hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Caging Prohibition Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2305
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2007-11-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Election administration
Fines (Penalties)
Government paperwork
Law
State laws
Voter registration
Voting
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: 
Caging Prohibition Act of 2007 - Prohibits state or local election officials from preventing an individual from registering or voting in any election for federal office, or permitting a formal challenge under state law to an individual's registration status or eligibility to vote in a federal election, if the sole basis for such decision or challenge is evidence consisting of: (1) a voter caging document or voter caging list; (2) an unverified match list; or (3) any other evidence so designated for purposes of this Act by the Federal Election Commission.

Defines &quot;voter caging document&quot; as: (1) any nonforwardable document that is sent to an individual at the address at which such individual is registered (or seeking to become registered) as a voter in a federal election, and that is returned to the sender or to a third party as undelivered or undeliverable; and (2) any document (other than a notice warning of possible removal from the voting rolls) that is sent to an individual at the address at which such individual is registered.

Defines &quot;unverified match list&quot; as one produced by matching the identity of registered voters or voter registration applicants with the identity of individuals who are ineligible to vote in the registrar's jurisdiction, by virtue of death, conviction, change of address, mental impairment, or otherwise, unless the information establishing the individual's identity contains a signature, photograph, or unique identifying number.

Outlines requirements for challenges to an individual's registration or voting eligibility by persons other than election officials.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-27
text: Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13772-13773)
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to improve the efficiency of customs and other services at the Wild Horse, Montana port of entry.

Bill: 110-s-2308
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2007-11-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Customs administration
Department of Homeland Security
Government Operations and Politics
Montana

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Wild Horse, Montana, as a port of entry and to assign sufficient U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel and allocate sufficient equipment to accept entries of merchandise, clear passengers, collect duties, and enforce customs and related laws at such port for 24 hours per day.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13945)
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Compensation for Combat Veterans Act

Bill: 110-s-2309
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2007-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disabled
Military operations
Military pay
Veterans' disability compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: 
Compensation for Combat Veterans Act - Provides that, for a veteran claiming disability benefits related to combat, service in a combat zone that is recognized as such service under the Internal Revenue Code shall be considered proof that the veteran engaged in combat.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13991)
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2310
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2007-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Casualty insurance
Commerce
Disaster insurance
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government securities
Governmental investigations
Home ownership
Housing and Community Development
Insurance companies
Nonprofit organizations
Property insurance
Reinsurance
Risk
Securities
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: 
Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007 - Establishes the National Catastrophe Risk Consortium as a nonprofit, nonfederal entity to: (1) maintain an inventory of catastrophe risk obligations held by state reinsurance funds, and state residual insurance market entities; (2) issue, on a conduit basis, securities and other financial instruments linked to catastrophe risks insured or reinsured through Consortium members; and (3) act as a centralized repository of state risk information accessible by certain private-market participants.
 

 
Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to implement a national homeowners' insurance stabilization program to make liquidity loans and catastrophic loans to qualified reinsurance programs to: (1) ensure their solvency; (2) improve the availability and affordability of homeowners' insurance; (3) provide incentive for risk transfer to the private capital and reinsurance markets; and (4) spread the risk of catastrophic financial loss resulting from natural disasters and catastrophic events.
 

 

 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish and collect, from qualified and precertified reinsurance programs, a reasonable fee to offset expenses of the program.
 
Instructs the Secretary to require full repayment of all loans made under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Non-Prescription Drug Modernization Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2311
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2007-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Deceptive advertising
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug adulteration
Drug industry
Drugs
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government Operations and Politics
Labeling
Law

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: 
Non-Prescription Drug Modernization Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize: (1) the amendment or repeal of an over-the-counter drug monograph without notice and public procedure if there is a finding by the Secretary of Health and Human Services that a category of drugs or a specific drug is associated with a significant risk or that such drugs lack evidence of effectiveness; and (2) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate over-the-counter drug advertisements.

Directs the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to identify over-the-counter drug monographs that may require amendment or repeal and to report the findings to Congress.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide for State student achievement contracts.

Bill: 110-s-2312
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2007-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Administrative procedure
Congressional reporting requirements
Data banks
Department of Education
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Educational innovations
Educational tests
Federal aid to education
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Higher education
Law
School districts
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: 
Amends title VI (Flexibility and Accountability) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to set forth a new Part C: State Student Achievement Contracts.
 
 Allows the Secretary of Education to enter into five-year student achievement contracts with up to 12 states, authorizing them to: (1) waive the statutory or regulatory requirements that accompany any ESEA formula grant program for states; (2) use funds, or allow their local educational agencies (LEAs) to use funds, received under specified ESEA programs for implementing one or more of such programs or programs under part A of title I of the ESEA; and (3) require their LEAs that are not meeting state student proficiency targets to use such funds for corrective intervention activities.
 
Requires contract applicants to demonstrate that their academic standards, assessments, accountability systems, objectives, and data systems meet specified minimum requirements under such contracts.
 
Establishes alternative ESEA program waivers for states participating in the contract program that do not meet such minimum academic standards and assessment requirements but have a plan, approved by the Secretary, for doing so.
 
Requires participating states to report annually on how they have used federal funds under the contract to improve academic achievement, narrow the achievement gap, and improve educational opportunities for the disadvantaged.
 
Provides for the early termination of program participation by states not abiding by the terms of their contracts.
 
Requires an independent five-year evaluation of this program's success in improving student academic achievement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S13993-13995)
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13991-13993, S13995-13996)
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance Act

Bill: 110-s-2313
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2007-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Authorization
Bacterial diseases
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug resistance in microorganisms
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health surveys
Medical research
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: 
Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish, and appoint the Director of, the Office of Antimicrobial Resistance to develop plans for addressing antimicrobial resistance in the United States and internationally; (2) establish the Public Health Antimicrobial Advisory Board to assist the Director; and (3) develop an antimicrobial resistance strategic research plan. Renews the Antimicrobial Resistance Task Force and sets forth its membership and duties.

Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the submission of human and animal drug distribution data to the Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, the Antimicrobial Resistance Task Force, and the Public Health Antimicrobial Advisory Board. Requires the Director to make drug distribution data publicly available by antimicrobial drug class.

Requires the Secretary to establish at least 10 Antimicrobial Resistance Clinical Research and Public Health Network sites to describe outbreaks of antimicrobial resistant pathogens and monitor the patterns of such pathogens in individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13996)
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Geothermal Heat Pump Development Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2314
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2007-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Depreciation and amortization
Energy
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Geothermal resources
Heat pumps
Housing and Community Development
Income tax
Minimum tax
Tax administration
Tax credits
Tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: 
Geothermal Heat Pump Development Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) to include equipment that uses the ground or ground water as a thermal energy source or sink to heal or cool a structure (i.e., geothermal heat pump systems) as energy property for purposes of the energy tax credit; (2) allow a residential energy efficient property tax credit for 30% of qualified geothermal heat pump property expenditures; and (3) allow accelerated three-year depreciation of geothermal heat pump systems.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13998-13999)
action_date: 2007-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Restoring Trust in Regulator Travel Act

Bill: 110-s-2315
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Conflict of interests
Federal employees
Government ethics
Government travel
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
Restoring Trust in Regulator Travel Act - Prohibits a federal agency and its employees from accepting funding for travel from a nonfederal entity if such entity has been subject to the jurisdiction of that agency within two years of the travel.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness.

Bill: 110-s-2316
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Animals
Arctic and polar regions
Wilderness areas
Wildlife refuges

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Intellectual Property Enforcement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2317
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
China
Civil actions and liability
Compensation for victims of crime
Computer crimes
Copyright
Counterfeiting
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Department of Justice
East Asia
Europe
Executive reorganization
Export controls
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal law enforcement officers
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Forfeiture
Government Operations and Politics
Hong Kong
Hungary
Import restrictions
Intellectual property
International Affairs
International cooperation
Labeling
Law
Motion pictures
Organized crime
Packaging
Prosecution
Public prosecutors
Science, Technology, Communications
Sentences (Criminal procedure)

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
Intellectual Property Enforcement Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action for copyright infringement in lieu of criminal proceedings. 

Directs the Attorney General to: (1) create an operational unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist in the investigation and coordination of intellectual property crimes; (2) implement a program to train FBI agents in the investigation and prosecution of such crimes; (3) assign federal prosecutors to Department of Justice (DOJ) offices in Hong Kong and Budapest to coordinate international enforcement of intellectual property laws; and (4) create a task force to implement a plan to investigate and prosecute international organized crime syndicates involved in theft of intellectual property.

Authorizes additional funding through FY2011 to investigate and prosecute criminal activity involving computers.

Amends federal copyright law to: (1) provide that copyright registration requirements apply to civil (not criminal) infringement actions; (2) require courts to issue protective orders to prevent disclosure of seized records relating to copyright infringement; (3) modify forfeiture provisions relating to criminal copyright infringement; and (4) prohibit importing and exporting of infringing copies of copyrighted works.

Amends the federal criminal code to enhance penalties for: (1) trafficking in counterfeit labels or packaging; (2) criminal infringement of copyrights; (3) unauthorized recording of motion pictures; and (4) trafficking in counterfeit goods or services.

Provides for civil forfeiture of property used to facilitate copyright infringement and for restitution for victims of such infringement. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14064-14066)
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14064)
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
AMT Repeal and Tax Freedom Act

Bill: 110-s-2318
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Dividends
Finance and Financial Sector
Income tax
Minimum tax
Tax penalties
Tax rates

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
AMT Repeal and Tax Freedom Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the alternative minimum tax for individual taxpayers after 2006.

Exempts individual taxpayers who had no alternative minimum tax liability in the taxable year preceding 2006 from estimated income tax penalties for taxable years beginning in 2006.

Makes permanent reductions in income tax rates enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2001 and capital gains and dividends tax rates enacted by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-08
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 476.
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
National Trauma Center Stabilization Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2319
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to health facilities
Indian medical care
Medically uninsured
Minorities
Trauma care

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
National Trauma Center Stabilization Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise the grant program for trauma care centers by: (1) establishing three programs to award grants to public, non-profit, Indian Health Service, Indian tribal, and urban Indian trauma centers to assist in defraying substantial uncompensated care costs, further the core mission of such trauma centers, and provide emergency relief to trauma centers at risk of closing; and (2) setting forth minimum qualifications for trauma centers, including requirements for the treatment of charity or self-pay patients.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-2320
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Coinsurance
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Immunosuppressive drugs
Insurance premiums
Kidney diseases
Labor and Employment
Medical economics
Medicare
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Prescription pricing
Social Welfare
Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc.

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2007 - Amends SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) to: (1) continue entitlement to prescription drugs used in immunosuppressive therapy furnished to an individual who receives a kidney transplant for which payment is made under Medicare; and (2) extend Medicare secondary payer requirements for end stage renal disease (ESRD) beneficiaries.
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare ) of SSA to apply special rules to kidney transplant recipients receiving additional coverage for immunosuppressive drugs. Deems such individual to be enrolled under Medicare part B. Makes him or her responsible for the full amount of the applicable premiums. Applies deductible and coinsurance requirements to the provision of such drugs.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to set forth requirements for group health plans to provide coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14067)
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14066-14067)
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the International Center Act to authorize the lease or sublease of certain property described in such Act to an entity other than a foreign government or international organization if certain conditions are met.

Bill: 110-s-2322
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2007-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Commerce
Corporations
District of Columbia
International agencies
Leases
Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: 
Amend the International Center Act to authorize the lease or sublease of property identified by the District of Columbia as tax lots 803, 804, 805, and 806 to an entity other than a foreign government or international organization, so long as the Secretary of State maintains the right to approve the occupant and the intended use of the property.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S14068)
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14067-16068)
action_date: 2007-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate