hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Tariff Relief Assistance for Developing Economies Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1141
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Afghanistan
Africa
Asia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Cambodia
East Timor
Laos
Maldives
Nepal
Samoa
Sri Lanka
Tariffs
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Yemen

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Tariff Relief Assistance for Developing Economies Act of 2009 or the TRADE Act of 2009 - Authorizes the President to designate Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Yemen, and Sri Lanka or their successor political entities as beneficiary TRADE Act of 2009 countries eligible to receive duty-free treatment for certain articles that are the growth, product, or manufacture of such countries, if after receiving the advice of the International Trade Commission (ITC) the President determines that such articles are not import-sensitive in the context of imports from such countries. 
 
Conditions such designation upon eligibility requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Trade Act of 1974.
 
Prescribes the rule of origin for the articles for the duty-free treatment.
 
Applies duty-free treatment, without any quantitative limitations, granted to textile and apparel articles under AGOA to articles imported directly into the U.S. customs territory from a beneficiary TRADE Act of 2009 country if their assembly meet specified U.S. origin requirements.
 
Grants AGOA preferential treatment for apparel articles assembled in one or more beneficiary TRADE Act of 2009 countries or such former countries, or both, from regional fabric from yarn originating either in the United States or one or more of such countries.
 
 Establishes: (1) limitations on such preferential treatment; and (2) special rules for apparel articles wholly assembled in one or more beneficiary TRADE Act of 2009 countries or former beneficiary countries, or both, regardless of the country of origin of the yarn or fabric used to make such articles; and (3) applicable percentages of such benefits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5847-5848)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5846-5847)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Informed Health Care Decision Making Act

Bill: 111-s-1142
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government information and archives
Marketing and advertising
Prescription drugs
Product safety and quality

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Informed Health Care Decision Making Act - Requires the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to: (1) determine whether standardized, quantitative summaries of the benefits and risks of drugs in a tabular or drug facts box format would improve health care decisionmaking by clinicians, patients, and consumers; and (2) establish and update standards for comparative clinical effectiveness information in the labeling and advertising of drugs and devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Defines &quot;comparative clinical effectiveness&quot; as the clinical outcomes, effectiveness, safety, and clinical appropriateness of a drug or device in comparison to one or more drugs or devices approved to prevent, diagnose, or treat the same health condition in the same patient demographic subpopulation.
 
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require information on comparative clinical effectiveness for drugs and devices in labeling and advertising. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5849-5850)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5848-5849)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Public Health Workforce Development Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1143
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Medical education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Public Health Workforce Development Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Public Health Workforce Scholarship Program to assure an adequate supply of public health professionals to eliminate critical public health workforce shortages in federal, state, local, and tribal public health agencies and centers by offering four-year scholarships in return for employment at such agencies and centers. 
 
Requires the Secretary to establish the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program to provide for the repayment of loans incurred by individuals in the pursuit of the relevant public health workforce educational degree or certificate in exchange for working at public health agencies or centers for at least three years.
 
Requires the Secretary to award grants to public health agencies that receive public health preparedness cooperative agreements from HHS to operate state, local, and tribal public health workforce loan repayment programs.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to, or enter into contracts with, any eligible entity to award scholarships to eligible individuals to enroll in degree or professional training programs for the purpose of enabling mid-career professionals in the public health workforce to receive additional training in the field of public health.
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), in cooperation with the Secretary, to ensure that included in the OPM website there is an online catalogue, or a link to an online catalogue, of public health workforce employment opportunities in the federal government.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5850-5852)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5850)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Transit Improvement and Flexibility Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1144
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aging
Disability and paralysis
Indian lands and resources rights
Public transit
Rural conditions and development
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Rural Transit Improvement and Flexibility Act of 2009 - Revises the apportionment of nonurbanized formula grants for amounts remaining after apportionment for grants to Indian tribes for public transportation on Indian reservations for FY2006-FY2009. Increases from 20% to 25% the amount of remaining funds to be apportioned to a state based on its land area. Decreases correspondingly from 80% to 75% the amount of remaining funds to be apportioned to a state based on population in nonurbanized areas.
 
Limits to 25% of its apportionment for a formula grant for a capital project for the special needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities the amount a state may use for operating costs of equipment and facilities.
 
Limits a grant for operating assistance from exceeding 50% of the net operating project costs. Increases such limit to 62.5% of the government share of project costs in the case of a state containing nontaxable Indian lands, individual and tribal, and public domain lands (both reserved and unreserved), national forests, and national parks and monuments.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program for the award of grants to states to establish transit centers to improve transit service (buses and other transit vehicles) in urbanized areas with a population of less than 200,000 and in nonurbanized areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2009-06-03
text: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2009-06-03
text: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1145
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Intellectual property
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Sound recording

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009 - Prohibits the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia from taking this Act into account in its review of the determination by the Copyright Royalty Judges of May 1, 2007, of rates and terms for the digital performance of sound recordings and ephemeral recordings, pursuant to specified provisions.
 
Defines &quot;webcaster,&quot; for provisions relating to licenses for the reproduction and performance of sound recordings via webcasting, as a person or entity that has obtained a compulsory license under specified provisions. (Current law defines such term as a person or entity that has obtained a compulsory license under specified provisions to make eligible nonsubscription transmissions and ephemeral recordings.)
 
Terminates, 30 days after enactment of this Act, the authority to make commercial or noncommercial webcasting settlements under existing provisions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Sex Offender Registration Tips Program Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1146
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal justice information and records
Law enforcement administration and funding
Sex offenses

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Sex Offender Registration Tips Program Act of 2009 or the SORT Act of 2009 - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) provide grants and access to information and resources to Parents for Megan's Law, Inc., to implement the Sex Offender Registration Tips Program; and (2) ensure access by Parents for Megan's Law, Inc., to the National Crime Information Center databases operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act

Bill: 111-s-1148
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Energy
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Land use and conservation
Motor fuels

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to: (1) include the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy in renewable fuel program activities under such Act; (2) require the Secretary of Energy to periodically update the baseline lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions; (3) revise the definition of &quot;biomass-based diesel&quot; to include certain renewable fuel produced after December 19, 2007; (4) revise the definition of &quot;lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions&quot; to base the measurement of such emissions on recent observable data and consideration of regional differences of renewable fuel production, rather than on indirect land use changes; (5) expand the definition of &quot;renewable biomass&quot;; and (6) require a periodic review of adjustments in greenhouse gas reduction levels. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5860-5861)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Annual and Lifetime Health Care Limit Elimination Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1149
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Annual and Lifetime Health Care Limit Elimination Act of 2009 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan from imposing an aggregate dollar annual or lifetime limit with respect to benefits payable under the plan. 
 
Applies such prohibition to individual health insurance coverage.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5861-5862)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5861)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
State Child Well-Being Research Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1151
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
State Child Well-Being Research Act of 2009 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to rename the National Survey of Children's Health conducted by the Director of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration as the Survey of Children's Health and Well-Being. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) modify the survey so that it may be used to better assess child well-being; and (2) establish an advisory panel to make recommendations regarding the additional matters to be addressed by the survey as well as the methods, dissemination strategies, and statistical tools necessary to conduct it as a whole. 
 
Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the adequacy of the methods of collecting and reporting data on deaths of children in the child welfare system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5873-5874)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5872-5873)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Families Act

Bill: 111-s-1152
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Domestic violence and child abuse
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Sex offenses
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked.
 
Declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit.
 
Allows employees to use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members; or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
 
Prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights.
 
Directs the Secretary of Labor to exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. Grants the same authority, for employees under their jurisdiction, to the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, the Board of Directors of the congressional Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board.
 
Authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this Act.
 
Waives a state's sovereign immunity with respect to a suit brought by an employee of a federally-assisted state program or activity for relief authorized under this Act.
 
Requires the Commissioner of Labor Statistics annually to compile information annually on paid sick time, and the Comptroller General to study related matters.
 
Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5874)
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1153
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of the Treasury
Employment taxes
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Self-employed

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude from an employee's gross income employer-provided accident and health plan benefits extended to a domestic partner or non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiary eligible to receive such benefits under an employer plan (i.e., &quot;eligible beneficiary&quot;); (2) exempt such benefits paid to eligible beneficiaries from applicable employment and unemployment taxes; (3) allow self-employed individuals a tax deduction for the health insurance costs of their eligible beneficiaries; (4) allow tax-exempt volutary employees' beneficiary associations to provide sick and accident benefits to the domestic partners and non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiaries of their members; and (5) allow reimbursement of the medical expenses of an eligible beneficiary from a health savings account (HSA). 
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide guidance relating to reimbursements from a flexible spending arrangement and a health reimbursement arrangement attributable to an eligible beneficiary as defined by this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans to Paramedics Transition Act

Bill: 111-s-1154
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Allied health services
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health programs administration and funding
Medical education
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Veterans to Paramedics Transition Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize entities receiving rural emergency medical service training and equipment grants to use grant funds to provide required coursework and training to enable military veterans to satisfy emergency medical services personnel certification requirements, as determined by the appropriate state regulatory entity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the office of the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for health.

Bill: 111-s-1155
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Establishes within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services, who shall report to the VHA's Under Secretary for Health on all matters relating to the education and training, employment, appropriate utilization, and optimal participation of physician assistants within VHA programs and initiatives.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 111-264.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Safe Routes to School Program Reauthorization Act

Bill: 111-s-1156
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2009-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child safety and welfare
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Infrastructure development
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: 
Safe Routes to School Program Reauthorization Act - Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to reauthorize appropriations for FY2010-FY2014 for the safe routes to school program.
 
Revises program requirements to specify children kindergarten through 12th grade as the ones to be benefited by the program.
 
Revises apportionments to replace the current specific dollar amounts with formulae.
 
Includes projects for other nonmotorized modes of transportation besides walking and bicycling as noninfrastructure-related projects.
 
Authorizes states to set-aside up to 10% of apportioned funds for infrastructure improvements that create safe routes to bus stops located outside of the vicinity of schools.
 
Requires any state that receives an apportionment of funds to form a multidisciplinary state advisory committee.
 
Prescribes requirements for the treatment of noninfrastructure and infrastructure projects.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) develop and implement a comprehensive plan for evaluating the effectiveness of safe routes to school; and (2) establish a working group of federal agencies, states, and stakeholders to examine the issue of school siting.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate