hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Global Autism Assistance Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2798
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Autism
Child health
Developing countries
Economic assistance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Health
Higher education
Medical education
Nongovernmental organizations
Teacher education
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Global Autism Assistance Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish and administer a health and education grant program (Global Autism Assistance Program) to: (1) support activities by nongovernmental organizations and other service providers, including advocacy groups, focused on autism in developing countries; and (2) establish a &quot;teach the teachers&quot; program to train health and education professionals working with autistic children in developing countries. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2799
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Afghanistan
Birth defects
Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuing education
Day care
Department of Veterans Affairs
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Education
Environmental Protection
Epidemiology
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Health
Health education
Health surveys
Higher education
Homeless
Housing and Community Development
Infants
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Maternal health services
Medical education
Medical research
Medical tests
Mental health
Mental health services
Middle East and North Africa
Military dependents
Military medicine
Military operations
Minorities
Physical examinations
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Pregnant women
Preventive medicine
Quality of care
Reproduction
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
South Asia
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care
War casualties
Women
Women soldiers
Women veterans
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) conduct a long-term epidemiological study on the health of women veterans who served on active duty in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; (2) assess barriers encountered by women veterans to the provision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of comprehensive health care; (3) assess all health care services and programs provided by the VA for women veterans; (4) study the health consequences on women veterans of active-duty service in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; (5) provide training and certification for mental health professionals who provide counseling and care to women veterans suffering from sexual trauma; (6) develop a program of training and certification for VA health care professionals on the effective treatment of women veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (7) carry out a pilot program of child care for certain women veterans receiving health care from VA facilities; (8) carry out a pilot program of reintegration and readjustment services in group retreat settings for women veterans recently separated from service after a prolonged deployment; and (9) ensure that there is at least one full-time women veterans program manager at each VA medical center.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to furnish care to a newborn child of a woman veteran receiving VA maternity care for up to 30 days after the birth of the child.
 
Requires women veterans recently separated from service to be included on the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans and the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Employment Access for Recidivism Reduction Nationwide

Bill: 110-s-2800
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
Ex-offenders
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Income tax
Rehabilitation of criminals
Surety and fidelity
Tax credits
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Employment Access for Recidivism Reduction Nationwide or the EARN Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to: (1) promote the work opportunity tax credit program by reducing backlogs of employer applications for certifications under such program and by increasing awareness of the availability of such credit; and (2) increase the number of fidelity bonds purchased and issued by states through the Federal Bonding Program. 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the work opportunity tax credit for employers who employ ex-felons hired under certain federal programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Mortgage Enhancement and Modification Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2801
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Finance and Financial Sector
Foreclosure
Investors
Law
Liability (Law)
Loan defaults
Losses
Mortgage banks
Mortgage interest rates
Mortgages
Secondary mortgage market

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Mortgage Enhancement and Modification Act of 2008 - Establishes a standard for loan modifications or workout plans for pools of certain residential mortgage loans.
 
 
States that a servicer of such pooled loans owes a duty to the securitization vehicle to maximize, or not negatively affect, the recovery of total proceeds from such loans for the benefit of all investors and holders of beneficial interests in the pooled loans, in the aggregate, and not to any individual party or group of parties.
 
Deems the loan servicer to be acting on behalf of the securitization vehicle in the best interest of all such investors and holders if the servicer: (1) makes reasonable, documented efforts to implement a modification or workout plan for a loan in or facing payment default; or (2) engages in other loss mitigation efforts, if the former efforts fail or the plan would be infeasible, in the reasonable belief that such efforts will maximize the net present value to be realized over that which would be realized through foreclosure. 
 
Declares, furthermore, that a servicer shall be deemed to be acting on behalf of the securitization vehicle in the best interest of all investors and beneficial interest holders if the servicer makes efforts to: (1) contact proactively borrowers approaching a calendar date in which a predetermined or contractually established rate of interest shall increase or fluctuate in accordance with specified indicators or within a predetermined range; and (2) determine the borrower's ability to make payments following a reset of interest rates, whether the borrower is in danger of default or disclosure, and whether a loan modification or other mitigation effort is appropriate.
 
Declares that, absent specific contractual provisions to the contrary, a servicer acting in a manner consistent with such duty shall not be liable to specified persons for entering into a qualified loan modification or workout plan for loss mitigation purposes.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission Act

Bill: 110-s-2802
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Commemorations
Subjects: Anniversaries
Armed Forces and National Security
Arts, Culture, Religion
Auditing
Black history
Blacks
Civil War
Colleges
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
History
Military history
Minorities
Museums
Social Welfare
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission to plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities appropriate to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, and to carry out other specified duties.
 
 
Directs the National Endowment for the Humanities to award grants for appropriate activities relating to the Civil War sesquicentennial, and to consider for such grants university, museum, or academic programs with national scope that sponsor multidisciplinary projects, including those that concentrate on the role of African Americans in the Civil War.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Charter and Recreational Fishing Collective Marketing Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2803
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Commerce
Corporations
Fishery management
Fishery products
Fishing
Fishing boats
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marketing
Sports and Recreation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Charter and Recreational Fishing Collective Marketing Act of 2008 - Authorizes persons engaged in the fishery industry as charter boat or recreational fishermen catching aquatic products to act together in associations in collectively catching, producing, and marketing such aquatic products, including implementing a vessel capacity reduction program, improving the operational and economic efficiency of a fishery, undertaking research, and improving the conservation and management of a fishery resource.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2358)
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2358)
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Everglades National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2804
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Boats and boating
Emergency Management
Everglades
Florida
Hurricanes
Land transfers
Law
Licenses
National parks
Sailing ships
Sports and Recreation
Transportation and Public Works
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Everglades National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2008 - Adjusts the boundary of the Everglades National Park in Florida to include the Tarpon Basin property comprising approximately 600 acres of land and water surrounding Tarpon Basin and located in South Key Largo. 

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire through a voluntary donation, sale, or exchange any land or interest in the Tarpon Basin property.

Requires the lands and waters added to the Park by this Act to be administered as part of the Park. 

Authorizes the Secretary to issue a permit to any owner of a sailing vessel who had secured the sailing vessel in Hurricane Hole to protect it from a tropical storm or hurricane. 

Allows the inclusion in such a permit of any term or condition determined necessary to protect the Park's resources and to ensure the safety of the public in the Park. 

action_date: 2008-06-16
text: 
Everglades National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2008 - Adjusts the boundary of the Everglades National Park in Florida to include the Tarpon Basin property comprising approximately 600 acres of land and water surrounding Hurricane Hole and located in South Key Largo. 

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire from willing sellers by donation, purchase, or exchange land, water, or interests in land and water, within the area identified on the map entitled &quot;Proposed Tarpon Basin Boundary Revision&quot; and dated May 2008, to be added to the Park. 

Requires the lands and waters added to the Park by this Act to be administered as part of the Park. 

Permits the Secretary to allow the use of Hurricane Hole by sailing vessels during emergencies. 

Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 804.
action_date: 2008-06-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-372.
action_date: 2008-06-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-372.
action_date: 2008-05-07
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-514.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2358-2359)
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding Deadline and California Waiver Reconsideration Act

Bill: 110-s-2806
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
California
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Law
Motor vehicle pollution control
Supreme Court decisions
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding Deadline and California Waiver Reconsideration Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not later than June 30, 2009, to reconsider, and confirm or reverse, the decision to deny California's request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles.

Requires the Administrator, not later than 60 days after this Act's enactment, to issue a finding in accordance with: (1) the Clean Air Act with respect to whether such emissions from one or more classes of new motor vehicles or engines causes or contributes to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare; and (2) the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 
Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency
. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2362)
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2361)
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Land and Liberty Protection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2807
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Affordable housing
Agriculture and Food
Animals
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commemorations
Commerce
Cost accounting
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Electric power distribution
Electric power transmission
Energy
Energy industries
Federal employees
Federal-local relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Firearms control
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Historic sites
History
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Internet
Land transfers
Law
Livestock
Maintenance and repair
National parks
Natural gas
Pipelines
Prospecting
Referendum
Right of property
Science, Technology, Communications
State laws
Web sites
Wildlife refuges

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Land and Liberty Protection Act of 2008 - Protecting Americans from Violent Crime Act of 2008 - Bars the promulgation and enforcement of regulations that prohibit individuals from possessing firearms in units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

Government Real Estate Accountability and Transparency Act of 2008 - Requires the submission of annual reports detailing the amount of land that is owned by the federal government and the costs of maintaining that land. 

No Trespassing Act of 2008 - Bars the Secretary of the Interior from approving a management plan for a National Heritage Area unless the local coordinating entity of the proposed Area notifies the individuals who reside or own property in that Area. Prohibits any National Park Service (NPS) employee or member of the local coordinating entity of a National Heritage Area from entering private property without the owner's consent. 

Taxpayer Property Protection Act of 2008 - Bars the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, and the Forest Service from assuming control of any land in a state unless the citizens of the political subdivisions in which the land is located approve the assumption of control by a referendum. 

Do No Harm Act of 2008 - Prohibits a National Heritage Area designation from taking effect until the President certifies that it will not cause an adverse impact on specified agriculture, livestock, energy, critical infrastructure, and housing concerns.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 623.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
No Trespassing Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2808
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commemorations
Department of the Interior
Federal employees
Government Operations and Politics
Historic sites
History
National parks
Right of property

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
No Trespassing Act of 2008 - Bars the Secretary of the Interior from approving a management plan for a National Heritage Area unless the local coordinating entity of the proposed Area provides written notification through the mail of the designation to each individual who resides, or owns property that is located, in that Area. 

Prohibits any employee of the National Park Service (NPS) or member of the local coordinating entity of a National Heritage Area (including any designee of the NPS or the local coordinating entity) from entering private property in such Area without the owner's written consent. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 624.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Do No Harm Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2809
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Affordable housing
Agriculture and Food
Animals
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commemorations
Commerce
Electric power distribution
Electric power transmission
Energy
Energy industries
Historic sites
History
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Livestock
Maintenance and repair
National parks
Natural gas
Pipelines
Prospecting
Right of property

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Do No Harm Act of 2008 - Prohibits a National Heritage Area designation from taking effect until the President certifies that it will not cause an adverse impact within the proposed Area on: (1) agricultural or livestock production; (2) energy exploration and production; (3) critical infrastructure, including the placement and maintenance of electric transmission and distribution lines, and natural gas pipelines; and (4) the affordability of housing.
 
Requires that the total deferred maintenance backlog in each state in which a proposed Area is located be not greater than $50 million.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 625.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Government Real Estate Accountability and Transparency Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2810
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Cost accounting
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Internet
Maintenance and repair
Science, Technology, Communications
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Government Real Estate Accountability and Transparency Act of 2008 - Requires the submission of annual reports: (1) describing the total quantity of land within the jurisdiction of the United States, the land that is owned by the federal government, and the land that is located within each state; (2) describing the total annual cost to the government for maintaining all parcels of administrative land and all administrative buildings or structures under the jurisdiction of each federal agency; and (3) listing and summarizing the unused or vacant assets of each agency and the estimated costs to the government of the maintenance backlog of each agency. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 626.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Taxpayer Property Protection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2811
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Federal-local relations
Government Operations and Politics
Land transfers
Referendum
Right of property

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: 
Taxpayer Property Protection Act of 2008 - Bars the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, and the Forest Service, from assuming control of any land located in a state unless the citizens of each political subdivision of that state in which a portion of the land is located approve the assumption of control by a referendum. Excludes national emergencies and land exchanges between private landowners and the federal government. 

Sets forth requirements for the duration and renewal of such an approval. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 627.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2008-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate