hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
National Park Service Special Resource Studies and Technical Corrections Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3051
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: American Revolution
Armed Forces and National Security
Boundaries
Commemorations
Congressional reporting requirements
Governmental investigations
Historic sites
History
Military bases
Military history
Military parks
National parks
Puerto Rico
South Carolina

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Battle of Camden Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the national significance of the site of the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, and of Historic Camden, South Carolina (study area), and to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as one or more units of the National Park System. 

action_date: 2008-09-16
text: 
National Park Service Special Resource Studies and Technical Corrections Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of: (1) designating the site of the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, and of Historic Camden, South Carolina, as a unit or units of the National Park System; and (2) including Fort San Geronimo and other related resources in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as part of the San Juan National Historic Site. 

Makes technical corrections and conforming amendments to various acts concerning specified areas, forests, trails, and other matters.

Renames the Gaylord A. Nelson Wilderness as the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness. 

Provides for the House Committee on Natural Resources (under current law, the Committee on House Administration) to be notified of a recommendation that a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs should be located in Area I. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 996.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide grants for eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals.

Bill: 110-s-3053
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Commerce
Consumer education
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Labor and Employment
Old age assistance
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Personal budgets
Women
Women's retirement

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Amends part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to enable eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals, including family members and legal representatives of such individuals.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make such a grant to a national support center to: (1) coordinate services provided through the grant program; and (2) support grant recipients.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4796-4797)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4796)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require all automobiles manufactured or sold in the United States to be equipped with a real time and average fuel economy display.

Bill: 110-s-3054
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Automobiles
Energy
Fuel consumption

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Requires automobiles manufactured or sold in the United States, beginning with model year 2013, to be equipped with a real time and average fuel economy display that is visible to the driver.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the rate of the excise tax on certain wooden arrows designed for use by children.

Bill: 110-s-3055
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Outdoor recreation
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the excise tax on bows and arrows certain shafts consisting of all natural wood which after assembly measure 5/16 of an inch or less in diameter and which are not suitable for use with bows that would otherwise be subject to such tax (having a peak draw weight of 30 pounds or more).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4797)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4797)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Oil Savings Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3056
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Automobiles
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Energy conservation
Energy policy
Energy security
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Fuel
Fuel consumption
Government Operations and Politics
Legislation
Motor vehicle pollution control
Petroleum
Standards
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Oil Savings Act of 2008 - States that it is U.S. policy to reduce the dependence of the United States on oil and thereby: (1) alleviate the strategic dependence of the United States on oil-producing countries; (2) reduce the economic vulnerability of the United States; and (3) reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with oil use.

Directs an Interagency Task Force, composed of the Secretaries of Energy, Transportation, Defense, Agriculture, and the Treasury, as well as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and any other agency head determined appropriate by the President, to: (1) publish an action plan for achieving specified oil savings targets during calendar years 2016, 2026, and 2030; and (2) report to Congress on the progress achieved in implementing such targets and expected oil savings under the action plan. Requires the plan to include an analysis demonstrating expected oil savings that result from changes to motor vehicle fuel consumption standards and under the renewable fuel program.

Requires a revised action plan if oil savings fall short of targets.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Military Family Separation Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3057
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Families
Indexing (Economic policy)
Military dependents
Military pay

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Military Family Separation Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008 - Entitles a member of the Armed Forces without dependents, in addition to certain other allowances or per diems, to a monthly allowance if the member is, for over 30 days, on: (1) duty on board a ship away from home port; or (2) temporary duty away from the member's permanent station.
 
Sets the allowance amount at one-half the amount of the monthly allowance under existing family separation allowance provisions.
 
Requires an annual increase in the family separation allowance based on the Consumer Price Index.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4797)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Conflict Coltan and Cassiterite Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3058
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional oversight
Crime and Law Enforcement
Customs administration
Democratic Republic of Congo
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Forfeiture
Government Operations and Politics
Human rights
Import restrictions
International law
Law
Minerals
President and foreign policy
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Searches and seizures

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Conflict Coltan and Cassiterite Act of 2008 - Directs the President to develop, and submit to Congress, a list of groups (including army units) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that commit serious human rights or international humanitarian law violations or crimes under international law.

Prohibits the importation of products from the DRC that contain or are derived from columbite-tantalite or cassiterite, including such products that are mined or produced and benefit such groups, until the President certifies to Congress that such violations and crimes have ceased. 

Makes it unlawful for a person to violate such prohibition. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for such violations, including seizure and forfeiture for any violations of other U.S. customs laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Commercial Truck Fuel Savings Demonstration Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3059
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Congress
Congressional investigations
Diesel motor
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Energy prices
Federal aid to transportation
Highway finance
Traffic accidents and safety
Trucks

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Commercial Truck Fuel Savings Demonstration Act of 2008 - Prohibits any reduction of an apportionment of federal-aid highway funds to a state that allows the operation of certain commercial truck vehicles weighing over 80,000 pounds on Interstate System highways in the state when the weighted average retail price of retail number 2 diesel in the United States is $3.50 or more per gallon.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to study the effects on the overall highway safety in participating states.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4797-4798)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 37, United States Code, to require the payment of monthly special pay for members of the uniformed services whose service on active duty is extended by a stop-loss order or similar mechanism, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3060
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Military pay
Military pensions
Recruiting and enlistment

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Entitles a member of the uniformed services to additional pay of $1,500 per month while the member's service is extended, or eligibility for retirement is suspended, by the exercise of any provision of law commonly referred to as a &quot;stop-loss authority.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Oil Shale Regulatory Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3062
Sponsor: Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Department of the Interior
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Oil and gas leases
Oil shales
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Oil Shale Regulatory Act of 2008 - Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 to repeal its prohibition against the use of funds to: (1) publish regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public lands; or (2) conduct certain oil shale lease sales.

Amends the Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Other Strategic Unconventional Fuels Act of 2005 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) instruct the Secretary of the Interior to publish final regulations establishing a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands not earlier than 90 days (currently, not later than six months) after completion of a specified programmatic environmental impact statement; and (2) authorize the Secretary, not earlier than December 31, 2011, to conduct a lease sale for oil shale and tar sands in a state that expresses support and interest in the development of tar sands and oil shale resources.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4801-4803)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
S Corporation Modernization Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3063
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting
Aliens
Capital gains tax
Charitable contributions
Commerce
Corporation taxes
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Individual retirement accounts
Labor and Employment
Law
Small business
Stockholders
Tax administration
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Trusts and trustees

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
S Corporation Modernization Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax treatment of S corporations by: (1) reducing from 10 to seven years the period during which S corporation built-in gains are subject to tax; (2) repealing mandatory termination of S corporation elections for excessive passive investment income; (3) allowing S corporations to increase passive investment income from 25 to 60% without incurring additional tax; (4) allowing nonresident aliens to be potential current beneficiaries of an electing small business trust (ESBT); (5) allowing individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to be S corporation shareholders; and (6) allowing ESBTs to claim expanded charitable tax deductions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4803)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Oral Health Initiative Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3064
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Child health
Dental care
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive reorganization
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Medicaid
Medically uninsured
Preventive medicine
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Oral Health Initiative Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an Oral Health Working Group to: (1) review the effectiveness of, and recommend improvements to, existing federal oral health programs; and (2) develop programs to improve the oral health of, and prevent dental disease in, children, Medicaid-eligible adults, medically-compromised adults, and other vulnerable populations at the highest risk of dental disease.
 
Sets forth duties for the Group, including to: (1) review existing oral health programs and policies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); (2) identify opportunities for new programs; and (3) make recommendations for improvements to the financing of oral health care.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish an advisory panel to provide advise and recommendations to the Group.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Browns Canyon Wilderness Act

Bill: 110-s-3066
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Colorado
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Government Operations and Politics
Maps
National forests
Wilderness areas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Browns Canyon Wilderness Act - Designates certain lands in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and certain lands in the Royal Gorge Resource Area of the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System to be known as Browns Canyon Wilderness.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Dental Health Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3067
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Authorization
Dental care
Dentists
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to health facilities
Higher education
Medical education
Medical fees
Medically uninsured
Public health personnel
Scholarships
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Dental Health Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to condition eligibility for loan repayment programs on dentists meeting any (rather than all) of the following requirements: (1) agreeing to practice in designated dental health professional shortage areas; (2) being dental school graduates and agreeing to serve as public health dentists for the federal, state, or local government; or (3) agreeing to provide services to patients regardless of ability to pay and using a sliding payment scale for patients who are unable to pay the total cost of services.

Reauthorizes appropriations for grants to states for programs to address the dental workforce needs of designated dental health professional shortage areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4803)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-3068
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Ambulatory care
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Coinsurance
Commerce
Consumer education
Contraceptives
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Drugs
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health insurance
Insurance companies
Labor and Employment
Medical economics
Physical examinations
Rebates
Standards
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 2007 [
sic
] - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing group coverage, from: (1) excluding or restricting benefits for prescription contraceptive drugs, devices, and outpatient services if the plan provides benefits for other outpatient prescription drugs, devices, or outpatient services; (2) denying eligibility based on use or potential use of such items or services; (3) providing monetary payments or rebates to a covered individual to encourage acceptance of less than the minimum protections available; (4) penalizing, reducing, or limiting a professional's reimbursement because the professional prescribed such drugs or devices or provided such services; or (5) providing incentives to a professional to induce the professional to withhold such drugs, devices, or services. Applies such prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4803-4804)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 110-s-3070
Sponsor: Sen. Sessions, Jeff [R-AL]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Anniversaries
Boy Scouts
Coins and coinage
Copper
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Silver
Subsidies

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America.

Requires the coin design to be emblematic of the 100 years of the organization.

Restricts issuance of such coins to February 8 through December 31, 2010.

Subjects coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin.

Requires payment of such surcharges to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, to be made available to local councils in the form of grants for the extension of Scouting in hard-to-serve areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to temporarily prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from considering global climate change as a natural or manmade factor in determining whether a species is a threatened or endangered species, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3071
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2008-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Air pollution control
Animals
China
Climate change and greenhouse gases
East Asia
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
India
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
South Asia
Treaties

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: 
Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from considering global climate change as a natural or manmade factor in the determination as to whether a species is threatened or endangered until the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notifies the Secretary that: (1) each major emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) (specifically including China, India, and the United States) has ratified an international agreement to reduce the quantity of GHGs emitted; and (2) any such emitter found to not to be in compliance with such agreement, in any year, becomes compliant. 

Makes this Act effective as of January 1, 2006.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4804-4805)
action_date: 2008-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate