hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2662
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2008-02-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Cost control
Damages
Drug approvals
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health information systems
Health planning
Income
Insurance premiums
Labeling
Law
Legal fees
Limitation of actions
Medical economics
Medical fees
Medical malpractice
Medical records
Medical supplies
Medicare
Packaging
Performance measurement
Physicians
Prescription pricing
Preventive medicine
Product safety
Products liability
Punitive damages
Quality of care
Social Welfare
Standards
Subsidies

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: 
Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop and implement a system for encouraging nationwide adoption and use of interoperable electronic health records and to make available personal health records for Medicare beneficiaries; (2) develop and implement a plan for ensuring that, by the year 2013, quality measures are available and reported with respect to at least 50% of the care provided under the Medicare program; (3) design and implement a system under which a portion of Medicare payments that would otherwise be made to some or all classes of individuals and entities furnishing items or services to beneficiaries would be based on the quality and efficiency of their performance; (4) implement incentives for Medicare beneficiaries to use more efficient providers and preventive services known to reduce costs; and (5) use and release Medicare data for quality improvement, performance measurement, public reporting, and treatment-related purposes. 
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize the public release of physician performance measurements. 
 
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2008 - Sets conditions for health care lawsuits to: (1) require commencement of such lawsuits within three years after manifestation or one year after discovery of injury; (2) limit noneconomic damages and attorneys' contingent fees; (3) prescribe requirements for determining punitive damages; (4) deny punitive damages in the case of products approved, cleared, or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or otherwise considered in compliance with FDA standards; and (4) authorize periodic payment of future damages.
 
Amends SSA title XVIII part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) to require high income-related reductions in the part D premium subsidy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1127)
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect America Short-term Extension Act

Bill: 110-s-2664
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2008-02-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appellate procedure
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Counterintelligence
Courts of special jurisdiction
Crime and Law Enforcement
Electronic surveillance
Law
Right of privacy
Warrants (Law)

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: 
Protect America Short-term Extension Act - Amends the Protect America Act of 2007 to extend its authority until 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
 
 States that the preceding amendment shall take effect as if enacted on February 15, 2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 583.
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1139)
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect America Long-term Extension Act

Bill: 110-s-2665
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2008-02-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appellate procedure
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Counterintelligence
Courts of special jurisdiction
Crime and Law Enforcement
Electronic surveillance
Law
Right of privacy
Warrants (Law)

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: 
Protect America Long-term Extension Act - Amends the Protect America Act of 2007 to extend its authority until July 1, 2009.
 
States that the preceding amendment shall take effect as if enacted on February 15, 2008. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 584.
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1139)
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Affordable Housing Investment Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2666
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2008-02-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Affordable housing
Armed Forces and National Security
Bonds
Department of the Treasury
Disaster relief
Displaced homemakers
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Families
Federal aid to housing
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Law
Low-income housing
Minimum tax
Mortgages
Real estate appraisal
Rental housing
Residential rehabilitation
Rural housing
Single-parent families
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Tax exemption
Taxation
Veterans' loans

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: 
 Affordable Housing Investment Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise and enhance tax incentives for investment in affordable housing, including by: (1) renaming the low-income housing tax credit as the affordable housing credit; (2) revising the applicable percentage rates for such credit; (3) increasing the amount of such credit for low-income buildings that are part of state-designated projects; (4) revising rules for the treatment of scattered site and rural residential rental housing projects; (5) permitting affordable housing credits for federally-assisted moderate rehabilitation developments; (6) allowing an offset against alternative minimum tax liability for affordable housing tax credit amounts; (7) exempting interest on certain exempt private activity bonds, qualified mortgage revenue bonds, qualified veterans' mortgage bonds, and certain exempt facility bonds used for residential rental projects from the alternative minimum tax; and (8) allowing the use of mortgage revenue bonds to provide housing assistance for disaster victims, single parents, and displaced homemakers.

Repeals: (1) rules requiring recapture of income from sales of low-income buildings that are reasonably expected to be operated on a low-income basis; and (2) requirements to use repayments of mortgage revenue bonds for redemptions. 

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to modify regulations for the low-income housing tax credit to disregard certain housing assistance grants for purposes of making reductions in the basis of property eligible for such credit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1140-1142)
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1139-1140)
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act

Bill: 110-s-2667
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-02-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to law enforcement
Florida
Missing children

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: 
A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act - Directs the Attorney General to make annual grants to the A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center to assist federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in recovering missing children. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Modernize Our Bookkeeping In the Law for Employee's Cell Phone Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2668
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-02-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business records
Commerce
Depreciation and amortization
Income tax
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax deductions
Telephone
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: 
Modernize Our Bookkeeping In the Law for Employee's Cell Phone Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to remove certain limitations on the tax deduction for employee use of cellular telephones.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1203)
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1203)
action_date: 2008-02-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Teaming with Wildlife Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2670
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2008-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Animals
Continental shelf
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Environmental Protection
Gas in submerged lands
Geothermal resources
Government trust funds
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mining royalties
Oil and gas leases
Oil and gas royalties
Oil well drilling
Petroleum in submerged lands
Restoration ecology
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: 
Teaming with Wildlife Act of 2008 - Amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to the federal aid to wildlife restoration fund for deposit in the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account for each of FY2010-FY2015 specified funds from: (1) amounts received from rents, royalties, and other sums paid to the Secretary or the Secretary of the Navy under leases on the outer Continental Shelf; and (2) amounts received from sales, bonuses, and royalties collected under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 and from rentals of public lands under the Mineral Leasing Act and the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Financial Literacy Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2671
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2008-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Commerce
Consumer education
Economics and Public Finance
Educational accountability
Educational counseling
Educational tests
Elementary and secondary education
Federal aid to education
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial services
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Higher education
Nonprofit organizations
Personal budgets
Standards
Student activities
Teacher education

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: 
Financial Literacy Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award formula matching grants to states or partnerships between states and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education programs.
 
