hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1624
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Consumer credit
Health care costs and insurance
Housing finance and home ownership
Legal fees and court costs

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends federal bankruptcy law to cite circumstances under which a medically distressed debtor may elect to exempt from the property of the estate in bankruptcy up to $250,000 of the debtor's aggregate interest in specified real or personal property that the debtor (or debtor's dependent) uses as a residence, in a cooperative, or in a burial plot for the debtor or a dependent.
 
Revises requirements for dismissal or conversion of a Chapter 7 case to prohibit the court or specified parties in interest from filing a motion to dismiss or convert to Chapter 11 or 13 if the debtor is a medically distressed debtor.
 
Waives the credit counseling prerequisite for filing for relief from debt in the case of a medically distressed debtor.
 
Denies a discharge in bankruptcy from any debt incurred that relates to attorneys' fees generated as a result of the debtor's filing of a Chapter 7 petition.
 
Requires a debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor to attest in writing, and under penalty of perjury, that the medical expenses of the debtor are genuine, and not specifically incurred to bring the debtor within the coverage of the medical bankruptcy provisions of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-20
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9022)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Measuring American Poverty Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1625
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Measuring American Poverty Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau), in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to calculate modern poverty thresholds and modern poverty rates for each calendar year.
 
Directs the Census Bureau and the BLS to choose: (1) the most appropriate distribution of consumption expenditures on food, clothing, and shelter, which may exclude families receiving subsidies for food, clothing, or shelter; and (2) the reference family for the modern poverty measure.
 
Declares that the modern poverty threshold for a reference family shall be an amount equal to the average of 120% of the 33rd percentile of the distribution chosen, allowing for calculations to rely on a limited band converging on this percentile, during four or more of the most recent years for which data is available from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, a superior federal government source of data, or some combination of such sources. Prescribes requirements for determining modern poverty rates.
 
Directs the Census Bureau, in collaboration with the BLS, to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to develop and publish methods of: (1) calculating a decent living standard threshold; and (2) measuring the extent to which the income of families in the United States is sufficient to meet it. 
 
Directs the Census Bureau, in collaboration with the BLS, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to contract with NAS to develop and publish a method of: (1) measuring the extent of medical care risk in the United States; and (2) calculating the number and percentage of individuals in the United States who lack adequate health insurance, leaving them at risk of being unable to afford needed treatment. 
 
Directs the Census Bureau to contract with NAS to develop a set of recommendations for methods to implement annual modern poverty measurement at the state and local level and a timeframe for the implementation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9022-9023)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Long Term Care Insurance Integrity Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1626
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Health care costs and insurance
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Long Term Care Insurance Integrity Act of 2009 - Requires an insurance issuer that offers a long-term care insurance plan to implement claims dispute resolution procedures that: (1) are designed to expeditiously resolve disputes; (2) provide for alternative means of dispute resolution involving independent third-party review by entities that are mutually acceptable to the issuer and the enrollee, with the reviewer's decision being binding on the issuer; and (3) ensure that an enrollee is eligible to obtain claims review only to the extent and in the manner provided for in the applicable insurance contract. Allows an enrollee to appeal the decision of an independent reviewer to an appropriate state court as provided for under state law.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Consumer Fuels and Vehicle Choice Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1627
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Department of Energy
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Consumer Fuels and Vehicle Choice Act of 2009 - Requires each manufacturer to ensure that at least 50% of 2011 and 2012 model year automobiles and light duty trucks manufactured for sale in the United States are dual fueled. Increases the minimum to 90% for later model years. (Excludes automobiles and light duty trucks that operate only on electricity.)
 
Requires the Secretary of Energy to make grants to major fuel distributors to pay the federal share of costs to install blender pump fuel infrastructure at majority-owned stations and branded stations: (1) for the direct retail sale of ethanol fuel blends (including E-85 fuel), including blender pumps and storage tanks; and (2) to directly market such fuels to gas retailers, including in-line blending equipment, pumps, storage tanks, and loadout equipment.
 
Provides for infrastructure installation subgrants to direct retailers of ethanol fuel blends (including E-85 fuel) as well as blender pumps and storage tanks.
 
Amends the Clean Air Act to define: (1) &quot;E-85 fuel&quot; as a blend of gasoline at least 85% derived from ethanol; and (2) &quot;ethanol fuel blend&quot; as a blend of gasoline and ethanol, with a minimum of 0% and maximum of 85% derived from denatured ethanol.
 
Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations to ensure that each major fuel distributor installs one or more blender pumps that dispense E-85 fuel and ethanol fuel blends at specified minimum percentages of majority-owned stations and branded stations for specified years in each state. Allows major fuel distributors to earn and sell credits if they exceed the percentage of blender pump installations at majority-owned stations and branded stations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9024-9025)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9023-9024)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Physician Pipeline Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1628
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Education programs funding
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Medical education
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Rural Physician Pipeline Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a program to make grants to accredited schools of allopathic or osteopathic medicine to: (1) assist such schools in recruiting students most likely to practice medicine in underserved rural communities; (2) provide rural-focused training and experience; and (3) increase the number of recent allopathic and osteopathic medical school graduates who practice in underserved rural communities.
 
Requires the Secretary to convene a Rural Training Program Symposium to: (1) develop best practices for such schools; and (2) establish a network of medical schools that have developed or will develop rural training programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9026)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9025-9026)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
New Philadelphia, Illinois, Study Act

Bill: 111-s-1629
Sponsor: Sen. Burris, Roland [D-IL]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Government studies and investigations
Historic sites and heritage areas
Illinois
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
New Philadelphia, Illinois, Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the New Philadelphia archaeological site and the land surrounding it in Illinois (the study area). 
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) evaluate the national significance of the study area; (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as a unit of the National Park System; (3) consider other alternatives for the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the study area and identify the costs associated with such alternatives; and (4) consult with specified public and private entities.

action_date: 2010-08-05
text: 
New Philadelphia, Illinois, Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the New Philadelphia archaeological site and the land surrounding it in Illinois (the study area). 
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) evaluate the national significance of the study area; (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the study area as a unit of the National Park System; (3) consider other alternatives for the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the study area and identify the costs associated with such alternatives; and (4) consult with specified public and private entities. 
 
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the study's results, as well as any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-08-05
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 528.
action_date: 2010-08-05
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 111-258.
action_date: 2010-08-05
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 111-258.
action_date: 2010-06-21
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2010-03-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-476.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1630
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Employee benefits and pensions
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Inflation and prices
Medicare
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to prescription drug plans, to limit the required co-payment or coinsurance for any one prescription to $200, and for all prescriptions in any month to $500.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, to expand the formulary tier exception request process to allow Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a prescription drug plan to request an exception for a specialty prescription drug as a non-preferred prescription drug.
 
Requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to study and report to Congress on: (1) the prescription drug program under Medicare part D and the interaction of such program with Medicare beneficiary access to covered drugs under part B; and (2) cost-sharing for prescription drugs under Medicare parts B and D, including an analysis of the impact of eliminating cost-sharing for covered part D drugs for Medicare beneficiaries who incur annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing, after the initial coverage limit, that exceeds 5% of their income and who do not otherwise qualify for an income-related subsidy or other extra help or cost-sharing relief.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9027-9029)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9027)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require full and complete public disclosure of the terms of home mortgages held by Members of Congress.

Bill: 111-s-1632
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Housing finance and home ownership
Members of Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require Members of Congress to include in mandatory annual financial disclosure reports information on the balance of any mortgage secured by a personal residence.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Long-Term Care Insurance Consumer Right-to-Know Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1636
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of the Treasury
Health care costs and insurance
Insurance industry and regulation
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Marketing and advertising
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Long-Term Care Insurance Consumer Right-to-Know Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to issue a white paper with its results from the following activities: (1) review and describe disclosure requirements for long-term care insurance policies under the long-term care insurance model regulation and model act promulgated by NAIC (as adopted as of October 2000 and December 2006), (2) review and describe disclosure requirements for long-term care insurance policies under state laws, (3) review and describe differences in long-term care services among states and develop a standardized definition of long-term care services, and (4) identify and describe key issues to consider in the development of a proposed model form for marketing long-term care insurance policies.
 
Directs the Secretary to request NAIC to: (1) establish a Working Group to develop and issue a model disclosure form for marketing long-term care insurance policies, and (2) amend the model regulation and model act to require the use of such form.
 
Requires the Secretaries of the Treasury and HHS to promulgate regulations requiring issuers of a qualified long-term care insurance contract under certain tax-qualified or Medicaid Partnership policies to use the model form for marketing such contracts.
 
Directs each state to require any issuer of a long-term care insurance policy to use the model form for marketing a policy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Expanding Building Efficiency Incentives Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1637
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Energy efficiency and conservation
Housing industry and standards
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Expanding Building Efficiency Incentives Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase and extend for three years the new energy efficient home tax credit; (2) increase the rate of the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings; (3) allow a $200 tax credit through 2011 for the cost of a home energy rating; and (4) allow a $500 tax credit for the cost of training and certifying home performance auditors to conduct home energy ratings. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9075)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act

Bill: 111-s-1638
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Firearms and explosives
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
Railroads
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act - Requires Amtrak, at a station that accepts checked baggage for a specific Amtrak route, to allow a passenger holding a ticket for such route to place an unloaded firearm or starter pistol in a bag that has been checked at the station if: (1) before checking the bag or boarding the train, the passenger declares to Amtrak that an unloaded firearm is in his or her checked bag; (2) the firearm is carried in a locked hard-sided container; and (3) only the passenger has the key or combination to such container.
 
Allows an Amtrak passenger to place small arms ammunition for personal use in a checked bag on an Amtrak route if the ammunition is securely packed in specified kinds of boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry such ammunition.
 
Prohibits the application of such requirements in any fiscal year in which Amtrak does not receive federal assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Expanding Industrial Energy Efficiency Incentives Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1639
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Energy efficiency and conservation
Income tax credits
Manufacturing
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Expanding Industrial Energy Efficiency Incentives Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase megawatt and horsepower capacity limitations for the combined heat and power system property energy tax credit; and (2) allow new tax credits to improve advanced motor system energy efficiency, to replace chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerant chillers, and for investment in any qualifying efficient industrial process water use project. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9042-9043)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9041-9042)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Take Back Your Health Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1640
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Health care coverage and access
Medicare
Nutrition and diet
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Take Back Your Health Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover intensive lifestyle treatment, which is a physician-supervised program furnishing to eligible beneficiaries certain exercise, medication, nutritional, and other specified items and services intended to affect beneficially the progression of chronic coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, prostate cancer, or breast cancer. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a Lifestyle Rewards Program for eligible beneficiaries who have successfully completed an intensive lifestyle program and meet certain other requirements. 
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the services provided under an intensive lifestyle treatment program: (1) would benefit individuals with chronic diseases who are not enrolled in the Medicare program; and (2) should be covered by all public and private payers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9043-9044)
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to modify and waive certain requirements under title 23, United States Code, to assist States with a high unemployment rate in carrying out Federal-aid highway construction projects, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-1641
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2009-08-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Intergovernmental relations
Roads and highways
State and local finance
Transportation programs funding
Unemployment
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: 
Increases the federal share of federal-aid highway construction projects for FY2011 and FY2012 for any state with an unemployment rate equal to or exceeding 11% at any time during FY2009 and FY2010.
 
Increases the federal share of costs for FY2011-FY2012: (1) from 90% to 95% for Interstate System projects; and (2) from 80% to 85% for other transportation projects.
 
Suspends certain eligibility requirements with respect to the use of tolls as a credit toward the non-federal share of project costs in such states for those fiscal years. Makes eligible for use as such a credit for such fiscal years any tolls that were not previously eligible.
 
Suspends, as well, certain state transportation capital expenditure maintenance of effort requirements during FY2011-FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-08-06
text: Introduced in Senate