hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Independent Office of Advocacy and Small Business Regulatory Reform Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2902
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-04-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Law
Regulatory impact statements
Small Business Administration
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: 
Independent Office of Advocacy and Small Business Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 - Requires the Office of Advocacy (Office) of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out responsibilities concerning the analysis of regulatory functions, including regulatory flexibility analyses.
 
Requires: (1) each federal budget to include a separate statement of the amount requested for the Office, designated in a separate account in the General Fund of the Treasury; and (2) the SBA Administrator to provide the Office with appropriate and adequate office space, together with necessary equipment, operating budget, and communications facilities and services, and to provide necessary maintenance services for such offices and equipment.
 
Requires: (1) each federal agency to notify the SBA's Chief Counsel for Advocacy of any agency draft rules that may have a significant impact on a substantial number of small businesses; (2) each agency's final regulatory analysis of a final rule to include the agency's response to any comments of the Chief Counsel for Advocacy with respect to that rule, as well as changes made as a result of such comments; and (3) agencies to make final regulatory flexibility analyses available to the public, including on a website.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2008-04-29
text: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2008-04-29
text: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3308-3309)
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3307-3308)
action_date: 2008-04-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Close the Contractor Fraud Loophole Act

Bill: 110-s-2905
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business ethics
Commerce
Corporate accountability
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Employee crimes
Fraud
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Informers
Labor and Employment
Subcontractors

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Close the Contractor Fraud Loophole Act - Requires the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be amended within 180 days after this Act's enactment to include provisions that require timely notification by federal contractors of violations of federal criminal law or overpayments in connection with the award or performance of covered contracts or subcontracts, including those performed outside the United States and those for commercial items.

Defines the term &quot;covered contract&quot; to mean any contract in an amount greater than $5 million and more than 120 days' duration.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Agriculture Smart Trade Act

Bill: 110-s-2906
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Animal diseases
Animals
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Free trade
Health
International Affairs
Livestock
Non-native species
Pests
Plant diseases
Trade agreements
Trade negotiations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Agriculture Smart Trade Act - Requires the President, before initiating negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with a foreign country, to report to Congress on: (1) invasive agricultural pests or diseases in that country; and (2) sanitary or phytosanitary measures imposed by the country's government on goods the country imports.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3404)
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3403-3404)
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Card Security Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2908
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Identification devices
Medicare
Social security numbers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Medicare Card Security Act of 2008 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to direct the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that Social Security numbers are not displayed on Medicare cards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Western States Trail Study Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2909
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: California
Governmental investigations
Sports and Recreation
Trails

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Western States Trail Study Act of 2008 - Amends the National Trails System Act to require the Western States Trail, a trail of approximately 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California, along which are conducted the Western States Trail Ride and the Western States Endurance Run, to be studied for designation as a national scenic trail. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
TRUCC Act

Bill: 110-s-2910
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Business records
Commerce
Energy
Energy prices
Fraud
Freight forwarders
Fuel
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Labor and Employment
Transportation rates
Truck drivers
Trucking

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Trust in Reliable Understanding of Consumer Costs Act, or the TRUCC Act - Amends federal transportation law to require certain fuel costs disclosures and fuel costs reimbursements by a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder providing or arranging truckload transportation or service using fuel for which it does not bear the cost.
 
Requires such a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder to: (1) reimburse persons (truckers) that do bear fuel costs for any such costs they have paid; and (2) give such persons a written list that identifies any freight charge, brokerage fee or commission, fuel surcharge or adjustment, and any other charges. 
 
Prohibits any person from causing a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder to present false or misleading information on a document or in an oral representation about the actual rate, charge, or allowance to any party to the transaction or transportation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3404-3405)
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Infant Immunization Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2911
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Agriculture and Food
Child nutrition
Clinics
Communication in medicine
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Federal aid to child health services
Federal aid to health facilities
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health education
Health information systems
Infants
Medical records
Medical screening
Preventive medicine
Vaccines
WIC program

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Infant Immunization Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize an immunization grantee to use funds from a preventive health services grant to provide, through participating Women, Infants and Children Program clinics: (1) recommended vaccines to eligible children aged 0 to 35 months; (2) for the coordination of care or immunization services; or (3) payment for the salary of an immunization coordinator. 

Requires: (1) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state administrators of such immunization program to consult with the Food and Nutrition Service in carrying out activities related to screening for appropriate immunization services; and (2) any recipient of such a grant that receives funding for an immunization information system to permit all clinics that participate in preventive health services projects and in the Special Supplemental Food and Nutrition Program to have access to the system.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director, to annually conduct an immunization awareness campaign and carry out immunization education and outreach activities to: (1) increase the awareness of parents of the benefits of age appropriate immunizations; (2) inform the general public concerning the efficacy of new vaccines and new vaccine schedules; and (3) disseminate information that emphasizes the benefits of recommended vaccines for the public good.

Requires activities under this Act to target areas with the greatest immunization needs in the 0 to 35 month age group.

Calls for the Secretary and the Director to work to improve the integration of immunization information systems with electronic medical records, other health information systems, and health information exchanges.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3405)
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Sportsmanship in Hunting Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2912
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Animals
Arrest
Environmental Protection
Exotic animals
Fines (Penalties)
Forfeiture
Hunting
Protection of animals
Searches and seizures
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sports and Recreation
Warrants (Law)
Wild animal trade

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Sportsmanship in Hunting Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit anyone, in or substantially affecting interstate or foreign commerce, from knowingly transferring, transporting, or possessing a confined exotic animal for purposes of allowing the killing or injuring of such animal for entertainment or for the collection of a trophy. Exempts the killing or injuring of an exotic animal in a state or federal natural area reserve undertaking habitat restoration from such prohibition.

Defines &quot;confined exotic animal&quot; as a mammal of a species not historically indigenous to the United States that has been held in captivity for the majority of its life or for a period of one year.

Allows persons authorized by the Secretary of the Interior to make arrests, execute warrants, and search for and seize animals to enforce the provisions of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Imported Seafood Safety Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2914
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Commerce
Export controls
Food safety
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Import restrictions
Labeling
Seafood

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Imported Seafood Safety Enhancement Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) issue an order refusing admission into the United States of all imports of seafood or seafood products originating from a country or exporter which the Secretary determines do not meet food safety requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or which are not likely to meet food safety requirements of any other federal law; and (2) notify all U.S. ports of entry of such refusal within five days. Requires shipments denied admission to be clearly marked &quot;Refused Entry by the United States Government.&quot; 

Requires the importer of such a rejected shipment headed for its country of origin to notify the appropriate authority of such country of the reasons admission was refused before the shipment may be released to the importer. 

Requires the importer of such a rejected shipment bound for a third party country to notify such country's appropriate authority about such refusal, and requires such authority to notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it accepts such shipment, before the shipment may be released to the importer. Requires the shipment to be destroyed if such authority's notification of acceptance is not made within 45 days after it is notified of the rejection.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Safeguarding Social Security Numbers Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2915
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Identity theft
Internet
Science, Technology, Communications
Social security numbers
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Safeguarding Social Security Numbers Act of 2008 - Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to issue uniform standards for the method for truncation of Social Security account numbers in order to facilitate their protection from use in fraud or identity theft. 
 
Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the display of Social Security account numbers to the general public on the Internet by state and local governments, except in compliance with such truncation standards.
 
Directs the Attorney General to award grants to state and local governments to come into compliance with such prohibition or the exception to it.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Guaranteeing Real Accountability in Federal Transactions Act

Bill: 110-s-2916
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business ethics
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Corporate accountability
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Employee crimes
Fraud
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Informers
Inspectors general
Labor and Employment
Subcontractors
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Guaranteeing Real Accountability in Federal Transactions Act - Requires a government contractor that has reasonable grounds to believe it has violated a criminal law or received a significant overpayment in connection with the award or performance of a covered contract to notify the Office of Inspector General of the awarding executive agency within 14 days of becoming aware of the violation or overpayment. Provides for debarment or suspension for knowingly failing to notify.

Defines a &quot;covered contract&quot; as one for more than $1 million. 

Requires reported violations and overpayments to be listed on the searchable website established and maintained under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report to Congress annually on such violations and overpayments.

Prohibits covered contractors from prohibiting or restricting persons from engaging in actions for which a protection against reprisal is provided under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. Makes provisions of a covered contract or a contract between a covered contractor and an employee performing work under such contract that limit or restrain an individual from engaging in such actions invalid and void.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Syria Accountability and Liberation Act

Bill: 110-s-2917
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advanced weapons
Affiliated corporations
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
American investments
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms control
Arms control verification
Arms sales
Ballistic missiles
Bank loans
Biological warfare
Boundaries
Chemical warfare
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Conferences
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Conventional weapons
Crime and Law Enforcement
Debt agreements
Debt relief
Democracy
Development credit institutions
Diplomacy
Diplomats
Dissenters
Economic assistance
Embargo
Emergency Management
Energy
Export controls
Export finance
Exports
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign investments
Foreign loans
Foreign service
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government procurement
Government property
Governmental investigations
Human rights
Import restrictions
Imports
International agencies
International broadcasting
International control of nuclear power
International cooperation
International relief
Iran
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Joint ventures
Law
Lebanon
Licenses
Middle East and North Africa
Military agreements
Military and naval supplies
Military assistance
Military technology
Nongovernmental organizations
Nuclear facilities
Nuclear nonproliferation
Nuclear weapons
Ordnance
Petroleum
Petroleum industry
Political prisoners
President and foreign policy
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Radio broadcasting
Raw materials
Rockets (Ordnance)
Sanctions (International law)
Science, Technology, Communications
Sovereignty
State-sponsored terrorism
Subsidiary corporations
Syria
Technical assistance
Technology transfer
Television broadcasting
Terrorism
Trade agreements
Treaties
United Nations
Weapons of mass destruction

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Syria Accountability and Liberation Act - States that U.S. sanctions, controls, and regulations relating to Syria shall remain in effect until the President certifies that Syria has ceased support for terrorism, has dismantled biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons programs and has committed to combat their proliferation, respects the boundaries and sovereignty of all neighboring countries, and upholds human rights and civil liberties. 
 
Imposes specified trade, assistance, and military sanctions, as appropriate, on persons or countries that transfer goods or technology so as to contribute to Syria's biological, chemical, nuclear, or advanced conventional weapons programs.
 
Imposes specified sanctions aimed at Syria's energy sector.
 
Sets forth diplomatic measures intended to isolate the government of Syria.
 
Directs the President to provide assistance to support a democratic transition in Syria. Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Environmental Justice Enforcement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2918
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil actions and liability
Civil rights enforcement
Government Operations and Politics
Injunctions
Law
Legal fees
Racial discrimination

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Environmental Justice Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to declare that discrimination based on disparate impact under federally assisted programs (including exclusion from participation and denial of benefits) is established only if a person aggrieved by discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin demonstrates that: (1) a covered entity has a policy or practice causing a disparate impact on that basis and fails to demonstrate that the challenged policy or practice is related to and necessary to achieve the nondiscriminatory goals of the program or activity alleged to have been operated in a discriminatory manner; or (2) a less discriminatory alternative policy or practice exists, but the covered entity refuses to adopt it.
 
Authorizes an aggrieved person to: (1) bring a civil action in federal or state court to enforce such person's rights; and (2) recover equitable relief, attorney's fees, and costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Signaling Modernization Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2919
Sponsor: Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK]
Introduced: 2008-04-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Commerce
Internet
Standards
Telecommunication industry
Telecommunication rates
Telephone

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: 
Signaling Modernization Act of 2008 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require a telecommunications service or IP-enabled voice service provide to ensure that all voice communications service traffic originating on its network contains the signaling information reasonably needed to facilitate intercarrier billing in accordance with industry standards. Requires a provider that transports or transits traffic between voice communications service providers to forward the signaling information it receives from another provider (without altering such signaling information) that is reasonably needed to facilitate intercarrier billing in accordance with industry standards, except as otherwise permitted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3407-3408)
action_date: 2008-04-24
text: Introduced in Senate