hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Public School Repair and Renovation Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1942
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Architecture and the disabled
Asbestos
Bonds
Building construction
Charter schools
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Cost accounting
Data banks
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational planning
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Environmental Protection
Families
Federal aid to education
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Local finance
Maintenance and repair
Minorities
Minority business enterprises
Parent-school relationships
Poor children
Rural education
School buildings
School districts
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Social Welfare
State finance
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Public School Repair and Renovation Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to allocate funds to states for competitive school repair and renovation grants to local educational agencies (LEAs).
 
Requires each state, in awarding such grants, to: (1) award high-need and rural LEAs, in the aggregate, at least the same proportion of this Act's LEA funds for the state that they received of total LEA school improvement funds for the state under part A of Title I of the ESEA; and (2) consider the percentage of poor children LEAs serve, the condition of their public schools, and their fiscal capacity to cover repairs and renovations without such a grant.
 
Directs each state to reserve a portion of their allocation for a state-level database of public school facility inventory, condition, design, and utilization.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the costs of, and public and private expenditures for, repairing, renovating, and constructing public elementary and secondary schools.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10792-10793)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to establish uniform standards for interrogation techniques applicable to individuals under the custody or physical control of the United States Government.

Bill: 110-s-1943
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Capital punishment
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Detention of persons
Human rights
International Affairs
Pain
Suspects' rights
Torture

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Prohibits an individual in the custody or control of the U.S. government, regardless of nationality or physical location, from being subject to any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by specified sections of the U.S. Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations.

Specifically prohibits the following treatment or techniques: (1) forcing an individual to be naked, perform sexual acts, or pose in a sexual manner; (2) placing a hood or sack over an individual's head, or duct tape over the eyes; (3) beating, electrical shock, burns, or other forms of physical pain; (4) the procedure known as &quot;waterboarding&quot;; (5) threats or attack from a military working dog; (6) inducing hypothermia or heat injury; (7) conducting a mock execution of an individual; and (8) deprivation of necessary food, water, or medical care.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Justice for Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act

Bill: 110-s-1944
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Air piracy
Alien property
Appellate procedure
Civil actions and liability
Crime and Law Enforcement
Damages
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government liability (International law)
Hostages
International Affairs
International claims
Iraq compilation
Jurisdiction
Liens
Murder
Sabotage
State-sponsored terrorism
Terrorism
Torture
Transportation and Public Works
Victims of terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Justice for Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act - Amends the federal judicial code to expand the rights of victims of state-sponsored terrorism by: (1) denying foreign states that support terrorism immunity from the jurisdiction of U.S. courts for cases involving personal injury or death related to the terrorist activities of its officials, employees, or agents; (2) allowing certain nationals of the United States, members of the Armed Forces, and federal employees or contractors a private cause of action against a foreign state designated as a state sponsor of terrorism; (3) making foreign states vicariously liable for the actions of their officials, employees, or agents; (4) limiting appeals in cases against foreign states involving terrorist-related injuries; and (5) establishing a pending lien against property of a foreign state sponsor of terrorism upon the initiation of legal action in the United States against such state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10793-10794)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10793)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Patriot Employers Act

Bill: 110-s-1945
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Commerce
Corporate management
Defined benefit pension plans
Defined contribution plans
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Health
Health insurance
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Iraq compilation
Job creation
Labor and Employment
Medical economics
National Guard
Salaries
Tax credits
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Patriot Employers Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer certified as a Patriot employer by the Secretary of the Treasury a tax credit for one percent of such employer's taxable income. Defines a &quot;Patriot employer&quot; as any taxpayer who: (1) maintains its headquarters in the United States; (2) pays at least 60% of the health care premiums of its employees; (3) observes a policy requiring neutrality in employee organizing drives; (4) maintains or increases the number of its full-time workers in the United States relative to its full-time workers outside of the United States; (5) provides full differential salary and insurance benefits for all National Guard and Reserve employees called to active duty; and (6) provides its employees with a certain level of compensation and retirement benefits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10795)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10794-10795)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Continuing the Advancement of Quality Improvement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1947
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Health and Human Services
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Managed care
Medical records
Medical statistics
Medicare
Peer review organizations (Medicine)
Performance measurement
Quality of care
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Continuing the Advancement of Quality Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act to require any utilization and quality control peer review organization (also known as a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO)) entering into a contract with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to perform only the function of providing technical assistance for quality improvement and performance measurement to providers, practitioners, and Medicare Advantage organizations offering Medicare Advantage plans under part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII.

