hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Helping Our Veterans to Keep Their Homes Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3087
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Condominium (Housing)
Economics and Public Finance
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Housing and Community Development
Mortgage interest rates
Mortgages
Single family housing
Veterans' loans

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Helping Our Veterans to Keep Their Homes Act of 2008 - Increases from 90% to 100% of the reasonable value of a veteran's dwelling or farm residence the amount of the loan to be guaranteed or made in the case of a loan to refinance certain loans.
 
Prohibits collecting a fee from a veteran for a housing loan, unless the loan is used to refinance indebtedness. Changes the loan fee for such loans to 1% of the total amount of the loan guaranteed, insured, or made, or in the case of a loan assumption, the unpaid principal balance of the loan on the date of the transfer of the property.
 
Extends the demonstration projects involving: (1) adjustable rate mortgages through FY2018; and (2) hybrid adjustable rate through FY2012.
 
Increases the maximum loan guaranty amount of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) conforming limit limitation determined for a single-family residence, as adjusted for the year involved.
 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to review and streamline the process of guaranteeing home loans for the purchase of a condominium. 
 
Increases the maximum guaranty amount for certain refinanced loans or other liens.
 
Sets, for a veteran whose income is below an amount set by the Secretary, the maximum amount of guaranty entitlement available for a home loan in any amount at the greater of: (1) the guaranty amount for veterans whose income is not below such amount set by the Secretary; or (2) 30% of the loan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5210-5211)
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Safe Aviation Facilities Ensure Aircraft Integrity and Reliability Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3090
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Airline employees
Airline passenger traffic
Aviation safety
Commercial aircraft
Congress
Congressional oversight
Department of Transportation
Drug abuse
Drug testing
Drugs and employment
Government Operations and Politics
Labor and Employment
Law
Maintenance and repair
Security measures

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Safe Aviation Facilities Ensure Aircraft Integrity and Reliability Act of 2008 or the SAFE AIR Act of 2008 - Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to: (1) prescribe regulations requiring maintenance work on passenger aircraft to be performed by certain authorized individuals; (2) certify to Congress that the FAA has inspected each foreign repair station that has performed work on U.S. air carrier aircraft or components at least twice in the preceding year and tested persons who perform safety-sensitive functions at such stations for use of alcohol or controlled substances; and (3) develop a plan to identify all noncertified maintenance providers that have performed maintenance work on such aircraft. 

Prohibits the Administrator from certifying a foreign repair station unless it complies with certain final security regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Wound Therapy Patient Protection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3091
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Budget deficits
Competitive bidding
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government procurement
Government spending reductions
Medical supplies
Medicare
Peer review organizations (Medicine)
Quality of care
Social Welfare
Wounds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Medicare Wound Therapy Patient Protection Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exempt from the Medicare competitive acquisition program negative pressure wound therapy pumps and related supplies and accessories, until the Secretary of Health and Human Services can validate, using a panel of wound care clinical experts, the clinical comparability of all such products. 
 
Expresses the sense of the Senate that this Act should be deficit neutral over the five-year period beginning on October 1, 2008, through appropriate offsets.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Cure and Understanding through Research for Alzheimer's Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3092
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alzheimer's disease
Clinical trials
Department of Health and Human Services
Economics and Public Finance
Epidemiology
Federal aid to health facilities
Federal aid to research
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health education
Hispanic Americans
Human behavior
Medical research
Minorities
Minority health
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Research centers
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Cure and Understanding through Research for Alzheimer's Act of 2008 or the Cura Act of 2008 - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to ensure sufficient resources for activities relating to Alzheimer's disease and Hispanic communities, including by: (1) increasing efforts in epidemiological work in Hispanic subgroups; (2) allocating resources to the National Institute on Aging Alzheimer's disease research centers and other academic centers involved in such research to increase participation of Hispanics and other underrepresented ethnic groups in research and clinical trials in sufficient numbers to draw valid conclusions; and (3) conducting social, behavioral, and health services research to understand the underlying reasons why Hispanic individuals delay diagnosis and underutilize services, to identify culturally and linguistically appropriate approaches to address such delays and underutilization, and to identify what is culturally competent care.

Requires the Director to expand and intensify NIH efforts to educate communities about the importance of research relating to Alzheimer's disease and to respond effectively to cultural concerns about participation in such research.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for a program of grants to states to carry out demonstration programs related to Alzheimer's disease.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct an aggressive, evidence-based education and outreach program to promote public awareness and risk reduction with respect to Alzheimer's disease, particularly to Hispanic populations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Electronic Employment Verification Reauthorization Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3093
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Alien labor
Commerce
Employee selection
Employers' liability
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Housing and Community Development
Illegal aliens
Labor and Employment
Law
Small business
Social Welfare
Social security numbers

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Electronic Employment Verification Reauthorization Act of 2008 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to make the employment eligibility confirmation pilot programs permanent.
 
Redesignates the basic pilot program as the E-verify program (program).
 
Requires that any person or employer that enters into a federal contract participate in the program. 
 
Requires that an employer electing to verify the employment eligibility of existing employees do so not later than 10 days after notifying the Secretary of Homeland Security of such election.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to require an employer or class of employers to participate in the program if the Secretary has reasonable cause to believe that the employer has engaged in material employment violations under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
 
Requires that an employer participating in the program use the confirmation system to reverify an individual's work authorization not later than three days after the date on which such individual's employment authorization is scheduled to expire.
 
Requires that the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services establish in a rural setting or in an area with fewer than 10,000 residents a demonstration program to assist small businesses verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5214-5215)
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Long Path Trail Study Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3094
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Governmental investigations
Mountains
New Jersey
New York State
Sports and Recreation
Trails

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Long Path Trail Study Act of 2008 - Amends the National Trails System Act to require that the Long Path Trail from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to the Adirondack Mountains in New York be studied for possible designation as a national scenic trail.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Relief for Rural Veterans in Crisis Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3095
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Afghanistan
Armed Forces and National Security
Authorization
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to health facilities
Health planning
Hospitals
Housing and Community Development
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Medicare
Mental health services
Middle East and North Africa
Military operations
Rural health
Social Welfare
South Asia
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Relief for Rural Veterans in Crisis Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to states for increasing the delivery of mental health services or other health care services deemed necessary to meet the needs of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom living in rural areas; and (2) extend the authorization for Medicare rural hospital flexibility program (FLEX) grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5216)
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5215-5216)
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998 to authorize appropriations for the National Cave and Karst Research Institute.

Bill: 110-s-3096
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2008-06-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Authorization
Caves
Economics and Public Finance
New Mexico
Research centers
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: 
Amends the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998 to remove a provision limiting spending by the Department of the Interior for the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, in New Mexico, to the amount of nonfederal funding.

action_date: 2008-09-16
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Amends the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998 to remove a provision limiting federal spending by the Department of the Interior for the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, in New Mexico, to the amount of nonfederal funding received. 
 
Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1002.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2008-06-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-539.
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the use of funds by the Department of Defense for propaganda purposes within the United States not otherwise specifically authorized by law.

Bill: 110-s-3099
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2008-06-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appropriations
Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional investigations
Defense budgets
Department of Defense
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: 
Prohibits the use of funds made available by any Act by the Department of Defense (DOD) for propaganda purposes within the United States not otherwise specifically authorized by law.
 
Directs the DOD Inspector General and the U.S. Comptroller General to each conduct a study of, and report to Congress on, the extent to which the DOD has violated the prohibition on propaganda established in specified laws.
 
Defines &quot;propaganda&quot; as any form of communication in support of national objectives designed to influence the opinions, emotions, attitudes, or behavior of the people of the United States in order to benefit the sponsor, either directly or indirectly.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Voting Opportunities and Integrity in the Conduct of Elections Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3100
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2008-06-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Absentee voting
Ballots
Computer software
Congress
Congressional elections
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Election Assistance Commission
Election Day
Election administration
Electronic data interchange
English language
Federal aid to research
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Illiteracy
Postal service
Presidential elections
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Standards
State laws
Voter registration
Voting
Voting machines
Voting of the disabled

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: 
Voting Opportunities and Integrity in the Conduct of Elections Act of 2008 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to: (1) allow individuals to vote in an election before the date of the regularly scheduled election; (2) require the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to issue standards for administration of such voting; and (3) require each state to permit any person otherwise qualified to vote in a federal election to vote in a manner other than in person, and impose no conditions or restrictions on absentee voting other than a reasonable deadline for requesting and returning the ballot.

Directs the EAC to establish a Vote by Mail grant program. 

Requires each federal election voting system to require the use of or produce an individual, durable, voter-verified, paper ballot of the voter's vote, available for voter inspection and verification before the vote is cast and counted. 

Directs the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to study, test, and develop best practices to enhance the accessibility of ballot verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy.

Prohibits the use of: (1) uncertified election dedicated voting system technologies; and (2) any voting system unless its manufacturer and the election officials using it meet applicable security requirements. 

Provides for mandatory availability of paper ballots at polling places.

Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to make research grants for development of election-dedicated voting system software. 

Requires states to make unannounced random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots in a federal election.

Directs the EAC to establish: (1) a pre-registration implementation grant program; (2) an automatic re-registration grant program; and (3) a computerized system capable of communicating and exchanging data among participating states (interoperability).

Prohibits voter caging practices (those preventing voting or registration through the reliance by officials on certain non-forwardable or non-returned documents). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2008-06-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Information Security Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3102
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Computer security measures
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Information technology
Internet
Science, Technology, Communications
Small Business Administration
Small business
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: 
Small Business Information Security Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish the Small Business Information Security Task Force to address the information technology security needs of small businesses. Requires the Task Force, among other duties, to make recommendations to the Administrator on the establishment of an Internet website to be used by the SBA to receive and dispense information and resources with respect to such needs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5391-5392)
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5391)
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
DNA Felony Collection Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3104
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2008-06-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal justice information
DNA
Data banks
Government Operations and Politics
Identification of criminals
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: 
DNA Felony Collection Act of 2008 - Directs the Attorney General to require states to: (1) collect a DNA sample from each individual convicted of a felony under the laws of such states; and (2) include DNA analysis results from such samples in a federal or state index of DNA analysis records.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Funding DNA Technology Initiative Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3105
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2008-06-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal justice information
DNA
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to law enforcement
Government Operations and Politics
Identification of criminals
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: 
Funding DNA Technology Initiative Act of 2008 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2010 for the Advancing Justice through DNA Technology initiative. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend chapter 13 of title 17, United States Code (relating to the vessel hull design protection), to clarify the definitions of a hull and a deck.

Bill: 110-s-3106
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2008-06-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Intellectual property
Marine and inland water transportation
Military procurement, research, weapons development

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: 

 

 
Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008 - Amends federal copyright law to specify that the design of a vessel's hull, deck, or combination of a hull and deck, including a plug or mold are protected (currently, only the design of the vessel hull is protected, including a plug or mold and the definition of hull includes the deck). 
 
Requires that Department of Defense rights in a registered design, including the right to build to such a design, be determined solely by provisions of federal Armed Forces law relating to rights in technical data or by the instrument under which the design was developed for the U.S. government.
 
Redefines &quot;useful article&quot; and &quot;hull.&quot; Defines &quot;deck&quot; as the horizontal surface of the vessel that covers the hull, including exterior cabin and cockpit surfaces, and exclusive of masts, sails, yards, rigging, hardware, fixtures, and other attachments. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5449)
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5449)
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the payment of compensation to members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the United States who were forced to perform slave labor by the Imperial Government of Japan or by corporations of Japan during World War II, or the surviving spouses of such members, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-3107
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2008-06-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Compensation (Law)
East Asia
Families
Federal employees
Forced labor
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
History
International Affairs
Japan
Labor and Employment
Prisoners of war
Survivors' benefits
Veterans' benefits
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to pay (subject to the availability of appropriated funds) a specified amount of compensation to those members of the Armed Forces and U.S. civilian employees, or to the surviving spouses of such members and employees, who were captured by Japan and who were used as slave labor during World War II.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5449-5450)
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Introduced in Senate