hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Missing Mercury in Manufacturing Monitoring and Mitigation Act

Bill: 110-s-1818
Sponsor: Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Business records
Child health
Chlorine
Commerce
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Environmental research
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health surveys
Labor and Employment
Law
Manufacturing industries
Mercury
Occupational health and safety
Science, Technology, Communications
Storage
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Missing Mercury in Manufacturing Monitoring and Mitigation Act - Declares that the United States should develop policies and programs that will reduce: (1) mercury use and emissions; (2) mercury releases from the reservoir of mercury currently in use or circulation; and (3) exposures to mercury, particularly exposures of women of childbearing age and young children.

Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit the manufacture of chlorine or caustic soda using mercury cells, effective January 1, 2012. Requires the owner or operator of each chlor-alkali facility to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator and the state in which the facility is located an annual report for 2008-2012 concerning mercury waste, emissions, and content in products.

Requires EPA to conduct a comprehensive mercury inventory covering the life and closure of chlor-alkali facilities that cease operations on or after July 1, 2008. 

Establishes the Mercury Storage Advisory Committee, which shall report to Congress on: (1) requirements necessary to prevent the release of, or worker exposure to, elemental mercury; and (2) annual costs of, federal facilities needed for, barriers to, and an optimal plan for, mercury storage. 

Requires: (1) EPA to establish regulations to facilitate the transfer and storage of mercury located at closed facilities; and (2) beginning on July 1, 2008, the transfer of elemental mercury located at a closed facility that has ceased operations to a storage facility established by EPA in accordance with such regulations.

Requires EPA, in coordination with the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Administrator, by July 1, 2009, to conduct a health assessment of employees at chlor-alkali facilities that continue to operate as of July 1, 2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9615)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 to modify a deadline relating to a certain election by Indian tribes.

Bill: 110-s-1819
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child sexual abuse
Ex-offenders
Families
Indian children
Indian law enforcement
Minorities
Sex offenders

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Amends the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 to extend until July 27, 2008, the deadline for an Indian tribe to elect to participate as a jurisdiction in the sex offender registration program under such Act or delegate its functions to another jurisdiction.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to better provide for compensation for certain persons injured in the course of employment at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California.

Bill: 110-s-1820
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Armed Forces and National Security
California
Claims
Compensation (Law)
Department of Energy
Energy
Environmental Protection
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Health
Labor and Employment
Laboratories
Nuclear facilities
Nuclear weapons
Occupational health and safety
Radiation victims
Science, Technology, Communications
Workers' compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Amends the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 to include within the meaning of the term &#147;member of the Special Exposure Cohort&#148; a Department of Energy (DOE) employee, DOE contractor employee, or atomic weapons employee who was so employed for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days before January 1, 2006, at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California.
 
Provides that a claim that an individual qualifies for compensation or benefits under such Act shall be considered notwithstanding any denial of any other claim for compensation with respect to such individual.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9616)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9615-9616)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the closure or relocation of any county, local, or field office of the Farm Service Agency or Natural Resources Conservation Service or any office related to the rural development mission of the Department of Agriculture until at least 1 year after the enactment of an Act to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs after fiscal year 2007.

Bill: 110-s-1821
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Authorization
Congress
Department of Agriculture
Economics and Public Finance
Executive reorganization
Federal office buildings
Government Operations and Politics
Housing and Community Development
Legislation
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Relocation
Rural economic development

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from closing or relocating any county, local, or field office of the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any rural development-related office of the Department of Agriculture until at least one year after the date of enactment of an Act to provide for the post-FY2007 continuation of agricultural programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Interest Relief Act

Bill: 110-s-1822
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Government lending
Higher education
Interest
Married people
Military dependents
Military operations
Military personnel
National Guard
Student loan funds
Veterans' benefits
War

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Interest Relief Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that no interest shall accrue on student loans under the Federal Direct Loan program for individuals and the spouses of individuals who are serving on active duty or performing National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency. Limits receipt of such benefit to 60 months.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Ready to Learn Act

Bill: 110-s-1823
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Building construction
Child development
Class size
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Continuing education
Curricula
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Educational tests
Elementary and secondary education
English language
Families
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Illiteracy
Literacy programs
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
School buildings
Social Welfare
Standards
Teacher education
Teacher salaries
Teachers

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Ready to Learn Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states and, through them, subgrants to schools, child care entities, Head Start programs, or other community-based prekindergarten providers for full day voluntary prekindergarten programs that prepare four-year olds for school.
 
Requires that such programs: (1) first serve children whose family income is no higher than 200% of the poverty level or who are limited English proficient; (2) ensure that, within two years of grant receipt, each classroom is taught by a teacher who has at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or such a degree and specialized training in early childhood development; (3) use curricula that are aligned with state early learning standards; and (4) have teacher-child ratios of no more than 1 to 10 and group sizes of no more than 20.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9616-9617)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1824
Sponsor: Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accreditation (Medical care)
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Electronic government information
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health information systems
Hospital care
Hospital personnel
Medical records
Medical research
Medicare
Mental health services
Quality of care
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Telemedicine
Translating and interpreting

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative under the Medicare program to report on health care quality in subsection (d) hospitals.

Directs the Administrator to establish the Hospital Quality Advisory Committee to advise on the submission, collection, and reporting of quality measures data.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9617)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Commission on Wartime Contracting Establishment Act

Bill: 110-s-1825
Sponsor: Sen. Webb, Jim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Afghanistan
Americans in foreign countries
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Auditing
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Defense contracts
Department of Defense
Department of State
Economics and Public Finance
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Finance and Financial Sector
Fraud
Government contractors
Governmental investigations
Inspectors general
International Affairs
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Logistics
Middle East and North Africa
Military occupation
Military operations
Private police
Security measures
South Asia
War relief
Waste in government spending

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Commission on Wartime Contracting Establishment Act - Establishes the Commission on Wartime Contracting to investigate and report to Congress on federal agency contracting for: (1) the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan; and (2) the logistical support of coalition forces and the performance of security and intelligence functions in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Includes contracts entered into and/or performed in both in the United States and abroad.

Requires the Commission to assess: (1) the extent and impact of reliance on contractors; (2) the extent of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement under such contracts and the extent to which those responsible have been held accountable; and (3) the appropriateness of the organizational structure, policies, and practices of the Department of Defense and the Department of State for handling contingency contract management and support. 

Requires the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction to conduct audits to identify potential waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in the performance of: (1) Department of Defense contracts for the logistical support of coalition forces in such Operations; and (2) federal contracts for the performance of security, intelligence, and reconstruction functions in such Operations. Prohibits the termination of the Office of such Special Inspector General until 60 days after the Commission's final report. Reaffirms the Special Inspector General's duties and responsibilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9617-9619)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to add Kentucky State University to the list of schools eligible for assistance under part B of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Bill: 110-s-1826
Sponsor: Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Black colleges
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to education
Graduate education
Higher education
Kentucky
Minorities
Minority education

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include the Kentucky State University qualified graduate program on the list of graduate schools and programs that the Secretary of Education may deem eligible for title III Institutional Aid due to their making substantial contributions to providing Black Americans with graduate education opportunities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Pharmacist Access and Recognition in Medicare (PhARM) Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1827
Sponsor: Sen. Cochran, Thad [R-MS]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Ambulatory care
Commerce
Community health services
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Drug therapy
Drug utilization
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Intellectual property
Labeling
Managed care
Medical economics
Medicare
Names
Pharmacies
Pharmacists
Prescription pricing
Quality of care
Social Welfare
Trademarks

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Pharmacist Access and Recognition in Medicare (PhARM) Act of 2007 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require prompt payment of clean claims to pharmacies by prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans. Defines prompt payment as within 14 days from submission for claims submitted electronically, and within 30 days for claims submitted otherwise. Requires payment of interest, also, if a payment is not issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted within the applicable number of calendar days. 

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

Revises requirements for a covered medication therapy management program, allowing it to be furnished by a health care provider, other than a pharmacist, with advanced training in medication management. 

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to specify: (1) the population of part D eligible individuals appropriate for services under a medication therapy management program, based on certain characteristics; and (2) a minimum defined package of medication therapy management services that shall be provided to each enrollee.

Revises requirements for pharmacy fees.

Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a two-year demonstration program to examine the impact of medication therapy management furnished by a pharmacist in a community-based or ambulatory-based setting on quality of care, spending, and patient health; and (2) a Best Practices Commission to develop a best practices model for medication therapy management.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9619)
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Interest Relief Act

Bill: 110-s-1830
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces abroad
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Government lending
Higher education
Interest
Married people
Military dependents
Military operations
Military personnel
National Guard
Student loan funds
Veterans' benefits
War

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Interest Relief Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that no interest shall accrue on student loans under the Federal Direct Loan program for individuals and the spouses of individuals who are serving on active duty or performing National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency. Limits receipt of such benefit to 60 months.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Private Student Loan Disclosure Enhancement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1831
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil actions and liability
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Consumer education
Debtor and creditor
Economics and Public Finance
Federal Reserve System
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Finance charges
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Higher education
Interest
Interest rates
Law
Liability (Law)
Limitation of actions
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Private Student Loan Disclosure Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to subject private education loans to its consumer credit disclosure requirements.
 
Sets forth the private student loan terms and conditions which lenders must clearly and conspicuously disclose to borrowers in any application or solicitation for such a loan and contemporaneously with the approval of a private student loan application. Gives private student loan borrowers 30 days after the loan is approved and the required loan disclosure information is received to accept and consummate the loan transaction.
 
Subjects lenders to civil liability for violating such requirements. Requires civil actions to be brought within one year after the first monthly payment on the loan becomes due after the borrower leaves school, unless full repayment begins earlier. 
 
Requires private student loan providers, when making the required loan disclosures, to inform borrowers of their possible eligibility for federal educational loans. Requires the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to develop and test a student borrower disclosure statement that encourages students to use federal educational loans and discloses their average interest rate and the fact that they are less costly than private education loans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1832
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Africa
Asia
Authorization
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Elephants
Environmental Protection
Environmental law enforcement
Export controls
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Import restrictions
Ivory
Protection of animals
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Rhinoceroses
Tigers
Wild animal trade
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Authorizes appropriations to carry out the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, and the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 for FY2007-FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Children's Products Safety Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1833
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2007-07-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Child safety
Families
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Import restrictions
Manufacturing industries
Product safety
Standards
Toys

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: 
Children's Products Safety Act of 2007 - Amends the Consumer Product Safety Act to require every manufacturer of an article for use by a child under 60 months of age which is subject to a consumer product safety standard administered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) declaring a consumer product a banned hazardous product to certify, based on testing conducted by a nongovernmental independent third party, that the product conforms to such standard or is not a banned hazardous product.
 
Bars importation of such articles lacking independent third party certification.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Introduced in Senate