Directs the Secretary to develop and implement a transition plan for the transfer to Medicare provider review organizations (MPROs) of all other current functions of QIOs.

Specifies requirements for an MPRO with responsibility for addressing beneficiary complaints.

Requires the Secretary to establish priorities for selection of technical assistance providers.

Authorizes a QIO and an MPRO to share individual-specific data obtained from another provider or practitioner with a provider or practitioner who is treating the individual, for quality improvement and patient safety purposes.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a comprehensive review of the data-sharing systems, processes, and regulations of the Department of Health and Human Services in order to identify best practices and procedures, including abstraction of medical chart data.

Revises qualifications for QIOs.

Declares that funding for contracts for peer review of utilization and quality of health care services shall be used solely for providing technical assistance for quality improvement and performance measurement.

Revises requirements for annual reports to specified congressional committees on QIOs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10798-10799)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Blue Collar Computing and Business Assistance Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1948
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Commerce
Commercialization
Computer software
Computers
Economics and Public Finance
Grants-in-aid
Manufacturing industries
Nonprofit organizations
Small business
Social Welfare
Technology transfer

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Blue Collar Computing and Business Assistance Act of 2007 - Directs the Under Secretary of Technology of the Department of Commerce to award grants to eligible entities (any nonprofit, consortium of nonprofits, or partnership between a for-profit and a nonprofit) to establish up to five Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing Software Centers throughout the United States. 
 
Requires each Center to conduct: (1) general outreach to small businesses and manufacturers in all industry sectors within the geographic region assigned to the Center by the Under Secretary; and (2) technology transfer, development, and utilization programs for businesses throughout the United States in the specific industry sector assigned to the Center by the Under Secretary. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
100th Meridian Invasive Species State Revolving Loan Fund

Bill: 110-s-1949
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Animals
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Ecosystem management
Environmental Protection
Habitat conservation
Non-native species
Plant protection
Revolving funds

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
100th Meridian Invasive Species State Revolving Loan Fund - Establishes the 100th Meridian Invasive Species Revolving Fund to provide loans to governors of eligible states for distribution to qualified organizations to prevent and remediate the impacts of invasive species on habitats and ecosystems. Requires the submission of specified reports.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10799-10801)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require a report on contingency planning for the redeployment of United States forces from Iraq.

Bill: 110-s-1950
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Americans in foreign countries
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congress and military policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Defense budgets
Diplomacy
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Middle East and North Africa
Military and naval supplies
Military occupation
Military operations
Military strategy
Military training
Military withdrawal
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on contingency planning for the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq. Requires the report to include: (1) specified elements; and (2) contingency planning for each of the specified scenarios.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1951
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Ambulatory care
Commerce
Drug industry
Drugs
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Medicaid
Prescription pricing
Rebates
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act of 2007 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to calculate the federal upper reimbursement limit as no less than 300% of the weighted average (based on utilization) of the most recent average manufacturer prices (AMPs) for pharmaceutically and therapeutically equivalent multiple source drug products available for purchase by retail community pharmacies on a nationwide basis. Directs the Secretary to implement a smoothing process for AMPs to ensure that federal upper reimbursement limits do not vary significantly from month to month as a result of rebates, discounts, and other pricing practices.
 
Requires a state plan to subject to prior authorization all covered outpatient drug products that are innovator multiple source drugs, if such drug products are more expensive than other biologically and therapeutically equivalent drug products available for purchase in that state by retail community pharmacies.
 
Revises requirements for monthly reports to the Secretary of price information by manufacturers subject to rebate agreements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Community Forestry Conservation Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1952
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Animals
Bonds
Capital gains tax
Conservation easements
Environmental Protection
Finance and Financial Sector
Forest conservation
Forest ecology
Forest health
Habitat conservation
Income tax
Land transfers
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax exemption
Timber sales

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Community Forestry Conservation Act of 2007- Provides for the treatment of qualified forest conservation bonds as tax-exempt facility bonds under the Internal Revenue Code. Defines &quot;qualified forest conservation bonds&quot; as bonds issued for certain forestry organizations within 36 months after the enactment of this Act. Requires 95 percent or more of the net proceeds of such bonds to be used for specified forestry project costs, including the acquisition of forest lands subject to a conservation restriction. 

Exempts from income tax income, gains, and other tax incidents generated by certain harvesting activity on forest lands purchased with qualified forest conservation bonds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Ginseng Harvest Labeling Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1953
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture in foreign trade
Commerce
Consumer education
Department of Agriculture
Dietary supplements
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Grocery trade
Health
Herbs
Imports
Labeling
Law
Medicinal plants
Packaging
Retail trade
Signs and signboards
Wholesale trade

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Ginseng Harvest Labeling Act of 2007 - Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require: (1) the labeling of raw ginseng offered for sale as food or a dietary supplement to contain country of harvest information; (2) ginseng importers to disclose country of harvest information at the point of U.S. entry.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to impose civil monetary penalties for failure to make such disclosures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10801-10802)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10801)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Pharmacy Access Improvement (PhAIm) Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1954
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drugs
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Intellectual property
Long-term care
Medicare
Pharmacies
Pharmacists
Physicians
Prescription pricing
Science, Technology, Communications
Signs and symbols
Social Welfare
Standards
Telephone
Trademarks

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Pharmacy Access Improvement (PhAIm) Act of 2007 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program ) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to participating pharmacies and standards for access to them. Requires that such standards ensure that enrollees residing in long-term care facilities have access to a long-term care network pharmacy.

Requires prompt payment of clean claims to pharmacies by prescription drug plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PD Plans). Defines prompt payment as payment occurring within 14 days from submission for claims submitted electronically, and within 30 days for claims submitted otherwise. Requires payment of interest if a payment is not issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted within the applicable number of calendar days.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 24-hour toll-free telephone number dedicated to providing Medicare prescription drug benefit information to pharmacists and pharmacy staff.

Requires PDP sponsors to establish toll-free pharmacy and physician and provider hotlines.

Prohibits a Medicare prescription drug card issued by a PDP sponsor from displaying the name, brand, logo, or trademark (co-branding) of any pharmacy.

Provides for submission of claims by pharmacies located in or contracting with long-term care facilities.

Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to analyze and report to the Secretary on the cost of dispensing covered part D drugs under a PDP or an MA-PD plan.

Provides that, if the PDP sponsor uses a standard for reimbursement of pharmacies based on the cost of a drug, each contract entered into with such sponsor with respect to the plan shall require the sponsor to update the standard at least once every seven days.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10802)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Reinforce First Responders and Emergency Employees Deployed Overseas in the Military Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1955
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Ambulances
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Crime and Law Enforcement
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency medicine
Federal aid to law enforcement
Fire departments
Grants-in-aid
Health
Hours of labor
Labor and Employment
Military operations
Police
Replacement workers
Salaries
Social Welfare
Volunteer workers
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
Reinforce First Responders and Emergency Employees Deployed Overseas in the Military Act of 2007 or the Reinforce FREEDOM Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to make a grant to a first responder agency (a law enforcement or fire agency of a state or local government or an ambulance service) an employee of which (or a significant portion of the voluntary staff of which) is: (1) a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces; and (2) on active duty or has received orders to begin active duty. 

Authorizes the use of grant funds for: (1) the salary of an individual hired to replace such employee or volunteer; (2) overtime expenses for an employee performing tasks that would have been performed by such employee or volunteer; and (3) the cost of equipment, maintenance, or other activities that a first responder agency was unable to acquire or perform because of the costs of replacing such employee or volunteer or the need for which was caused by such employee's or volunteer's deployment.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10804)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Tribal Foster Care and Adoption Access Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1956
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2007-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Adoption
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to Indians
Foster home care
Indian children
Minorities

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: 
 Tribal Foster Care and Adoption Access Act of 2007 - Amends part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to authorize an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium (tribe) operating a foster care program to receive federal foster care maintenance payments for children placed in its custody if the tribe: (1) operates a foster care program under part E; (2) has a cooperative agreement with the state for such purpose; or (3) submits a description of the arrangements made for the payment of funds and the provision of the required child welfare services and protections. 
 
Specifies provisions for the modification of plans and certain other requirements regarding the operation of foster care programs. 
 
Authorizes, with respect to the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program: (1) a tribe with an approved part E plan to receive a prescribed allotment to administer, supervise, or oversee plan programs; and (2) each tribe in a state that does not receive such an allotment to enter into a cooperative agreement with the state to administer, supervise, or oversee the programs to be carried out under the state's plan with respect to Indian children and to receive a portion of the state's allotment for the cost of such administration, supervision, and oversight. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10804)
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate