hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to expand the definition of immediate relative for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Bill: 110-s-703
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Aliens
Families
Immigrants
Parents
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include in the definition of &quot;immediate relative&quot; the child of a parent of a U.S. citizen who is accompanying or following to join the immediate relative parent.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2360)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2360)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to establish a governmentwide policy requiring competition in certain executive agency procurements, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-705
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Classified defense information
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Crime and Law Enforcement
Electric power distribution
Energy
Energy transportation
Federal Prison Industries, Inc.
Government corporations
Government procurement
Identification devices
Identity theft
Infrastructure
Labor and Employment
Pipelines
Prison labor
Public utilities
Service industries
Subcontractors
Water Resources Development
Water supply

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to require an executive agency, when procuring Federal Prison Industries (FPI) products to: (1) use competitive procedures; or (2) make an individual purchase under a multiple award contract in accordance with applicable competition requirements. Requires an agency to: (1) timely notify FPI of procurements; and (2) consider a timely offer from FPI in the same manner as other offers. 

Requires agency heads to ensure that: (1) agencies do not purchase a FPI product or service unless an agency's contracting officer determines that the product or service is comparable to products or services available from the private sector that best meet the agencies' needs; and (2) FPI performs its contractual obligations to agencies to the same extent as any other contractor. Outlines exceptions to the competitive procedures requirement. 

Prohibits requiring a contractor to use FPI as a subcontractor or supplier. 
Prohibits agencies from entering into contracts with FPI under which inmate workers would have access to classified and sensitive information. 
 
 
Restricts the interstate and foreign commerce of services resulting from convict labor in a prisoner work program operated by a prison or jail of a state or local jurisdiction. Subjects knowing violators of such restrictions to fine or imprisonment, or both. 
Requires state and local prison work programs to meet specified requirements. Provides for exemptions for services performed as part of an inmate work program conducted by a state or local government to disassemble, scrap, and recycle products, other than electronic products, that would otherwise be disposed of in a landfill. Authorizes recovered scrap from such program to be sold. 
 
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2362)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the MA Regional Plan Stabilization Fund.

Bill: 110-s-706
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government trust funds
Health insurance
Insurance companies
Managed care
Medicare
Preferred provider organizations (Medical care)
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the MA Regional Plan Stabilization Fund. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Pell Grant Equity Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-707
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Collection of accounts
College costs
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to education
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Higher education
Loan defaults
Scholarships
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Pell Grant Equity Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make the formula for calculation of an individual Pell Grant which includes, in part, the sum of the student's tuition, inapplicable for the 2007-2008 academic year. (Thus suspends for such year the &quot;tuition sensitivity provision&quot; which prohibits maximum Pell Grant awards to students attending low-tuition institutions of higher education even if their income is low enough to otherwise qualify for the maximum award.)
 
Amends the Federal Family Education Loan program to lower from 23% to 22% for FY2008 the percentage of a borrower's student loan payment made subsequent to default that a guaranty agency may retain for deposit in its operating fund if the Secretary of Education has already reimbursed it for such default.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2362-2363)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Care and Training for Older Workers Act

Bill: 110-s-708
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Disabled
Dislocated workers
Economics and Public Finance
Employee training
Employment of the disabled
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Health
Health insurance continuation
Labor statistics
Older workers
Performance measurement
Recruiting of employees
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Health Care and Training for Older Workers Act - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to extend COBRA continuation coverage for certain older workers.
 
Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to revise: (1) statewide employment and training activities, adding developing strategies for serving hard-to-serve populations and coordinating programs among one-stop partners; (2) local employment and training activities, with respect to intensive services and training services, and adding customer support for members of hard-to-serve populations, including individuals with disabilities; and (3) performance measures, data, and reporting.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Older Worker Opportunity Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-709
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee health benefits
Health
Hours of labor
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Older workers
Pension funds
Tax credits
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Older Worker Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers who maintain a tax-qualified pension or retirement plan and who provide health insurance coverage a business-related tax credit for 25% of the first $6,000 of the wages of employees who have attained the age of 62 and who are participating in a formal flexible work program. 
 
Defines &quot;formal flexible work program&quot; as a work program: (1) that consists of core and flex time; (2) whose core time does not exceed 20 hours per week, three days per week, or 1,000 hours per year; (3) that allows participation for at least one year; and (4) that does not permit a change or reduction in the health care or pension benefits of the participating employee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-710
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Authorization
Building construction
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to housing
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Hawaii
Hawaiians
Housing and Community Development
Housing subsidies
Indian housing
Interest
Minorities
Mortgage guaranty insurance
Residential rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 and the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to extend through FY2012 the authorization of appropriations for housing assistance for Native Americans and loan guarantees for Native Hawaiian housing.
 
Amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 to: (1) make the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands of the state of Hawaii eligible for loan guarantees; and (2) extend through FY2012 the authorization of appropriations for the credit subsidy to cover the costs of federal guarantees for financing for tribal housing activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2363)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2363)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Universal Service for the 21st Century Act

Bill: 110-s-711
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Broadband
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Federal Communications Commission
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Independent regulatory commissions
Internet
Law
Telecommunication industry
Telecommunication rates

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Universal Service for the 21st Century Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require all telecommunications carriers (currently, only those providing interstate telecommunications services) to contribute to the universal service fund (a fund whose goal is to provide advanced telecommunications services to all areas of the country). Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a permanent mechanism to support universal service that will preserve and enhance its long-term financial stability. Gives the FCC exclusive jurisdiction to establish rates for inter-carrier compensation payments, including compensation for the origination and termination of intrastate telecommunications traffic.
 
Establishes within the universal service fund the Broadband for Unserved Areas Account, to provide financial assistance for the deployment of broadband (high-speed) communications services to unserved areas throughout the United States. Allows assistance to be provided only to: (1) facilities-based providers of broadband communications service; and (2) one facility-based provider in any unserved area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-712
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commuting
Federal employees
Fringe benefits
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Tax exclusion
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to equalize and increase to $200, with a modified cost-of-living adjustment, the tax exclusion for both transportation and parking fringe benefits. Extends such benefits to federal employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-713
Sponsor: Sen. Obama, Barack [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Agriculture and Food
Ambulatory care
Armed forces reserves
Case management
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuum of care
Counseling
Department of Defense
Disability evaluation
Disabled
Discrimination in employment
Dismissal of employees
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Employee benefit plans
Executive reorganization
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Health
Health counseling
Housing and Community Development
Inspectors general
Internet
Iraq compilation
Job hunting
Labor and Employment
Law
Leave of absence
Maintenance and repair
Military dependents
Military hospitals
Military housing
Military medicine
Military training
National Guard
Occupational retraining
Ombudsman
Patients' rights
Pest control
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Promotions
Quality of care
Rehabilitation of the disabled
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Social work
Spanish language
Suicide
Telephone
Veterans' medical care
War casualties
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act of 2007 - Requires each recovering servicemember who is assigned to a military barracks or dormitory to be assigned to one that is maintained at the highest service standard in effect for enlisted members of the Armed Forces. Requires at least semiannual inspections of, and appropriate repairs to, any such quarters, as well as alternate housing during periods of unremedied housing deficiencies.
 
Outlines requirements to be implemented for recovering servicemembers and their families, including: (1) physical disability evaluation system changes; (2) supervising officer and caseworker support; (3) increased training for caseworkers and social workers on particular servicemember conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (4) increased support services, including an Ombudsman for Recovering Servicemembers; (5) a prohibition on discrimination in employment of family members caring for such servicemembers; and (6) meal benefits for recovering servicemembers and family members caring for such servicemembers.
 
Establishes the Oversight Board for the Wounded.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2363-2364)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-714
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Business records
Cats
Commerce
Dogs
Fines (Penalties)
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Laboratories
Laboratory animals
Law
Licenses
Pets
Protection of animals
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2007 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to list permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained: (1) from a licensed dealer; (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements; (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat and owned it for not less than one year; or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Sets forth additional monetary penalties for related violations. 
 
Prohibits federal facilities from purchasing or otherwise acquiring dogs or cats for exhibition purposes except from: (1) the operator of an auction that comports with legal requirements; or (2) a person holding a valid dealer or exhibitor license.
 
Prohibits dealers from selling or otherwise providing a research facility with random source dogs or cats unless specified certification requirements are met.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2365)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Disaster Recovery Assistance Improvement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-715
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Disaster loans
Emergency Management
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Law
Small Business Administration
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Small Business Disaster Recovery Assistance Improvement Act of 2007 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish and implement an expedited disaster assistance business loan program to provide small businesses with immediate disaster assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2366)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2365-2366)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health Services Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-716
Sponsor: Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Aging
Caregivers
Congressional reporting requirements
Disabled
Drugs
Executive reorganization
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Geriatrics
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Health information systems
Human engineering
Medical economics
Medical records
Medical research
Medical technology
Medical tests
Preventive medicine
Quality control
Quality of care
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Technological innovations
Technology assessment
Technology transfer

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health Services Act of 2007 - Establishes the Consortium on the Impact of Technology in Aging Health Services. Requires the Consortium to conduct a study of all matters relating to the potential use of new technology to assist older adults and their caregivers, including: (1) methods for identifying technology that may be adapted to meet their needs; (2) methods for fostering scientific innovation in aging services technology within the business and academic communities; (3) barriers to innovation in and the adoption of technology and strategies for removing such barriers; (4) developments in such technology in other countries; and (5) methods for ensuring that U.S. businesses have a leadership role in the global market of such technology.
 
Requires the Consortium to develop recommendations concerning: (1) developments in current technologies that may result in increased efficiency and cost savings to the healthcare system; (2) opportunities for research and development to accelerate the development and adoption of aging services technology; (3) methods to ensure that technology infrastructure is in place to deliver services; and (4) establishment of a federal interagency task force to facilitate the development and distribution of such technology and a National Resource Center to stimulate research, oversee demonstration projects, and provide training and assistance to entities that provide such services.
 
Requires the Consortium to report recommendations regarding development of a national policy to address issues concerning technology and assistive health services for seniors, changes to federal laws and programs that would support and encourage the private sector to develop and make widely available consumer-empowered technology solutions, and establishment of a National Resource Center on Aging Services Technologies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2366-2367)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Identification Security Enhancement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-717
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2007-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Counterfeiting
Department of Homeland Security
Driver licenses
Economics and Public Finance
Federal-state relations
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Identification devices
Law
Photography
Right of privacy
Security measures
Standards
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: 
Identification Security Enhancement Act of 2007 - Repeals title II of the Real ID Act of 2005.
 
Prohibits federal agencies from accepting state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards after specified deadlines unless such identification conforms to the minimum standards promulgated under this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) establish by regulation minimum standards for acceptance of state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards by federal agencies; (2) establish a negotiated rulemaking process before publishing such standards; and (3) award grants to states to assist them in conforming to such standards. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-29
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2369)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2368-2369)
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate