hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Community Revitalization Energy Conservation Act

Bill: 111-s-222
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Defense spending
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Income tax credits
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Community Revitalization Energy Conservation Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase to $3.6 billion the national limitation on the issuance of qualified energy conservation bonds.

Expands the purposes of green community programs to include the reduction of energy consumption in privately owned buildings and the recruiting and training of local workers in green community program jobs.

Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to submit to Congress and publish in the Federal Register an annual report on projects for which qualified energy conservation bonds are issued.

Provides for offsets to the cost of this Act by prohibiting FY2009 expenditures (except for program windup costs) and repealing multiyear procurement authority for the F-22A Raptor fighter aircraft.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S341-342)
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy and Technology Advancement Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-223
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Agricultural practices and innovations
Alternative and renewable resources
Motor fuels
Product development and innovation
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Energy and Technology Advancement Act of 2009 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of Agriculture, in order to further the adoption of technologies developed by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), to establish criteria and procedures to facilitate and encourage businesses and other organizations to: (1) rent government equipment and property for the development of new and improved products and processes; (2) authorize USDA and private sector employees to work together in experimental or production facilities owned by the federal government or a private entity; (3) provide business support services to start-up and small businesses; and (4) enter into cooperative agreements with educational and governmental units to support business incubators for businesses that use technologies and products of interest to the Secretary.

Requires the Secretary to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan for the development and construction of a biorefinery pilot plant that is able to: (1) produce liquid fuels from woody, agricultural, and other biomass in a flexible, multi-bioproduct manner, in a sustainable manner that addresses life-cycle inputs and outputs, and in quantities sufficient to provide proof of process and to allow for business incubator and support services; and (2) employ thermochemical and biochemical conversion processes in the production of liquid fuels.

Requires the Secretary to include in the plan a comprehensive estimate of each cost relating to the development and construction of the biorefinery pilot plant.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Green Jobs and Infrastructure Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-224
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Appropriations
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government lending and loan guarantees
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Industrial facilities
Manufacturing
National and community service

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Green Jobs and Infrastructure Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to provide loans to manufacturers to help finance the cost of: (1) re-equipping, expanding, or establishing (including applicable engineering costs) a manufacturing facility in the United States to produce clean technology products and the significant component parts of those products; and (2) improving the energy efficiency of the industrial processes of the manufacturers other than through the production of products and component parts. Applies such loans to: (1) facilities and equipment placed in service before December 30, 2012; and (2) costs that were incurred from this Act's enactment to December 30, 2020. Requires the Secretary to: (1) implement a program to provide up to $50 billion in loans to eligible individuals and entities for such costs; and (2) give priority to those facilities that are located in regions with the highest unemployment rates. Authorizes the Secretary to provide awards or loans to facilities that are idle.
 
Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to: (1) increase from 30% to 80% the portion of the manufacturing facility and engineering integration costs to be awarded under the advanced technology vehicles manufacturing incentive program; (2) require the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer $1 billion to carry out such program; and (3) require the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer $10 billion on October 1 of 2009, 2010, and 2011 to carry out the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program (specifies how such funds are to be allocated).
 
Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to include a Clean Energy Service Corps program among the types of national service programs eligible for assistance under such Act.
 
Amends the Workforce Investment Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer $625 million to carry out the energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Children's Health Care Quality Act

Bill: 111-s-225
Sponsor: Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Congressional oversight
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Medicaid
Performance measurement

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Children's Health Care Quality Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to: (1) identify quality and performance measures for pediatric service providers; and (2) award grants or contracts for the development, validation, and testing of new and emerging measures.
 
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to establish demonstration projects to award grants to states to improve the delivery of health care services to children under Medicaid and SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP). Requires demonstration projects in the categories of: (1) health information technology systems; (2) disease management for children with chronic conditions; (3) evidence-based quality improvement; and (4) quality and performance measures for providers of children's health care services.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to make recommendations to Congress for the design and implementation of a demonstration project to evaluate the suitability of existing quality and performance measures for children's inpatient hospital services for public reporting, differentiating quality, identifying best practices, and providing a basis for payment rewards. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Havre, Montana, as the Merril Lundman Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.

Bill: 111-s-226
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Montana
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Designates the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Havre, Montana, as the &quot;Merril Lundman Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S342)
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act

Bill: 111-s-227
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Historic sites and heritage areas
Maryland
New York State
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act - Establishes in the City of Auburn, New York, the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park as a unit of the National Park System.
 
Establishes in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park as a unit of the National Park System.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide grant funding and enter into cooperative agreements with certain entities for the historic preservation, rehabilitation, interpretation, and maintenance of such historical parks. Requires the Secretary to complete a general management plan for them.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-92.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S343-345)
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S342-343)
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit States, at their option, to require certain individuals to present satisfactory documentary evidence of proof of citizenship or nationality for purposes of eligibility for Medicaid, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-s-228
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Citizenship and naturalization
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to permit states, at their option, to require certain individuals to present satisfactory documentary evidence of citizenship or nationality for Medicaid eligibility.
 
Revises the rules for children born in the United States to mothers eligible for Medicaid. Declares that a Medicaid-eligible individual shall be deemed to have provided satisfactory documentary evidence of citizenship or nationality, and shall not be required to provide further evidence, on any date during or after the period in which the individual is eligible for Medicaid.
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S346-347)
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S345-346)
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-229
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Afghanistan
Asia
Foreign aid and international relief
Human rights
International organizations and cooperation
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2009 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the protection of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and their full participation in the reestablishment of democracy are essential to Afghanistan's reconstruction, and to achieve such reconstruction the U.S. government must commit resources to advance the rights of women throughout Afghanistan. 
 
Amends the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 to revise the provisions respecting assistance to women and girls in Afghanistan. Extends funding authority. 
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) condition the provision of such assistance on the recipient adhering to international standards for women's rights and human rights; and (2) ensure that Afghan women-led nongovernmental organizations with demonstrated experience in delivering services to Afghan women and children receive grants without ethnic, religious, or any other discrimination. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
International Women's Freedom Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-230
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-01-13 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Business ethics
Department of State
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
Government information and archives
Human rights
International organizations and cooperation
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Sanctions
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Trade restrictions
U.S. and foreign investments
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: 
International Women's Freedom Act of 2009 - Establishes within the Department of State an Office of International Women's Rights to be headed by an Ambassador at Large for International Women's Rights.
 
Directs the Secretary of State to: (1) establish a women's rights Internet site; and (2) maintain prisoner lists and issue briefs on women's rights concerns.
 
Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to include instruction on the internationally recognized rights of women and the various aspects and manifestations of violations of women's rights in Foreign Service officer training.
 
Establishes the United States Commission on International Women's Rights. (Terminates the Commission 12 years after the date of the initial appointment of its members.)
 
Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to express the sense of Congress that there should be within the National Security Council (NSC) staff a Special Adviser to the President on International Women's Rights. 
 
Directs the President to take specified actions in response to women's rights violations, including actions in response to particularly severe rights violations.
 
Provides for prohibition of economic, multilateral, military, and export assistance in instances of particularly severe women's rights violations.
 
Provides for the promotion of women's rights.
 
Provides for women's rights-related training with respect to refugee, asylum, and consular matters.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the inadmissibility of foreign government officials who have engaged in particularly severe women's rights violations.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that transnational corporations operating overseas should adopt codes of conduct upholding the rights of their female employees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2009-01-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness.

Bill: 111-s-231
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2009-01-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Arctic and polar regions
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: 
Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S389)
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Radioactive Import Deterrence Act

Bill: 111-s-232
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2009-01-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Licensing and registrations
Radioactive wastes and releases
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: 
Radioactive Import Deterrence Act - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from issuing a license authorizing the importation into the United States of: (1) low-level radioactive waste; or (2) specific radioactive waste streams exempted from regulation by the NRC.

Exempts from such prohibition low-level radioactive waste: (1) being returned to a federal or military facility which is authorized to possess the material; or (2) resulting from the use in a foreign country of nuclear material obtained by the foreign user from an entity in the United States that is being returned to the United States for management and disposal.

Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition and authorize the grant of a specific license to import materials only after finding that such importation would meet an important national or international policy goal, such as the use of waste for research purposes.

Grandfathers certain licenses issued before the date of enactment of this Act, but prohibits their extension or amendment with respect to the amount of material permitted to be imported.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the allowance of bonus depreciation and the increased expensing limitations permanent.

Bill: 111-s-233
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2009-01-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Income tax deductions

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent: (1) the special depreciation allowance for certain property acquired after December 31, 2007 (bonus depreciation); and (2) the increased $250,000 expensing allowance for depreciable business assets.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act Amendments of 2009

Bill: 111-s-236
Sponsor: Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]
Introduced: 2009-01-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Employee benefits and pensions
Federal preemption
Health personnel
Marine and inland water transportation
Transportation employees
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: 
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act Amendments of 2009 - Amends the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to declare that it is the intent of Congress that: (1) in a claim brought under such Act, the facts are not to be given a broad liberal construction in favor of the employee or of the employer; (2) the laws pertaining to the claim are to be construed in accordance with the basic principles of statutory construction and not liberally in favor of either the employee or employer; and (3) the system established under the Act shall be efficient and self-executing, but not an economic or administrative burden.
 
Makes compensation under the Act payable regardless of fault as a cause of an injury (no-fault). 
 
Specifies requirements for proportional payment of compensation, the last employer doctrine, intervening employment, and noncontributing employment exposure.
 
Prescribes criteria for the preemption of state law providing additional or alternative remedies for an injured employee, the employee's legal representative, spouse, next of kin, or anyone otherwise entitled to recover from an employer on account of an employee's injury or death.
 
Revises requirements for physician selection. Allows a carrier to designate one or more participating networks or one or more health care panels, or both, to provide medical services to employees.
 
Modifies the formula used to determine disability compensation, including for loss of hearing.
 
Increases allowed funeral expenses.
 Revises requirements for: (1) determination of death compensation to survivors; (2) timing and recipients of a notice of such injury or death; (3) filing of claims; (4) date of payment of compensation; (5) assignment and exemption from the claims of creditors; (6) presumptions, burdens, and rules of evidence; (7) review of compensation orders; (8) modification of compensation awards for fraud or overpayment; (9) reports of fraud; and (10) payments into the special fund in the absence of an entitled survivor of an employee.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Build America Bonds Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-238
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2009-01-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Government trust funds
Income tax credits
Infrastructure development
Intergovernmental relations
Marine and inland water transportation
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Public transit
Railroads
Roads and highways
Securities
State and local finance
Tariffs
Transportation programs funding
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: 
Build America Bonds Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax credit for any Build America bond issued by the Transportation Finance Corporation as part of an issue, if 100% of the available project proceeds from such issue are to be used for expenditures incurred for one or more qualified projects. Requires proceeds from the sale of bonds issued under this Act to be held in a Build America Bonds Trust Account. 
 
Defines &quot;qualified project&quot; as the capital improvements to any transportation infrastructure project (including roads, bridges, rail and transit systems, ports, and inland waterways) proposed by one or more states and approved by the Transportation Finance Corporation. 
 
Grants Congress' consent and recognition to the establishment by two or more state infrastructure banks of the Transportation Finance Corporation. Authorizes the Transportation Finance Corporation to: (1) issue Build America bonds for the financing of qualified projects; (2) establish and operate the Build America Bonds Trust Account; (3) leverage resources and stimulate public and private investment in transportation infrastructure; and (4) perform any other function the sole purpose of which is to carry out the financing of qualified projects through Build America bonds.
 
Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend certain customs fees for the processing of merchandise entered into the United States through specified dates in 2046. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S390)
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Introduced in Senate