hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
International Mental Disability and Mental Trauma Care Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2752
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2008-03-12 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Access to health care
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Disabled
Education
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Health
Higher education
International relief
Medical education
Mental health services
Mentally disabled
Quality of care
Technical assistance
Trauma care

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: 
International Mental Disability and Mental Trauma Care Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to award grants to nongovernmental organizations (including faith-based and community-based organizations) and individuals to: (1) provide training and technical expertise for foreign governments in the adoption of a national mental disability and mental trauma care framework; (2) initiate system reform of mental disability and mental trauma care; (3) provide training for disability and mental trauma care providers; or (4) provide direct, short-term emergency mental trauma assistance for the victims of humanitarian or political crises. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2008)
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Credit Card Reform Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2753
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-03-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Commerce
Consumer credit
Consumer education
Contracts
Credit cards
Families
Interest rates
Youth

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: 
Credit Card Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to permit a consumer reporting agency to furnish a consumer report in connection with any credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated by the consumer only if the report indicates that the consumer is age 21 or older. Allows 18-year olds to elect to have their name and address included in any agency list. 
 
Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a credit card issuer from changing the terms of a credit card under an open end consumer credit plan: (1) before the scheduled contract expiration or renewal date; and (2) until the issuer has published all contract changes in any mandatory disclosures. 
 
Establishes a cardholder right to repay all existing balances on a terminated or expired credit card account under the terms of the account in effect before the termination or expiration.
 
Imposes limits upon increases of interest rates and finance charges on a credit card account before its scheduled renewal date.
 
Permits an increase in the annual percentage rate (APR) as a penalty only for specific, material contract violations of a consumer directly related to the account that are specified in the contract as grounds for an increase. 
 
Bans retroactive rate increases.

Prohibits a credit card issuer from imposing adverse consequences for late payment if the cardholder's payment is postmarked or initiated by electronic funds transfer on or before the required postmark date. 
 
Requires a credit card issuer to verify, when the account is opened or the credit limit increased, that the consumer will be able to make the scheduled payments, based on a consideration of current and expected income, current obligations, and employment status.
 
Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to redefine &quot;firm offer of credit or insurance&quot; to require the offer to specify all material terms, including APR, fees, and the applicable amount of credit or credit limit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-03-12
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the definition of refined coal.

Bill: 110-s-2754
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Air pollution control
Coal
Electric power production
Energy
Environmental Protection
Income tax
Mercury
Nitrogen oxides
Sulphur dioxide
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of &quot;refined coal&quot; for purposes of the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources to include certain emission reduction certification requirements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Summer Jobs Stimulus Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2755
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Appropriations
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Summer employment
Youth employment

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Summer Jobs Stimulus Act of 2008 - Makes appropriations to the Secretary of Labor for summer youth employment opportunities directly linked to academic and occupational learning for the period of April 1-December 31, 2008. Prohibits the use of such funds for statewide workforce investment activities or the award of certain youth opportunity grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/14/2008 S2138-2139)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain benefits applicable to the Gulf Opportunity Zone, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-2757
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alabama
Bonds
Building construction
Commerce
Community development
Community development banking
Depreciation and amortization
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Hurricanes
Income tax
Infrastructure
Investments
Labor and Employment
Louisiana
Mississippi
Regional economic development
Rental housing
Residential rehabilitation
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax incentives
Texas
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2010 increased depreciation allowances for certain business and investment property located in the Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) (through 2011 for nonresidential real property or residential rental property in the GO Zone); (2) extend through 2012 special rules relating to the depreciation of buildings in the GO Zone; (3) extend through 2010 the tax credit for rehabilitation expenditures in the GO Zone; (4) increase the new markets tax credit limitation in 2008 and 2009 for investments in community development entities serving the GO Zone; (5) extend through 2012, and increase the authority for, tax-exempt bond financing for bonds issued by Louisiana or a political subdivision thereof; (6) authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to expand an area designated as a renewal community; and (7) extend through 2012 the period for designating areas located in the GO Zone as renewal communities. 

Amends the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 to extend for an additional two years the hiring period of employees in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area for purposes of the work opportunity tax credit. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
American Energy Independence and Security Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2758
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alaska
Alternative energy sources
Animals
Arctic and polar regions
Department of the Interior
Easements
Energy assistance for the poor
Energy conservation
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Export controls
Fishery management
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Hazardous wastes
Housing and Community Development
Indian economic development
Indigenous peoples
Judicial review
Land transfers
Law
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Minorities
Oil and gas leases
Oil and gas royalties
Oil pollution
Oil well drilling
Pipelines
Prospecting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Reclamation of land
Right-of-way
Social Welfare
Transportation and Public Works
Water pollution control
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife refuges

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
American Energy Independence and Security Act of 2008 - Authorizes the exploration, leasing, development, production, and transportation of oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain in Alaska.
 
Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program for oil and gas exploration, development, and production in the Coastal Plain.
 
Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
 
States that, in connection with specified environmental protection laws, the Secretary shall not be required to: (1) identify nonleasing alternative courses of action; or (2) analyze the environmental effects of those actions.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to designate not more than 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a special area (including the Sadlerochit Spring area).

Prohibits surface occupancy of land comprising the special area if the Secretary leases all or a portion of such special area for oil and gas exploration and development.

Authorizes the Secretary to lease all or a portion of a special area under terms that permit the use of horizontal drilling technology from sites on leases located outside the special area (directional drilling).
 
Sets forth procedures for lease sales and lease grants.
 
Prohibits the Secretary from closing land within the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing, exploration, or development, except in accordance with this Act.
 
Sets forth procedures for: (1) Coastal Plain environmental protection; (2) expedited judicial review; (3) rights-of-way and easements; and (4) local government impact aid and community service assistance.
 
Prohibits exportation of oil or gas produced under the leases granted under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Kindergarten Plus Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2759
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Art
Arts, Culture, Religion
Child abuse
Child development
Child health
Child nutrition
Class size
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuing education
Crime and Law Enforcement
Curricula
Day care
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health
Higher education
Homeless
Immigrant education
Immigration
Indian children
Indian education
Juvenile delinquency
Labor and Employment
Language and languages
Learning
Literacy programs
Mathematics
Mental health services
Migrant education
Minorities
Music
Native Americans
Paraprofessional school personnel
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
Public service advertising
Reading
Recruiting of employees
School districts
School health programs
Social Welfare
Special education
Student records
Student transportation
Teacher education
Teacher salaries
Teacher supply and demand
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Kindergarten Plus Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states to provide Kindergarten Plus (K+) programs of voluntary full days of kindergarten during the summer before and the summer after their traditional kindergarten school year.
 
Directs the Secretary to ensure, to the extent possible, that each grant is of sufficient size to enable the state to provide K+ to all eligible students served by the local educational agencies (LEAs) within the state with the highest concentrations of eligible students. Makes children eligible to participate in such programs if they are: (1) five-years old or will be eligible to attend kindergarten at the beginning of the next school year; (2) from a family with an income at or below 185% of the poverty line; and (3) not already served by a high-quality program in the summer before or the summer after the child enters kindergarten.
 
Requires states, in awarding subgrants, to give priority to LEAs that: (1) serve the greatest number or percentage of eligible students; and (2) propose to reduce class size and student-to-teacher ratios in K+ significantly below the average ratios in regular kindergarten classes served by the LEA. Provides for direct grants to LEAs whose states do not apply for grants. Sets forth K+ teacher and personnel quality standards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/14/2008 S2142-2145)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2142)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2760
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Air force
Army
Defense budgets
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Government Operations and Politics
Governors
Military civic action
Military command and control
Military promotions
Military training
National Guard
Officer personnel

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008 - Adds the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (Chief) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
 
Requires the Chief to: (1) identify gaps between federal and state military capabilities to prepare for and respond to emergencies; and (2) make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense for military assistance to civil authorities to address such gaps. Requires annual defense budget documents to specify separate amounts for training and equipment for the National Guard for military assistance to civil authorities and other domestic operations.
 
Redesignates the: (1) Director and Deputy Director of the Army National Guard as the Vice Chief and Deputy Vice Chief of the Army National Guard; and (2) Director and Deputy Director of the Air National Guard as the Vice Chief and Deputy Vice Chief of the Air National Guard. Treats Vice Chief service as an adjutant general as joint duty experience for assignment or promotion purposes.
 
States that the United States Northern Command and the United States Pacific Command shall be the combatant commands principally responsible for the military support of civil authorities in the United States. Requires the Commander of each Command and the Chief to enter into a memorandum of understanding setting forth the operational relationships, and individual roles and responsibilities, during responses to domestic emergencies among such Commands and the National Guard Bureau.
 
Directs the Secretary to assure that tactical control of the Armed Forces on duty within a state or possession is vested in the governor thereof when such forces are engaged in emergency response activities.
 
Requires the officer serving as: (1) Commander of Army North Command to be an officer in the Army National Guard; and (2) Commander of Air Force North Command to be an officer in the Air National Guard. Expresses the sense of Congress that, in assigning officers to such positions, the President should afford a preference to officers who have served as a state adjutant general.
 
Requires at least one of each of three specified commander and deputy commander joint task force positions to be an officer in the Army or Air National Guard. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/14/2008 S2146-2148)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2145-2146)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Recapture Excess Profits and Invest in Roads (REPAIR) Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2761
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commerce
Corporation taxes
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Excess profits tax
Excise tax
Federal aid to transportation
Government trust funds
Highway finance
Income tax
Petroleum
Petroleum industry
Tax deductions
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Recapture Excess Profits and Invest in Road (REPAIR) Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose in 2008 or 2009 an excise tax of 25% on the windfall profits of integrated oil companies and other producers and refiners of crude oil (crude oil condensates and natural gasoline) with gross receipts over $1 billion. 

Allows a tax deduction for the payment of the windfall profit tax imposed by this Act. 

Requires the transfer of windfall profit tax revenues to the Highway Trust Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prioritize the provision of assistance to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria to in-need countries.

Bill: 110-s-2762
Sponsor: Sen. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: AIDS (Disease)
Armed Forces and National Security
Astronautics
Defense budgets
Economics and Public Finance
Health
Human immunodeficiency viruses
Malaria
Military research
Nuclear weapons
Science, Technology, Communications
Space activities
Space exploration
Tuberculosis
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit the provision of assistance to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria to a country that expended funds from its own budget on developing or sustaining an active space exploration and research program or for nuclear weapons design, development, or maintenance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2148-2149)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2763
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Books
College costs
Education
Higher education
Income tax
Tax deductions
Tax refunds
Textbooks
Tuition tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to replace the hope and lifetime learning tax credits with a higher education opportunity tax credit.

Allows a higher education opportunity tax credit for 100% of qualified tuition and related expenses (including a certain allowance for books) up to $1,000, 50% for such expenses between $1,000 and $3,000, and 20% of such expenses between $3,000 and $5,500. Reduces credit amounts for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross incomes over $70,000 ($140,000 in the case of a joint return). Allows an increased tax credit for students who served certain periods of active duty in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001.

Limits such credit to three eligible students per taxpayer in any taxable year and for four taxable years.

 Denies such credit to certain part-time students and students convicted of a felony drug offense. 

Repeals the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to enhance protections for servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosures, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-2764
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Finance and Financial Sector
Foreclosure
Housing and Community Development
Iraq compilation
Loan defaults
Military discharges
Mortgage interest rates
Mortgages
Veterans' benefits

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 1940 to extend: (1) from the duration of military service to one year after such service the period during which a member of the Armed Forces may not be charged a mortgage interest rate in excess of 6%; and (2) from 90 days to one year after release from service the period during which a member shall be protected from mortgage foreclosure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Senate Committee on Armed Services discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2008-04-03
text: Senate Committee on Armed Services discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for judicial discretion regarding suspensions of student eligibility under section 484(r) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Bill: 110-s-2767
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
District courts
Drug abuse
Drug law enforcement
Drug traffic
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to education
Federally-guaranteed loans
Government Operations and Politics
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Law
Scholarships
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
State courts
Student employment
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to suspend students' eligibility for assistance under title IV for being convicted of committing controlled substance offenses while in receipt of such assistance only if the convicting courts order such suspension. (Currently, a conviction suffices.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/14/2008 S2150)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2149-2150)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide a temporary increase in the maximum loan guaranty amount for certain housing loans guaranteed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Bill: 110-s-2768
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2008-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Mortgages
Single family housing
Veterans' loans

Summary:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: 
Provides a temporary increase, during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 2011, in the maximum veterans' loan guaranty amount for housing loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR 3/14/2008 S2150-2151)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2150)
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate