hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Secondary School Innovation Fund Act

Bill: 111-s-968
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2009-05-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Rural conditions and development
School administration
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: 
Secondary School Innovation Fund Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to establish a Secondary School Innovation Fund program awarding competitive matching grants to partnerships, which must include at least one state or local educational agency, for the implementation of innovative strategies to improve the achievement of at-risk students in secondary schools. Permits partnerships to award subgrants to schools for the implementation of such strategies.
 
Lists innovative strategies, one or more of which grantees or subgrantees must implement, that include: (1) creating multiple education pathways that offer students a range of educational options aligned with their needs and interests and preparing them for postsecondary education and the workforce; (2) giving students access to early college high school or other dual enrollment learning opportunities; (3) using secondary school early warning indicators and intervention systems attuned to the needs of at-risk students; (4) creating expanded learning time opportunities; (5) improving student transitions from middle school to high school or from high school to postsecondary education and the workforce; (6) increasing the autonomy and flexibility of secondary schools; (7) improving rural education through educational technology; (8) improving learning opportunities for students in the middle grades; (9) improving teaching and increasing academic rigor at the secondary school level; and (10) improving community and parental involvement in students' education.
 
Requires the Secretary to disseminate, and provide technical assistance regarding, best practices in improving secondary school student achievement. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5082-5085)
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5081-5082)
action_date: 2009-05-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Women's Health Insurance Fairness Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-969
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Health care costs and insurance
Sex and reproductive health
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Women's Health Insurance Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit health insurance issuers offering individual health insurance coverage from: (1) considering the gender of an enrollee when determining premium; (2) imposing any preexisting condition exclusion relating to pregnancy; or (3) otherwise discriminating against women on the basis of a current or past pregnancy, past or future method of delivery, and past pregnancy outcome.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) develop a minimum benefit standard for the provision of comprehensive maternity coverage under an individual health plan, which shall require coverage for the full scope of maternity services from preconception through postpartum; and (2) require health insurance issuers to provide data to the Secretary to monitor compliance.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to report to the appropriate congressional committees on health insurance coverage offered on the individual insurance market and on problems remaining for women after the enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5130-5131)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Community Building Code Administration Grant Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-970
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Housing and community development funding
Housing industry and standards
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Community Building Code Administration Grant Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, to the extent amounts are made available for grants under this Act, to award grants, on a competitive basis and with federal matching funds, to qualified local building code enforcement departments to increase staffing, provide staff training, increase staff competence and professional qualifications, support individual certification or departmental accreditation, or for capital expenditures specifically dedicated to department administration.
 
Sets forth criteria for rating and ranking of grant proposals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Jason's Law

Bill: 111-s-971
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Jason's Law - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) implement a pilot program to allocate funds to states, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governments that submit an application approved by the Secretary for eligible projects to establish long-term parking facilities for commercial motor vehicles (trucks) on the National Highway System; and (2) give priority to applicants that demonstrate a severe shortage of truck parking capacity and whose proposed projects are likely to have positive effects on highway safety, traffic congestion, or air quality.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to provide funding for successful claimants following a determination on the merits of Pigford claims related to racial discrimination by the Department of Agriculture.

Bill: 111-s-972
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Civil actions and liability
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Legal fees and court costs
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to make it unlawful for a person to knowingly commit specified fraudulent acts relating to a 
Pigford 
claim (relating to racial discrimination by the Department of Agriculture). Subjects a violator to criminal fine and/or up to five years in prison.
 
Provides for: (1) access to the permanent judgment fund for additional claims payments or debt relief after the expenditure of amounts otherwise made available for claims payments; and (2) reasonable attorney fees, administrative costs, and expenses to be paid from such fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5131-5132)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5131)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-973
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Home and outpatient care
Medical education
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) reduce a hospital's otherwise applicable resident limit by the number of positions unused for the five most recent cost reporting periods; and (2) require the distribution of additional resulting residency positions to certain other hospitals.
 
Requires that all the time spent by a resident in outpatient settings be counted towards the determination of full-time equivalency for the purposes of payments for direct graduate (GME) and indirect (IME) medical education costs, without regard to the setting in which the activities are performed, if the hospital continues to incur the costs of the resident's stipends and fringe benefits during the time the resident spends in that setting.
 
Sets forth rules for counting resident time for didactic and scholarly activities and other activities. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a process for the redistribution of residency slots after a hospital closes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid Accountability through Transparency Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-974
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health information and medical records
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Medicaid Accountability through Transparency Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a program under which the Secretary shall make available through the public Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services non-aggregated, de-identified information on individuals collected under the Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS). 
 
Requires reduction of Medicaid payments to states which have not provided for electronic transmission of claims data in the format specified by the Secretary and consistent with the MSIS (including detailed individual enrollee encounter data and other information that the Secretary may find necessary).
 
Directs the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on the feasibility, potential costs, and potential benefits of making publicly available through an Internet-based program de-identified payment and patient encounter information for items and services furnished under title XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP) of the Social Security Act which would not otherwise be included in the information collected under the MSIS.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide that certain provisions of subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, relating to Federal information policy shall not apply to the collection of information during any investigation, audit, inspection, evaluation, or other review conducted by any Federal office of Inspector General, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-976
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Financial crises and stabilization
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Provides that certain federal information policy provisions shall not apply to the collection of information during any investigation, audit, inspection, evaluation, or other review conducted by: (1) any federal office of Inspector General; (2) the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency; or (3) the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5133)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5132-5133)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-977
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Digestive and metabolic diseases
Disability and paralysis
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009 - Amends federal veterans' benefits provisions with respect to former prisoners of war (POWs) to repeal the currently required 30-day minimum period of internment prior to the presumption of service connection for certain listed diseases, for purposes of the payment of veterans' disability compensation. Adds diabetes (type 2) to the listed diseases. Requires: (1) such presumption also with respect to any disease that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines warrants such presumption by reason of having a positive association with the experience of being a POW; and (2) the Secretary to make such a determination within 60 days after a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War that such presumption be established for a non-listed disease.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 111-264.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the limitation on capital losses applicable to individuals.

Bill: 111-s-978
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Financial services and investments
Income tax deductions
Inflation and prices
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the limit on the deductibility of losses from the sale or exchange of capital assets for individual taxpayers to $10,000, adjusted for inflation after 2009 (50% of such amount for married individuals filing a separate tax return). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
SHOP Act

Bill: 111-s-979
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Employee benefits and pensions
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax credits
Public contracts and procurement
Self-employed
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Small Business Health Options Program Act of 2009 or the SHOP Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate an office within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to administer a health insurance program for small businesses and self-employed individuals to purchase health insurance coverage meeting certain requirements. 
 
Establishes a Small Business Health Board to monitor the implementation of the program and make recommendations for improvements.
 
Requires the Administrator of the program to: (1) enter into contracts with health insurance issuers to provide health insurance coverage under this Act; and (2) enter into agreements with entities to serve as navigators to provide information about the program, provide referrals to applicable agencies for any grievance, complaint, or question, and assist in enrollment.
 
Requires a participating employer to ensure that each eligible employee has an opportunity to enroll in a plan. 
 
Sets forth requirements for health plans offered under this Act. Requires the Administrator to contract with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to study: (1) the rating requirements that apply to health insurance purchased in the small group markets in the states and to develop recommendations concerning rating requirements; and (2) the administrative procedures that apply to the program and to health insurance purchased in the small group markets in states.
 
Sets forth premium-setting rules for plans under this Act.

Allows a state to prohibit participation in this program if the state offers alternative health benefit plans.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for small employers for qualified employee health insurance expenses under this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5135-5142)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5133-5134)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Native American Challenge Demonstration Project Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-980
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Business investment and capital
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Economic development
Indian social and development programs
Poverty and welfare assistance
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Native American Challenge Demonstration Project Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish and implement the Native American Millennium Challenge Demonstration Project through which federal economic development assistance may be provided for certain Native American communities. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to provide such assistance to Alaska Native nonprofit organizations, Native Hawaiian community organizations, and other Indian tribes that enter into Native American Challenge Compacts. Requires such Compacts to establish a multiyear plan for achieving certain development objectives, including promoting economic growth and the elimination of poverty, strengthening good governance, entrepreneurship, and investment in Native American communities, and enhancing the capacity of Alaska Native communities to deal with climate change.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-18
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research and Awareness Act

Bill: 111-s-981
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Genetics
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical education
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research and Awareness Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct, support, and expand existing epidemiology research on inflammatory bowel disease (i.e., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) in both pediatric and adult populations; (2) authorize the CDC to award grants and enter into cooperative agreements to develop and administer such epidemiology research; and (3) direct the CDC to award grants to increase awareness of inflammatory bowel disease among the general public and health care providers.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Directors of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases should support specified research and training goals for inflammatory bowel diseases. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5142-5143)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

Bill: 111-s-982
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2009-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Business records
Child health
Consumer affairs
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health promotion and preventive care
Judicial review and appeals
Licensing and registrations
Manufacturing
Marketing and advertising
Product safety and quality
Smuggling and trafficking
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: 
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the regulation of tobacco products by the Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including through disclosure, annual registration, inspection, recordkeeping, and user fee requirements.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish the Center for Tobacco Products to implement this Act.
 
Sets forth criteria by which tobacco products are deemed adulterated or misbranded.
 
Allows the Secretary to require prior approval of all label statements.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to restrict the sale or distribution of tobacco products, including advertising and promotion, if appropriate for the protection of the public health. Sets forth limits on such regulations, including prohibiting establishment of a minimum age greater than 18 for product purchases. 
 
Prohibits: (1) cigarettes from containing any artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, cinnamon, or coffee; or (2) a tobacco product manufacturer from using tobacco that contains a greater level of pesticide chemical residue than is specified by any tolerance applicable to domestically grown tobacco.
 
 
Requires the Secretary to establish tobacco product standards to protect the public health. Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) banning all cigarettes, all smokeless tobacco products, all little cigars, all other cigars, all pipe tobacco, or all roll-your-own tobacco products; or (2) requiring the reduction of the nicotine yields of a tobacco product to zero.
 
Requires premarket approval of all new tobacco products.
 
Sets forth standards for the sale of modified risk tobacco products.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish a Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee.
 
Revises tobacco product warning labels and advertising requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-20
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5143-5163)
action_date: 2009-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate