hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Tax Relief Certainty Act

Bill: 111-s-3975
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2010-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Capital gains tax
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax credits
Income tax exclusion
Income tax rates
Transfer and inheritance taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-18
text: 
Tax Relief Certainty Act - Eliminates the terminating date of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, thus making the provisions of such Act permanent. Terminates after December 31, 2011, provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act increasing tax benefits for adoption. 
 
Eliminates the terminating date of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 applicable to provisions reducing tax rates on dividends and capital gains. 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) phase-in between 2010 through 2020 increases in the exemption amount for the alternative minimum tax (AMT); and (2) make permanent offsets against the AMT for certain nonrefundable tax credits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 651.
action_date: 2010-11-18
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2010-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3976
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2010-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Appropriations
Computers and information technology
Disability assistance
Employee benefits and pensions
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Income tax credits
Railroads
Social security and elderly assistance
Transportation employees
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: 
Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2010 - Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act, title II of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009, to extend: (1) through 2011 the $250 economic recovery payments to recipients of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (title XVI of the Social Security Act), railroad retirement benefits, and veterans disability compensation or pension benefits; and (2) through 2011 the special tax credit for certain government retirees.
 
Makes additional appropriations through FY2013 to cover such payments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill for the relief of Shing Ma "Steve" Li.

Bill: 111-s-3977
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2010-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Private Legislation

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Provides for the relief of Shing Ma "Steve" Li.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8129)
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8129)
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3978
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2010-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Allied health services
Home and outpatient care
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: 
Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2010 - Permits a home health agency to determine the most appropriate skilled service to make the initial assessment visit for an individual who: (1) is eligible for home health services under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; but (2) does not require skilled nursing care as long as that skilled service is included as part of the plan of care for such services. 
 
Permits an occupational therapist to make the initial assessment visit in such a case if occupational therapy is included in such plan in the initial physician referral in conjunction with physical therapy or speech language pathology services. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Aiding Those Facing Foreclosure Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3979
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2010-11-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Financial crises and stabilization
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Lawyers and legal services

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: 
Aiding Those Facing Foreclosure Act of 2010 - Amends the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to use any amounts obligated under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to enable nonprofit counseling intermediaries and nonprofit legal organizations to provide legal assistance to homeowners of owner-occupied homes consisting of from one to four dwelling units whose mortgages are in default or delinquency, in danger of default or delinquency, or subject to or at risk of foreclosure (including any deed in lieu of foreclosure or short sale).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Churchill County Land Transfer Act

Bill: 111-s-3980
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2010-11-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land transfers
Military facilities and property
Nevada

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: 
Churchill County Land Transfer Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to the Secretary of the Navy, without consideration, approximately 400 acres of federal land that is adjacent to Naval Air Station Fallon in Churchill County, Nevada, and that was withdrawn under a specified public land order. 
 
Grants the Secretary of the Navy full jurisdiction, custody, and control of such land upon its transfer. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Unemployment Insurance Stabilization Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3981
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2010-11-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Appropriations
State and local government operations
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: 
Unemployment Insurance Stabilization Act of 2010 or USA Act - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 with respect to the state-established individual emergency unemployment compensation account (EUCA). Extends the final date for entering a federal-state agreement under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program through January 3, 2012. Postpones the termination of the program until June 9, 2012.
 
Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until January 4, 2012, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC.
 
Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and June 10, 2012, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.)
 
 Amends the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 to authorize a state by law to apply certain requirements of the Act, with specified substitutions, for determining an extended unemployment compensation period. Requires the state's &quot;on&quot; and &quot;off&quot; indicators to be based on its rate of insured unemployment and rate of total unemployment for the period between enactment of this Act (or, if later, the date established pursuant to state law), and ending on or before December 31, 2011.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-12-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8343)
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the limitation on liability for certain passenger rail accidents or incidents under section 28103 of title 49, United States Code, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-3982
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2010-11-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Civil actions and liability
Inflation and prices
Railroads
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: 
Increases from $200 million to $500 million the aggregate allowable amount that can be awarded (liability cap) for a single passenger rail accident or incident that was proximately caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct of a defendant. (Current law limits to $200 million the aggregate allowable award to all rail passengers, against all defendants, for all claims, including claims for punitive damages, arising from a single accident or incident.)
 
Increases from $200 million to $500 million per accident or incident the mandatory total minimum insurance or self-insurance liability coverage Amtrak must maintain.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S8246)
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8245-8246)
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the State of Ohio to reprogram grant funds received for intercity passenger rail service pursuant to title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for other transportation projects.

Bill: 111-s-3983
Sponsor: Sen. Voinovich, George V. [R-OH]
Introduced: 2010-11-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Appropriations
Ohio
Railroads
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: 
Authorizes the state of Ohio to use (reprogram) grant funds received from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for intercity passenger rail service capital projects, pursuant to appropriations under title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, for any other transportation projects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3985
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2010-11-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Appropriations
Computers and information technology
Disability assistance
Employee benefits and pensions
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Income tax credits
Railroads
Social security and elderly assistance
Transportation employees
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: 
Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2010 - Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act, title II of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009, to extend: (1) through 2011 the $250 economic recovery payments to recipients of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (title XVI of the Social Security Act), railroad retirement benefits, and veterans disability compensation or pension benefits; and (2) through 2011 the special tax credit for certain government retirees.
 
Makes additional appropriations through FY2013 to cover such payments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-12-08
text: Cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 45. Record Vote Number: 267. (consideration: CR S8627-8628; text: CR S8627)
action_date: 2010-12-06
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate.
action_date: 2010-12-06
text: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the bill presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S8627-8628)
action_date: 2010-12-06
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S8552)
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 655.
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2010-11-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Bill: 111-s-3986
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2010-11-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Department of Agriculture
Economic development
Food assistance and relief
Food industry and services
Fruit and vegetables
Government lending and loan guarantees
Performance measurement
Public-private cooperation
Retail and wholesale trades
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: 
Healthy Food Financing Initiative - Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish in the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a Healthy Food Financing Initiative to provide assistance in order to: (1) improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas; (2) create and preserve quality jobs; and (3) revitalize low-income communities by providing loans and grants to eligible food retailers to overcome the higher costs and initial barriers to entry in underserved, urban, suburban, and rural areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Spending Control Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3988
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2010-11-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Budget deficits and national debt
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Legislative rules and procedure

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: 
Spending Control Act of 2010 - Establishes the Grace Commission II to conduct a review of cost control in the federal government every two years with respect to improving management and reducing costs. Directs the Commission to conduct in-depth studies to evaluate potential improvements in the operations of executive agencies and to develop recommendations regarding: (1) opportunities for increased efficiency and reduced costs that can be realized by executive action or legislation; (2) areas where managerial accountability can be enhanced and administrative control can be improved; (3) opportunities for managerial improvements over the short and long terms; (4) specific areas where further study can be justified by potential savings; and (5) ways to reduce governmental expenditures and indebtedness and improve personnel management.
 
Requires the Commission to submit final reports within 18 months after enactment of this Act and every two years thereafter until it submits its third final report. Requires such reports to contain the Commission's findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislative and administrative actions and proposed legislation to carry out those recommendations. Sets forth congressional procedures for considering such legislation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an offset against income tax refunds to pay for restitution and other State judicial debts that are past-due.

Bill: 111-s-3989
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2010-11-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Crime victims
Judicial procedure and administration
Legal fees and court costs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the chief justice of the highest court of any state that wishes to collect past-due, legally enforceable state judicial debts to designate a single state entity to communicate judicial debt information to the Secretary of the Treasury.
 
Directs the Secretary, upon receiving notice from such an entity that a named person owes a past-due, legally enforceable state judicial debt, to pay such debt from any tax refund due to such person. 
 
Defines &quot;state judicial debt&quot; to include court costs, fees, fines, assessments, restitution to victims of crime, and other monies resulting from a judgment or sentence rendered by any court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction handling criminal or traffic cases in the state. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8299)
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Unemployment Benefits Extension Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3990
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Scott P. [R-MA]
Introduced: 2010-11-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Appropriations
State and local government operations
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: 
Emergency Unemployment Benefits Extension Act of 2010 - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 with respect to the state-established individual emergency unemployment compensation account (EUCA). Extends the final date for entering a federal-state agreement under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program through January 3, 2012. Postpones the termination of the program until June 9, 2012.
 
Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until January 4, 2012, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC.
 
Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and June 10, 2012, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.)
 
 Amends the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 to authorize a state by law to apply certain requirements of the Act, with specified substitutions, for determining an extended unemployment compensation period. Requires the state's &quot;on&quot; and &quot;off&quot; indicators to be based on its rate of insured unemployment and rate of total unemployment for the period between enactment of this Act (or, if later, the date established pursuant to state law), and ending on or before December 31, 2011.
 
Rescinds permanently, out of all available unobligated federal funds, $95 billion in appropriated discretionary funds.
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to identify and report to the Secretary of the Treasury and Congress on which appropriation accounts the rescission shall apply from, including amounts. Exempts from rescission any unobligated funds of the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-11-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3993
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2010-12-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Alternative and renewable resources
Department of the Interior
Government information and archives
Land use and conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2010-12-01
text: 
Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2010 - Amends competitive lease provisions of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to allow an area of qualified federal land (land that is otherwise available for leasing under that Act) that adjoins other land for which a qualified lessee holds a legal right to develop geothermal resources to be available for a noncompetitive lease to such lessee at fair market value per acre if: (1) the area of qualified federal land consists of not less than one acre and not more than 640 acres and is not already leased or nominated to be leased; (2) the qualified lessee has not previously received a noncompetitive lease in connection with the valid discovery for which data has been submitted; and (3) sufficient technical data prepared by a qualified geothermal professional has been submitted by the qualified lessee to the applicable federal land management agency that would lead individuals who are experienced in the subject matter to believe that there is a valid discovery of geothermal resources on the land and that such thermal feature extends into the adjoining areas.
 
Defines "fair market value per acre" as a dollar amount per acre that shall be: (1) equal to the market value per acre as determined by the Secretary of the Interior within 90 days after the Secretary receives an application for a lease, and (2) not less than the greater of 4 times the median amount paid per acre for all land leased under such Act during the preceding year or $50.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) publish a notice of any request for such a lease; (2) determine fair market value in accordance with procedures established by the Secretary; (3) provide to a qualified lessee and publish any proposed determination of the fair market value of the area the qualified lessee seeks to lease; and (4) provide the lessee and the public an opportunity to appeal a proposed determination during the 30-day period after the determination is provided or published, respectively. Prohibits the Secretary from accepting any nomination of land for leasing after publication of a notice of request to lease such land unless the request has been denied or withdrawn.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-12-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8349-8350)
action_date: 2010-12-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8349)
action_date: 2010-12-01
text: Introduced in Senate