hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
MORE Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6529
Sponsor: Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-44]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alaska
Appropriations
Atlantic Ocean
Energy revenues and royalties
Gulf of Mexico
Intergovernmental relations
Jurisdiction and venue
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Oil and gas
Pacific Ocean
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Maximize Offshore Resource Exploration Act of 2008, or the MORE Act of 2008 - Declares without force or effect all federal prohibitions against the expenditure of appropriated funds to conduct natural gas leasing and pre-leasing activities for any area of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). 
 
Revokes all withdrawals of federal submerged lands from leasing for oil and natural gas exploration and production.
 
Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from granting an oil or natural gas lease for any OCS located within 25 miles of a state coastline unless the state has enacted a law approving the issuance of such leases by the Secretary.
 
Sets forth an allocation schedule for a 75% state share of revenues derived from U.S. royalties under qualified oil and gas leases on submerged lands located within the seaward boundaries of a state.
 
Extends the jurisdiction of state civil and criminal law, as appropriate, to the Alaska, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic OCS Region State Adjacent Zones and OCS Planning Areas.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out conservation reserve program notice CRP-598, entitled the "Voluntary Modification of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Contract for Critical Feed Use".

Bill: 110-hr-6533
Sponsor: Rep. Moran, Jerry [R-KS-1]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Environmental Protection
Government Operations and Politics
Grazing

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out conservation reserve program notice CRP-598 (&quot;Voluntary Modification of Conservation Reserve Program [CRP] Contract for Critical Feed Use&quot;) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the notice to: (1) modify producer and operator conservation reserve program contracts; and (2) allow harvesting or grazing on agricultural lands enrolled in the conservation reserve program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
ROAD Act

Bill: 110-hr-6534
Sponsor: Rep. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ-6]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Bridges
Budget deficits
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to transportation
Government trust funds
Highway finance
Rescission of appropriated funds
Road construction
Traffic accidents and safety
Transportation engineering
Transportation safety

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Resist Offsetting with Additional Debt Act or the ROAD Act - Rescinds unobligated balances of certain earmarked surface transportation projects under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and certain other appropriations Acts (in order to eliminate the deficit in the Highway Trust Fund (HTF)).
 
Prohibits: (1) recalculation of amounts allocated for surface transportation projects under the Equity bonus program for a fiscal year to take such rescissions into account; and (2) the transfer of funds from the General Fund of the Treasury in order to alleviate the deficit in the HTF (except amounts equivalent to certain taxes and penalties).
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that state transportation departments should consider implementing certain projects under the highway bridge program and the surface transportation program that improve transportation safety.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
Vietnam Education Foundation Amendments Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6535
Sponsor: Rep. Delahunt, William D. [D-MA-10]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Asia
Cultural exchanges and relations
Department of State
Education programs funding
Executive agency funding and structure
Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Vietnam

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Vietnam Education Foundation Amendments Act of 2008 - Establishes the Vietnam Education Foundation within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State. (Under current law the Foundation is an independent establishment of the executive branch.)
 
Establishes the Vietnam Education Foundation Advisory Committee in lieu of the current Board of Directors.
 
Gives fellowship priority to basic science studies.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of State, through the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, to award grants to institutions of higher education for a partnership with the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to establish an undergraduate American Research College in Vietnam.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
Tibetan Refugee Assistance Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6536
Sponsor: Rep. Miller, George [D-CA-7]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: East Asia
Families
Immigrants
India
Nepal
Refugees
Residence requirements
South Asia
Tibet
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Tibetan Refugee Assistance Act of 2008 - Makes 3,000 immigrant visas in FY2010-FY2012 available to individuals who: (1) were born in Tibet; and (2) have been continuously residing in India or Nepal prior to the date of the enactment of this Act.
 
Makes such visas available to the sons, daughters, grandsons, or granddaughters of such individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
Sanctuary Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6537
Sponsor: Del. Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [D-GU-At Large]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Ecology
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Historic sites and heritage areas
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Sanctuary Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to require that the National Marine Sanctuary System consist of national marine sanctuaries authorized or established by an Act of Congress (in addition to sanctuaries currently designated by the Secretary of Commerce) and marine national monuments. Sets forth the System's mission.
 
Requires the Secretary to prepare, maintain, and update an ecological classification of the nation's marine environment and an identification of maritime heritage resources as a national inventory of marine ecoregions and maritime heritage resources under U.S. jurisdiction.
 
Requires the Secretary to strive to include in the System, by 2030, sites that will incorporate a full range of the nation's marine ecoregions and rare and unique marine habitats, and a full range of maritime heritage resource areas.
 
Modifies various requirements regarding the designation and implementation of marine sanctuaries.
 
Expands the list of prohibited activities.
 
Amends provisions making a violation of a prohibited activity a criminal offense to: (1) exclude from those provisions foreign governments and their entities; and (2) add a requirement that a violation be knowing. 
 
Increases the maximum term of imprisonment and the maximum civil fine.
 
Revises requirements regarding the preparation of fishing regulations applicable to a marine sanctuary.
 
Requires that System research and monitoring conducted, supported, or permitted by the Secretary be made available to the public unless the Secretary determines that public disclosure may result in the destruction of, loss of, or injury to any System resource.
 
Modifies requirements regarding special use permits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-24
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2008-07-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1491)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
Home Energy Assistance Through Emergency Relief Act

Bill: 110-hr-6538
Sponsor: Rep. Shea-Porter, Carol [D-NH-1]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Appropriations
Economics and Public Finance
Energy assistance for the poor
Energy conservation
Housing and Community Development
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Home Energy Assistance Through Emergency Relief Act - 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: 2008-07-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6830)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and the Budget, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
Tracking Registered And Convicted Known (TRACK) Sex Offenders Act

Bill: 110-hr-6539
Sponsor: Rep. Bachmann, Michele [R-MN-6]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child support
Collection of accounts
Criminal justice information
Data banks
Families
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Identification of criminals
Labor and Employment
Science, Technology, Communications
Sex offenders

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Tracking Registered And Convicted Known (TRACK) Sex Offenders Act - Amends title IV (Grants to States for Aid and Services to Needy Families with Children and for Child-Welfare Services) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to disclose to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) information in the National Directory of New Hires to assist in the enforcement of a federal or state law requiring the registration of sex offenders. Authorizes the FBI to disclose such information to state or local law enforcement agencies for purposes of enforcing sex offender registration laws. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
To create a Trade Agreement Enforcement Commission.

Bill: 110-hr-6540
Sponsor: Rep. Baird, Brian [D-WA-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government studies and investigations
Human rights
Tariffs
Trade agreements and negotiations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Establishes the Trade Agreement Enforcement Commission to oversee enforcement of worker rights provisions in: (1) trade agreements between the United States and other countries; and (2) trade preference programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
To authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct laboratory space to accommodate the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's terrestrial research program in Gamboa, Panama.

Bill: 110-hr-6541
Sponsor: Rep. Brady, Robert A. [D-PA-1]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Authorization
Building construction
Construction costs
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Environmental research
Government Operations and Politics
Laboratories
Latin America
Museums
Panama
Research centers
Smithsonian Institution

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
 Authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to construct laboratory space to accommodate the terrestrial research program of the Smithsonian tropical research institute in Gamboa, Panama.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
To authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland.

Bill: 110-hr-6542
Sponsor: Rep. Brady, Robert A. [D-PA-1]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Authorization
Building construction
Construction costs
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Environmental research
Government Operations and Politics
Laboratories
Maryland
Museums
Research centers
Smithsonian Institution

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct laboratory and support space to accommodate the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
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-hr-6543
Sponsor: Rep. Brown-Waite, Ginny [R-FL-5]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
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: 2008-07-17
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: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow tax-exempt bond financing for fixed-wing emergency medical aircraft.

Bill: 110-hr-6546
Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Doc [R-WA-4]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Aircraft
Ambulances
Bonds
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Health
Income tax
Tax exemption
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt fixed-wing aircraft used to provide acute care emergency medical services from certain restrictions on tax-exempt bond financing. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1496-1497)
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation Grand Coulee Dam Equitable Compensation Settlement Act

Bill: 110-hr-6547
Sponsor: Rep. Inslee, Jay [D-WA-1]
Introduced: 2008-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Dams and canals
Electric power generation and transmission
Government trust funds
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Washington State

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: 
Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation Grand Coulee Dam Equitable Compensation Settlement Act - Establishes in the Treasury the Spokane Tribe of Indians Settlement Fund. 
 
Requires the payment of compensation to the Spokane Business Council for the use of tribal lands for the generation of hydropower from the Grand Coulee Dam.
 
Requires the use of such funds, in part, for a Cultural Resource Repository and Interpretive Center concerning the culture and history of the Spokane Tribe.
 
Directs the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration to make specified settlement payments to the Spokane Tribe. 
 
Allows payments made to the Spokane Business Council or Spokane Tribe to be used or invested by the Business Council in the same manner and for the same purposes as other Spokane Tribal governmental funds.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer administrative jurisdiction from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Indian Affairs over certain land located within the exterior boundaries of the Spokane Indian Reservation. 
 
Provides that payments by the Secretary and the Administrator and restoration of ownership of land in trust constitute full satisfaction of the claim of the Spokane Tribe to a fair share of the annual hydropower revenues generated by the Grand Coulee Dam project for the past and continued use of land of the Spokane Tribe for the production of hydropower at Grand Coulee Dam.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Introduced in House