hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
VEHICLE Safety Improvements Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3271
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]
Introduced: 2010-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Transportation
Motor vehicles
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: 
Vehicle Event History Information Capturing Leads to Engineering Safety Improvements Act of 2010 or VEHICLE Safety Improvements Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to promulgate regulations to require: (1) each new light-, medium-, and heavy-duty motor vehicle manufactured for sale or lease in the United States to be equipped with an event data recorder (EDR) meeting certain requirements; and (2) any data stored in the EDR of such vehicles to be accessible and retrievable by a commercially available universal data reader.
 
Requires the owner's manual of new motor vehicles to indicate clearly the presence of EDRs.
 
Prohibits the retrieval of information recorded or transmitted by an EDR by any person other than the owner of the motor vehicle in which such device is installed, unless: (1) a court authorizes it, the owner consents, or the information is retrieved by a government motor vehicle safety agency; and (2) neither the personally identifiable information of the vehicle owner or driver nor the vehicle identification number (VIN) is disclosed in the retrieval of information.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-05-19
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held.
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2761)
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Close the Revolving Door Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3272
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2010-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Congressional officers and employees
Congressional oversight
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
House of Representatives
Members of Congress
Public participation and lobbying
Senate

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: 
Close the Revolving Door Act of 2010 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a permanent ban (currently, a two-year ban) on lobbying contacts by any former Member of Congress or elected officer of the Senate or the House of Representatives with any Member, officer, or employee of either house of Congress or any employee of any other legislative office. Provides for a six-year lobbying ban (currently, a one-year ban) on former congressional staff.
 
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to: (1) require the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives to maintain a joint Internet website for the disclosure of lobbying activity called &quot;lobbyist.gov;&quot; (2) require a substantial lobbying entity (defined as an incorporated entity that employs more than three federally-registered lobbyists during a filing period) to file annually with the Secretary and Clerk a list of any employee or contractor who is a former Member of Congress or congressional staff person who made at least $100,000 in any one year, who worked for a total of four years or more in that capacity, or who had a job title that contained the terms Chief of Staff, Legislative or Staff Director, Counsel, Professional Staff Member, Communications Director, or Press Secretary; (3) require the Secretary and the Clerk to provide a copy of the filings of substantial lobbying entities to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; and (4) increase from $200,000 to $500,000 the civil penalty for intentional failure to correct a defective filing of lobbying activity.
 
Prohibits any person who is a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal, within six years after leaving such position, from being hired by a Member or committee of either house of Congress with whom that lobbyist or agent has had substantial lobbying contact, subject to a waiver based on a compelling national need. 
 
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit: (1) a political committee from making any expenditure or reimbursement for noncommercial air travel by a candidate for federal office; and (2) a lobbyist from making any contribution of U.S. or foreign currency to or for the benefit of any candidate for federal office.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Southern Border Security Assistance Act

Bill: 111-s-3273
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2010-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Arizona
Border security and unlawful immigration
California
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Federal district courts
Judges
Latin America
Law enforcement administration and funding
Mexico
New Mexico
Smuggling and trafficking
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: 
Southern Border Security Assistance Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) providing financial assistance for law enforcement initiatives with our Mexican partners is important; and (2) Congress must provide, in addition to such assistance, immediate resources and equipment to state and local law enforcement entities that are currently responding to border violence and criminal activities on a daily basis.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to award border security assistance grants to law enforcement entities located in the Southern Border Region to address drug trafficking, smuggling, and border violence. 
 
Directs the President to appoint additional district judges for Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to address the use of intrathecal pumps.

Bill: 111-s-3274
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2010-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Health technology, devices, supplies

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: 
Amends the Controlled Substances Act to revise the definition of &quot;dispense&quot; to include the delivery of a controlled substance through the use of an intrathecal pump by a practitioner acting in the usual course of professional practice.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide an election to terminate certain capital construction funds without penalties.

Bill: 111-s-3276
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2010-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine and inland water transportation
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: 
Permits any person who entered into a capital construction fund agreement (an agreement to provide replacement vessels, additional vessels, or reconstructed vessels) with respect to certain vessels operated in the fisheries of the United States to make an election to terminate the capital construction fund established under such agreement. Sets forth provisions concerning the effect of such election on individuals and entities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2763-2764)
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2762-2763)
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to reserve funds under the programs for payments to the Bureau of Indian Education of the Department of the Interior for Indian children.

Bill: 111-s-3277
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]
Introduced: 2010-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Indian social and development programs
Minority education

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: 
Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to reserve specified Innovation Fund and state incentive funds for payments to the Bureau of Indian Education of the Department of the Interior for Indian children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2010-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Meth Project Prevention Campaign Grant Program Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3278
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crime prevention
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Health promotion and preventive care
Law enforcement administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Meth Project Prevention Campaign Grant Program Act of 2010 - Authorizes the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, to make matching grants to states, units of local government, or private nonprofit organizations to establish the Meth Project Prevention Campaign, which shall be aimed at teenagers.
 
Authorizes the use of grant funds for: (1) television, radio, Internet, and print advertisements and educational materials; (2) community outreach to motivate community involvement in methamphetamine education; (3) a benchmark survey and periodic studies of attitudes and behaviors related to methamphetamine ; and (4) qualitative research to assist in the development and testing of Campaign messaging and the effectiveness of methamphetamine education.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3279
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Forests, forestry, trees
Horticulture and plants
Land use and conservation
Public contracts and procurement
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act of 2010 - Amends the Small Business Act to reauthorize for FY2011-FY2015 the national small business tree planting program (planting trees on land owned or controlled by state or local governments).
 
Allows up to 20% of program funds to be used for administrative costs.
 
Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to report annually to the President and Congress on program activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2804-2805)
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Assistance Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3281
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [D-PA]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Adult education and literacy
Department of Education
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Higher education
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Medical education
Minority education
Nursing
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Assistance Act of 2010 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to lower the cap on annual, income-based student loan repayments for new borrowers of Direct Loans after July 1, 2014, from 10% to 7% of the amount by which a borrower's and the borrower's spouse's adjusted gross income exceeds 150% of the poverty line.
 
Requires the Secretary of Education to forgive the remaining balance of such loans after 15 (currently, 20) years of repayment.
 
Cancels a public service employee's obligation to repay 5% of the balance of his or her principal and interest on a Direct Loan after 60 monthly payments, 72 monthly payments, 84 monthly payments, 96 monthly payments, and 108 monthly payments as such employee. Requires the Secretary to cancel all of their remaining balance after 120 monthly payments.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to set the interest rate on student loans under the Health Professions Education program and the Nursing Workforce Development program at 3.5%.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a pilot program awarding competitive grants to historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions to enable them, without increasing student costs, to increase their: (1) capacity for degree-granting, certificate-granting, adult education, and noncredit programs; (2) student graduation rates.
 
Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish an Assistant Secretary for the Evaluation and Promotion of Accessibility and Affordability in Higher Education in the Department of Education, who shall report quarterly to Congress regarding trends in, and means of increasing, the accessibility and affordability of higher education.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2805)
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the work opportunity tax credit for employers of certain veterans.

Bill: 111-s-3282
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [D-PA]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax credits
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2012 the work opportunity tax credit for the hiring of unemployed veterans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Mt. Andrea Lawrence Designation Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3283
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: California
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Mt. Andrea Lawrence Designation Act of 2010 - Designates peak 12,240, which is located 0.6 miles northeast of Donahue Peak on the northern border of the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite National Park in California as Mt. Andrea Lawrence. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held.
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act

Bill: 111-s-3284
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Aviation and airports
California
Military personnel and dependents
Monuments and memorials
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act - Designates a memorial currently under construction at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, as the Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial, in honor of current and former members of the armed forces who have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2807)
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to help certain communities adversely affected by FEMA's flood mapping modernization program.

Bill: 111-s-3285
Sponsor: Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Building construction
Disaster relief and insurance
Floods and storm protection
Government information and archives

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from revising, updating, or publishing any flood insurance rate map under its Flood Map Modernization Program for any counties that are protected by a structure built or maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers unless the owner of, or the community protected by, such structure has been: (1) formally notified of any deficiencies in the structure; and (2) afforded seven years to rectify any deficiencies that would affect the flood insurance rate map for the area.
 
Prohibits the Administrator, until after such seven years, from: (1) requiring property owners in any such county who were not required to purchase flood insurance prior to the date of this Act's enactment to purchase such insurance; or (2) increasing the flood insurance premium for any such owners.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on the award of grants to State and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide assistance to veterans with their submittal of claims to the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-3286
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [D-PA]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Department of Veterans Affairs
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to commence a two-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of awarding grants to state or local government agencies or nonprofit organizations to provide assistance to veterans who are submitting claims to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), with the purpose of reducing VBA claim processing time.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-05-19
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 111-623.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Achievements of the GI Bill Gold Medal Act

Bill: 111-s-3287
Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Smithsonian Institution
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Achievements of the GI Bill Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a single gold medal in honor of the recipients of assistance under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (commonly know as the GI Bill of Rights), in recognition of their great contributions in both their military and civilian life, and the contributions of Harry W. Colmery in initiating actions which led to the enactment of that Act. Requires the medal, following its award, to be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display. Expresses the sense of Congress that the medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations selected by the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense (DOD), or Education.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Smuggled Tobacco Prevention Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3288
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business records
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government trust funds
Licensing and registrations
Manufacturing
Retail and wholesale trades
Sales and excise taxes
Smuggling and trafficking
Tariffs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Smuggled Tobacco Prevention Act of 2010 or the STOP Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to restrict the sale, lease, importation, or delivery of tobacco production machines to persons lawfully engaged in: (1) the sale, lease, or delivery of such machines; (2) the manufacture or processing of tobacco products, including for personal use; or (3) the application of unique identification markings onto tobacco product packages. Defines &quot;tobacco production machine&quot; as a machine used to manufacture, process, or package tobacco products or to apply unique identification markings to packages of tobacco products. Requires any person leasing, importing, exporting, or delivering a tobacco production machine to keep records relating to any transfers or deliveries of such machines. 
 
Requires manufacturers and importers of tobacco products to affix a unique identification marking to each package of tobacco products prior to sale or distribution of such products. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to design a system of unique identification markings that does not interfere with state and local tax stamps and markings.
 
Requires wholesalers of tobacco products to obtain permits for selling or exporting tobacco products.
 
Establishes new criminal offenses relating to the distribution of tobacco products. Increases the civil penalty for tobacco-related infractions from $1,000 to $10,000. 
 
Establishes in the Treasury the Anti-Contraband Tobacco Trafficking Fund to finance the enforcement provisions of this Act and other laws relating to contraband or illegal tobacco products using the increased civil and criminal fines provided by this Act. 
 
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose a civil penalty for the importation of tobacco products and cigarette papers and tubes by fraudulent means. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Sustainable Property Grants Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3289
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2010-04-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Income tax credits
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Real estate business

Summary:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: 
Sustainable Property Grants Act of 2010 - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 to allow real estate investment trusts to qualify for energy property grants under such Act without affecting limitations on dividend payments applicable to such trusts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-04-29
text: Introduced in Senate