hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Workforce Investment Act

Bill: 111-s-1206
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2009-06-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Medical education
Mental health
Student aid and college costs
Surgery and anesthesia

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: 
 Pediatric Workforce Investment Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish and carry out a pediatric specialty loan repayment program under which a qualified physician agrees to be employed full-time for not less than two years in providing pediatric medical subspecialty, surgical specialty, or psychiatric subspecialty care in a shortage area in exchange for repayment of educational loans. Requires an area to be determined to be a shortage area based on: (1) waiting times for patient care; (2) recruitment for unfilled positions; or (3) the ratio of the number of children who reside in the area who are in need of such pediatric subspecialty care to the number of pediatric subspecialists furnishing such services within 100 miles of the area. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6266-6267)
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, as a unit of the National Park System.

Bill: 111-s-1207
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2009-06-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Military history
Monuments and memorials
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the National Park Service (NPS), to conduct a study of the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, to evaluate its national significance and the suitability and feasibility of designating it as a unit of the National Park System. Requires the identification of alternatives for the management, administration, and protection of the Memorial. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6267)
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to allow for additional flights beyond the perimeter restriction application to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Bill: 111-s-1209
Sponsor: Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV]
Introduced: 2009-06-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Motor carriers
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: 
Allows certain air carriers that hold or operate air carrier slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which are used for scheduled air service between that airport and a large hub airport, to use such slots also to provide nonstop air transportation service between Reagan National Airport and another airport more than 1,250 statute miles away (perimeter rule limit).
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Introduced in Senate
STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1210
Sponsor: Sen. Kaufman, Edward E. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2009-06-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Minority education
Rural conditions and development
Science and engineering education
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Women's education

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: 
 
 
STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009 - Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish a committee under the National Science and Technology Council that has the responsibility of coordinating federal programs and activities in support of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. 
 
Directs such committee to: (1) coordinate the STEM education activities and programs of federal agencies; (2) develop, implement through participating agencies, and update once every five years, a five-year STEM education strategic plan; and (3) establish, periodically update, and maintain an inventory of federally sponsored STEM education programs and activities, including documentation of assessments of the effectiveness of such programs and activities and rates of participation by women, underrepresented minorities, and persons in rural areas. 
 
Requires the Director to annually report to Congress on the STEM education strategic plan. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6272)
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6271-6272)
action_date: 2009-06-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1212
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Competition and antitrust
Consumer credit
Contracts and agency
Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009 - Authorizes providers of a single covered electronic payment system (e.g., Visa or Mastercharge credit cards) and any merchants to jointly negotiate and agree upon the fees and terms for access to such a system.
 
Defines covered electronic payment system as any system that has been used for at least 10% of the combined dollar value of credit and debit card payments processed in the most recent year. 
 
Grants limited antitrust immunity to such providers and merchants, as well as to those providers who jointly determine among themselves the proportionate division of paid access fees.

Sets forth procedures to determine fees and terms for access to a covered electronic payment system. 
 
Creates a panel of three full-time Electronic Payment System Judges, appointed by the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, to determine the schedule of fees and terms for two-year periods. Outlines procedures for correcting overpayments, underpayments, and late payments as determined by the Judges. Subjects any determination of such Judges to judicial review.
 
Authorizes providers and merchants to engage in voluntarily negotiated access agreements. Declares that such an executed agreement shall supersede any fees or terms established by the Judges.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6366-6371)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1213
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Congressional oversight
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Medicaid
Medical research
Medicare
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Act of 2009 - Amends title XI (General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for a program of comparative effectiveness research for health care. Defines &quot;comparative effectiveness research&quot; as research evaluating and comparing the implications and outcomes of two or more health care strategies to address a particular medical condition for specific patient populations. 
 
Establishes the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORTI) as a nonprofit, nongovernmental corporation to conduct Iresearch on the effectiveness of health care treatments, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and procedures, and other therapies. Requires the PCORTI to: (1) identify national priorities for comparative clinical effectiveness research; (2) establish and update a research project agenda for comparative clinical effectiveness research and provide for peer review of primary research; (3) establish a standing methodology committee for developing the science of comparative effectiveness research; and (4) disseminate research findings.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund. Imposes a fee on certain accident or health insurance policies and self-insured health plans to create revenue for the Fund.
 
 Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to require the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research to support the PCORTI. 
 
Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to report to Congress on the process for making national coverage determinations under SSA title XVIII (Medicare).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6372-6378)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6371-6372)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act

Bill: 111-s-1215
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Business records
Government information and archives
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Oil and gas
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to: (1) repeal the exemption from restrictions on underground injection of fluids near drinking water sources granted to hydraulic fracturing operations under such Act; and (2) require oil and gas companies to disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6382)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6380-6381)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act

Bill: 111-s-1216
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Consumer affairs
Emergency communications systems
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Product safety and quality

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act - Amends the Consumer Product Safety Act to require the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to publish the American National Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms (American National Standard ANSI/UL 2034-2005) as a mandatory consumer product safety standard. Makes it unlawful for any manufacturer or distributor to import or distribute any new assembled or unassembled residential carbon monoxide detector unless it complies with the standard.
 
Requires the CPSC to issue a final rule in its proceeding titled Portable Generators, including a requirement that portable generators incorporate an automatic shutoff feature if compliance with such a requirement is technologically feasible.
 
Requires the CPSC to establish a grant program to provide assistance to states to carry out a carbon monoxide alarm program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid Services Restoration Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1217
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Child health
Health care quality
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Medicaid Services Restoration Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to extend medical assistance coverage to therapeutic foster care services.
 
Allows reasonable and efficient payment methodologies, including fee-for-service payments, case rates, daily rates, or other forms of capitated payment, as means of reimbursement for rehabilitative services. 
 
Includes medical or remedial services for attainment and retention of functional status among rehabilitative services.
 
Includes among inpatient psychiatric hospital services for children early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services.
 
Allows payment for medical assistance for diagnostic, screening, preventive, and rehabilitative services or optional targeted case management services furnished by qualified providers under non-medical programs, provided a state or local agency administering such plan complies with certain requirements.
 
Allows reasonable and efficient payment methodologies for reimbursement for case management and targeted case management services.
 
Authorizes the state to: (1) require case management services for each beneficiary; and (2) limit the case managers available in order to ensure that the case managers for eligible individuals are capable of ensuring that such individuals receive needed services. Allows staff of non-medical programs, or contractors with non-medical programs, to offer such services, so long as: (1) such individuals are state-qualified providers; and (2) the case management services are distinct from the non-medical program's direct services.
 
Redefines case management services to mean those furnished to assist eligible individuals, who reside in a community setting or are transitioning to a community setting, in gaining access to needed medical, social, educational, and other services. 
 
Allows a state to provide case management or targeted case management services through multiple case managers to: (1) any qualified individual; (2) specific classes of individuals; or (3) individuals who reside in specified areas selected by the state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Urban Medicare-Dependent Hospitals Preservation Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1218
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health facilities and institutions
Hospital care
Medicare
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Urban Medicare-Dependent Hospitals Preservation Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2009, to revise the criteria and payment formula for &quot;subsection (d) hospitals&quot; which are urban Medicare-dependent hospitals.
 
(Generally a subsection (d) hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payment under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Antitrust Criminal Penalties Enforcement and Reform Act of 2004 Extension Act

Bill: 111-s-1219
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Competition and antitrust

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Antitrust Criminal Penalties Enforcement and Reform Act of 2004 Extension Act - Amends the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 to extend through June 22, 2010, provisions of that Act limiting civil damages in antitrust enforcement actions involving conduct covered by antitrust leniency agreements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6382)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6382)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Patient Access to Critical Lab Tests Act

Bill: 111-s-1220
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [D-PA]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Health care coverage and access
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Patient Access to Critical Lab Tests Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) where practical, Medicare regulations and policies should be written to promote development of and access to certain highly specialized laboratory tests; and (2) certain Medicare regulations should be revised to permit laboratories furnishing such tests to bill for and be paid directly by Medicare for furnishing them.
 
Declares that, whenever a laboratory performs a covered complex diagnostic laboratory test, with respect to a specimen collected from an individual during a period in which the individual is a hospital patient, if the test is performed after such period, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall treat such test, for purposes of making direct payment to the laboratory, as if the specimen had been collected by the laboratory directly.
 
Defines &quot;covered complex diagnostic laboratory test&quot; as: (1) an analysis of DNA, RNA, chromosomes, proteins, or metabolites that detects, identifies, or quantitates genotypes, mutations, chromosomal changes, biochemical changes, cell response, or protein expression, or gene expression or similar method or is a cancer chemotherapy sensitivity assay or similar method, with certain exceptions; (2) a diagnostic X-ray or other diagnostic test; (3) one developed and performed by a laboratory independent of the hospital in which the specimen involved was collected, and not under any arrangements with such hospital; and (4) one not furnished by such hospital, directly or under any arrangements made by it.
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6383)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6382-6383)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure more appropriate payment amounts for drugs and biologicals under part B of the Medicare Program by excluding customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers from the manufacturer's average sales price.

Bill: 111-s-1221
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [D-PA]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Medicare
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the use of average sales price methodology for calculating payments for drugs and biologicals under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance).
 
Excludes from the manufacturer's average sales price when calculating such payments any customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6384)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6383-6384)
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Empowerment Zone, Renewal Community and Enterprise Community Enhancement Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1222
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2009-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Financial services and investments
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Rural conditions and development
Securities
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Urban and suburban affairs and development
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: 
Empowerment Zone, Renewal Community and Enterprise Community Enhancement Act of 2009 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to tax-preferred empowerment zones, rural enterprise communities, and renewal communities to: (1) extend the period of designation for such areas through 2015; (2) provide a safe harbor standard for employee residency requirements in empowerment zones; (3) eliminate certain residency requirements for the empowerment zone employment tax credit; (4) grant authority to expand the boundaries of empowerment zones and enterprise communities, including those located in rural areas; (5) allow carryovers of unused expensing allowances for enterprise zone businesses; (6) allow certain empowerment zone businesses to elect to receive payments in lieu of tax benefits; (7) allow federal guarantees and tax exemptions for enterprise zones and renewal communities; and (8) allow the issuance of tax-exempt rural enterprise community bonds and empowerment zone facility bonds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Free Enterprise Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1223
Sponsor: Sen. Johanns, Mike [R-NE]
Introduced: 2009-06-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Corporate finance and management
Financial crises and stabilization
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: 
Free Enterprise Act of 2009 - Requires congressional approval before any Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds are provided or obligated to any entity, on and after May 29, 2009, whose receipt of such funds would result in federal government acquisition of its common or preferred stock.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6454)
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy Market Manipulation Prevention Act

Bill: 111-s-1225
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2009-06-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Banking and financial institutions regulation
Commodities markets
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Energy prices
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: 
Energy Market Manipulation Prevention Act - Directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to eliminate excessive speculation in energy contract markets, unwarranted energy price fluctuations, or other unlawful activities that prevent energy prices from accurately reflecting supply and demand.
 
Requires the Commission to: (1) classify immediately each bank holding company engaged in energy futures trading as a noncommercial participant subject to strict position limits; (2) require immediately hedge funds engaged in energy futures trading to register as noncommercial participants subject to strict speculation limits; (3) eliminate conflicts of interest in which one entity has a hand in predicting oil prices, operating oil assets, and buying or selling oil derivatives; and (4) revoke immediately each staff no-action letter that covers a foreign board of trade that has established trading terminals in this country to trade U.S. commodities to U.S. investors.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6456-6457)
action_date: 2009-06-10
text: Introduced in Senate