Requires grantees to use 25% of the grant funds to: (1) develop financial literacy standards and assessments for at least three grade levels; (2) create teacher training programs to embed financial literacy or personal finance education into core academic subjects; and (3) evaluate the impact such education has on students' financial literacy.
 
Requires the remaining grant funds to be used for subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and community organizations, local businesses, or other educational entities to implement such financial literacy activities, including student assessments and teacher training. 
 
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or partnerships between IHEs and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education programs for activities that increase student knowledge in consumer, economic, and personal financial concepts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Conrad State 30 Improvement Act

Bill: 110-s-2672
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2008-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Access to health care
Alien labor
Education
Foreign-trained physicians
Health
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Medical education
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: 
Conrad State 30 Improvement Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to make the the J-1 visa waiver (Conrad state 30/medical services in underserved areas) program permanent.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) revise entry provisions for H-1B visa foreign medical graduates and provide for an increase in the annual per-state cap of 30 foreign doctors; (2) exempt from worldwide immigration numerical limitations alien physicians who have completed service requirements of a state waiver or exemption, including alien physicians who completed such service before the date of the enactment of this Act; and (3) increase Conrad program waiver authority with respect to alien physicians in facilities that treat patients from, but that may not be located in, a medically underserved area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1272-1273)
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10799 West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, Colorado, as the "Felix Sparks Post Office Building".

Bill: 110-s-2673
Sponsor: Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO]
Introduced: 2008-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Colorado
Congressional tributes
Government Operations and Politics
History
Judges
Law
Names
Postal facilities
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10799 West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, Colorado, as the "Felix Sparks Post Office Building."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-12
text: Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4046)
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 696.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2008-03-28
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1386)
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1386)
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 West Greenway Street in Derby, Kansas, as the "Sergeant Jamie O. Maugans Post Office Building".

Bill: 110-s-2675
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2008-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Army
Congressional tributes
Government Operations and Politics
Kansas
Military personnel
Names
Postal facilities

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 West Greenway Street in Derby, Kansas, as the "Sergeant Jamie O. Maugans Post Office Building."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-12
text: Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4046)
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 679.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-04-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2008-03-28
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Common Sense Indian Gambling Reform Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2676
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2008-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Administrative fees
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Gambling
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Indian economic development
Indian lands
Labor and Employment
Land use
Law
Minorities
Personnel records
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sports and Recreation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: 
Common Sense Indian Gambling Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to revise requirements for the exemption of Indian land from gaming prohibitions.

Requires: (1) the governor and the legislative body of the state in which a gaming activity is proposed to concur with the Secretary of the Interior's determination that the activity would be in the best interest of the tribe and not have a negative impact; and (2) the land to be land within a state in which the tribe is primarily located and land on which the primary geographic, social, and historical nexus is located.

Adds as conditions for class II or class III gaming that it be conducted on: (1) lands that were Indian lands before enactment of this Act; or (2) land taken into trust for an Indian tribe after enactment, but only if the application requesting that the land be taken into trust stated the tribe's intent to conduct such gaming activities on the land.

Authorizes the Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission to: (1) approve the involvement in a gaming activity of any one of the ten persons or entities that have the highest financial interest in the activity; (2) investigate gaming activities and conduct background investigations of such persons or entities; and (3) audit and inspect class III gaming on Indian lands. Requires tribal ordinances to provide the Commission will conduct background investigations on tribal gaming commissioners, key tribal gaming employees, primary management officials, and key employees of the gaming enterprise.

Revises the cap on the total fees to be paid to the Commission during any fiscal year by gaming operations conducting regulated class II and III gaming activities.

Requires Indian tribes, before using lands for class II or III gaming, to: (1) submit to the Secretary an environmental impact statement; and (2) obtain the Secretary's consent with respect to the change in use of the lands.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Supporting Education for Returning Veterans Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2677
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2008-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Compensatory education
Counseling
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Educational accountability
Educational counseling
Educational planning
Federal aid to education
Health
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Mental health services
Psychotherapy
School health programs
Social Welfare
Student activities
Student aid
Student housing
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' education
Veterans' organizations
Vocational guidance

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: 
Supporting Education for Returning Veterans Act of 2008 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award three-year grants to institutions of higher education to establish programs that support veterans who are students by providing and coordinating services that address their academic, financial, physical, and social needs.
 
Requires each grantee to establish a campus Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success that provides a single point of contact for the coordination of comprehensive support services for students who are veterans.
 
Requires the Secretary to develop an evaluation and accountability plan for measuring the effect such programs have on veterans' success in postsecondary education.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Children of Military Families Natural Born Citizen Act

Bill: 110-s-2678
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2008-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Citizenship
Constitutional law
Families
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Military dependents
Naturalization
Presidential elections

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: 
Children of Military Families Natural Born Citizen Act - Declares that the term &quot;natural born Citizen&quot; in article II, section 1, clause 5 of the Constitution, dealing with the criteria for election to President of the United States, includes any person born to any U.S. citizen while serving in the active or reserve components of the U.S. armed forces.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Support for the Museum of the History of Polish Jews Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2679
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Economic assistance
Europe
History
Jewish holocaust (1939-1945)
Jews
Museums
Poland
Religion
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: 
Support for the Museum of the History of Polish Jews Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of State, from funds made available to the Secretary for assistance under the Support For East European Democracy (SEED) Act, to provide up to a specified amount in assistance to fund the establishment of, and maintain the permanent collection of, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, Poland. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate