hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3014
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2008-05-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child pornography
Child sexual abuse
Commerce
Computer crimes
Criminal aliens
Deceptive advertising
Deportation
Immigration
Internet
Life imprisonment
Murder
Names
Passports
Pornography
Rape
Recidivists
Science, Technology, Communications
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sex offenders
Sex-oriented businesses
Smuggling
Tourism
Transportation and Public Works
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: 
Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to increase criminal penalties for offenses relating to the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, transportation of minors for illicit sexual purposes, child sex trafficking and prostitution, and sex crimes against children resulting in death. 

Directs the Attorney General to notify the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security of individuals, including aliens, who are convicted of sex offenses against children. Requires the Secretary of State to deny passports for such individuals and authorizes the Secretary to revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued to a convicted sex offender if the passport was used in furtherance of sex crimes involving a minor.

Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to place aliens convicted of sex offenses in removal proceedings. 

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) render aliens who are convicted of sexual abuse of a minor inadmissible to the United States; and (2) subject aliens convicted of a sex crime against a minor to deportation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4111-4112)
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Internet Crime Prevention Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3016
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-05-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child pornography
Child sexual abuse
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Computer crimes
Crime prevention
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic mail systems
Families
Federal aid to law enforcement
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Internet
Minorities
Pornography
Racism
Right of privacy
Science, Technology, Communications
Sexual harassment
Telephone
Web sites
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: 
Internet Crime Prevention Act of 2008 - Directs the Attorney General to make grants to i-SAFE, Inc., and to establish and administer competitive grant programs for organizations, to carry out Internet crime prevention education programs. Defines &quot;Internet crime prevention education program&quot; to mean a program for educating parents, children, educators, and communities to recognize and prevent potentially criminal activity on the Internet.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Beaver Basin Wilderness Act

Bill: 110-s-3017
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2008-05-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Great Lakes
Michigan
National lakeshores
Water Resources Development
Wilderness areas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: 
Beaver Basin Wilderness Act - Designates specified land and inland water within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, which shall be known as the Beaver Basin Wilderness. 

action_date: 2008-09-16
text: 
Beaver Basin Wilderness Act - Designates specified land and inland water within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, which shall be known as the Beaver Basin Wilderness. 

Makes the line of demarcation the boundary for any part of the Wilderness that is bordered by Lake Superior. Considers the surface water of the Lake, regardless of the fluctuating lake level, to be outside of the boundary of the Wilderness.

Provides for the continuation of the use of boats powered by electric motors on Little Beaver and Big Beaver Lakes.

Specifies this Act's effect on: (1) treaty rights; (2) management of the water of Lake Superior within the boundary of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore; (3) the use of motors on the surface water of the Lake adjacent to the Wilderness; and (4) the beaching of motorboats at the line of demarcation. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 994.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-06-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-539.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4184)
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4183-4184)
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to establish a Commission on Federal Criminal and Juvenile Justice Assistance Programs.

Bill: 110-s-3018
Sponsor: Sen. Sessions, Jeff [R-AL]
Introduced: 2008-05-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administration of justice
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to law enforcement
Government Operations and Politics
Juvenile delinquency
Law

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: 
Establishes the Commission on Federal Criminal and Juvenile Justice Assistance Programs to study methods to help revitalize and strengthen Department of Justice (DOJ) justice assistance programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3019
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2008-05-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of the Interior
Energy development
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Oil and gas leases
Oil shales
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: 
Oil Shale and Tar Sands Leasing Act of 2008 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) report to Congress on a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands; and (2) arrange with the National Academy of Sciences to assess for a report to Congress the environmental and commercial framework for oil shale and tar sands development.
 

 
Authorizes the senior executive of an affected state or local governmental unit to submit recommendations to the Secretary with respect to size, timing, or location of either a proposed lease sale, or a proposed development and production plan.

Requires an environmental impact statement prior to: (1) any lease sale under the commercial leasing program under this Act; and (2) authorization, on a site-specific basis, of development activity on leased land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Food and Drug Administration Accountability and Transparency Act

Bill: 110-s-3020
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Commerce
Defective products
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Law
Medical supplies
Medical technology
Product safety
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
Food and Drug Administration Accountability and Transparency Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish in the Federal Register postmarket surveillance plans for medical devices, unless such information is exempted under the Freedom of Information Act.
 
Subjects medical device manufacturers that fail to comply with postmarket surveillance requirements to civil monetary penalties. Requires the Secretary to take into consideration whether the manufacturer is making efforts toward correcting the violation in determining the amount of the civil penalty.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to order notification of health personnel and other relevant persons if a violation of postmarket surveillance requirements of a device presents an unreasonable risk of substantial harm to the public health, such notification is necessary to eliminate such risk, and no more practicable means is available to eliminate such risk.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Safe Truck Operations and Preservation Act

Bill: 110-s-3021
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Federal preemption
Government Operations and Politics
Interstate highway system
Law
Licenses
Motor buses
Motor vehicle safety
State laws
Traffic accidents and safety
Trucks

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
Safe Truck Operations and Preservation Act - Prohibits a state from prescribing or enforcing any regulation that allows a restricted property-carrying unit (including a trailer or semi-trailer, except one used exclusively for fire-fighting) to operate on the National Highway System (NHS) (including the Interstate System), unless its operation is authorized by the state on June 1, 2003, and in actual and lawful operation on a regular or periodic basis (including seasonal operations) on or before that date. 
 
Prohibits a state from allowing the operation of a commercial motor vehicle combination on the NHS (except a vehicle or load with a special state permit that cannot be dismantled or divided easily) with more than one property-carrying unit (excluding truck tractor) whose property-carrying units are more than: (1) the maximum combination trailer, semi-trailer, or other type of length limitation allowed by state law on June 1, 2003; or (2) the length of the property-carrying units of those commercial motor vehicle combinations, by specific configuration, in actual and lawful operation on a regular or periodic basis (including continual seasonal operation) in such state on or before June 1, 2003. 
 Prohibits a state from allowing the operation of a vehicle or combination (other than a longer combination vehicle) exceeding Interstate weight limits on the Interstate System more than one year after enactment of this Act, unless its operation was lawful: (1) on July 1, 1956; (2) in the case of the overall gross weight of any group of two or more consecutive axles, on the date of enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Amendments of 1974; or (3) under a special permit pursuant to state (grandfather) law. 
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to waive or limit vehicle weight limits during periods of national emergency. 
Declares that Interstate weight limitations on vehicles and combinations (other than longer combination vehicles) that operate on the Interstate System shall also apply to those operating on non-Interstate segments of the NHS, unless: (1) such segments are subject to lower state weight limits; or (2) a state allows the operation of any vehicle or combination on an existing non-Interstate segment of the NHS that could be so operated lawfully on June 1, 2003.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the sale of dishwashing detergent in the United States if the detergent contains a high level of phosphorus.

Bill: 110-s-3022
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Detergents
Phosphorus
Water pollution control

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prohibit the sale in the United States of residential dishwashing detergent that contains phosphorus in any form in excess of 0.5% (by weight expressed as elemental phosphorus) beginning July 1, 2010.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Flex Fuel for All Americans Act

Bill: 110-s-3025
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alcohol as fuel
Biomass energy
Diesel motor
Energy
Fuel consumption
Income tax
Motor vehicles
Tax credits
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
Flex Fuel for All Americans Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for the purchase of a new qualified flexible fuel motor vehicle and an additional credit for the purchase of an optimum flexible fuel vehicle. Defines &quot;new qualified flexible fuel motor vehicle&quot; as any motor vehicle which is capable of operating on blends of gasoline, ethanol, methanol, diesel, and biodiesel fuel and &quot;optimum flexible fuel vehicle&quot; as a flexible fuel vehicle certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to achieve certain higher levels of fuel efficiency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3026
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Economics and Public Finance
Entrepreneurs
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government lending
Government procurement
Minorities
Minority business enterprises
Small business
Venture capital
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 

 
Extends through March 20, 2009, under the same terms and conditions, the authorization for any program, authority, or provision, including any pilot program, that is currently authorized through May 23, 2008, under the Small Business Act or the Small Business Investment Act of 1958.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
COACH Act

Bill: 110-s-3027
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
College entrance requirements
Dropouts
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Educational counseling
Educational planning
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Mentoring
National service
Nonprofit organizations
Scholarships
Secondary education
Service learning
Social Welfare
Student aid
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
Coaching Our Adolescents for College Heights Act or the COACH Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to direct the Corporation for National and Community Service to award a contract to a nonprofit organization to establish a seven-year pilot program under which recent college graduates commit to two terms of service as coaches to high-achieving, low- or middle-income high school students in exchange for national service awards for each term of service. 
 
Requires such coaches, which are to total 100 and operate in no more than five school districts, to: (1) build a strong college-going culture for all students in high schools with historically low college attendance rates; and (2) provide limited cohorts of high-achieving, low- or middle-income students with guidance in studies suited to college-bound students, and support during the college search and application processes.
 
Requires the nonprofit organization to raise $3 of nonfederal funds for every $1 of federal funds provided under the contract.
 
Directs the Corporation to contract with an independent agency to study the effects of the pilot program on the achievement of participating students and students in participating high schools. Requires the Corporation to plan an expansion of such program if it is shown to be effective in improving student achievement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4284-4285)
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Senior Year Community Service Act

Bill: 110-s-3028
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Economics and Public Finance
Educational accountability
Elementary and secondary education
Federal aid to education
National service
Secondary education
Service learning
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
Senior Year Community Service Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to direct the Corporation for National and Community Service to implement a national pilot program awarding six competitive grants to local educational agencies to establish local programs matching secondary school seniors to community service opportunities for which such students receive national service educational awards.
 
Directs the Corporation to contract with an independent agency to study the effects of the national pilot program on the achievement of participating students. Requires the Corporation to plan an expansion of such program if it is shown to be effective in improving student achievement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4285)
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the conveyance to the United States of certain non-Federal land to be used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the construction of a veterans medical facility.

Bill: 110-s-3030
Sponsor: Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO]
Introduced: 2008-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Colorado
Health
Land transfers
Military base closures
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Veterans' hospitals

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: 
Authorizes the city of Aurora, Colorado, to convey by donation to the United States nonfederal lands consisting of parcel I of the former United States Army Garrison Fitzsimons, Colorado, as more specifically described in the deed, and the parcel of land described in the deed, for construction of a veterans' medical facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to limit the use of ethanol to meet the renewable fuel standard, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3031
Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Alcohol as fuel
Alternative energy sources
Motor vehicle pollution control
Standards
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: 
Amends the Clean Air Act to require the applicable volume of ethanol derived from corn starch in renewable fuel for the years 2006 through 2022 to not exceed nine billion gallons.
 
Requires the renewable fuel regulations to impose penalties for failures to comply with advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, and biomass-based diesel standards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Reimbursing Our American Drivers (ROAD) Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3032
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Automobiles
Charitable contributions
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Government travel
Health
Household moving
Income tax
Tax deductions
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: 
Reimbursing Our American Drivers (ROAD) Act of 2008 - Increases to 70 cents per mile, for the period after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2009: (1) the standard mileage rate for calculating the tax deduction for business, medical, and moving use of an automobile; and (2) the standard mileage rate for reimbursement of federal employee automobile expenses. Increases from 14 to 40 cents per mile the standard mileage rate for purposes of computing the tax deduction for the use of a passenger automobile for charitable purposes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Securities Litigation Attorney Accountability and Transparency Act

Bill: 110-s-3033
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Campaign funds
Civil actions and liability
Class actions (Civil procedure)
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Conflict of interests
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Evidence (Law)
Frivolous lawsuits
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Lawyers
Legal advertising and soliciting
Legal ethics
Legal fees
Political action committees
Securities fraud
Securities industry

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: 
Securities Litigation Attorney Accountability and Transparency Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Securities Act of 1933 to require plaintiff and plaintiff's attorney to provide sworn, signed certifications that identify any actual or promised payment by the attorney to the plaintiff, beyond the plaintiff's pro rata share of any recovery.

Requires similar plaintiff and plaintiff's attorney certifications regarding: (1) legal representations; (2) contributions; and (3) conflicts of interest.

Requires the court, in exercising discretion over the approval of lead counsel, to employ a competitive bidding process as one of the criteria (unless the court determines that such a process is not feasible). 

Instructs the Comptroller General to study and report to certain congressional committees on average hourly fees in securities class actions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4376-4377)
action_date: 2008-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate