hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report to Congress on proposed changes to the use of the West Los Angeles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, California.

Bill: 110-s-1043
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: California
Congress
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Health
Land use
Open space lands
Parks
Planning
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Veterans' hospitals

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress on the master plan of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) relating to the use of VA lands of the West Los Angeles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, California, as originally required under the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998. Requires an alternative report, on the development of the master plan, if the master plan does not exist as of the date of enactment of this Act.
 
Prohibits the Secretary from implementing any portion of the master plan until 120 days after its receipt by the congressional veterans' and appropriations committees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4176-4177)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4176)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Effective Care for the Armed Forces and Veterans Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1044
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Afghanistan
Armed forces reserves
Brain
Building construction
Case management
Commemorations
Competitive bidding
Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional investigations
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Defense budgets
Department of Defense
Disability evaluation
Disabled
District of Columbia
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic data interchange
Employee training
Families
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Governmental investigations
Head injuries
Health
Health information systems
Housing and Community Development
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Long-term care
Maryland
Medical records
Medical screening
Medical tests
Middle East and North Africa
Military base closures
Military dependents
Military discharges
Military hospitals
Military housing
Military medals, decorations, etc.
Military medicine
Military operations
Military pensions
Military personnel
National Guard
Photography
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Quality of care
Science, Technology, Communications
South Asia
Trauma care
Veterans' disability compensation
Veterans' medical care
Virginia
War casualties

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Effective Care for the Armed Forces and Veterans Act of 2007 - Prohibits the Secretary of Defense, during a period of a U.S. major military conflict, from: (1) subjecting work performed by an employee of a Department of Defense (DOD) medical facility or an employee of a private contractor of such facility to public-private competition; or (2) converting such employee or the work performed to private contractor performance. Allows an exception to prevent a negative impact on the provision of services.
 
Requires a study by the Comptroller General on competitive outsourcing activities at DOD medical facilities.
 
Provides: (1) a minimum budget for DOD medical services during periods of major military conflicts; and (2) a limitation on the implementation of a recommendation for the closure of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) assign at least one case manager for every 20 recovering servicemembers; (2) screen every servicemember returning from deployment in Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom for traumatic brain injury (requiring two related studies); and (3) require DOD medical records management systems to communicate with such systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assess the VA's ability to meet the long-term care needs of veterans over the next 50 years.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4178-4179)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4177-4178)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Workforce Performance Appraisal and Management Improvement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1045
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Economics and Public Finance
Employee training
Federal employees
Federal officials
Labor and Employment
Law
Office of Personnel Management
Personnel management
Planning-programming-budgeting
Position classification
Rating of employees
Salaries
Supervisors

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Federal Workforce Performance Appraisal and Management Improvement Act of 2007 - Revises provisions relating to the establishment of performance appraisal systems by certain federal agencies.
 
Requires agencies to establish one or more new performance appraisal systems to promote high performance. 
 
Revises provisions relating to the responsibilities of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for the development of performance appraisal systems.
 
Revises provisions relating to specific mandatory training programs for supervisors. 
 
Revises provisions relating to federal employee pay rates and systems with respect to employees whose performance rating is below the fully successful level to, among other things, prohibit a pay increase for such employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-06-06
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4179-4180)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Generating Opportunity by Forgiving Educational Debt for Service Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1047
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Federal aid to education
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Recruiting and enlistment
Recruiting of employees
Scholarships
Social Welfare
Social security taxes
Student loan funds
Tax exclusion
Tax exemption
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Generating Opportunity by Forgiving Educational Debt for Service Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income student loan repayments by the federal government on behalf of federal employees and members of the Armed Forces on active duty. Exempts such repayments from social security taxes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4179-4180)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Crane Conservation Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1048
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Citizen participation
Cranes (Birds)
Crime and Law Enforcement
Ecological research
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Employee training
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
Environmental education
Environmental law enforcement
Environmental monitoring
Environmental protection groups
Federal advisory bodies
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Habitat conservation
Human-animal relationships
Hunting
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
Labor and Employment
Land use
Migratory bird conservation
Nongovernmental organizations
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public meetings
Research
Restoration ecology
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Treaties
Water Resources Development
Wetlands
Wild animal trade
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife management
Wildlife reintroduction

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Crane Conservation Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance for approved projects relating to the conservation of cranes, using amounts in the Crane Conservation Fund established by this Act. 
 
Allows a project proposal to be submitted by: (1) any wildlife management authority of a country located in the African, Asian, European, or North American range of a species of crane that carries out at least one activity that affects crane populations; (2) the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and (3) any person or organization with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of cranes. 
Establishes the Crane Conservation Fund in the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
Authorizes the Secretary to convene an advisory group representing public and private organizations actively involved in the conservation of cranes to assist in carrying out this Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4181-4182)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4180-4181)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend section 512 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936.

Bill: 110-s-1049
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to transportation
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Merchant ships
Shipbuilding

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to provide that when the 20 year period during which vessels operating exclusively in specified foreign trade and for which a construction-differential subsidy was received for restricting voyages exclusively to such trade ends, the requirements and restrictions for receipt of such subsidy, including making payments for violating the restriction on engaging in domestic trade also ends. (Currently, termination of such period does not affect the requirement to make such payments.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Promoting Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1050
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Agriculture and Food
Communication in medicine
Community health services
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Exercise
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to health facilities
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health education
Higher education
Hospitals
Mammography
Medical education
Medical residents
Medical screening
Medical supplies
Medical tests
Medicare
Nutrition
Physical examinations
Physical fitness
Preventive medicine
Smoking
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
X-rays

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Promoting Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007 - Amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to issue and periodically review standards setting forth the minimum technical criteria for medical diagnostic equipment used in medical settings, to ensure that such equipment: (1) is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities; and (2) allows independent entry to, use of, and exit from the equipment by such individuals to the maximum extent possible. Applies such standards to examination tables and chairs, weight scales, mammography equipment, x-ray machines, and other radiological equipment commonly used for diagnostic purposes by health professionals. Sets forth interim standards for such equipment.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants for programs to promote good health, disease prevention, and wellness for individuals with disabilities and prevent secondary conditions in such individuals. Requires the Secretary to establish a National Advisory Committee on Wellness for Individuals With Disabilities to set priorities to carry out such programs, review grant proposals, make recommendations for funding, and annually evaluate the progress of such programs in implementing the priorities.

Provides for training programs to improve competency and clinical skills for providing health care and communicating with patients with disabilities through training integrated into the core curriculum and patient interaction in community-based settings. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4183-4184)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4182-4183)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
National Liberty Memorial Act

Bill: 110-s-1051
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: American Revolution
Armed Forces and National Security
Black history
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
District of Columbia
History
Military history
Military personnel
Minorities
Monuments and memorials
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Slavery

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
National Liberty Memorial Act - Authorizes the National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. (previously, the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation) to establish a memorial on specified federal land in the District of Columbia to honor the slaves and free persons who served as soldiers and sailors or provided civilian assistance during the American Revolution and to honor the men, women, and children who ran away from slavery or filed petitions with courts and legislatures seeking their freedom. Requires the National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. to establish the memorial. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-213.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4184)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Children and Families Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1052
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Health insurance
Home care services
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Nursing
Poor children
Pregnant women
Social Welfare
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Healthy Children and Families Act of 2007 - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to provide states with the option to provide evidence-based nurse home visitation services under Medicaid and the SCHIP programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4184-4185)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act

Bill: 110-s-1053
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Animals
California
Commemorations
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Endangered species
Finance and Financial Sector
Governmental investigations
Habitat conservation
Historic sites
History
Landowners
Landscape protection
Mountains
National recreation areas
Open space lands
Outdoor recreation
Sports and Recreation
Trails
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a resource study of and submit a report on the Rim of the Valley Corridor in California to evaluate a range of alternatives for protecting the Corridor's resources, including the alternative of establishing all or part of the Corridor as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. 
 
Lists the objectives the Secretary shall seek to achieve in conducting the study.
 
Directs the Secretary to analyze the potential impact that establishment of all or part of the Rim of the Valley Corridor as a unit of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is likely to have on land within or bordering the area that is privately owned at the time such study is conducted. Requires the report to discuss the concerns of private landowners within the existing boundaries of the Recreation Area.
 
Instructs the Secretary, as part of evaluating each alternative considered under such study, to estimate the impact of implementing the alternative on staffing and other potential costs to federal, state, and local agencies and other organizations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4185-4186)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4185)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the Cucamonga Valley Water District recycling project.

Bill: 110-s-1054
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: California
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federal aid to water resources development
Infrastructure
Waste water treatment
Water conservation
Water districts
Water treatment plants

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative - Amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior: (1) in cooperation with the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of the Inland Empire regional water recycling project; and (2) in cooperation with the Cucamonga Valley Water District, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of the Cucamonga Valley Water District satellite recycling plants in Rancho Cucamonga, California, to reclaim and recycle approximately two million gallons per day of domestic wastewater. Limits the federal share of the cost of each project to 25%. Terminates the Secretary's authority to carry out the provisions of this Act 10 years after its enactment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-01
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-170.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4186-4187)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4186)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
American Automobile Industry Promotion Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1055
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alcohol as fuel
Automobile industry
Automobiles
Biomass energy
Commerce
Commercialization
Diesel motor
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric batteries
Electric vehicles
Elementary and secondary education
Energy research
Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal aid to research
Fuel cells
Fuel consumption
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Income tax
Job creation
Labor and Employment
Law
Motor vehicle pollution control
Nanotechnology
Research and development
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Standards
Tax credits
Taxation
Teaching materials
Technological innovations
Technology assessment
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation research
Trucks

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
American Automobile Industry Promotion Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) offer to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to assess state-of-the-art battery technologies with potential application for electric drive transportation; (2) conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for electric drive transportation technology (i.e., vehicles that use electric motors for all or part of the motive power); and (3) establish and carry out an Advanced Battery Initiative to support research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of battery technologies in on-road or nonroad vehicles.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to redefine the new advanced lean burn technology motor vehicle credit for high-efficiency diesel passenger automobiles and light trucks to eliminate requirements that such motor vehicles for 2004 and later model years receive a certificate stating they meet or exceed certain weight and emission standards.

Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) define &quot;biodiesel&quot; and &quot;biodiesel blend&quot;; and (2) require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations to establish standards for each biodiesel blend.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4187-4188)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4187)
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate
New River Wild and Scenic River Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1057
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2007-03-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: North Carolina
Virginia
Water Resources Development
Wild rivers

Summary:
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: 
New River Wild and Scenic River Act of 2007 - Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a specified segment of the New River in North Carolina and Virginia as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-05-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-104.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-03-29
text: Introduced in Senate