hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Honor Our Commitment to Veterans Act

Bill: 110-s-1147
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Health
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Honor Our Commitment to Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to administer the health care enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs so as to enroll any eligible veteran who applies. (This directive in effect terminates an administrative freeze on the enrollment of veterans in the lowest priority enrollment category.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4693)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to authorize the interstate distribution of State-inspected meat and poultry if the Secretary of Agriculture determines that the State inspection requirements are at least equal to Federal inspection requirements and to require the Secretary to reimburse State agencies for part of the costs of the inspections.

Bill: 110-s-1149
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Commerce
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Interstate commerce
Meat inspection
Poultry
State laws

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to authorize the interstate distribution of state inspected meat and poultry if the Secretary of Agriculture determines that state inspection requirements are at least equal to federal inspection requirements.
 
 Provides partial state reimbursement for inspection costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4693)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1150
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Commerce
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Interstate commerce
Meat inspection
Poultry

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to review each state's meat and poultry inspection program, which shall include: (1) determination of plan effectiveness; and (2) identification of changes necessary for future transition to a state program as provided for by this Act.
 
Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act to authorize the Secretary to approve a qualifying state meat inspection program and allow the shipment in commerce of carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat, and meat food products so inspected. Requires the Secretary to review approved plans annually.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into a cooperative agreement to establish the relationship between a state program and the Secretary; (2) provide partial reimbursement for state costs to meet federal requirements; and (3) appoint advisory committees.
 
Prohibits from state inspection plan participation establishments that have more than 50 employees, except for those subject to state inspection as of 90 days after the effective date of this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary to temporarily suspend or take over a noncomplying state program (or an establishment).
 
States that: (1) an establishment in a state with an approved state program may apply for either state or federal inspection; and (2) a state or local government shall not prohibit or restrict the movement or sale of meat or meat food products that have been inspected and passed in accordance with this Act for interstate commerce.
 
Exempts from such inspection provisions retail stores and restaurants (including specified central kitchen facilities) if the operations are conducted for sale of such prepared articles in normal retail quantities or for service of the articles to consumers at such establishment. 
 
Makes similar amendments to the Poultry Products Inspection Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Care for Hybrids Act

Bill: 110-s-1151
Sponsor: Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Automobile industry
Automobiles
Commerce
Electric vehicles
Employee health benefits
Employee training
Energy
Executive reorganization
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Health insurance
Income tax
Industrial buildings
Insurance premiums
Interest
Labor and Employment
Tax deductions
Tax evasion
Tax penalties
Tax shelters
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Health Care for Hybrids Act - Requires the Secretaries of Energy, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the Treasury to establish a task force to create a program to reimburse certain domestic automobile manufacturers for a portion (up to 10%) of the annual health care coverage costs for their retired employees. Requires such manufacturers to invest at least 50% of their health care cost savings in petroleum fuel reduction technologies, including alternative or flexible fuel vehicles and hybrids, and in the retraining of workers and retooling of manufacturing plants. Terminates such program on December 31, 2017. 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) define economic substance for purposes of evaluating tax shelter transactions; (2) impose penalties for understatements of tax liability resulting from transactions lacking in economic substance; and (3) deny a tax deduction for interest assessed on underpayments of tax resulting from transactions lacking in economic substance. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Wildland Fire Safety and Transparency Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1152
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Employee training
Federal budgets
Fire fighters
Fire prevention
Forest fires
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Health
Labor and Employment
National forests
Occupational health and safety
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Directors of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, (the Secretaries) to jointly submit annual reports to Congress on the wildland firefighter safety practices of the Secretaries, including training programs and activities for wildland fire suppression, prescribed burning, and wildland fire use. 

action_date: 2007-06-26
text: 
Wildland Fire Safety and Transparency Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Directors of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service (NPS), and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to jointly submit annual reports to Congress on the wildland firefighter safety practices of the Secretaries, including training programs and activities for wildland fire suppression, prescribed burning, and wildland fire use. 

Requires such reports to include: (1) progress made in implementing recommendations from the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or an agency report related to a wildland firefighting fatality issued during the preceding 10 years; and (2) a description of the provisions related to wildland firefighter safety practices in any federal contract or other agreement governing the provision of wildland firefighters by a non-federal entity and a summary of any actions taken by the Secretaries to ensure compliance with the safety practices provisions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-06-26
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 229.
action_date: 2007-06-26
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment. With written report No. 110-99.
action_date: 2007-06-26
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment. With written report No. 110-99.
action_date: 2007-05-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Regulatory Review Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1153
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Accounting
Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Regulatory impact statements
Securities and Exchange Commission
Securities regulation
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Small Business Regulatory Review Act of 2007 - Requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), before approving any final rule of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (established under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), to conduct and complete a regulatory flexibility analysis of such rule.
 
Requires the SEC to publish the small business compliance guide (as required under the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996) on the same date as the publication of the final rule issued to carry out a provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act concerning management of internal controls for financial reporting.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to conduct an assessment of the impact on small businesses of such rules.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4838)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4693-4694)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Biogas Production Incentive Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1154
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Agricultural subsidies
Agriculture and Food
Biomass energy
Economics and Public Finance
Energy
Energy facilities
Environmental Protection
Farm manure
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Gases
Government lending
Income tax
Methane
Refuse as fuel
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Biogas Production Incentive Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business tax credit for the production and sale of biogas. Defines &quot;biogas&quot; as a gas that is derived by processing qualified energy feedstock (i.e., manure of agricultural livestock and other waste material) in an anaerobic digester and which contains at least 60% methane and carbon dioxide and trace gases. 

Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) use Commodity Credit Corporation funds for making countercyclical payments to qualified biogas producers for biogas production facilities placed in service before December 31, 2013; and (2) make loans, loan guarantees, and grants to providers of qualified energy feedstock for collecting and transporting such feedstock to a biogas facility or for the purchase or construction of equipment of facilities for such collection and transportation activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Conservation Reserve Program Tax Fairness Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1155
Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Agricultural subsidies
Agriculture and Food
Earnings
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Government trust funds
Health
Labor and Employment
Medicare
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Rent
Self-employed
Social Welfare
Social security finance
Social security taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Conservation Reserve Program Tax Fairness Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Social Security Act to treat payments under the Conservation Acreage Reserve Program as rentals from real estate and thus not self employment income subject to employment tax. Transfers from the general fund of the Treasury to specified social security trust funds amounts necessary to cover any reductions in trust fund revenues resulting from this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4694)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Amendments of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1156
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2007-04-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Clinical trials
Commerce
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drugs
Education
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Higher education
Labeling
Pharmaceutical research
Pharmacists
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Student loan funds
Telephone

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: 
Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Amendments of 2007 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make changes to provisions in regard to market exclusivity for pediatric drug studies on new drugs or already approved drugs, including to: (1) require that appropriate labeling changes are timely made; and (2) prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from extending the period of market exclusivity later than nine months prior to the expiration of such period.

Requires an applicant or holder who does not agree with a request to conduct pediatric studies to submit to the Secretary the reasons such pediatric formulation cannot be developed. 

Directs the Secretary to: (1) publish a notice identifying any drug for which a pediatric formulation was developed, studied, and found to be safe and effective that is not introduced onto the market within one year; and (2) create an internal review committee to review all written requests issued and all reports submitted. 

Reduces market exclusivity for pediatric studies from six months to three months for drugs for which combined annual gross sales exceed $1 billion.

Requires the Secretary to order the labeling of a drug to include information about the result of a pediatric study whether such study does or does not demonstrate that the drug is safe and effective.

Requires the Comptroller General to submit a report to Congress that addresses the effectiveness of providing market exclusivity for pediatric studies in ensuring that medicines used by children are tested and properly labeled.

Includes pediatric pharmacological research within the pediatric research loan repayment program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4695-4699)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4694-4695)
action_date: 2007-04-18
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to eliminate the consumptive demand exception relating to the importation of goods made with forced labor.

Bill: 110-s-1157
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2007-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Crime and Law Enforcement
Forced labor
Human rights
Import restrictions
International Affairs
Labor and Employment
Prison labor

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: 
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to eliminate the consumptive demand exception to the prohibition against importation of goods manufactured by convict, forced, or indentured labor. (Thus, bans the importation of goods manufactured by convict, forced, or indentured labor even if similar goods are not sufficiently produced in the United States to meet U.S. consumer demand.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4752-4753)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
IDEA Full Funding Act

Bill: 110-s-1159
Sponsor: Sen. Hagel, Chuck [R-NE]
Introduced: 2007-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Appropriations
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Federal aid to education
Special education

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: 
IDEA Full Funding Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to reauthorize part B programs of education of all children with disabilities. 

Authorizes appropriations for part B: (1) for FY2008-FY2015 in specified amounts; and (2) for FY2016 and each fiscal year thereafter in an amount equal to the sum of the maximum amounts of the grants all states may receive under certain IDEA provisions. (Provides phased-in increases of such authorized funding.)

Makes appropriations for part B for FY2008-FY2015, as well as for FY2016 and each fiscal year thereafter, in amounts less than the amounts this Act authorizes to be appropriated.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4753-4754)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1161
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2007-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Agriculture and Food
Diet
Medicare
Nutrition
Physicians
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: 
Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize expansion of Medicare coverage of medical nutrition therapy services to diseases, conditions, or disorders other than diabetes or a renal disease.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4755)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4754-4755)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Cigarette Litter Prevention Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1162
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2007-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Cigarettes
Department of Health and Human Services
Environmental Protection
Government Operations and Politics
Labeling
Law
Packaging
Refuse and refuse disposal
Tobacco industry

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: 
Cigarette Litter Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act to prohibit any person from manufacturing, packaging, or importing for sale or distribution within the United States any cigarettes the package of which fails to bear the following statement: &quot;Please dispose of all cigarette waste properly. Do not litter.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Colon Cancer Screen for Life Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1164
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2007-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Ambulatory care
Coinsurance
Colon cancer
Finance and Financial Sector
Hospital care
Medical fees
Medical screening
Medical tests
Medicare
Physicians
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: 
Colon Cancer Screen for Life Act of 2007 - Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to the use of and reimbursement for colorectal cancer screening tests covered under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (SSA).

Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) increase Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) reimbursement for colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic tests; (2) cover an outpatient office visit or consultation for the purpose of beneficiary education before a colorectal cancer screening test consisting of a colonoscopy, or in conjunction with the beneficiary's decision to obtain such a screening, regardless of whether the screening is medically indicated with respect to the beneficiary; and (3) waive the deductible for such tests.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4756)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
American Green Building Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1165
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2007-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Building construction
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Energy
Energy conservation
Energy consumption
Environmental Protection
Federal installations
Federal office buildings
Governmental investigations
Hydrology
Standards
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: 
American Green Building Act of 2007 - Requires federal buildings for which the design phase for construction or major renovation is begun after enactment of this Act to be designed, constructed, and certified to meet, at a minimum, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating standard of silver. 

Exempts buildings if the agency head with jurisdiction determines that compliance would be impracticable based on: (1) the quantity of energy required by each activity carried out in the building; and (2) whether the building is used to carry out activities relating to national security. Requires: (1) federal agencies to report to the Secretary of Energy on such determinations; and (2) the Secretary to review such report and notify agency heads on whether any federal building described in the report shall be required to comply.

Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress the results of a study comparing: (1) the expected energy savings resulting from the implementation of this Act; and (2) energy savings under all other federal energy savings requirements. 

Requires the sponsor of any development or redevelopment project involving property with a footprint exceeding 5,000 square feet and that is federally owned or federally financed to use site planning, design, construction, and maintenance strategies to maintain predevelopment hydrology with regard to the temperature, rate, volume, and duration of flow.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4757)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4756-4757)
action_date: 2007-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate