states to participate in the pilot program.

States that grants shall be used to: (1) pay for rehabilitation costs approved by the housing agency; (2) deposit funds into the property's replacement reserve account; and (3) pay for social and other services that directly benefit the tenants of such property, its associated acquisition costs, and any other costs that have been approved by the housing agency and will directly benefit such tenants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Open and Transparent Smithsonian Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3276
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2008-07-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congressional oversight
Federal advisory bodies
Freedom of information
Right of privacy
Smithsonian Institution

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: 
Open and Transparent Smithsonian Act of 2008 - Makes the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, federal law relating to open meetings of federal agencies, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act applicable to the Smithsonian Institution. 

Makes this Act applicable to: (1) all actions taken by the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution or any other officer or employee of the Smithsonian Institution before, on, or after the enactment date of this Act; (2) any record created before, on, or after that date; and (3) any meeting held before, on, or after that date. 

Amends the Privacy Act to allow a federal agency, upon request by the chairperson or ranking member of a committee, subcommittee, or joint committee of Congress, to make a disclosure of any record which is contained in a system of records to that chairperson or ranking member. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6873-6875)
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Children's Budget Act

Bill: 110-s-3277
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-07-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Aid to dependent children
Appropriations
Authorization
Cash welfare block grants
Child health
Child welfare
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Entitlements
Families
Federal aid programs
Federal aid to child health services
Federal aid to education
Federal budgets
Health
Secondary education
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: 
Children's Budget Act - Requires the President's annual budget to Congress to include a detailed, separate analysis for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted, and the ensuing fiscal year identifying the amounts of gross and net appropriations or obligational authority and outlays directed to children and children's programs within the United States and territories. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that no loan may be made from a qualified employer plan using a credit card or other intermediary and to limit the number of loans that may be made from a qualified employer plan to a participant or beneficiary.

Bill: 110-s-3278
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Annuities
Credit cards
Finance and Financial Sector
Labor and Employment
Loans
Pension funds
Tax-deferred compensation plans

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) prohibit tax-exempt employer pension or benefit plans from making a loan to any plan beneficiary through the use of a credit card or other intermediary; and (2) limit to three the number of loans a plan can make to a plan participant or beneficiary without tax consequences.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Home Energy Assistance Today Act

Bill: 110-s-3279
Sponsor: Sen. Gregg, Judd [R-NH]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Appropriations
Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Energy assistance for the poor
Gas industry
Income tax
Petroleum industry
Social Welfare
Tax deductions
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Home Energy Assistance Today Act - Provides additional funding in FY2008 for state allotments and emergency allotments under the low-income home energy assistance program. 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny major integrated oil companies a tax deduction for income attributable to the domestic production of oil, gas, or primary products thereof. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6939)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Drive America on Natural Gas Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3281
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alternative energy sources
Compressed natural gas
Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection Agency
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Law
Liquefied natural gas
Motor vehicle pollution control
Natural gas
Natural gas vehicles
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax credits
Taxation
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation research

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Drive America on Natural Gas Act of 2008 - Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) redefine renewable fuel to include renewable and nonrenewable natural gas (NG), including compressed natural (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG); and (2) require fuel credit program regulations to provide for generation of credits for renewable and nonrenewable natural gas.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a new qualified alternative fuel motor vehicle credit for dual fueled automobiles.
 
Directs the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to conduct a program of natural gas vehicle research, development, and demonstration, with a particular emphasis on streamlining the certification of NG conversion systems.
 
Directs the EPA Administrator to: (1) establish a demonstration program to assist states in facilitating the development of alternative-fueled vehicles; and (2) waive requirements for recertification of certain kits for the conversion of vehicles to NG.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6939-6940)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Energy Response Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3282
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Commerce
Diesel motor
Economics and Public Finance
Energy prices
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Heating
Petroleum
Small business
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Emergency Energy Response Act of 2008 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of Energy to make grants to states to pay the federal share of the cost of establishing and implementing response plans to address rising heating oil, natural gas, diesel, and other energy costs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Congressional Gold Medal Act

Bill: 110-s-3283
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Authors and authorship
Congress
Congressional gold medals
History
Minorities
Native Americans
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation of a congressional gold medal in commemoration of Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow to recognize his especially meritorious role as a warrior of the Crow Tribe, Army Soldier in World War II, tribal historian, and author. 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the estate tax as in effect in 2009, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3284
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Estate tax
Gift tax
Government spending reductions
Tax credits
Tax rates

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) restore the unified credit against the estate and gift tax after 2009; (2) establish the amount of such credit at $3.5 million adjusted for inflation in calendar years after 2010; and (3) reduce the maximum estate and gift tax rate to 45%. 

Expresses the sense of the Senate that any reduction in federal revenues resulting from this Act should be fully offset. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Disadvantaged Business Disaster Eligibility Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3285
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Alabama
Business education
Disaster relief
Emergency Management
Entrepreneurs
Floods
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government lending
Government procurement
Hurricanes
Louisiana
Minorities
Minority business enterprises
Mississippi
Small business
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Disadvantaged Business Disaster Eligibility Act of 2008 - Permits any small business that was participating in a Small Business Administration (SBA) business development program located in a Louisiana parish or Mississippi or Alabama county designated by the SBA Administrator as a disaster area by reason of Hurricane Katrina or Rita to continue participation and eligibility in such program for an additional 24 months.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6941)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6940-6941)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Dayton Aviation National Historical Park Expansion Act

Bill: 110-s-3286
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Boundaries
Commemorations
Historic sites
History
Land transfers
National parks
Ohio
Tourism
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Dayton Aviation National Historical Park Expansion Act - Amends the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to provide for the acquisition and inclusion of the following additional sites in the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park: (1) Hawthorn Hill, Oakwood, Ohio; and (2) the Wright Company factory and associated land and buildings, Dayton, Ohio.
 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement with one or more partners, including the Wright Family Foundation, to operate and provide programming for Hawthorn Hill and charge reasonable fees to defray park operation and programming costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3287
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Commerce
Consumer credit
Crime and Law Enforcement
Fines (Penalties)
Injunctions
Interest rates
Law

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act of 2008 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a creditor from making an extension of credit to a consumer with respect to which the annual percentage credit rate (APR) exceeds 36%.
 
Includes within such APR all charges payable directly or indirectly incident to, ancillary to, or as a condition of the extension of credit.
 

 
States that any payment in violation of this Act is null, void, and unenforceable.
 

 
Prescribes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Empowers states' Attorneys General to enforce it.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6941-6942)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6941)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in Senate
America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3290
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2008-07-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Coins and coinage
Commemorations
District of Columbia
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Historic sites
History
National parks
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Silver
Territories (U.S.)
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: 
America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 - Requires quarter dollars, issued beginning in 2010, to have designs on the reverse emblematic of one national site in each state, the District of Columbia, and specified U.S. territories.

Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to select in each state a national park or other national site to be honored with a coin. Requires Yellowstone National Park, since it was established on March 1, 1872, as the nation's first national park, to be depicted on the first quarter dollar issued and to be designated to the state of Wyoming. Requires: (1) 5 coin designs in each of the first 10 years of either the original period of issuance or the second period of issuance; and (2) 6 coin designs in the 11th year of either the original period of issuance or the second period of issuance. 

Instructs the Secretary to strike and make available for sale silver bullion coins that are exact duplicates of such quarter dollars.

Authorizes the Director of the National Park Service to purchase for resale or distribution numismatic items issued under this Act. 

Requires the Secretary to take such actions as are necessary to ensure that minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the federal government. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Biofuels Pipeline Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3291
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2008-07-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Corporation taxes
Energy
Energy storage
Energy transportation
Environmental Protection
Fuel
Income tax
Motor vehicle pollution control
Partnerships
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: 
Biofuels Pipeline Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of qualifying income for publicly traded partnerships to include income and gains from the transportation, storage, or marketing of any fuel which meets certain registration requirements for fuels and fuel additives established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6973-6974)
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Energy Assistance Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3292
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-07-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Appropriations
Earned income tax credit
Economics and Public Finance
Energy assistance for the poor
Energy conservation
Housing and Community Development
Income tax
Social Welfare
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: 
Emergency Energy Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the credit percentage for purposes of the earned income tax credit for taxable years beginning in 2008.
 
Makes appropriations for FY2008 for payments under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (LIHEAP Program).
 
Makes appropriations for FY2008 to carry out the Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons under the Energy Conservation and Production Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6974)
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Border Law Enforcement Relief Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3293
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2008-07-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Border patrols
Boundaries
Canada
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to law enforcement
Immigration
Latin America
Mexico

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: 
Border Law Enforcement Relief Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible law enforcement agencies to assist such agencies in addressing border-related criminal activity within their jurisdictions. Defines &quot;eligible law enforcement agency&quot; as a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency located or performing duties in a county that is within 100 miles of the Mexican or Canadian border or a county that has been certified by the Attorney General as a high impact area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6975)
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6974-6975)
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the demonstration project on adjustable rate mortgages and the demonstration project on hybrid adjustable rate mortgages.

Bill: 110-s-3299
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2008-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Mortgage interest rates
Mortgages
Veterans' loans

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-22
text: 
Extends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demonstration projects on the guaranteeing of veterans' adjustable rate and hybrid adjustable rate mortgage loans in a manner similar to which the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development insures such mortgages under the National Housing Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate