hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Organized Retail Crime Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6491
Sponsor: Rep. Ellsworth, Brad [D-IN-8]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Business records
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Computer crimes
Damages
Electronic commerce
Embezzlement
Forfeiture
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Injunctions
Larceny
Law
Organized crime
Receiving stolen goods
Retail trade
Science, Technology, Communications
Sentencing guidelines

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Organized Retail Crime Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to define &quot;organized retail crime&quot; as: (1) the stealing, embezzlement, obtaining by fraud, false pretenses, or other illegal means of retail merchandise in quantities that would not normally be purchased for personal use or consumption for the purpose of reselling or otherwise reentering such retail merchandise in commerce; or (2) the recruitment of persons to participate in such criminal activities.

Modifies the crime of transporting and selling or receiving stolen goods to include activities involving organized retail crime and the facilitation of such crime through the operation of an online marketplace. 

Expands the crime of fraud involving access devices to include the use of gift cards, a Universal Product Code label, or a radio frequency identification transponder to obtain goods or services illegally.

Imposes reporting and other requirements on operators of online marketplaces and high volume (at least $12,000 annually) sellers relating to the sale of goods and services suspected of being acquired through organized retail crime.

Requires the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and, if appropriate, amend its guidelines for persons convicted of offenses involving organized retail crime. 

Provides for civil forfeiture of any property used to commit or facilitate organized retail crime.

Allows a business whose goods or services were sold or used in the facilitation of organized retail crime through the operation of an online marketplace to obtain injunctive relief and compensatory damages. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1457)
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Accountability in Deferred Prosecution Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6492
Sponsor: Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-8]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commerce
Corporate accountability
Criminal investigation
Criminal procedure
Department of Justice
District courts
Electronic government information
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Judicial review
Law
Pleas (Criminal procedure)
Prosecution
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Accountability in Deferred Prosecution Act of 2008 - Requires the Attorney General to: (1) issue public written guidelines for deferred prosecution agreements and nonprosecution agreements; (2) establish rules for the selection of independent monitors for deferred prosecution agreements; and (3) place the text of deferred prosecution agreements on the public website of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Defines &quot;deferred prosecution agreement&quot; as an agreement between a federal prosecutor and an organization to conditionally defer criminal prosecution of that organization. Defines &quot;nonprosecution agreement&quot; as an agreement between a federal prosecutor and an organization to conditionally decide not to file criminal charges against the organization. 

Requires a deferred prosecution agreement to be filed in an appropriate U.S. district court. Requires such court to approve an agreement if it is consistent with the guidelines for such agreements and is in the interests of justice. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6494
Sponsor: Rep. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY-20]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Military personnel
Veterans' benefits

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2008 or PRO-VETS Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense for the transfer of data to the Secretary for providing members of the Armed Forces and veterans with individualized information concerning veterans' benefits that each member and veteran may be eligible for. Requires the Secretary, after receiving such data, to: (1) compile a list of all benefits for which each member or veteran may be eligible; (2) notify the member or veteran (or their legal representative) of such benefits; and (3) provide a second notification if the member or veteran does not apply for a listed benefit within 60 days, as well as annual notifications thereafter. Requires additional notifications based on changed circumstances. Allows each member or veteran the option to decline further notifications.
 
Directs the Secretary to use transferred data to reduce the amount of information that a member or veteran must provide when applying for benefits.
 
Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a member or veteran the opportunity to decline authorization for the transfer of information under this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
To require the payment of compensation to members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the United States who were forced to perform slave labor by the Imperial Government of Japan or by corporations of Japan during World War II, or the surviving spouses of such members, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-6497
Sponsor: Rep. Hooley, Darlene [D-OR-5]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Compensation (Law)
East Asia
Families
Federal employees
Forced labor
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
History
International Affairs
Japan
Labor and Employment
Prisoners of war
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' benefits
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to pay (subject to the availability of appropriated funds) a specified amount of compensation to those members of the Armed Forces and U.S. civilian employees, or to the surviving spouses of such members and employees, who were captured by Japan and who were used as slave labor during World War II.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Sensible Estate Tax Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6499
Sponsor: Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Estate tax
Families
Gift tax
Government Operations and Politics
Indexing (Economic policy)
Inheritance tax
State taxation
Survivors' benefits
Tax credits
Tax exclusion
Tax rates

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Sensible Estate Tax Act of 2008 - Repeals provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Reconciliation Act of 2001 relating to the estate and gift tax.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow an estate tax exclusion of $2 million adjusted for inflation in calendar years after 2008; (2) revise the estate tax rates for larger estates; (3) restore the estate tax credit for state estate, inheritance, legacy, or succession taxes; (4) restore the unified credit against the gift tax; and (5) allow a surviving spouse an increase in the unified estate tax credit by the amount of any unused credit of a deceased spouse.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Thrift Savings Plan Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6500
Sponsor: Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-30]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil service retirement
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Federal employees
Finance and Financial Sector
Individual retirement accounts
Investments
Labor and Employment
Law
Mutual funds
Payroll deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Thrift Savings Plan Enhancement Act of 2008 - Revises requirements for participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) to require the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to provide regulations for automatic enrollment of new participants to make contributions at the default percentage of basic pay.
 

 
 Allows a default investment in an alternative fund or funds (in lieu of the Government Securities Investment Fund (G Fund)), as the Board may designate in regulations, if an election has not been made with respect to any TSP sums available for investment.
 
 
Requires the Board to include in the TSP, by regulation, a qualified Roth contribution progam (under which an employee may elect to make designated Roth contributions in lieu of elective deferrals under the retirement plan).
 
Authorizes the Board to permit the addition of self-directed investment options under the TSP if it determines that such an addition would be in the best interests of participants.
 
Limits such investment options to: (1) low-cost, passively-managed index funds that offer diversification benefits; and (2) other appropriate retirement investment vehicles for participants.
 
Deems a participant, in the case of a default investment in the G Fund or an alternative fund, to have: (1) elected to invest in such fund; and (2) executed the acknowledgement of risk otherwise required.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Investing in our Human Resources Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6501
Sponsor: Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Block grants
Commuting
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Excise tax
Families
Foster home care
Gambling
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Higher education
Internet
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Subsidies
Taxation
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Unemployment
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Investing in our Human Resources Act of 2008 - Amends the Social Security Act to create a new title XXII: Block Grants to States for Transitional Assistance. Creates the Transitional Assistance Trust Fund, consisting of amounts equivalent to taxes attributable to Internet gambling.
 
Entitles each state to a grant each fiscal year for a transitional assistance program which provides for: (1) expanded education and job training opportunities for individuals who are, or were formerly, in foster care; (2) expanded post-secondary education and job training opportunities for individuals who are working in, or had worked in, declining sectors of the economy; and (3) a subsidy for public transportation for unemployed individuals.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Safe Internet Gambling Practices Program to promote responsible Internet gambling behavior and awareness of unsafe Internet gambling practices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Arkansas Valley Conduit Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6502
Sponsor: Rep. Salazar, John T. [D-CO-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Colorado
Construction costs
Dams
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to water resources development
Government Operations and Politics
Infrastructure
Pipelines
Reservoirs
Transportation and Public Works
Water rates
Water storage
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Arkansas Valley Conduit Act of 2008 - Provides for the payment of 35% of the cost of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, Colorado, by the Secretary of the Interior.
 
Requires revenue derived from contracts for the use of Fryingpan-Arkansas project excess capacity or exchange contracts using project facilities to be credited towards payment of the actual cost of Ruedi Dam and Reservoir, the Fountain Valley Pipeline, and the South Outlet Works at Pueblo Dam and Reservoir, until the date on which the payments for the Conduit begin, and then towards payment of the actual cost of the Conduit. Allows the concurrent crediting of revenue, with interest, towards payment of the Conduit.
 
Requires any rates charged for water for municipal, domestic, or industrial use or for the use of facilities for the storage or delivery of water to be adjusted to reflect the estimated revenue derived from contracts for the use of Fryingpan-Arkansas project excess capacity or exchange contracts using project facilities.

Authorizes appropriations for the construction of the Conduit. Prohibits such sums from being used for its operation or maintenance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Coordinate to Educate Act

Bill: 110-hr-6504
Sponsor: Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Case management
Child abuse
Child health
Child nutrition
Child sexual abuse
Child welfare
Crime and Law Enforcement
Day care
Economics and Public Finance
Educational accountability
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal aid to education
Fees
Health
Homeless
Housing and Community Development
Parent-school relationships
Performance measurement
Preschool education
School health programs
School-age child care
Secondary education
Single-parent families
Social Welfare
Working poor

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Coordinate to Educate Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award: (1) grants of up to three years to local educational agencies (LEAs) to collaborate with health and social service agencies to develop school-linked coordinated service programs for children and families on or near school sites; and (2) grants of up to two years to LEAs to implement such programs pursuant to interagency service delivery plans that have been approved by the Secretary.
 
Requires program services to be available to all children and families in the service area and, where appropriate, paid for on a sliding scale.
 
Directs the Secretary, in awarding grants, to give special consideration to areas with high proportions of educationally at-risk students and areas that have a large number of single parent or two-parent, working families.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Captive Primate Safety and Disabled Human Assistance Act

Bill: 110-hr-6505
Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Authorization
Charities
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of the Interior
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Federal law enforcement officers
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Pets
Primates
Protection of animals
Self-help devices for the disabled
Social Welfare
Wild animal trade

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Captive Primate Safety and Disabled Human Assistance Act - Amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to add nonhuman primates (i.e., monkeys, great apes, lemurs, etc.) to the definition of &quot;prohibited wildlife species&quot; for purposes of the prohibition against the sale or purchase of such species in interstate or foreign commerce.

Makes it unlawful for a person to sell or purchase a live animal of any prohibited wildlife species in interstate or foreign commerce (i.e., for pet trade purposes). Sets forth: (1) exceptions to such prohibition (including for certain charitable organizations that provide service capuchin monkeys to authorized permanently disabled individuals); and (2) civil and criminal penalties for violations of the requirements of this Act.

Requires the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with other relevant federal and state agencies, to issue regulations to implement the Captive Wildlife Safety Act.

Authorizes additional appropriations to the Secretary for FY2009 to hire additional law enforcement personnel of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to enforce the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1466)
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in House
Improving Children's Doctor Access Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6506
Sponsor: Rep. Boustany, Charles W., Jr. [R-LA-7]
Introduced: 2008-07-16 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Child health
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Finance and Financial Sector
Health insurance
Health surveys
Medically uninsured
Patient satisfaction
Physicians
Poor children

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: 
Improving Children's Doctor Access Act of 2008 - Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to require annual state SCHIP reports to include information on: (1) the HEDIS (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) measure relating to access to primary care practitioners by individuals eligible for child health assistance; and (2) efforts to avoid displacement of private health coverage.
 

 
Expresses the sense of Congress that states with a state child health plan should utilize consumer satisfaction surveys developed by the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, specifically the Getting Needed Care and Getting Care Quickly question components of the CAHPS 4.0H Child Survey, to measure the extent to which individuals eligible for child health assistance under the state plan have access to physicians.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in House
Invest in Small Business Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6507
Sponsor: Rep. Childers, Travis [D-MS-1]
Introduced: 2008-07-16 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Minimum tax
Small business
Stocks
Tax exclusion
Tax preferences
Tax rates

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: 
Invest in Small Business Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the exclusion from gross income of the gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock from 50 to 100% of such gain and reduce the holding period for such stock from five to three years; (2) disqualify stock held by members of a 25% controlled group of corporations for such tax exclusion; (3) repeal gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock as an item of tax preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax; (4) repeal the maximum 28% tax rate on gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock; and (5) increase to $100 million (adjusted for inflation after 2009) the aggregate asset limitation for determining eligibility of the stock of corporations for qualified small business stock tax treatment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Introduced in House