hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, to provide an exemption from exclusive rights in copyright for certain nonprofit organizations to display live football games, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-2591
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2008-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Cable television
Churches
Copyright
Football
Intellectual property
Religion
Science, Technology, Communications
Sports and Recreation
Television broadcasting

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-04
text: 
Declares that it is not a copyright infringement for churches and qualified church-controlled organizations to communicate a transmission of a professional football contest so long as no direct charge is made to see or hear the transmission, no money is accepted or received by the organization during the communication, and the transmission is not further retransmitted.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-02-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S603)
action_date: 2008-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Economic Growth Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2592
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2008-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Depreciation and amortization
Economics and Public Finance
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Tax deductions
Tax rates

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-05
text: 
Economic Growth Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal the dollar and other limitations on the expensing allowance of depreciable business assets; (2) reduce to 25% the maximum corporate income tax rate; (3) provide for an inflation adjustment to the basis of certain capital assets for purposes of determining gain or loss; and (4) reduce from 35 to 15% the alternative capital gains tax rate for corporations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 regarding institution financial aid offer form requirements.

Bill: 110-s-2594
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: College costs
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Scholarships
Student aid
Student employment
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to: (1) prepare a report for specified congressional committees on the adequacy of the financial aid offer forms issued by federally-assisted institutions of higher education (IHEs); and (2) develop model financial aid offer formats based on the report's findings. 
 
Requires such formats to include, in a consumer-friendly manner, specified information regarding: (1) the student's total and net cost of attending the IHE; (2) available scholarships, loans, and work assistance; and (3) where to obtain additional information on the financial aid offered.
 
Directs each IHE to use one of the model formats as part of its financial aid offer form, and provide such form to current or prospective students and their parents in time for them to consider the format information before applying for or selecting an educational loan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2595
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Federal-state relations
Foreclosure
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Housing and Community Development
Law
Licenses
Loan defaults
Mortgage banks
Mortgages
Standards
State laws

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, or S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 - Encourages the states to establish a Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry for the residential mortgage industry through the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators.
 
Sets forth procedures, requirements (including education and testing), and standards for mandatory registration and state licensing of mortgage loan originators.
 
Requires the federal banking agencies jointly, through the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, to develop and maintain a system for registering depository institiution employees as registered loan originators with the Registry.
 
Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish and maintain a backup licensing and registration system for loan originators operating in a state that either: (1) does not, after a certain period of time, have a licensing and registering system for loan originators that meets the requirements of this Act; or (2) does not participate in the Registry.
 
Requires the HUD Secretary also to establish and maintain a backup licensing, supervisory, and tracking system for loan originators if the Registry is failing to meet the requirements and purposes of this Act.
 

 

 
Declares that this Act does not preempt state law which provides greater protection to consumers than is provided under this Act.
 
Directs the HUD Secretary to study and report to Congress on the root causes of default and foreclosure of home loans. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S735-739)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S734-735)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Semper Fi Act

Bill: 110-s-2596
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Armed Forces and National Security
California
Defense budgets
Department of Defense
Government Operations and Politics
Marines
Recruiting and enlistment
Rescission of appropriated funds
Urban affairs
Urban areas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Semper Fi Act - Rescinds all amounts appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 for the city of Berkeley, California, or entities in such city.
 
Transfers the rescinded amounts to the Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps account of the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2008, to be used for recruiting.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-11
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 570.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Moldova.

Bill: 110-s-2597
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Europe
Government Operations and Politics
Moldova
Most favored nation principle
Normal trade relations
President and foreign policy

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Authorizes the President to extend nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Moldova.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S739)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2598
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Congress
Congressional oversight
Energy prices
Oil and gas royalties
Petroleum reserves
Strategic materials

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to suspend, during calendar year 2008, petroleum acquisition for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) through the royalty-in-kind program or any other acquisition method.
 
Authorizes resumption of such acquisition not earlier than 30 days after the Secretary notifies Congress that the weighted average price of petroleum in the United States for the most recent 90-day period is $50 or less per barrel.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S740)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S739-740)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Military Spouse Education and Employment Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2599
Sponsor: Sen. Corker, Bob [R-TN]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Day care
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Federal aid to education
Governmental investigations
Health
Higher education
Home offices
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Married people
Medical personnel
Military dependents
Preschool education
Recruiting and enlistment
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax credits
Teacher education
Telecommuting
Veterans' education
Veterans' employment
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Military Spouse Education and Employment Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include spouses of members of the Armed Forces on extended active duty (more than 90 days or for an indefinite period) and eligible teleworking military spouses (teleworking spouses whose wages are expected to equal or exceed 150% of U.S. median annual earnings) as members of a targeted group for purposes of the work opportunity tax credit.
 
Includes the wife or husband of a member serving on extended active duty within the federal veterans' employment preference.
 
Allows members who have completed two terms of service and have reenlisted for a third term to transfer a portion of their entitlement to basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill. (Current law allows such transfer for members with critical military skills.)
 
Requires studies on: (1) the development of an education grant program for training military spouses in health care and early childhood development careers; and (2) creating work opportunities for undergraduate- and graduate-educated military spouses during the active-duty service of their spouses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for the designation of a single ZIP code for Windsor Heights, Iowa.

Bill: 110-s-2600
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Iowa
Zip code

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Directs the U.S. Postal Service to designate a single ZIP Code applicable to the area encompassing only the city of Windsor Heights, Iowa.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S740)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Snoqualmie Pass Land Conveyance Act

Bill: 110-s-2601
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Emergency Management
Fire departments
Fire prevention
Government Operations and Politics
Land transfers
National forests
Rescue work
Washington State

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Snoqualmie Pass Land Conveyance Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a specified parcel of National Forest System land to the King and Kittitas Counties Fire District No. 51 of King and Kittitas counties, Washington, to permit the District to use such parcel as a site for a new Snoqualmie Pass fire and rescue station. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-364.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S741)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S740-741)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, to terminate the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to deduct amounts from certain States.

Bill: 110-s-2602
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2008-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Mining royalties
Oil and gas royalties
Revenue sharing

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: 
Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, to repeal the requirement for a deduction of 2% from the amount payable to a state in FY2008 under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982, and under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act and the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, before disbursing a payment to that state and for the deposit of the amount deducted to miscellaneous receipts. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S741)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Fraud Prevention Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2603
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2008-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Health care fraud
Law
Medical supplies
Medicare
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Social Welfare
Surety and fidelity

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: 
Medicare Fraud Prevention Act of 2008 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to increase civil money penalties, criminal fines, and prison sentences for fraud and abuse under the SSA title XVIII (Medicare) program.
 
Amends SSA title XVIII to increase the amount of the surety bond required for suppliers of durable medical equipment (DME). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Baltimore National Heritage Area Act

Bill: 110-s-2604
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2008-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Commemorations
Cultural property
Environmental Protection
Historic sites
History
Maryland
Nature conservation
Urban affairs
Urban areas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: 
Baltimore National Heritage Area Act - Establishes the Baltimore National Heritage Area in Maryland. Designates the Baltimore Heritage Area Association as the local coordinating entity for the Area. Requires the Association to prepare and submit a management plan for the Area. 

action_date: 2008-06-16
text: 
Baltimore National Heritage Area Act - Establishes the Baltimore National Heritage Area in Maryland. 

Specifies the areas that shall comprise the boundaries of the Area. 

Designates the Baltimore Heritage Area Association as the local coordinating entity for the Area. 

Requires the Association to prepare and submit a management plan for the Area. 

Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 803.
action_date: 2008-06-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-371.
action_date: 2008-06-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-371.
action_date: 2008-05-07
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-514.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S785-787)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require certain semiautomatic pistols manufactured, imported, or sold by Federal firearms licensees to be capable of microstamping ammunition.

Bill: 110-s-2605
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Ammunition
Firearms
Firearms control
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Identification devices
Import restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: 
Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit firearm licensees from manufacturing, importing, or transferring a semiautomatic pistol that is not capable of microstamping ammunition. Deems a pistol capable of microstamping ammunition if: (1) a microscopic array of characters that identify the make, model and serial number of the pistol is etched into the breech face and firing pin of the pistol; and (2) when ammunition is fired from the pistol, the characters are copied from the breech face and firing pin onto the cartridge case of the ammunition. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S787)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Women's Procurement Program Improvement Act

Bill: 110-s-2608
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Government Operations and Politics
Government procurement
Governmental investigations
Industries
Sex discrimination
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: 
Small Business Women's Procurement Program Improvement Act - Amends the Small Business Act relating to the women's procurement program (the provision of contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses) to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to wait until five years after the program is implemented before conducting a required study to identify industries in which small businesses owned and controlled by women are underrepresented with respect to federal procurement contracting (and therefore eligible for contracting preferences or set-asides). Presumes as underrepresented by women-owned small businesses the industries identified in industry codes 11 through 81 of the 2007 North American Industry Classification System Code.
 
States that a contracting officer need not make a finding of past gender discrimination by a contracting agency in order to comply with federal contracting requirements under the women's business procurement program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S791)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S790-791)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Global Service Fellowship Program Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2609
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2008-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Cultural relations
Exchange of persons programs
Income tax
Scholarships
Social Welfare
Tax exclusion
Taxation
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: 
Global Service Fellowship Program Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of State to establish and administer a Global Service Fellowship Program to fund fellowships to promote international volunteering opportunities as a means of building bridges across cultures, addressing critical human needs, and promoting mutual understanding.
 
Sets forth Program provisions. 
 
Authorizes appropriations.

action_date: 2008-09-23
text: 
Global Service Fellowship Program Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish the Office of Volunteers for Prosperity which shall implement the Global Service Fellowship Program and promote other international volunteering opportunities.
 
(Sec. 4) Directs the Administrator to establish and administer a Global Service Fellowship Program to fund fellowships to promote international volunteering opportunities as a means of building bridges across cultures, addressing critical human needs, and promoting mutual understanding. 
 
Sets forth Program provisions. 
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator to: (1) implement a Program evaluation process; and (2) report to the appropriate congressional committees.
 
(6) Directs the Administrator to prescribe implementing regulations.
 (Sec. 7) Authorizes FY2009-FY2011 appropriations.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1045.
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Dodd with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Dodd with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-23
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S791-792)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate