hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the penalty on the understatement of taxpayer's liability by tax return preparers.

Bill: 110-s-2851
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY]
Introduced: 2008-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Evidence (Law)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Income tax
Law
Tax evasion
Tax penalties
Tax preparers
Tax returns
Tax shelters

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the standards for imposing penalties on tax return preparers for understatements of tax to require: (1) substantial authority for a position with respect to an item on a tax return if such position was not disclosed with the return; and (2) a reasonable basis for a position which was disclosed with the return. 

Requires tax return preparers to have a reasonable belief that a position with respect to a tax shelter or a reportable transaction (a transaction having a potential for tax avoidance or evasion) will more likely than not be sustained on its merits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Spending and Taxpayer Accessibility Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2852
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2008-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Congress
Congressional Research Service
Congressional agencies
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Federal libraries
Financial statements
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Income tax
Internet
Legislation
Library of Congress
Science, Technology, Communications
Tariff
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax preferences
Taxation
Taxpayers
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: 
Federal Spending and Taxpayer Accessibility Act - Directs the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to create a free public Internet website that includes data for fiscal years after FY2007 and allows the user to search specified information on each federal earmark, including the intended recipient, total dollar amount, the sponsoring Member of Congress, and the status of the bill to which it is attached.
 

 

 
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to provide, upon an eligible individual's request, his or her taxpayer account statement.
 

 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to include the financial outlays exceeding $25,000 of all federal agencies for fiscal years after FY2008 on the Internet website established by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.
 

 

 
Declares that nothing in this Act shall require the disclosure of classified information.
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2978-2979)
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2977-2978)
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the cap on disproportionate share adjustment percentages for certain rural hospitals.

Bill: 110-s-2853
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2008-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Case mix (Medical care)
Hospital rates
Housing and Community Development
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Rural health
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exempt certain rural hospitals from the 12% cap on disproportionate share hospital (DSH) adjustment percentages. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
National Guard and Reserve Medical Readiness Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2854
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Armed forces reserves
Health
Military medicine
Military operations
National Guard

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: 
National Guard and Reserve Medical Readiness Act of 2008 - Revises the effective date for being considered on active duty, for purposes of entitlement to active-duty medical and dental care, for members of the reserves receiving an alert order anticipating a call or order to active duty in support of a contingency operation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to adjust the dollar amounts used to calculate the credit for the elderly and the permanently disabled for inflation since 1985.

Bill: 110-s-2855
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Disability retirement
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Social Welfare
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require an inflation adjustment to the dollar amounts for calculating the tax credit for taxpayers who have attained age 65 or who have retired on disability as permanently and totally disabled.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Optional One Page Flat Tax Act

Bill: 110-s-2856
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Annuities
Commerce
Congress
Congressional voting
Estate tax
Families
Federal employees
Flat-rate tax
Gift tax
Government Operations and Politics
Income tax
Inheritance tax
Labor and Employment
Legislation
Legislative amendments
Legislative resolutions
Local employees
Married people
Minimum tax
State employees
Tax administration
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax rates
Tax-exempt organizations
Unemployment insurance
Wages

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Optional One Page Flat Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize an individual or a person engaged in business activity to make an irrevocable election to be subject to a flat tax (in lieu of the existing tax provisions) of 19% for the first two years after an election is made, and 17% thereafter. 
 Calculates taxable income for individual taxpayers by subtracting a basic standard deduction and an additional standard deduction for each dependent from the total of wages, retirement distributions, and unemployment compensation. Defines &quot;business taxable income&quot; to mean gross active income reduced by the cost of certain business inputs. 
Imposes an employer tax on the value of excludable compensation provided to employees not engaged in business activity of 19% for the first two years after an election is made under this Act and 17% thereafter. 
 
Requires a two-thirds vote of the House of Representatives or the Senate to increase the flat tax rate proposed by this Act or to reduce the amount of the standard deduction or business-related deductions allowed by this Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
action_date: 2008-04-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2959-2960)
Oil Shale Reserve Fund Revenue Act

Bill: 110-s-2857
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Colorado
Economics and Public Finance
Energy facilities
Environmental Protection
Environmental degradation
Government Operations and Politics
Oil and gas leases
Oil and gas royalties
Oil shales
Oil well drilling
Petroleum reserves
Prospecting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Restoration ecology
Revenue sharing

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Oil Shale Reserve Fund Revenue Act - Requires that any amounts received by the United States, beginning on November 18, 1997, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act, from a lease under provisions relating to certain oil shale reserves be deposited in the U.S. Treasury. 
 
Requires that 50% of such amounts go to the Secretary of the Interior for the costs of all environmental restoration, waste management, and environmental compliance regarding the remediation of the land transferred under certain existing provisions, including the former Anvil Points oil shale facility in Colorado.
 
Requires that the remaining 50% go to Garfield, Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Mesa Counties, Colorado, to mitigate the effects of oil and gas development activities within the affected areas. Prohibits counting such funds in calculating payments for the counties under provisions relating to payment for entitlement land.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act

Bill: 110-s-2858
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Commemorations
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Employee training
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Higher education
Interstate relations
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Public service advertising
Social science research
Social work
Special months
State laws
Student loan funds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the Social Work Reinvestment Commission to provide independent counsel to Congress on policy issues associated with the recruitment, retention, research, and reinvestment in the profession of social work.
 
Directs the Commission to study and report to Congress on issues facing the social work profession, including: (1) fair market compensation, high social work educational debt, social work workforce trends, knowledge development, and social work safety; and (2) state-level social work licensure policies and reciprocity agreements for providing services across state lines.

Authorizes the Secretary to award various grants to eligible entities and individuals to support demonstration programs related to research, workplace improvements, education, training, and programs of excellence.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract with a national social work research entity to serve as a coordinating center and clearinghouse for information on activities under the demonstration program; and (2) develop and issue public service announcements that advertise and promote the social work profession.
 
Designates March of 2008, and of each succeeding year, as National Social Work Awareness Month. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3028-3029)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Amendments of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2859
Sponsor: Sen. Webb, Jim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Emergency Management
Health
Higher education
Identification devices
Medical records
Mental health
Mental health services
Right of privacy
School security
Student records
Students

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Amendments of 2008 - Amends the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 to declare that nothing in the Act prohibits a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other healthcare professional or paraprofessional from consulting with or disclosing treatment records on a student who is 18 years old or older or who is attending a postsecondary educational institution to a healthcare professional or paraprofessional outside the educational institution in connection with the provision of treatment to the student.
 
Prohibits deeming the release by an educational institution of education records or related personally identifiable information, in the good faith belief that such release is necessary to protect against a threat to the health or safety of the student or other persons, to be a failure to comply with the Act regardless of whether it is subsequently determined that the specified conditions for such release did not exist.
 
Allows the release of education records to appropriate persons in an emergency if the knowledge of that information is necessary, according to the good faith belief of the educational institution or persons to whom the disclosure is made, to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3030)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Fair Value and Independent Appraisal Act

Bill: 110-s-2860
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commerce
Consumer credit
Consumer education
Federal Reserve System
Federal Trade Commission
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Housing and Community Development
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Mortgages
Real estate appraisal
Restrictive trade practices

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Fair Value and Independent Appraisal Act - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a creditor from extending a mortgage to any consumer without first obtaining a written appraisal of the property to be mortgaged, prepared in accordance with specified requirements.
 
Requires a creditor to provide a copy of each such appraisal to the consumer without charge, at least three days prior to the transaction closing date.
 
Declares unfair or deceptive specified property appraisal practices in the provision of: (1) mortgage lending services for a consumer credit transaction secured by the consumer's principal dwelling; or (2) any mortgage brokerage services for such a transaction. Establishes civil monetary penalties for such practices.
 

 
Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Trade Commission to jointly prescribe regulations defining such unfair or deceptive acts or practices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prohibit the imposition of a separate fee for electronic filing of returns and statements for individuals, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-2861
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Electronic data interchange
Fees
Fines (Penalties)
Income tax
Law
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax preparers
Tax returns

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit any person who is authorized to originate the electonic submission of a income tax return or statement from charging a separate fee for such electronic submission. Imposes a $50 fine for each violation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration utilization of the Arecibo Observatory.

Bill: 110-s-2862
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Asteroids
Astronomy
Atmosphere
Meteorological research
Meteorology
Puerto Rico
Solar system
Space activities
Surveys
Telescopes

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Instructs the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to: (1) ensure that the Arecibo Observatory, in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, is fully funded to continue its research on Earth's ionosphere, its research in radio astronomy, and research on the solar system; and (2) coordinate with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to ensure that the capabilities of the Arecibo Observatory continue to be available for NASA research in characterizing and mitigating Near Earth Objects, and other research as needed. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Ethical Stem Cell Research Tax Credit Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2863
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Clinical trials
Commerce
Cytology
Health
Human embryology
Income tax
Medical research
Preventive medicine
Science, Technology, Communications
Tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Ethical Stem Cell Research Tax Credit Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 30% of qualified stem cell research expenses paid or incurred in a taxable year. Defines &quot;qualified stem cell research expenses&quot; as expenses for carrying out basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of or treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions. Prohibits a tax credit for any research expenses that may involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction of or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell for prohibited purposes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Training and Rehabilitation for Disabled Veterans Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2864
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disabled
Education
Labor and Employment
Quality of life
Veterans' employment
Veterans' rehabilitation
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Training and Rehabilitation for Disabled Veterans Enhancement Act of 2008 - Allows services and assistance for veterans with service-connected disabilities to include services necessary to improve a veteran's quality of life. 

Entitles a veteran determined not capable of achieving a vocational goal to a program that improves such veteran's quality of life, in addition to other services currently provided. Directs (current law authorizes) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide programs of independent living services and assistance to such veterans.

Removes provisions limiting the initiation of programs of independent living services to no more than 2,500 veterans each fiscal year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3031)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3030-3031)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Fisheries Capital Construction Fund Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2865
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Construction costs
Economics and Public Finance
Equipment and supplies
Federal aid to transportation
Fishery management
Fishing boats
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine safety

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Fisheries Capital Construction Fund Enhancement Act of 2008 - Adds withdrawals for the acquisition of gear or equipment required for safety of life at sea or to comply with conservation measures within a fishery to the list of qualified withdrawals from a vessel capital construction fund. Declares that specified capital acquisition, construction, or reconstruction minimum cost requirements do not apply to withdrawals for such purposes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3031)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3031)
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Corporate Executive Compensation Accountability and Transparency Act

Bill: 110-s-2866
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2008-04-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Accounting
Administrative procedure
Armed Forces and National Security
Consultants
Corporate mergers
Defense contracts
Executive compensation
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial statements
Fringe benefits
Golden parachutes
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Independent regulatory commissions
Information disclosure (Securities law)
Law
Profit
Securities and Exchange Commission
Securities regulation
Stockholders
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: 
Corporate Executive Compensation Accountability and Transparency Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to the limit annual aggregate amounts which may be deferred under nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements.
 
Amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to extend from 12 to 36 months the look-back period for any bonuses, incentive-based or equity-based compensation, or profits realized from the sale of securities which must be reimbursed to a securities issuer by its chief executive officer and chief financial officer if the issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement because of material noncompliance, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement.
 
Requires the Securities Exchange and Commission (SEC) to promulgate regulations to ensure more effective enforcement of such forfeitures.
 
Requires such regulations to cite specified illicit accounting irregularities.
 
Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require that any proxy, consent, or authorization for an annual (or special) meeting of shareholders provide for a separate nonbinding shareholder vote on executive compensation, especially executive compensation (golden parachute payments) based on or related to disposition of substantially all the assets of an issuer in an acquisition, merger, consolidation, sale, or other disposition. 
 
Directs the SEC to promulgate regulations: (1) clarifying and strengthening requirements governing disclosure of compensation of consultants or advisors to a compensation committee; and (2) requiring each company subject to its jurisdiction to disclose the full grant date present value of equity instruments used as executive compensation awards in the Summary Compensation Table of the company.
 
Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to require certain federal contractors to disclose their executive compensation structures. Requires Armed Forces defense procurement contracts also to disclose such structures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-04-15
text: Introduced in Senate