hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Department of Defense Service Dog Pilot Program Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6743
Sponsor: Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Military personnel and dependents
Service animals

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Department of Defense Service Dog Pilot Program Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish and carry out a two-year pilot program to furnish service dogs to any member of the Armed Forces: (1) who has a service-connected disability, including a disability that limits mobility; and (2) for whom a service dog may be of substantial benefit in the treatment of such disability.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to require that certain laminated woven bags be marked with the country of origin.

Bill: 110-hr-6744
Sponsor: Rep. Kagen, Steve [D-WI-8]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Commerce
Imports
Labeling

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require that certain laminated woven bags be marked with the country of origin.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Social Security Disability Insurance Demonstration Authority Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6745
Sponsor: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Disability assistance
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Social Security Disability Insurance Demonstration Authority Act of 2008 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to reestablish the Social Security Administration's disability insurance demonstration project authority.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization and Expansion Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6746
Sponsor: Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
County politics and government
Economics and Public Finance
Ecosystem management
Environmental Protection
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-state relations
Foundations
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Habitat conservation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine ecology
Marine resources conservation
Minorities
Restoration ecology
Social Welfare
Washington State

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization and Expansion Act of 2008 - Amends the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Act to: (1) set forth the membership of the Northwest Straits Advisory Commission; (2) state the goal of the Commission as the protection and restoration of the marine waters, habitats, and species of the Northwest Straits region in the state of Washington to achieve ecosystem health and sustainable resource use; and (3) enumerate the duties of the Commission and establish benchmarks for its work. Provides for the appointment of a Director of the Commission and the establishment of marine resources committees in specified counties of the state of Washington. 

Authorizes the Director of the Commission and the Director of the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to establish the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Foundation as a nonprofit foundation to support the Commission and the marine resources committees established by this Act. 

Authorizes appropriations for the Commission.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to limit the number of Urban Area Security Initiative grants awarded and to clarify the risk assessment formula to be used when making such grants, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-6748
Sponsor: Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-18]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Emergency planning and evacuation
Homeland security
Terrorism
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to: (1) limit to 35 the number of Urban Area Security Initiative grants awarded; (2) require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), when weighing "threat," "vulnerability," and "consequences from acts of terrorism" in allocating funds, to assign to "threat" a value that is not less than 33%; and (3) apply minimum allocation requirements only to state Homeland Security grants. 
 
Requires the Administrator, in carrying out the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program, to disregard the tier system used to determine the award of such grants and to not make use of any similar system in making such awards. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Economic Credit Opportunity for Businesses Acting Green Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6749
Sponsor: Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-18]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax credits
Retail and wholesale trades
Solid waste and recycling

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Economic Credit Opportunity for Businesses Acting Green Act of 2008 or the ECOBAG Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow retailers a tax credit for up to 15% of the amount paid to implement an at-store recycling program for one or more types of plastic carry-out bags, film plastic, and other types of plastic specified by Treasury regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Whatever It Takes To Rebuild Act

Bill: 110-hr-6750
Sponsor: Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Collection of accounts
Disaster loans
Economics and Public Finance
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Interest
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Local budgets
State budgets
State finance

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Whatever It Takes to Rebuild Act - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to: (1) authorize the President to make disaster loans to any state government that suffers a substantial loss of tax and other revenue as a result of a major disaster and demonstrates a need for financial assistance in order to perform its governmental functions; (2) repeal the $5 million cap for disaster loans; and (3) exempt a disaster loan made to a state or local government that suffers a substantial loss of revenues as a result of a major disaster the President determines to be a catastrophic event from the percentage of the annual state or local government operating budget limitations and from the payment of any interest or principal.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1660)
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Gulf Coast Multifamily and Assisted Housing Recovery Act

Bill: 110-hr-6751
Sponsor: Rep. Melancon, Charlie [D-LA-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Apartment houses
Authorization
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cooperative societies
Disabled
Disaster relief
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Federal aid to housing
Government Operations and Politics
Home repair and improvement
Housing for the aged
Housing for the disabled
Hurricanes
Louisiana
Low-income housing
Nonprofit organizations
Rent
Residential rehabilitation
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Gulf Coast Multifamily and Assisted Housing Recovery Act - Amends the Housing Act of 1959 to authorize additional appropriations to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide assistance to private nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives to expand the supply of supportive housing for low-income elderly persons meeting certain criteria relating to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
 
 
Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to authorize additional appropriations to the Secretary to provide the same kind of assistance for low-income persons with disabilities.
 
Authorizes appropriations for the redevelopment (rebuilding or replacement) of housing authorized under the Housing Act of 1959 which was damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and in the Parish of St. Bernard.
 
Requires the Secretary to adjust the rent levels annually on a budget-based basis for eligible projects in a designated disaster area receiving rental assistance under the Housing Act of 1959 and the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.
 
Requires the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on: (1) the number of project-based assistance contracts and units which were terminated in the designated disaster area after September 30, 2005; and (2) the specific developer, project name, location, number of units, and project description for each such project-based assistance contract.
 
Prohibits a project-based assistance payments contract for a covered assisted multifamily housing project from expiring or being terminated because of the damage or destruction of dwelling units in the project by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
 
Deems the expiration date of such a contract to be the later of the date: (1) specified in the contract; or (2) that is not less than three months after the dwelling units in such project, or in a replacement project, are first made habitable.
 
Requires the Secretary to develop and report to specified congressional committees on a written disaster response plan for federally assisted properties that receive assistance pursuant to such Acts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Independent Drug Education and Outreach Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6752
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Commerce
Consumer education
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drug therapy
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Nonprescription drugs
Physicians
Prescription pricing

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Independent Drug Education and Outreach Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to award grants or contracts for: (1) the development and production of educational materials concerning the evidence available on the relative safety, effectiveness, and cost of prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and nondrug interventions for treating selected conditions, to be distributed and presented to health care providers who prescribe such drugs and their patients; and (2) the development and implementation of a program to appropriately train and deploy health professionals to distribute such materials to, and otherwise educate, physicians and other drug prescribers concerning such drugs and interventions. 

Requires that grantees receive no support from any entity that manufactures products used to treat the medical conditions discussed.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
To provide for the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp on the subject of inflammatory bowel disease.

Bill: 110-hr-6753
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Digestive and metabolic diseases
Postal service

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Directs the Postmaster General to issue a commemorative, first-class postage stamp on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two chronic digestive diseases collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
White Mountain Apache Tribe Rural Water System Loan Authorization Act

Bill: 110-hr-6754
Sponsor: Rep. Pastor, Ed [D-AZ-4]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Arizona
Colorado River development
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to Indians
Government lending
Infrastructure
Minorities
Water Resources Development
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
White Mountain Apache Tribe Rural Water System Loan Authorization Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to provide a loan to the White Mountain Apache Tribe to carry out planning, engineering, and design of the Miner Flat Project (defined as the White Mountain Apache Rural Water System) in Arizona.

Requires the zero-interest, 10-year loan to be repaid with funds from the Lower Colorado River Development Fund.

Directs the Secretary to offer to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Tribe for the planning, engineering, and design of the Project, which shall be in accordance with all federal environmental laws and subject to the requirements of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-25
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2008-08-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the alternative tax liability limitation for small property and casualty insurance companies.

Bill: 110-hr-6755
Sponsor: Rep. Pomeroy, Earl [D-ND-At Large]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Casualty insurance
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Insurance companies
Insurance premiums
Property insurance
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the eligibility of certain small insurance companies (other than life insurance companies) for the alternative corporate income tax by increasing the premium limitation used to determine such eligibility to $1.971 million (from $1.2 million), with an annual inflation adjustment to that increased amount after 2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Carbon Reduction Technology Bridge Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6756
Sponsor: Rep. Pomeroy, Earl [D-ND-At Large]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Air pollution control
Biomass energy
Bonds
Carbon cycle
Carbon dioxide
Coal
Depreciation and amortization
Electric power production
Energy
Environmental Protection
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Investment tax credit
Tax credits
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Carbon Reduction Technology Bridge Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) seven-year amortization of mechanical or electronic systems that are installed on a coal-fired electric generation unit after 2007 and that reduce carbon dioxide emissions; (2) a tax credit for the production of electricity using closed-loop biomass co-fired with coal; (3) a tax credit for investment in qualified clean coal electric generation units; (4) a tax credit for investment in carbon dioxide capture, transport, and storage property which is part of a qualified coal-fired electric generation unit; and (5) a tax credit for investment in clean energy coal bonds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Surface Transportation Safety Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6757
Sponsor: Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aging
Department of Transportation
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government information and archives
Pedestrians and bicycling
Railroads
Roads and highways
State and local finance
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Surface Transportation Safety Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to modify certain federal regulations to: (1) allow fire services personnel to wear high visibility apparel meeting certain requirements; and (2) ensure that positive protective measures (including temporary longitudinal traffic barriers) are used to separate workers on highway construction projects from motorized traffic.
 
Directs the Secretary to approve the use of federal-aid highway funds for patented or proprietary items that further the goals of state strategic highway safety plans.
 
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to revise the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to include a standard for a minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be maintained for pavement markings, which shall apply to all roads open to public travel.
 
Revises requirements for the highway safety improvement program to count installation, replacement, and upgrade of highway signs and pavement markings as a highway safety improvement project. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require each state to assess local government financial obligations to maintain minimum levels of retroreflectivity in traffic signs and pavement markings; and (2) provide local governments funding for at least 90% of such obligations.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) carry out a program to improve traffic signs and pavement markings for older drivers and pedestrians in all states; (2) review the safety of all highway-rail grade crossings in the United States and, based on such review, compile a list of the ten highway-rail grade crossings having the greatest need for safety improvements; and (3) establish a national database of information on the safety of highway-rail grade crossings in the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
Furthering Renewable Energy and Exploration Act

Bill: 110-hr-6758
Sponsor: Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3]
Introduced: 2008-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Agricultural practices and innovations
Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Alaska
Alternative and renewable resources
Arctic and polar regions
Energy research
Energy revenues and royalties
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government trust funds
Oil and gas
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: 
Furthering Renewable Energy and Exploration Act or the FREE Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to commence promptly an oil and gas leasing program for public lands within the Coastal Plain of Alaska.
 
Establishes in the Treasury the Energy Independence Trust Fund, into which shall be deposited: (1) rental payments and royalties received by the United States each fiscal year under leases issued under such program; and (2) federal income tax received by the United States each fiscal year attributable to sales of oil and gas produced under such leases.
 
Requires payment of the amounts deposited into the Fund each fiscal year of: (1) 50% to the state of Alaska; and (2) the remainder to the Secretary of Agriculture, half to provide business and industry loan guarantees under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, and half for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, in the succeeding fiscal year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-11-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research.
action_date: 2008-11-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture.
action_date: 2008-08-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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: 2008-07-31
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-07-31
text: Introduced in House