hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Furthering the Independence of Federal Prosecutors Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-977
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2007-03-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Criminal investigation
Department of Justice
Discrimination
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Legal ethics
Prosecution
Public prosecutors
Special prosecutors

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: 
Furthering the Independence of Federal Prosecutors Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to one year for intentionally coercing, pressuring, or attempting to influence the decision of a U.S. attorney to conduct a criminal investigation or pursue a prosecution of any person based upon that person's race, sex, national origin, political activities, or political beliefs. Requires the appointment of a special prosecutor for enforcement of this Act. 

Prohibits a federal government attorney, in determining whether to prosecute or take other action against an individual in a criminal matter, from considering: (1) the race, religion, sex, national origin, or political association, activities or beliefs of such individual; (2) the personal feelings of such attorney concerning such individual, the associates of such individual, or the victim; or (3) the possible effect of a decision on the professional or personal circumstances of such attorney.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the awarding of the Medal of Honor to Woodrow W. Keeble for his acts of valor during the Korean conflict.

Bill: 110-s-978
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2007-03-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Army
Congress
Congressional Medal of Honor
History
Korean War, 1950-1953
Military history

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: 
Authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to Woodrow W. Keeble for acts of valor as an acting platoon leader during the Korean conflict.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Vote by Mail Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-979
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2007-03-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Ballots
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Election Assistance Commission
Election administration
Election fraud
Grants-in-aid
Law
Legislation
Postal service
Voter registration
Voting

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: 
Vote by Mail Act of 2007 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to establish a Vote by Mail program of grants to participating states solely for implementation of procedures for the conduct of all elections by mail at the state or local level.

Directs the Comptroller General to evaluate and report to Congress on the benefits of broader implementation of mail-in voting in elections.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3710-3712)
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3710)
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Catastrophic Disaster Recovery Enhancement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-981
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2007-03-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Alabama
Disaster loans
Disaster relief
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Federally-guaranteed loans
Floods
Florida
Government lending
Hurricanes
Louisiana
Mississippi
Small business
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: 
Catastrophic Disaster Recovery Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), in providing SBA disaster relief assistance, to waive the prohibition on the duplication of benefits, including whether damage or destruction has been compensated for, credit is available from, or funds have been made available from any other source.
 
Applies such amendment to any SBA assistance provided on or after August 29, 2005 (thereby ensuring applicability and retroactivity for victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Positive Aging Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-982
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-03-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Block grants
Case management
Community health services
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Economics and Public Finance
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to health facilities
Geriatrics
Government Operations and Politics
Health planning
Homeless
Housing and Community Development
Medical research
Medical screening
Medical tests
Mental health services
Old age assistance
Preventive medicine
Rural health
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: 
Positive Aging Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to : (1) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to public and private nonprofit entities for projects to demonstrate ways of integrating mental health services for older adults into primary care settings and for multidisciplinary geriatric mental health outreach teams in community settings where older adults reside or receive social services; (2) require the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services to designate a Deputy Director for Older Adult Mental Health Services to address the mental health needs of older adults; (3) require the inclusion of representatives of older adults and their families and geriatric mental health professionals on the Advisory Council for the Center; (4) designate as a project of national significance the treatment of older adults with substance-related disorders; and (5) require state plans under the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program to describe outreach to, and services for, older individuals and individuals who are homeless and living in rural areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3716-3718)
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill for the relief of Michael Anthony Hurley.

Bill: 110-s-983
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2007-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Private Legislation
Subjects: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Provides for the relief of Michael Anthony Hurley.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill for the relief of Jiao Ying Li.

Bill: 110-s-984
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2007-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Private Legislation
Subjects: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Provides for the relief of Jiao Ying Li.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Intermediary Lending Pilot Program Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-985
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2007-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Community development
Community development banking
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Credit
Depressed areas
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Indian economic development
Infrastructure
Job creation
Labor and Employment
Legislation
Minorities
Nonprofit organizations
Poverty
Small business
Social Welfare
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: 
Small Business Intermediary Lending Pilot Program Act of 2007 - Establishes a three-year small business intermediary lending pilot program under which the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) may make direct loans to eligible nonprofit lending intermediaries for the purpose of making fixed interest rate and mid-size loans ($35,000 to $200,000) to startup, newly-established, and growing small businesses. Authorizes the Administrator, under the program, to make one percent, 20-year loans of up to $1 million, on a competitive basis, to up to 20 lending intermediaries. Requires geographic diversity and representation of urban and rural communities under the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Combat-Related Special Compensation Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-986
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2007-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disabled
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Military pensions
Veterans' disability compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: 
Combat-Related Special Compensation Act of 2007 - Authorizes monthly combat-related special compensation pay to any military retiree who is entitled to retired pay and has a combat-related disability. (Currently, a retiree must meet those requirements and also have completed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service.)
 
Provides a special compensation rule with respect to retirees with less than 20 years of service.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3752)
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3751-3752)
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-988
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2007-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Admission of nonimmigrants
Alien labor
Aliens
Labor and Employment
Temporary employment
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: 
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend through October 1, 2012, the annual cap exemption for returning H-2B aliens (temporary nonagricultural worker). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVI of the Social Security Act to clarify that the value of certain funeral and burial arrangements are not to be considered available resources under the supplemental security income program.

Bill: 110-s-989
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2007-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Commerce
Contracts
Law
Supplemental security income program
Trusts and trustees
Welfare eligibility

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: 
Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act to provide that the value of certain funeral and burial arrangements involving an irrevocable trust whose named beneficiary is the funeral provider are not to be considered, under the SSI program, as resources available to the individual. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-991
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Congressional reporting requirements
Cultural relations
Developing countries
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational exchanges
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government corporations
Higher education
International education
Language and languages
Minorities
Minority education
Nongovernmental organizations
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: 
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007 - Establishes in the executive branch the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation to carry out this Act under the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961.
 
Requires the Foundation to award grants, increasingly for study in nontraditional study abroad destinations, to: (1) U.S. students; (2) nongovernmental institutions that provide and promote study abroad opportunities for U.S. students, in consortium with institutions of higher education (IHEs); and (3) IHEs, individually or in consortium.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3838-3840)
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3837-3838)
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Pediatric Research Improvement Act

Bill: 110-s-993
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Commerce
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Drug approvals
Families
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Governmental investigations
Labeling
Pharmaceutical research
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: 
Pediatric Research Improvement Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to direct an applicant seeking to waive submission requirements related to pediatric assessments of the safety and effectiveness of a drug or biological product to submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services documentation detailing why a pediatric formulation cannot be developed. 

Requires an applicant seeking to defer submission of some or all of such assessments to submit to the Secretary a timeline for the completion of pediatric studies.

Requires the Secretary to create an internal committee to review pediatric assessment requests issued, pediatric assessments conducted, and deferral and waiver requests. 

Considers a supplement to a new drug or biological license application proposing a labeling change as a result of any pediatric assessments to be a priority supplement. Sets forth dispute resolution procedures for labeling changes for pediatric drugs.

Requires the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make available to the public the medical, statistical, and clinical pharmacology reviews of pediatric assessments.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) require sponsors of the assessments that result in labeling changes to distribute such information to physicians and other health care providers; (2) ensure that all adverse event reports that have been received for such a drug are referred to the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics for one year after a labeling change; and (3) contract with the Institute of Medicine to study and report to Congress regarding the pediatric studies conducted pursuant to FFDCA since 1997.

Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the effectiveness of FFDCA provisions relating to pediatric studies in ensuring that medicines used by children are tested and properly labeled.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3842)
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Disabled Veterans Fairness Act

Bill: 110-s-994
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2007-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Disabled
Government Operations and Politics
Government travel
Health
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: 
Disabled Veterans Fairness Act - Eliminates a $3 per round trip deductible charged by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in connection with the veterans beneficiary travel program (a program authorizing a travel allowance or reimbursement for beneficiaries providing transportation for veterans to obtain medical care).
 
Directs the Secretary, in determining the amount of such allowance or reimbursement, to use the mileage reimbursement rates for the use of privately owned vehicles by government employees traveling on official business.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3842)
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for a hospital in Cass County, Minnesota.

Bill: 110-s-995
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2007-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Hospitals
Housing and Community Development
Medicare
Minnesota
Mississippi
Rural health
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: 
Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to permit the designation of certain critical access hospitals in Cass County, Minnesota, and Kemper County, Mississippi, by exempting them from the requirement that they be certified by the state on or after January 1, 2006, as being a necessary provider of health care services to residents in the area. (Thus restores to Minnesota and Mississippi state authority to waive the application of the 35-mile rule.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-997
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cytology
Department of Health and Human Services
Donation of organs, tissues, etc.
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to research
Genetic research
Genetics
Government Operations and Politics
Human embryology
In vitro fertilization
Informed consent (Medical law)
Law
Medical ethics
Medical research
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: 
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Limits such research to stem cells that meet the following ethical requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements.
 
Requires the Secretary to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, or testing of stem cells that are capable of producing all or almost all of the cell types of the developing body and may result in improved understanding of treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions, but that are not derived from a human embryo. Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide guidance concerning the next steps required for additional research; (2) prioritize research with the greatest potential for near-term clinical benefit; and (3) take into account techniques outlined by the President's Council on Bioethics and any other appropriate techniques and research.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-28
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 94.
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to exempt the natural aging process in the determination of the production period for distilled spirits under section 263A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Bill: 110-s-998
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY]
Introduced: 2007-03-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting
Agriculture and Food
Alcoholic beverages
Commerce
Costs
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Inventories
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from determination of the production period for distilled spirits any period allocated to the natural aging process for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-03-27
text: Introduced in Senate