hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
T-FELAS Act

Bill: 110-hr-7154
Sponsor: Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Authorization
Compensatory education
Continuing education
Corporation for National and Community Service
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Educational innovations
Educational statistics
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government corporations
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Graduate education
Higher education
Labor and Employment
Mentoring
National service
Paraprofessional school personnel
Recruiting and enlistment
Scholarships
School-age child care
Secondary education
Service learning
Social Welfare
Teacher education
Teacher supply and demand
Youth services

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School Act of 2008 or the T-FELAS Act - Amends title IV (21st Century Schools) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create an Expanded Learning and After-School Fellows program under which the Secretary of Education shall award competitive three-year grants to partnerships between local educational agencies and community organizations, institutions of higher education, community learning centers or other entities to recruit, select, train, and support exemplary recent college graduates (Fellows) who: (1) establish, expand, or improve expanded learning initiatives, 21st century community learning center programs, or after-school programs in high-need schools; and (2) provide school-day support to teachers in such schools.
 
Requires grantees to: (1) provide intensive, comprehensive, and experiential training that prepares Fellows in methods of youth development and offers them a promising career path in public education and youth development; (2) place Fellows in full-time positions where they serve for at least 30 weeks per year, and for a term sufficient to qualify the Fellow for a national service educational award; and (3) provide matching funds on the basis of a sliding scale that gauges the grantees' ability to raise funds. Favors grant applicants that agree to engage Fellows for two-year terms and arrange for them to earn an undergraduate or master's degree in education while serving. 
 
Directs the Secretary to conduct an external evaluation of this program every three years and publicize the best practices of program grantees through the Federal Youth Development Council.
 
Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to make Fellows eligible for national service educational awards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Guard and Reserve Financial Stability Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-7155
Sponsor: Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-18]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Commerce
Income tax
Labor and Employment
National Guard
Recruiting of employees
Salaries
Small business
Tax credits
Temporary employment
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Guard and Reserve Financial Stability Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow small employers (employers with 50 or fewer employees) a business tax credit for 50 percent of the lesser of: (1) actual compensation paid to each Ready Reserve-National Guard employee while on active duty or hospitalized incident to such duty; or (2) $30,000. Terminates such credit after 2009.

Allows employers a work opportunity tax credit for the hiring of temporary employees to replace Ready Reserve-National Guard employees for the period such employees are on active duty.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for the restoration of air service to communities served by an airport that received scheduled air transportation as of December 31, 2007, but no longer receives such service.

Bill: 110-hr-7156
Sponsor: Rep. Mahoney, Tim [D-FL-16]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Small towns
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Revises requirements for the small community air service development progam to improve air service to underserved airports.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to give program priority to a community or consortium of communities that received scheduled air service from an airport as of December 31, 2007, but no longer receives such service.
 
Treats as eligible airport development activities those related to air service development, including marketing, revenue guarantees, and subsidies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Radio All Digital Channel Receiver Act

Bill: 110-hr-7157
Sponsor: Rep. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Radio All Digital Channel Receiver Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that radios designed to receive both satellite digital radio and terrestrial AM or FM radio broadcasts be capable of receiving and playing digital terrestrial AM or FM broadcasts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2106)
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
To provide for the establishment of a process for the management of biospecimen collections by Federal agencies.

Bill: 110-hr-7158
Sponsor: Rep. Miller, Brad [D-NC-13]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Biological and life sciences
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a policy for the management by federal agencies of biospecimen collections. (Defines &quot;biospecimen&quot; as biologically-derived materials from humans, animals, or plants, including any such materials obtained from non-biological media.)

Requires such policy to: (1) require that a federal agency, before destroying a biospecimen collection, conduct a review of the research value of the collection and consult with researchers who have used the collection and any other interested parties concerning the collection's value and possible additional uses for the collection; and (2) include procedures for federal agencies to offer biospecimen collections they no longer need to researchers at institutions qualified to possess the collections.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Science Education.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
To authorize United States participation in, and appropriations for the United States contribution to, an international clean technology fund, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-7160
Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental technology
Foreign aid and international relief
Multilateral development programs
Technology transfer and commercialization

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Amends the Bretton Woods Agreements Act to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to contribute to a Clean Technology Fund to promote accelerated deployment in developing countries of technologies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Requires that such Fund be established and administered by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

Prohibits the Fund from providing more than approximately 15% of Fund resources to any one country. Sets forth requirements for a country to be eligible for support from the Fund, which shall be used to cover the incremental costs of deploying clean energy technologies that result in substantial and additional reductions from baseline greenhouse gas emissions.

Prohibits the Fund from providing support for any new coal-fired electricity generation facility unless certain requirements are met.

Requires transparency in all aspects of the governance of the Fund.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) direct the U.S. representative to oppose any proposal that would result in the Fund failing to meet the requirements of this Act; (2) encourage all the multilateral development banks to apply environmental assessment procedures in their consideration of Fund proposals; and (3) ensure that the Fund complements the International Clean Energy Foundation.

Amends the the International Financial Institutions Act to direct the Secretary to seek to ensure that multilateral development banks: (1) adopt and implement greenhouse gas accounting in analyzing the benefits and costs of all projects for which bank funding is sought; and (2) expand their activities supporting climate change mitigation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
To transfer the currently terminated FERC licenses for Projects numbered 10822 and 10823 and reinstate them to the Town of Canton, Connecticut, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-7161
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT-5]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Connecticut
Electric power generation and transmission
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reinstate the licenses for projects numbered 10822 and 10823 and transfer them to the town of Canton, Connecticut. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Improvement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-7162
Sponsor: Rep. Ortiz, Solomon P. [D-TX-27]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Citizenship
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Department of State
Evidence (Law)
Government Operations and Politics
Identification devices
Law
Minorities
Passports
Racial discrimination

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Improvement Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of State to adjudicate U.S. passport applications in an individualized, evidence-based manner.
 
Requires the passport application adjudicatory process to be based on an assessment of individual circumstances and evidence.
 
Prohibits an applicant's race, ethnicity, or ancestry from being taken into account in the passport application adjudicatory process.
 
Requires: (1) an applicant to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the applicant is a U.S. citizen or national; (2) the preponderance of the evidence standard to be applied in a uniform and consistent manner to all passport applications; and (3) any determination that an applicant has not met the burden of proving U.S. citizenship or nationality by a preponderance of the evidence to be made in writing, state the reasons for the determination, and be provided to the applicant in a timely manner.
 
States that a birth certificate signed by a person authorized under state law to sign such a document, or a previously-issued U.S. passport, shall constitute prima facie evidence of U.S. citizenship or nationality and, absent individualized evidence that a birth did not take place in the United States, shall satisfy the preponderance of the evidence standard.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Medical Waste Management Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-7163
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Business records
Canada
Civil actions and liability
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental health
Federal preemption
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health technology, devices, supplies
International organizations and cooperation
Licensing and registrations
Pollution liability
Solid waste and recycling
Transportation safety and security
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Medical Waste Management Act of 2008 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to: (1) revise the definition of &quot;medical waste&quot;; (2) require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations listing types of medical waste; and (3) require the Administrator to conduct a medical waste management program to protect human health and the environment and promulgate regulations on tracking, labeling, packaging, storing, handling, monitoring, and disposing of medical waste.
 
Requires a generator of medical waste to: (1) provide waste transporters with an assurance that the generator has complied with labeling, packaging, and storage requirements and a manifest form for transporting such waste; (2) register with the Administrator; and (3) provide the Administrator with the name of waste transporters. Requires transporters to: (1) not accept medical waste from a generator without receiving such assurance; (2) register with the Administrator; and (3) disclose to the Administrator the number and type of vehicles used to transport medical waste and the equipment and methods used to ensure segregation and handling of such waste. Requires owners or operators of disposal facilities to: (1) provide notice of the disposal of medical waste to the generator; and (2) register with the Administrator. Authorizes the Administrator to set registration requirements and collect reasonable registration fees.
 
Sets forth provisions concerning inspections, public records, and enforcement under this Act.
 
Requires the Administrator to establish a program to educate the public about, and increase access to, acceptable methods for disposal of used syringes generated by individuals through personal use outside of medical facilities. Provides that disposal in household garbage is not an acceptable method.

Requires the Administrator to study and report on medical waste generated and its management and disposal.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-7164
Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa
Multilateral development programs
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund Act of 2008 - Authorizes: (1) the Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund (SAEDF) to conduct public offerings or private placements for the purpose of soliciting and accepting venture capital; and (2) financial returns on SAEDF investments that include a component of private venture capital to be distributed to the investors of such capital.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Millennium Challenge Compact Improvement Act (MCIA)

Bill: 110-hr-7165
Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Foreign aid and international relief
International law and treaties
Multilateral development programs

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Millennium Challenge Compact Improvement Act (MCIA) - Amends the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 to authorize under specified circumstances: (1) Millennium Challenge Compacts in excess of five years; and (2) concurrent Compacts.
 
States that assistance may be provided through a Compact with a country individually and/or through a Compact with two or more countries in the same geographic region collectively.
 
Sets forth provisions regarding suspension or termination of regional Compacts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
American Health Care Access Improvement, Portability, and Cost Reduction Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-7166
Sponsor: Rep. Sali, Bill [R-ID-1]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Income tax credits
Income tax exclusion
Medicare
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax treatment of families
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
American Health Care Access Improvement, Portability, and Cost Reduction Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to allow qualified primary care physicians or qualified nurse practitioners a tax credit of $1,000 for each month such providers provide services in a health professional shortage area.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to make changes to the conversion factor for FY2010 for physicians Medicare payments.

Allows a refundable tax credit for qualified health insurance coverage. Provides for advance payment of such credit.

Revises IRC provisions relating to health savings accounts (HSAs) to: (1) allow HSAs to incorporate flexible spending and health reimbursement arrangements; (2) increase the annual HSA contribution limitation; (3) permit the use of HSAs to purchase health insurance; (4) allow the payment of certain medical expenses incurred before the establishment of an HSA; (5) allow veterans eligible for service-connected disability benefits to establish an HSA; and (6) allow spouses to make increased catch-up contributions to a single HSA.

Requires the inclusion of education information about advance directives in the annual notice of Medicare benefits sent to eligible individuals.

Revises provisions concerning Medicare+Choice private fee-for-service plans related to access standards under the plans and utilization.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
Expanding Availability of VA Health Care Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-7167
Sponsor: Rep. Sestak, Joe [D-PA-7]
Introduced: 2008-09-26 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 
Expanding Availability of VA Health Care Act of 2008 - Makes eligible for health care under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patient enrollment system veterans with incomes not exceeding 200% of the maximum for treatment as a low-income family. (Currently, only veterans with incomes not exceeding the maximum for treatment as a low-income family are so eligible.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Introduced in House