hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to require the GAO to evaluate the propriety of assistance provided to General Motors Corporation under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-3526
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2010-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Business records
Congressional oversight
Corporate finance and management
Employee benefits and pensions
Financial crises and stabilization
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Manufacturing
Motor vehicles

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-23
text: 
Directs the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry to submit to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) all information in its possession relating to certain specific communications involving General Motors Corporation (GM) relating to the Task Force's role in negotiating, reviewing, approving, or any other aspect of: (1) the plans for reorganization or restructuring GM in connection with bankruptcy proceedings that commenced during 2009; (2) levels of and reductions in the employee and retiree benefits of current and former GM salaried employees, union employees, and non-union hourly employees and the retiree benefits for former employees of the Delphi Corporation; (3) GM's determination not to alter any preexisting pension obligations during bankruptcy proceedings; (4) GM's determination to expand pension benefits for former unionized Delphi employees that did not have a preexisting pension agreement with GM; and (5) actual payments made by the United States to GM.
 
Requires: (1) the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to submit to GAO all information in its possession related to certain specific communications that occurred between October 3, 2008, and January 20, 2010, related to the role of the Department of the Treasury in negotiating, reviewing, approving, determining, or in any other aspect relating to GM qualifying for federal financial assistance under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP); and (2) the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to submit to GAO all information in its possession related to certain communications that occurred in 2009 relating to PBGC's role in negotiating, reviewing, approving, determining, or in any other aspect related to the decision to remove liens on Delphi's overseas assets.
 
Directs GAO to audit such communications, report its findings to Congress within one year, and include among audit considerations: (1) any decision made during GM's bankruptcy proceedings that appears to be quid pro quo and unduly influenced by the receipt of TARP funds or that would be unlikely to be made by a similar for-profit business that is not receiving TARP assistance; (2) any action that any federal official took to persuade or force GM to take any particular action; and (3) whether the PBGC decision to remove liens on Delphi's overseas assets was in the best interest of U.S. taxpayers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2010-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Lung Cancer Early Detection Promotion Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3527
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Computers and information technology
Health personnel
Health technology, devices, supplies
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Medicare Lung Cancer Early Detection Promotion Act of 2010 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish payment for x-ray chest radiography services that use Computer-Aided Detection Technology for the early detection of lung cancer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Coastal Jobs Creation Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3528
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Ecology
Employment and training programs
Endangered and threatened species
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government information and archives
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine and inland water transportation
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Outdoor recreation
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Transportation programs funding
Water resources funding

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Coastal Jobs Creation Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to implement a Coastal Jobs Creation Grant Program which shall include research and programs regarding: (1) recreational and commercial fisheries management: (2) essential fish habitats; (3) fishery and marine mammal stock assessments; (4) training and deployment of observers under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; (5) conservation of ocean and coastal resources; (6) waterfront and port redevelopment; (7) coral reef ecosystem conservation; (8) improvement of coastal and ocean observation technologies; (9) bycatch reduction; and (10) preventing the occurrence and adverse impacts of marine debris on the marine environment and navigation safety.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5440-5441)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act

Bill: 111-s-3529
Sponsor: Sen. Hagan, Kay R. [D-NC]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Manufacturing
Trade adjustment assistance
Vocational and technical education
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act or AMERICA Works Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, with respect to statewide and local adult and youth workforce investment employment and training programs, to require a one-stop delivery system, in selecting and approving training services, or programs of training services, to give priority consideration to state- and local board-approved services and programs that lead to an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential that is in high demand in the local area served and listed in the skill credential registry created under this Act.
 
Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to require the same priority consideration in the state and local plans for career and technical education programs as well as in tech prep programs.
 
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to give priority consideration to Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) training programs that lead to a industry-recognized and nationally portable credential listed in the skill credential registry that is in high demand in the local area served by the corresponding one-stop delivery system. 
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor to: (1) create a registry of skill credentials; and (2) list them in the registry if they are required by federal or state law for an occupation, or are from the Manufacturing Institute-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System. Authorizes the Secretary to list a credential in the registry if it is an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential consistent with established industry competency models, including the one for the American College Test National Career Readiness Certification.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5441-5442)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Reward Innovation in America Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3530
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Reward Innovation in America Act of 2010 - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to authorize each head of a federal agency (other than a legislative agency) to carry out a program to award prizes competitively to stimulate innovation that has the potential to advance the agency's mission, including: (1) point solution prizes that reward and spur the development of solutions for a particular, well-defined problem; (2) exposition prizes that help identify and promote a broad range of ideas and practices that may not otherwise attract attention, facilitating further development of the idea or practice by third parties; and (3) participation prizes that create value by encouraging contestants to change their behavior or develop new skills that may have beneficial effects during and after the competition. Requires the agency head to: (1) widely advertise each competition to encourage broad participation; and (2) publish notices of competitions in the Federal Register. 
 
Prohibits the government from gaining an interest in intellectual property developed by a participant in a competition without the written consent of the participant, but authorizes the government to negotiate a license for the use of intellectual property developed by a participant. 
 
Authorizes: (1) an agency head to enter into an agreement with a private, nonprofit entity to administer competitions; and (2) support for a competition to consist of federal appropriated funds and funds provided by the private sector for cash prizes. Prohibits a prize from being announced until all funds needed to pay out the announced amount of the prize have been appropriated or committed in writing by a private source. Limits prize amounts. 
 
Requires: (1) the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide government-wide services to share best practices and assist agencies in developing guidelines for issuing competitions; and (2) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to submit annual reports on program activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5462)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Dairy Market Stabilization Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3531
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Agricultural marketing and promotion
Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Department of Agriculture
Food industry and services
Government information and archives

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Dairy Market Stabilization Act of 2010 - Amends the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to publish in the Federal Register a proposed order to establish the dairy market stabilization program that shall apply to all dairy facilities within the contiguous United States that produce milk for sale commercially.
 
Sets forth program provisions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act

Bill: 111-s-3532
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Connecticut
Electric power generation and transmission
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act - Authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to: (1) reinstate the license for either or each of the projects numbered 10822 and 10823; and (2) extend for two years after the date on which either or each such project is reinstated the time period during which the licensee must commence project construction.
 
Directs FERC to: (1) transfer the reinstated licenses to the town of Canton, Connecticut, if it reinstates them and extends the time period during which the licensee is required to commence project construction; and (2) complete an environmental assessment for the projects and update the environmental analysis performed during the licensing process. 
 
Sets a deadline for FERC to make a final decision on reinstatement of either or both projects.
 
States that this Act neither affects any valid license issued by FERC under the Federal Power Act on or before the date of enactment of this Act nor diminishes or extinguishes any existing rights under any such license.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Responsible Estate Tax Act

Bill: 111-s-3533
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Farmland
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Transfer and inheritance taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Responsible Estate Tax Act - Repeals provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) eliminating the tax on estates and generation-skipping transfers and the step-up in basis provisions for property acquired from a decedent for estates of decedents dying after 2009 (thus restoring prior law). Declares that the sunset provision (general terminating date of December 10, 2010) of EGTRRA shall not apply to title V of such Act ( Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Provisions).
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) revise estate tax brackets for estates over $750,000 and impose a maximum tax rate of 55% on estates over $50 million; (2) impose a 10% surtax on estates over $500 million; (3) increase to $3 million the reduction in valuations of farmland for estate tax puposes; (4) increase to $2 million the maximum estate tax exclusion for contributions of conservation easements; (5) require executors of estates to file information returns and provide valuations and consistent basis information to persons acquiring property from decedents or by gift; (6) set forth estate valuation rules for certain transfers of nonbusiness assets and limit estate tax discounts for certain individuals with minority interests in a business acquired from a decedent; and (7) revise rules for valuing assets in grantor retained annuity trusts to require that the right to receive fixed amounts from an annuity last for a term of not less than 10 years, that such fixed amounts not decrease during the first 10 years of the annuity term, and that the remainder interest have a value greater than zero when transferred.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Native American Small Business Assistance and Entrepreneurial Growth Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3534
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Indian social and development programs
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Public contracts and procurement
Small Business Administration
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Native American Small Business Assistance and Entrepreneurial Growth Act of 2010 - Amends the Small Business Act to establish within the Small Business Administration (SBA) the Office of Native American Affairs, headed by an Associate Administrator, to implement SBA programs for the development of business enterprises by Native Americans. Requires the Office to assist Native American entrepreneurs to: (1) develop small businesses; (2) develop management and technical skills; (3) seek federal procurement opportunities; (4) increase Native American employment opportunities; and (5) increase Native American access to capital markets.
 
Requires: (1) SBA to provide financial assistance to tribal colleges, certain nonprofit organizations, and small business development or women's business centers to create Native American business centers; (2) each business center to conduct five-year projects for business education aid to such entities; and (3) each assistance applicant to submit a five-year plan on proposed assistance and training activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5442-5444)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5442)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Securing Aircraft From Explosives Responsibly: Advanced Imaging Recognition Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3536
Sponsor: Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Congressional oversight
Firearms and explosives
Government information and archives
Photography and imaging
Right of privacy
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Securing Aircraft From Explosives Responsibly: Advanced Imaging Recognition Act of 2010 or SAFER AIR Act of 2010 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should: (1) increase efforts to address privacy concerns regarding the screening of passengers using advanced imaging technology at airports; and (2) conduct additional testing of advanced imaging technology; and (3) deploy technology to standardize images, remove personally identifying characteristics, while providing transportation security officers with necessary information, and upgrade equipment to detect new threats without major capital expenditures.
 
Declares it to be U.S. policy to aggressively seek, develop, and timely deploy primary screening technologies capable of detecting and protecting against threats to domestic and international aviation travel that cannot be effectively and efficiently detected by other technologies currently more commonly used, such as metal detectors.
 
Directs the Secretary to ensure that advanced imaging technology and other advanced technology with capability to detect weapons, on-body plastic explosives, and other nonmetallic explosives are timely deployed for the primary screening of aircraft passengers. Requires the Secretary to provide passengers with an option for primary screening other than the use of such technologies.
 
Requires all advanced imaging technology equipment used at airport checkpoints to be configured so that passenger: (1) images are not retained; and (2) facial features are blurred, while allowing detection of individual on-body threats. Prohibits DHS employees from having cameras or cell phones present while viewing such images. Requires such employees to communicate with other DHS employees using a wireless headset or another comparable method of communication that does not allow for the transmission of the image.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5486)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Central Rockies Land Exchange and National Park System Enhancement Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3537
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2010-06-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Colorado
Forests, forestry, trees
Land transfers
Monuments and memorials
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Pipelines
Roads and highways
Travel and tourism
Utah
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: 
Central Rockies Land Exchange and National Park System Enhancement Act of 2010 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), if the Bear Ranch, LLC, offers to convey all interest in specified non-federal parcels of land within the Curecanti National Recreation Area in Gunnison County, Colorado, and Dinosaur National Monument in Uintah County, Utah, for inclusion in the National Park System, to accept the offer and the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to convey to the Ranch all interest of the United States in specified federal land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the United States Forest Service. 
 
Requires the USDA Secretary, if the Darien Ranch offers to convey all interest in certain non-federal land in Gunnison County, to accept the offer, and upon receipt of such land, to convey to the Ranch a permanent right-of-way of no more than 200 feet in width for a water intake on Rapid Creek and water pipeline (and access to such intake and pipeline) running along an existing irrigation ditch from the Creek to private land. 
 
Requires the values of the federal and non-federal lands in each separate land exchange to be equal and to be determined by appraisals performed in accordance with this Act. 
 
Requires lands acquired by the Secretary and the USDA Secretary, respectively, to become part of: (1) the Curecanti National Recreation Area or Dinosaur National Monument; and (2) the unit of the National Forest System in which the land is located.
 
 
Requires implementation of a travel management plan for the design, construction, improvement, replacement, or other siting of roads, trails, and trailheads in the Anthracite-Spring Creek Travel Planning Area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5444-5445)
action_date: 2010-06-24
text: Introduced in Senate