hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Act

Bill: 111-s-170
Sponsor: Sen. Gregg, Judd [R-NH]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Ecology
Forests, forestry, trees
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Water quality
Watersheds
Wetlands

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Program to protect the environmental integrity of undeveloped coastal and estuarine areas. Requires the program to be administered by the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Authorizes the Secretary to make Program grants to coastal states with approved coastal zone management plans or National Estuarine Research Reserve units for the purpose of acquiring property that will further the goals of an approved Coastal Zone Management Plan or Program, a National Estuarine Research Reserve management plan, or a regional or state watershed protection plan. 
 
Prohibits any more than 75% of the funding for any project funded with a grant made under the program from being derived from federal sources. 
 
Reserves 15% of program funds for acquisitions benefitting the National Estuarine Research Reserve. 
 
Specifies that when property is acquired under this program, the grant recipient shall provide assurances that: (1) title will be held by the recipient or another public agency designated by the recipient in perpetuity; (2) property will be managed consistent with the purpose of the Program; and (3) funds will be returned to the Secretary for redistribution if the property is sold, exchanged, or divested. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-171
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Department of Commerce
Earth sciences
Executive agency funding and structure
Great Lakes
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Natural disasters
Research administration and funding
Wetlands

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 - Directs the President, acting through the National Ocean Research Leadership Council, to establish and maintain an integrated system of coastal and ocean observations, data communication and management, analysis, modeling, research, education, and outreach for the timely detection and prediction of changes occurring in the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes environments that impact the nation's social, economic, and ecological systems. Includes in the system a national program, a network of regional associations, data management, communication, and modeling systems, a research and development program, and a coordinated outreach, education, and training program. Makes the Council the oversight body for all aspects of the observing system. 
 
Requires the Council to establish an Interagency Ocean Observation Committee to plan and coordinate system implementation. Establishes the Interagency Program Coordinating Office located in, but not an office of, the Department of Commerce, to facilitate the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee's responsibilities for system implementation, budgeting, and administration.
 
Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide leadership for system implementation and administration, requiring it to establish an Integrated Ocean Observing Program Office. 
 
Requires establishment of a process for the certification of regional associations to be responsible for the development and operation of regional coastal and ocean observing systems. 
 
Requires NOAA to formulate a process by which funding is made available for intramural and extramural research on new technologies for collecting data on U.S. coastal and ocean waters.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S216-219)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S215-216)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
NOAA Ocean Exploration and Undersea Research Program Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-172
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Government information and archives
Great Lakes
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
NOAA Ocean Exploration and Undersea Research Program Act of 2009 - Requires the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to: (1) establish within NOAA a coordinated national ocean exploration program that promotes collaboration with other federal ocean and undersea research and exploration programs; (2) convene an ocean exploration and undersea research technology and infrastructure task force; and (3) appoint an Ocean Exploration Advisory Board.
 
Requires the administrator to establish and maintain an undersea research program to increase scientific knowledge essential for the informed management, use, and preservation of oceanic, marine, and coastal areas and the Great Lakes. Requires that the program be conducted through a national headquarters, a network of extramural regional undersea research centers that represent all relevant NOAA regions, and the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology. Requires that funding for projects conducted through the regional centers be awarded through a competitive, merit-reviewed process.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S219-220)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-173
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Aquatic ecology
Atmospheric science and weather
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government information and archives
International scientific cooperation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2009 or FOARAM Act - Defines &quot;ocean acidification,&quot; for this Act, as the decrease in pH of the Earth's oceans and changes in ocean chemistry caused by chemical inputs from the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide.
 
Requires that the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and Technology Council coordinate federal activities on ocean acidification and establish an interagency working group. 
 
Requires the Subcommittee to develop a strategic plan for federal ocean acidification research and monitoring that provides, among other things, for the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies. Directs the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review the plan.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish and maintain an ocean acidification program in NOAA to conduct research, monitoring, and other activities, including: (1) providing grants for critical research projects exploring the ecosystem and socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification; and (2) incorporating a competitive merit-based process for awarding grants that may be conducted jointly with other participating agencies or under the National Oceanographic Partnership Program.
 
Requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) director to continue to carry out ocean acidification research supporting competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed proposals for research and monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts.
 
Requires the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to ensure that space-based monitoring assets are used in as productive a manner as possible for the monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act

Bill: 111-s-174
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Ecology
Government information and archives
Great Lakes
Higher education
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Public contracts and procurement
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act - Directs the President to establish a a program to develop a coordinated and comprehensive federal ocean and coastal mapping program for the Great Lakes and coastal state waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone, and the U.S. continental shelf that enhances ecosystem approaches in decision-making for conservation and management of marine resources and habitats, establishes research and mapping priorities, supports the siting of research and other platforms, and advances ocean and coastal science.
 
Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to convene or use an existing interagency committee on ocean and coastal mapping to implement such program and to coordinate federal ocean and coastal mapping and surveying activities with other federal efforts (including the Digital Coast, Geospatial One-Stop, and the Federal Geographic Data Committee), international mapping activities, coastal states, user groups, and nongovernmental entities. Authorizes the Administrator to convene an ocean and coastal mapping advisory panel consisting of representatives from nongovernmental entities to provide input regarding activities of the committee.
 
