hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Crime Victims' Rights Rules Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1749
Sponsor: Sen. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2007-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Criminal procedure
Depositions
Due process of law
Government Operations and Politics
Jurisdiction
Law
Parole
Pleas (Criminal procedure)
Pretrial procedure
Probation
Right of privacy
Right to counsel
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sentencing guidelines
Speedy trial
Subpoena
Trials
U.S. Sentencing Commission
Victims of crimes

Summary:
action_date: 2007-06-29
text: 
Crime Victims' Rights Rules Act of 2007 - Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to ensuring that the rights and standing of crime victims are accounted for in the federal criminal justice system.

Amends the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to allow for the involvement of crime victims in the various phases of the criminal justice process, including: (1) the initial court appearance of a defendant; (2) the preliminary hearing; (3) the pretrial conference; (4) transfers of trial venues; and (5) revocations or modifications of probation or supervised release. Sets forth requirements for giving notice to crime victims of criminal proceedings and their right to participate in such proceedings.

Requires a court to consider the views of crime victims before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. 

Permits a crime victim to attend any public deposition taken in a criminal proceeding.

Prohibits documents containing personal or confidential information about a crime victim from being subpoenaed without giving the victim notice and an opportunity to be heard.

Grants crime victims the right to: (1) attend any public court proceeding, subject to certain court-imposed restrictions; and (2) address the court regarding any decisions to release a defendant or dismiss a criminal case.

Authorizes a court to appoint counsel to assist crime victims in exercising their rights.

Requires a court to protect crime victims against unreasonable delay in criminal proceedings.

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend its sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and official commentary to ensure that crime victims have meaningful participation in the sentencing process. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8745-8748)
action_date: 2007-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Community Cancer Care Preservation Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1750
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2007-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Chemotherapy
Drugs
Medical fees
Medicare
Pharmacies
Physicians
Prescription pricing
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: 
Community Cancer Care Preservation Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require determination and calculation of the manufacturer's average sales price for a drug or biological on a monthly instead of a quarterly basis. Requires the payment amounts to be updated and applied by the Secretary of Health and Human Services based on the manufacturer's average sales price for the drug or biological calculated for the most recent month for which data are available. Removes prompt pay discounts from the calculation of such price.

Provides for an increase in the Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) payment for chemotherapy administration services.

Directs the Secretary to make an additional 2% for any drug administration services payment to physicians, taking into account pharmacy facilities management costs.

Directs the Secretary to develop new CPT codes for reporting and billing of physician's services associated with pharmacy facilities management and with medical oncology treatment planning.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8797-8798)
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Defense Against Regional Threats Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1752
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2007-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Ballistic missile defenses
Collective security
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congress and military policy
Defense burdensharing
International Affairs
Iran
Israel
Middle East and North Africa
Military agreements
NATO countries
Negotiations

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: 
Defense Against Regional Threats Act of 2007 - Declares that it is U.S. policy to: (1) provide for deployment as soon as technologically possible of missile defense systems capable of defending Israel and all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member nations against ballistic missile attack from Iran; and (2) seek continued negotiated burdensharing agreements with such countries to share the costs of development and deployment of ballistic missile defense systems. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Workforce Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1753
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefit plans
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health
Health education
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Medical screening
Preventive medicine
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: 
Healthy Workforce Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a 50% tax credit for the costs of providing employees with a qualified wellness program. Defines &quot;qualified wellness program&quot; as a program that is certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and that consists of a health awareness and education component, a behavioral change component, and a supportive environment component. Terminates such credit after 2017. 

Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to institute an outreach program to inform businesses about the availability of such wellness program tax credit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8798)
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a workplace wellness education campaign and an evaluation of employer-based wellness programs, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-1754
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Employee benefit plans
Employee health benefits
Governmental investigations
Health surveys
Labor and Employment
Medical research
Occupational health and safety
Preventive medicine
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) conduct an educational campaign on employer-based wellness programs; (2) develop an annual awards program for employers to encourage the development of creative and effective solutions to help employees maintain or improve their health; (3) enter into contracts with entities to provide employers with technical assistance in evaluating wellness programs; and (4) conduct a national worksite health policies and programs study to assess employer-based health policies and programs.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to include a workforce component to enable employers, researchers, and health officials to: (1) assess employee health risks; (2) identify emerging problems associated with general employee health; (3) prevent disease within the employee population; and (4) improve employer-based health programs and policies.
 
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to award grants for research demonstration projects to study the effect of new worksite-based health interventions and models. Directs the Secretary to carry out activities to implement guidelines or recommendations resulting from such projects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Summer Food Service Rural Expansion Act

Bill: 110-s-1755
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2007-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Child nutrition
Depressed areas
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Food service
Grants-in-aid
Housing and Community Development
Pennsylvania
Poor children
School lunch program
Social Welfare
Youth services

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: 
Summer Food Service Rural Expansion Act - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act with respect to the summer food service programs for children in service institutions (e.g., schools and summer camps).
 
Revises the condition limiting eligibility to institutions conducting a regularly scheduled food service for children from areas in which poor economic conditions exist (i.e., where at least 50% of the children meet eligibility requirements for certain free or reduced price school meals.)
 
Eliminates the special 2005 and 2006 exemption from this requirement for rural areas in Pennsylvania which lowers the threshold eligibility to areas where at least 40% of the children meet eligibility requirements for free or reduced price school meals.
 
Applies such 40% threshold to rural areas of all states and makes it permanent.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8946)
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8946)
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans' Authorities Expansion Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1757
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2007-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Apprenticeship
Biological warfare
Cemeteries and funerals
Chemical warfare
Education
Health
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Nursing homes
Student aid
Student employment
Veterans' education
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: 
Veterans' Authorities Expansion Act of 2007 - Makes permanent the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) provide hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who participated in tests conducted by the Department of Defense Deseret Test Center as part of a program for chemical and biological warfare testing; and (2) provide government markers or memorial headstones for the graves of veterans buried in private cemeteries.
 
Amends the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 to extend through December 30, 2010, the authority for an increase in basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill for individuals pursuing apprenticeship or on-job training.
 
Extends through FY2010 the VA's work-study allowance program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
CLASS Act

Bill: 110-s-1758
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2007-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Caregivers
Community health services
Disability insurance
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Federal advisory bodies
Finance and Financial Sector
Flexible benefit plans
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Home care services
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Labor and Employment
Long-term care insurance
Payroll deductions
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: 
Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act or the CLASS Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a national, voluntary disability insurance program (CLASS program) under which: (1) all employees are automatically enrolled, but are allowed to waive enrollment; (2) payroll deductions pay monthly premiums; and (3) two-tiered benefits are provided, based on the level of disability, to purchase nonmedical services and supports that the beneficiary needs to maintain independence.
 
Establishes the Independence Fund within the Treasury. 
 
Requires the CLASS program to be treated for tax purposes in the same manner as a qualified long-term care insurance contract.
 
Amends the Social Security Act to require each state to: (1) assess the extent to which personal care services providers are serving or able to serve as fiscal agents, employers, and providers of employment-related benefits for personal care attendant workers, who provide personal care services to individuals receiving benefits under this Act; (2) designate or create entities to serve such purposes; and (3) ensure that such entities will not negatively alter or impede existing programs, models, methods, or administration of service delivery that provide for consumer controlled or self-directed home and community services, impede the ability of individuals to direct and control their home and community services, or inhibit individuals from relying on family members for such services.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel to examine and advise the Secretary and Congress on workforce issues related to personal care attendant workers.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a deduction for premiums paid for the CLASS program; (2) a credit CLASS program enrollees with low income; and (3) a credit for employers for the cost incurred to automatically enroll employees and withhold monthly premiums.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8948-8949)
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1759
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2007-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Agribusiness
Agriculture and Food
Animals
Antitrust law
Competition
Corporate mergers
Department of Agriculture
Evidence (Law)
Executive reorganization
Family farms
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Housing and Community Development
Law
Livestock
Meat packing industry
Poultry

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: 
Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2007 - Establishes in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice a Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Agricultural Antitrust Matters who shall: (1) be responsible for oversight and coordination of agriculture-related antitrust and related matters; and (2) work in coordination with the Task Force and the Department of Agriculture on all agricultural competition matters.
 
Establishes under the authority of the Attorney General the Agriculture Competition Task Force to examine problems in agricultural competition.
 
Amends the Clayton Act to revise the defendant's burden of proof in agribusiness mergers in which the plaintiff is: (1) the federal or state government; or (2) any other plaintiff.
 
Directs the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to: (1) draft agriculture specific guidelines to use when reviewing agriculture mergers; and (2) conduct post merger reviews of certain agribusiness mergers five years after approval.
 
Establishes within the Department of Agriculture the Office of Competition and Fair Practices to be headed by a Special Counsel for Competition Matters who shall: (1) analyze mergers within the food and agricultural sectors; and (2) investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921. 
 
Provides for agribusiness merger review and enforcement by the Department of Agriculture.
 
Authorizes appropriations for additional staff for the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration to investigate the competitive implications of structural changes in the meat packing and poultry industries. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-07
text: Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Safety and Accountability in Construction Act

Bill: 110-s-1761
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2007-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Cost overruns
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to transportation
Government Operations and Politics
Highway finance
Infrastructure
Road construction
Traffic accidents and safety
Transportation planning
Tunnels

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: 
Safety and Accountability in Construction Act - Requires state transportation departments to submit project management plans for federal-aid highway projects to the Secretary of Transportation for approval.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to contract with a qualified independent engineer to provide independent safety reviews of federally-financed highway projects if certain determinations are made. 
 
Requires the Secretary to establish a national tunnel inspection program (including national standards for the inspection of such tunnels).
 
Authorizes states to obligate apportioned surface transportation program funds for: (1) the construction and repair of tunnels; and (2) tunnel safety inspections.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2007-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Cold War Medal Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1763
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-07-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cold War
Commemorations
History
International Affairs
Military medals, decorations, etc.

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Cold War Medal Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned, upon application, to issue Cold War service medals to military personnel who served honorably during the Cold War era (September 2, 1945, through December 26, 1991).

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to improve the use of a grant of a parcel of land to the State of Idaho for use as an agricultural college, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-1764
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2007-07-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural colleges
Agriculture and Food
Building construction
Construction costs
Education
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Idaho
Land transfers
Land use

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: 
Authorizes Idaho, respecting Morrill Act agricultural college assets, to: (1) invest earnings and proceeds in accordance with the standards applicable to a trustee under Idaho law; (2) deduct trustee expenses from earnings and proceeds; and (3) use earnings and proceeds from granted land without regard to the limitations that prohibit the state from exceeding 10% on the purchase of land and prohibit the state from purchasing, erecting, preserving, or repairing buildings.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9021-9022)
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to expedite the prompt return of the remains of deceased members of the Armed Forces to their loved ones for burial.

Bill: 110-s-1765
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2007-07-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to airports
Air travel
Airports
Cemeteries and funerals
Families
Iraq compilation
Military dependents
Military personnel
Military transportation
Survivors' benefits
Transportation and Public Works
War casualties

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: 
 Requires that, when transportation of the remains of a deceased member of the Armed Forces who dies during active duty or inactive-duty training includes transportation by aircraft, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall provide for the delivery of such remains to the commercial, general aviation, or military airport nearest to the place selected by the deceased's designee, or if such a selection is not made, nearest to the cemetery selected by the Secretary.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide an exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements between two physicians during the period in which one of the physicians is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces.

Bill: 110-s-1767
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2007-07-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Medical fees
Medicare
Physicians
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to create an exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements in the case of arrangements between two physicians over a longer continuous period during all of which one of them is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces.
 
Applies this exception to medical services provided before January 1, 2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9025)
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9024-9025)
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide an exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements between two physicians during the period in which one of the physicians is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces.

Bill: 110-s-1768
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2007-07-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Medical fees
Medicare
Physicians
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to create an exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements in the case of arrangements between two physicians over a longer continuous period during all of which one of them is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9025)
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9024-9025)
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Introduced in Senate