hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Expand and Preserve Home Ownership Through Counseling Act

Bill: 111-hr-47
Sponsor: Rep. Biggert, Judy [R-IL-13]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Computers and information technology
Consumer affairs
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Financial services and investments
Government information and archives
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Licensing and registrations
Low- and moderate-income housing
Residential rehabilitation and home repair

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Expand and Preserve Home Ownership Through Counseling Act - Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to establish, in the Office of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Office of Housing Counseling, which shall conduct activities relating to homeownership and rental housing counseling.
 
Amends the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (HUDA) to direct the Secretary to establish, coordinate, and monitor HUD administration of homeownership and rental housing counseling procedures provided in connection with any HUD program, including all related requirements, standards, and performance measures.
 
Requires the Secretary to provide for the certification of various computer software programs for consumers to use in evaluating different residential mortgage loan proposals. 
 
Directs the Director of Housing Counseling to develop, implement, and conduct national public service multimedia campaigns designed to make persons facing mortgage foreclosure, persons considering a subprime mortgage loan to purchase a home, elderly persons, persons who face language barriers, low-income persons, and other potentially vulnerable consumers aware that: (1) it is advisable, before seeking or maintaining a residential mortgage loan, to obtain homeownership counseling from unbiased and reliable sources; and (2) such homeownership counseling is available.
 
Requires the Secretary to provide: (1) advice and technical assistance to states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations regarding the establishment and operation of related educational programs; as well as (2) financial assistance.
 
Revises the requirement that organizations receiving HUD assistance for counseling activities to provide such counseling only through counselors certified by the Secretary.
 
Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the root causes of the default and foreclosure of home loans.
 
Amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 to revise requirements for HUD booklets designed to help consumers applying for federally related mortgage loans to understand the nature and costs of real estate settlement services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act

Bill: 111-hr-48
Sponsor: Rep. Biggert, Judy [R-IL-13]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Fishes
Smuggling and trafficking
Trade restrictions
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act - Amends the Lacey Act to add specified species of black, bighead, and silver carp to the list of injurious species that are prohibited from being shipped or imported into the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-02-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act

Bill: 111-hr-49
Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alaska
Alternative and renewable resources
Energy revenues and royalties
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government trust funds
Indian lands and resources rights
Judicial review and appeals
Land transfers
Oil and gas
Pipelines
State and local finance
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement a competitive leasing program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources on the Coastal Plain of Alaska.
 
Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against leasing or other development leading to production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
 
Deems any oil and gas leasing programs and activities authorized by this Act to be in compliance with ANWR purposes.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to designate up to 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a Special Area, after consultation with the state of Alaska, the city of Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough.
 
Permits directional drilling in the Special Area.
 
Prescribes procedures governing Coastal Plain lease sales, as well as terms and conditions, including: (1) environmental protection; (2) federal and state distribution of revenues; (3) rights-of-way; and (4) local government impact aid and community service assistance.
 
Sets forth: (1) a &quot;no significant adverse effect&quot; standard to govern Coastal Plain activities; and (2) guidelines for expedited judicial review of complaints.
 
Establishes the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-02-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to House Science and Technology
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to House Natural Resources
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Social Security Identity Theft Prevention Act

Bill: 111-hr-50
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Social Security Identity Theft Prevention Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to require Social Security cards to be made of tamperproof and wear-resistant material (currently, of banknote paper), and include a digital image of the cardholder as well as an encrypted, machine-readable electronic record containing biometric identifiers. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Eradicating Asian Carp in the Great Lakes Study Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-51
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Fishes
Great Lakes
Illinois
Lakes and rivers
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Eradicating Asian Carp in the Great Lakes Study Act of 2009- Requires the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to study and report to Congress on methods for eradicating Asian carp from the Illinois Waterway System, including harvesting them from the Illinois River, and repopulating the River with native species.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-02-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E3-4)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act

Bill: 111-hr-52
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Foreign loans and debt
Forests, forestry, trees
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act - Amends the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 to make forests, coral reefs, and associated coastal marine ecosystem activities eligible for U.S. debt reduction benefits for developing countries. (Currently, such provision applies to tropical forests.)
 
Renames: (1) the Tropical Forest Facility as the Conservation Facility; and (2) a Tropical Forest Agreement as a Conservation Agreement.
 
Extends authorization of appropriations for debt reduction.
 
Authorizes U.S. government representation on the administering body that oversees the implementation of grants arising from debt-for-nature swap or debt buy-back regardless of whether the United States is a party to any agreement between the purchaser and the beneficiary country government.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E-8)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Bad Polluters Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-53
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Great Lakes
Income tax deductions
Lakes and rivers
Marine pollution
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Bad Polluters Act of 2009- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny to a Great Lakes polluter the taxpayer election to expense 50% of the cost of refinery property in the current taxpayer year. Defines &quot;Great Lakes polluter&quot; as a refinery owner that holds a permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discharge a certain level of pollutants into the Great Lakes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E5-6)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Great Lakes Water Protection Act

Bill: 111-hr-54
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Great Lakes
Lakes and rivers
Marine pollution
Pollution liability
Solid waste and recycling
Water quality
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Great Lakes Water Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (popularly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) from intentionally diverting waste streams to bypass any portion of the treatment facility if the diversion results in a discharge into the Great Lakes unless: (1) the bypass is unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury, or severe property damage; (2) there is no feasible alternative; and (3) the treatment works provides notice; or (4) the bypass does not cause effluent limitations to be exceeded and is for essential maintenance to ensure efficient operation of the treatment facility.

Requires: (1) such notice to be provided to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or to a state with an approved permit program) prior to an anticipated bypass or within 24 hours of becoming aware of an unanticipated bypass; and (2) follow-up notice regarding the cause and duration of, volume of discharge resulting from, and public access areas affected by an unanticipated bypass.

 Includes among prohibited bypasses those resulting in discharges from a POTW that consist of effluent routed around treatment units and blended with effluent from treatment units prior to discharge.

Directs the Administrator to establish procedures to ensure that permits issued to POTWs under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System include requirements to implement this Act.
 
Provides an increased maximum civil penalty for violations occurring on or after January 1, 2029.
 
Applies the prohibition on diverting waste streams to a bypass occurring after the last day of the one-year period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment.

Establishes the Great Lakes Cleanup Fund from which amounts shall be provided for improving wastewater discharges. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E11)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Creating Opportunities to Motivate Mass-transit Utilization To Encourage Ridership Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-55
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax credits
Public transit

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Creating Opportunities to Motivate Mass-transit Utilization to Encourage Ridership Act of 2009 or the Commuter Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a refundable tax credit for 50% of the cost of transit passes provided on a tax-free basis to employees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E15)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
To permit certain school districts in Illinois to be reconstituted for purposes of determining assistance under the Impact Aid program.

Bill: 111-hr-56
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Illinois

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Considers five specified Illinois school districts to be local educational agencies (LEAs) for purposes of the Impact Aid program, which compensates LEAs for the financial burden of federal activities affecting their school districts.
 
Considers federally connected students in such districts to be attending schools in one such district, North Chicago Community Unit School District 187, for the purpose of making that district eligible for Impact Aid. Conditions such treatment on the agreement of the five school districts to apportion such assistance equitably among all five of them, and to use it only for direct educational services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E19)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Terrorist Rewards Enhancement Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-57
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays
Crime prevention
Criminal justice information and records
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
International organizations and cooperation
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Terrorist Rewards Enhancement Act of 2009 - Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to permit eligibility in certain circumstances for an officer or employee of a foreign government to receive a reward under the Department of State Rewards Program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E21-22)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Green Schools Act

Bill: 111-hr-58
Sponsor: Rep. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL-10]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Energy efficiency and conservation
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Income tax credits
Land use and conservation
Solid waste and recycling
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Green Schools Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program awarding matching grants to local educational agencies for green school construction and improvement projects that create healthy learning environments while saving natural resources and money.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend, through 2013, the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program (which provides tax credits to the holders of such bonds, which in turn finance low or no interest loans for the improvement of public schools serving low-income areas). 
 
Requires public school rehabilitation, repair, or equipment financed through such bonds to serve the green goals of creating healthy learning environments while saving natural resources and money.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2009-03-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E25-26)
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to House Education and Labor
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-59
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional elections
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Government information and archives
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2009 - Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution or facility. 

Requires the chief correctional officer of each state to inform convicted felons within 30 days after their release of their right to vote in elections for federal office and the date of the next election in which they are eligible to vote. 

Provides for enforcement and remedies for violations of this Act. 

Specifies that: (1) nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a state from enacting any state law that affords the right to vote in any election for federal office on terms less restrictive than those terms established by this Act; and (2) the rights and remedies established by this Act shall be in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by law, and shall not supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Early Detection of Dyslexia in Children Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-60
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Elementary and secondary education
Language arts
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Neurological disorders
Special education

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Early Detection of Dyslexia in Children Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Education to study and report to Congress on methods for identifying and treating children with dyslexia in kindergarten through third grade. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-61
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2009-01-06 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: 
Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2009- Amends the federal criminal code to direct the Bureau of Prisons, pursuant to a good time policy, to release a prisoner who has served one half or more of his or her term of imprisonment if that prisoner: (1) has attained age 45; (2) has never been convicted of a crime of violence; and (3) has not engaged in any violation, involving violent conduct, of institutional disciplinary regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-02-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-06
text: Introduced in House