hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to ensure that the courts of the United States may provide an impartial forum for claims brought by United States citizens and others against any railroad organized as a separate legal entity, arising from the deportation of United States citizens and others to Nazi concentration camps on trains owned or operated by such railroad, and by the heirs and survivors of such persons.

Bill: 111-s-28
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2009-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Crime victims
Europe
Federal district courts
France
Government liability
Human rights
International law and treaties
Jurisdiction and venue
Railroads
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
World history

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: 
Grants U.S. district courts original jurisdiction over any civil action for damages for personal injury or death that: (1) arose from the deportation of persons to Nazi concentration camps between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1944; and (2) is brought by or on behalf of such person against a railroad that owned or operated the trains on which the persons were deported and that was organized as a separate legal entity.

Provides that: (1) no law limiting the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts shall preclude any such action; and (2) no such action shall be barred because a statute of limitations has expired. Makes this Act applicable to any action pending on or commenced after January 1, 2002.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Coverage Continuity Act

Bill: 111-s-29
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2009-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: 
Coverage Continuity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase from 65 to 85% the rate of the tax credit for the health insurance costs of taxpayers who are Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) or Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) benefit recipients; and (2) extend such tax credit to certain individuals who are eligible for health insurance continuation benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

Allows individuals whose eligibility for COBRA continuation coverage terminates between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, to extend such coverage for an additional 12 months.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to the proper tax treatment of certain indebtedness discharged in 2009 or 2010, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-31
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Income tax exclusion
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an exclusion from gross income for income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness relating to securities issued by certain financial entities and discharged after December 31, 2008, and before January 1, 2011. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to hold at least 1 public hearing before issuance of a permit affecting public or private land use in a locality.

Bill: 111-s-32
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Electric power generation and transmission
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Oil and gas
Public participation and lobbying

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Amends the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to hold at least one public hearing in each affected county and locality before issuing any authorization for action that may affect public or private land use (other than federal land).
 
Requires FERC to hold one additional public hearing after the initial one if the government of such county or locality requests it in order to address an issue not addressed at the initial hearing.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S170)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to the proper tax treatment of certain indebtedness discharged in 2009 or 2010, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-33
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Income tax exclusion
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an exclusion from gross income for income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness relating to securities issued by certain financial entities and discharged after December 31, 2008, and before January 1, 2011. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 11.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-34
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), notwithstanding any other provision of any Act, from having the authority to require broadcasters to present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the Fairness Doctrine.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 12.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide a permanent deduction for State and local general sales taxes.

Bill: 111-s-35
Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax deductions
Sales and excise taxes
State and local taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the election to deduct state and local sales taxes in lieu of state and local income taxes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S53)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S53)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Abolishing Aviation Barriers Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-36
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports
New York City
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Abolishing Aviation Barriers Act of 2009 - Repeals the prohibition against an air carrier's operation of an aircraft nonstop in air transportation between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and another airport that is more than 1,250 statute miles away (perimeter rule).
 
Prohibits the obligation of federal funds to enforce the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey perimeter rule banning flights beyond 1,500 miles (or any other flight distance related restriction) from arrival or departure at New York LaGuardia Airport. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S53-54)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the research credit.

Bill: 111-s-37
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax credits
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for increasing research activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S54)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River Act

Bill: 111-s-40
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arizona
Electric power generation and transmission
Fishes
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River Act - Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified segments of Fossil Creek, a tributary to the Verde River in Arizona, as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S55-56)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
POWER Act

Bill: 111-s-41
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Federal Prison Industries, Inc.
Foreign labor
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Labor standards
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Prisoner Opportunity, Work, and Education Requirement Act or the POWER Act - Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to require federal prison inmates to: (1) work for not less than 50 hours weekly; and (2) engage in job training and educational and life skills preparation study. 

Requires Federal Prison Industries (a government corporation) to employ inmates in manufacturing activities by subcontracting with private sector contractors. Requires inmate wages earned in a 50-hour work week program to be used for the costs of incarceration, victim restitution, inmate expenses, and related state and local prisoner programs.

Repeals certain provisions restricting the funding of, and purchase of products from, Federal Prison Industries and prohibiting a public private competition for work performed by employees of the Bureau of Prisons and Federal Prison Industries.

Directs the Attorney General to establish the Foreign Labor Substitute Panel to review pilot projects by U.S. companies for the manufacture of goods by federal convicts that would otherwise be manufactured by foreign labor.

Revises federal criminal code provisions to restate the mission, operating objectives, performance standards, and other requirements for Federal Prison Industries.

Requires the Comptroller General to provide for annual independent evaluations of the operations of Federal Prison Industries and to report to Congress on such evaluations (currently, the Board of Directors of Federal Prison Industries is required to report to Congress). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Social Security Totalization Agreement Reform Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-42
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Foreign labor
International law and treaties
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Social Security Totalization Agreement Reform Act of 2009 or STAR Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to provide that any agreement to establish a totalization arrangement which is entered into with another country shall enter into force with respect to the United States if (and only if): (1) the President, at least 90 calendar days before the date on which he enters into the agreement, notifies each House of Congress of his intention to enter into it, and promply thereafter publishes notice of such intention in the Federal Register; (2) he transmits the text of such agreement to each House of the Congress; and (3) a joint resolution regarding such agreement has passed both Houses of Congress and been enacted into federal law.
 
Sets forth procedures for the consideration of such a joint resolution.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-43
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Intergovernmental relations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Sales and excise taxes
State and local taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2009 - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat income earned by mutual funds from exchange-traded funds holding precious metal bullion as qualifying income.

Bill: 111-s-44
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Financial services and investments
Income tax rates
Metals

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat income earned by mutual funds from interests holding certain gold, silver, platinum, or palladium bullion that are regularly traded on an established U.S. securities market as qualifying income (i.e., passed through and taxed at individual income tax rates).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Medical Care Access Protection Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-45
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Civil actions and liability
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Evidence and witnesses
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health personnel
Health technology, devices, supplies
Legal fees and court costs
Product safety and quality

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Medical Care Access Protection Act of 2009 or the MCAP Act - Sets forth provisions regulating lawsuits for health care liability claims related to the provision of health care services.
 
Sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions.
 
Requires a court to impose sanctions for the filing of frivolous lawsuits.
 
Limits noneconomic damages to $250,000 from the provider or health care institution, but no more than $500,000 from multiple health care institutions. Makes each party liable only for the amount of damages directly proportional to such party's percentage of responsibility.
 
Allows the court to restrict the payment of attorney contingency fees. Limits the fees to a decreasing percentage based on the increasing value of the amount awarded.
 
Prescribes qualifications for expert witnesses.
 
Requires the court to reduce damages received by the amount of collateral source benefits to which a claimant is entitled, unless the payor of such benefits has the right to reimbursement or subrogation under federal or state law.
 
Authorizes the award of punitive damages only where: (1) it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that a person acted with malicious intent to injure the claimant or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury the claimant was substantially certain to suffer; and (2) compensatory damages are awarded. Limits punitive damages to the greater of two times the amount of economic damages or $250,000.
 
 Prohibits a health care provider from being named as a party in a product liability or class action lawsuit for prescribing or dispensing a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription drug, biological product, or medical device for an approved indication. 
 
Provides for periodic payments of future damage awards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-46
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Home and outpatient care
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, to repeal the outpatient therapy cap.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-47
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Sales and excise taxes
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on communication services (i.e., local telephone service, toll telephone service, and teletypewriter exchange service). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Voting Integrity and Verification Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-48
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Voting Integrity and Verification Act of 2009 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each voting system purchased after December 31, 2012, and used in an election for federal office to produce an individual permanent paper record for each ballot that is cast.
 
Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish a program to award cash prizes competitively to eligible persons that advance the research, development, demonstration, and application of voting systems which are specifically designed to enhance accessibility and provide independence for persons with disabilities during the voting process.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Clinical Social Workers' Recognition Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-50
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Clinical Social Workers' Recognition Act of 2009 - Amends federal law concerning federal workers' compensation to authorize the use of clinical social workers to conduct evaluations to determine work-related emotional and mental illnesses. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-20
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S58)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S58)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to recognize the United States Military Cancer Institute as an establishment within the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, to require the Institute to promote the health of members of the Armed Forces and their dependents by enhancing cancer research and treatment, to provide for a study of the epidemiological causes of cancer among various ethnic groups for cancer prevention and early detection efforts, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-51
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cancer
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical research
Military personnel and dependents
Nursing

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
 Establishes in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences the United States Military Cancer Institute, headed by a Director, to carry out research studies on: (1) the epidemiological features of cancer among populations of various ethnic origins, as well as complementary research on oncologic nursing; (2) the prevention and early detection of cancer; and (3) basic, translational, and clinical investigation matters relating to such studies.
 
Directs the Institute to conduct the study in collaboration with other cancer research organizations and entities selected by the Institute.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S58)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S58)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Native Hawaiian Medicaid Coverage Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-52
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Hawaii
Health care coverage and access
Health programs administration and funding
Medicaid
Minority health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Native Hawaiian Medicaid Coverage Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide full reimbursement (100% of the federal medical assistance percentage or FMAP) for medical assistance given to a Native Hawaiian through a federally-qualified health center or a Native Hawaiian health care system. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S59)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S58-59)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in Senate