Directs the Administrator to develop a plan for an integrated ocean and coastal mapping initiative within NOAA that: (1) identifies all ocean and coastal mapping programs within NOAA, establishing priorities; (2) encourages the development of innovative ocean and coastal mapping technologies and applications; and (3) documents available and developing technologies, best practices in data processing and distribution, and leveraging opportunities with other federal agencies, coastal states, and nongovernmental entities.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to establish joint ocean and coastal mapping centers of excellence (including a joint hydrographic center) in institutions of higher education to conduct specified activities, including: (1) research and development of innovative ocean and coastal mapping technologies, equipment, and data products; and (2) mapping of the U.S. outer continental shelf. Requires the Administrator to continue developing a strategy for expanding contracting with nongovernmental entities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Skills Standards Certification Evaluation Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-175
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Manufacturing

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Skills Standards Certification Evaluation Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Education to: (1) evaluate skills certification programs for employees; (2) rank such programs or determine best practices models for them; and (3) make recommendations on the merits of a unified national approach to such programs, and ways to streamline duplicative and similar programs into a single, widely recognized certification.
 
 
Requires the Secretaries to post evaluation results on the Internet and make them available to Congress and to interested parties.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S220)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Job Access and Reverse Commute Program Improvements Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-176
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aging
Commuting
Disability assistance
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Transportation costs
Transportation programs funding
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Job Access and Reverse Commute Program Improvements Act of 2009 - Revises the job access and reverse commute (JARC) program to authorize a state to accept a single combined application for a project funded from at least two of the following programs that provide individuals with transportation to and from a job: (1) the JARC program; (2) the elderly and disabled specialized transit program; (3) the new freedom program (for disabled workers); and (4) any other program the Secretary deems appropriate.
 
Makes eligible for JARC formula grant funding the subsidizing of costs associated with the transportation of low income high school students and young adults to career or technical education, job training, or apprenticeship programs.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, at state request, to waive or streamline JARC program reporting and certification requirements, provided program goals are met.
 
Directs the Secretary to study the feasibility of eliminating, revising, or reducing frequency of collection for any reporting or certification requirements relating to the JARC formula grant program, particularly examining the burden on and needs of nonprofit organizations that receive funding and are unaccustomed to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a grant pilot program to: (1) improve education and employment related transportation activities for eligible teens and young adults; (2) evaluate streamlined reporting and certification requirements; and (3) support more comprehensive projects integrated with other federal, state, and local transportation and human service programs, while ensuring the paperwork burden is minimized.
 
Requires the Secretary to continue and expand JARC technical assistance activities so that the Department of Transportation supports various specified efforts, including those that act as an information clearinghouse and information network.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S220-221)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthening Our Economy Through Small Business Innovation Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-177
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Defense spending
Energy research
Executive agency funding and structure
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Small business
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Strengthening Our Economy Through Small Business Innovation Act of 2009 - Amends the Small Business Act to extend: (1) the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program through FY2022; and (2) the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program through FY2023.
 
Increases, for FY2010 and thereafter, the percentage allocation of a federal agency's annual extramural research and development budget that may be allocated to SBIR and STTR programs.
 
Increases, for both the SBIR and STTR programs, the individual small business award levels for program participation at phase one and two levels.

Includes energy, security, transportation, and water related research topics as &quot;special consideration&quot; SBIR research topics.

Directs the Secretary of Defense to terminate the Airborne Laser program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S221-222)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-178
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Indian social and development programs
Minority education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Act of 2009 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Demonstration Grant program awarding competitive matching grants to states and local educational agencies (LEAs) that partner with businesses, postsecondary institutions, workforce investment boards, labor organizations, or nonprofit community organizations.
 
Requires such grants to be used to: (1) assess emerging industry pathways and the academic skills needed to succeed in them; (2) design school- and work-based curricula or programs to teach such skills; (3) implement the new curricula or programs in schools where at least 30% of the students are impoverished, that have graduation rates below their state's average, and whose community is experiencing significant or increased unemployment; and (4) evaluate best practices from such curricula or programs and disseminate them to other educational entities. 
 
Requires such curricula or programs to: (1) meet challenging state academic content standards; and (2) prepare students for both direct entry into careers with emerging industries in their communities and success in postsecondary education.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S223-226)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S222-223)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Information Technology Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-179
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Computers and information technology
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Income tax deductions
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Health Information Technology Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to award grants to eligible health care entities to offset costs related to clinical health care informatics systems and services designed to improve quality in health care and patient safety, including costs for the purchase, lease, or installation of computer software and hardware.
 
Requires the Secretary to conduct studies to: (1) evaluate the use of clinical health care informatics systems and services to measure and report quality data; and (2) assess the impact of such systems and services on improving patient care, reducing costs, and increasing efficiencies.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a methodology for making adjustments in Medicare payment amounts for providers of services and suppliers who use health information technology and technology services with patient-specific applications that improve the quality and accuracy of clinical decision-making, compliance, health care delivery, and efficiency.
 
Requires the Secretary to provide for the development and adoption of national data and communication health information technology standards that promote the efficient exchange of data between varieties of provider health information technology systems.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an eligible entity to elect to expense qualified health care informatics system expenditures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S226-227)
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Cache La Poudre River National Heritage Area Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-180
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Colorado
Historic sites and heritage areas
Historical and cultural resources
Lakes and rivers
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Cache La Poudre River National Heritage Area Act of 2009 - Establishes the Cache La Poudre River National Heritage Area in Colorado. Designates the Poudre Heritage Alliance, a nonprofit, as the local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area. Requires the Alliance to prepare and submit a management plan for the Heritage Area. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area Act

Bill: 111-s-183
Sponsor: Sen. Salazar, Ken [D-CO]
Introduced: 2009-01-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Colorado
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: 
Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area Act - Establishes the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area in Colorado to conserve and protect the unique and nationally important values of certain public land and the water resources of area streams that are necessary to support aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial species and communities. 

Designates certain lands in Mesa, Montrose, and Delta Counties in Colorado as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, to be known as the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area. 

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) develop a comprehensive management plan for the long-term protection and management of the Conservation Area; and (2) establish the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Advisory Council to advise the Secretary on the preparation and implementation of the management plan. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-08
text: Introduced in Senate