hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Supporting Military Families Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1543
Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Employee leave
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Military operations and strategy
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Supporting Military Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to revise its requirements for exigency leave with respect to employees belonging to the family of members of the Armed Forces, particularly the requirement that an employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent be on active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation. Repeals the condition &quot;in support of a contingency operation,&quot; and requires only that the Armed Forces member be on duty during deployment to a foreign country.
 
Entitles to coverage by the Act an eligible employee who is a family member caring for a veteran undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness who was a member of the Armed Forces (or of the National Guard or Reserves) at any time during the five-year period preceding the date on which the veteran undergoes that treatment, recuperation, or therapy.
 
Defines a veteran's serious injury or illness of a veteran to be one: (1) incurred by the veteran as an Armed Forces member in the line of duty while on active duty in the Armed Forces, or which existed before the beginning of the member's active duty but was aggravated by service in line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces; and (2) that manifested itself before or after the Armed Forces member became a veteran.
 
Amends federal civil service law to entitle civilian federal employees to the same leave allowance with respect to family members who are: (1) members of the Armed Forces in deployment to a foreign country; or (2) ill or injured veterans for whom they are caring.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8561-8562)
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Governance Improvement Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1544
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Employee benefits and pensions
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Governance Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to revise requirements regarding the composition and duties of members of the board of directors of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
 
Requires: (1) the board to meet at least four times a year with a quorum of at least five members; and (2) board minutes be made public.
 
Requires the advisory committee to the PBGC to meet jointly with the board at least one time each year.
 
Requires the Director and members of the board of the PBGC to agree in writing to recuse themselves from participation in activities which potentially could be a conflict of interest.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the board should form committees, including an audit committee and an investment committee, to enhance the PBGC board's overall effectiveness; and (2) the PBGC should establish a risk management position that evaluates and mitigates risk it might experience.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act

Bill: 111-s-1545
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Immunology and vaccination
Medical research
Musculoskeletal and skin diseases
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand, intensify, and coordinate the research and training activities with respect to scleroderma.
 
Directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to carry out an educational campaign to increase public awareness of scleroderma.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act

Bill: 111-s-1546
Sponsor: Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Forests, forestry, trees
Land transfers
Utah

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the town of Mantua, Utah, without consideration, all interest of the United States in and to parcels of National Forest System land in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Box Elder County, Utah, that are labeled as parcels A, B, and C on the map entitled &quot;Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act&quot; and dated July 14, 2008.
 
Requires the town to use the land conveyed under this Act for public purposes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-04-21
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-566.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1547
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government information and archives
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Public housing
Rural conditions and development
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program within the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) for the prevention of veteran homelessness by identifying veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless and providing assistance, including short and medium term rental assistance and housing relocation and stabilization services, to ensure that such veterans do not become or remain homeless. 
 
Makes VBA regional offices responsible for oversight and coordination of: (1) any housing programs for veterans supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and (2) the program described above. 
 
Includes new construction projects as projects under which eligible entities may receive grants for furnishing certain services to homeless veterans. Requires the study of the payment method for the reimbursement of grant recipients for per diem payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans and the development of an improved method to reimburse grant recipients for services furnished to homeless veterans. 
 
Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to set forth requirements for public housing agencies to provide vouchers for rental assistance to veterans (under current law, on behalf of homeless veterans with chronic mental illnesses or chronic substance use disorders) through the HUD-VA supported housing program. 
 
Establishes in HUD a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs in the Office of the Secretary. 
 
Requires: (1) establishment of a method for the annual collection and aggregation of data on homeless veterans who participate in VA-HUD programs; and (2) submission to Congress of a comprehensive plan for ending homelessness among veterans. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 111-264.
action_date: 2009-08-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2009-08-05
text: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8863, S8890)
action_date: 2009-08-05
text: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8863, S8890)
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8562-8564)
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8562)
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Detention Act

Bill: 111-s-1549
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of Homeland Security
Detention of persons
Executive agency funding and structure
Immigration status and procedures

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Detention Act - Sets forth protections against unlawful detentions of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents regarding: (1) notifications; (2) access to counsel; (3) notice and charges; (4) issuance of detainers; (5) access to telephones; (6) protection of community institutions, faith-based organizations, and other institutions; (7) transfer of detainees; and (8) immigration enforcement-related training of personnel.
 
Sets forth protections for specified vulnerable populations.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish secure alternative custody programs to ensure public safety and appearances at immigration proceedings. 
 
Establishes within DHS a position of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Ombudsman.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Safe Treatment, Avoiding Needless Deaths, and Abuse Reduction in the Detention System Act

Bill: 111-s-1550
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of Homeland Security
Detention of persons
Government studies and investigations
Immigration status and procedures
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Safe Treatment, Avoiding Needless Deaths, and Abuse Reduction in the Detention System Act or the Strong STANDARDS Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) ensure that all individuals subject to detention under the Immigration and Nationality Act (detainees) are treated humanely and granted specified protections; and (2) comply with minimum requirements concerning detainees set forth in this Act.
 
Sets forth requirements concerning a wide range of issues, including: (1) detainee medical care, examinations, and records; (2) detainee releases, transfers, and transportation; (3) detainee access to telephones, legal information and representation, translation services, and recreational activities; (4) protection of detainees from abuse, the unique needs of vulnerable detainees, and the segregation of children; (5) limitations on solitary confinement, shackling, and strip searches; (6) detainee visits with religious individuals and children; (7) detention facility personnel training; (8) detainee grievances; and (9) facility compliance. 
 
Sets forth specific requirements for short-term (72 hours or less) detention facilities, including concerning: (1) provision of basic needs, detainee access to consular officials and health care professionals, and the return of property; and (2) protections for children.
 
Requires the Secretary to appoint and convene an Immigration Detention Commission to conduct independent investigations of detention facility and DHS compliance with requirements under this Act. Establishes reporting requirements concerning any individual who dies while in DHS custody.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Liability for Aiding and Abetting Securities Violations Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1551
Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [D-PA]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Liability for Aiding and Abetting Securities Violations Act of 2009 - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to subject to liability in a private civil action any person that knowingly or recklessly provides substantial assistance to another person (aids and abets) in violation of such Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-09-17
text: Committee on the Judiciary Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-369.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8564-8565)
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
SOAR Act

Bill: 111-s-1552
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2009-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
District of Columbia
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: 
Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act of 2009 or the SOAR Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award five-year grants on a competitive basis to nonprofit organizations to carry out activities to provide expanded school choice opportunities to students who are DC residents and who come from households: (1) receiving assistance under the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008; and (2) with incomes not exceeding 185% of the poverty line, except in certain grandfathered circumstances.
 

 

 

 
 Prescribes requirements for schools participating in such grant programs, including administering nationally norm-referenced standardized tests in reading and mathematics to participating students.
 
Repeals the DC School Choice Incentive Act of 2003 (title III of division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004). Deems this Act as the reauthorization of the opportunity scholarship program under such Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 145.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8565-8566)
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
National Future Farmers of America Commemorative Coin Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1553
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2009-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural education
Currency

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: 
National Future Farmers of America Commemorative Coin Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold and silver coins in commemoration of the National Future Farmers of America Organization and the 85th anniversary of such Organization.
 
Authorizes the issuance of coins under this Act only for a one year period, beginning on January 1, 2012. 
 
Requires all sales of coins minted under this Act to include a surcharge of $25 per gold coin and $10 per silver coin. 
 
Requires all of the surcharges received from the sale of such coins to be paid to the National Future Farmers of America Foundation in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the creation of an endowment to enhance and expand programs that encourage the development of leadership skills, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education and the Future Farmers of America. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate
Safe Babies Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1554
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2009-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child health
Child safety and welfare
Criminal justice information and records
Domestic violence and child abuse
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Judicial procedure and administration
Law enforcement administration and funding
Mental health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: 
Safe Babies Act of 2009 - Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to authorize the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to create, and provide technical assistance to, local court teams to promote the well-being of maltreated infants and toddlers and their families, prevent the recurrence of child abuse and neglect, and promote timely reunification of families. Defines &quot;maltreated infant or toddler&quot; as any child three years of age or younger who is the victim of a substantiated case of physical abuse, neglect, medical neglect, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse.
 
Directs the Administrator to award a grant to establish a National Court Teams for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers Resource Center to provide information, training, and other assistance to local court teams and to establish a uniform data collection system related to the operation and outcomes of projects initiated by such teams.
 
Sets forth required activities for local court teams, including: (1) conducting monthly reviews of cases handled by such teams; (2) incorporating child-focused services into case plans for maltreated infants and toddlers; (3) organizing training of community members working with court teams; (4) identifying areas for improvement in providing mental health and substance abuse treatment for families; and (5) prioritizing after-care services for families.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate
Office of the National Alzheimer's Project Act

Bill: 111-s-1555
Sponsor: Sen. Martinez, Mel [R-FL]
Introduced: 2009-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Aging
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Health promotion and preventive care
Neurological disorders

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: 
Office of the National Alzheimer's Project Act - Establishes in the Office of the President the Office of the National Alzheimer's Project to: (1) accelerate the development of treatments that would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer's; (2) create and maintain an integrated national plan to overcome Alzheimer's; (3) help to coordinate the health care and treatment of citizen's with Alzheimer's; (4) ensure the inclusion of ethnic and racial populations that are at higher risk for Alzheimer's or that are least likely to receive care in clinical, research, and service efforts with the purpose of decreasing health disparities; and (5) coordinate with international bodies to integrate and inform the fight against Alzheimer's globally.
 
Sets forth the duties of the Director of the Office, including to use discretionary authority to evaluate all federal programs around Alzheimer's.
 
Establishes in the Office an Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research and Treatment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate
Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1556
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2009-08-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Health facilities and institutions
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: 
Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide mail voter registration application forms to each veteran who: (1) seeks to enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system at the time of such enrollment; and (2) is already enrolled in such system when there is a change in the veteran's enrollment status or when there is a change in the veteran's address. 
 
Requires the Secretary to accept completed application forms for transmittal to appropriate state election officials. Instructs that forms accepted at VA medical centers, community living centers, community-based outpatient centers, and domiciliaries be transmitted within ten days of acceptance, unless a completed form is accepted within five days before the last day for registration to vote in an election in which case the application shall be transmitted to the appropriate state election official within five days of acceptance.
 
Prohibits any information relating to registering to vote or a declination to register to vote under this Act from being used for any purpose other than voter registration. 
 
Requires each Director of a VA community living center, domiciliary, or medical center to provide assistance in voting by absentee ballot to resident veterans. Requires such assistance to include: (1) providing information relating to the opportunity to request an absentee ballot; (2) making available absentee ballot applications upon request, as well as assisting in completing such applications and ballots; and (3) working with local election administration officials to ensure the proper transmission of the applications and ballots. 
 
Directs the Secretary to permit nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information and assistance at facilities of the VA health care system. 
 
Prohibits the Secretary from banning any election administration official, whether state or local, party-affiliated or non-party affiliated, or elected or appointed, from providing voting information to veterans at any VA facility. 
 
Directs the Secretary to provide reasonable access to facilities of the VA health care system to state and local election officials for the purpose of providing nonpartisan voter registration services to individuals. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 111-264.
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8684-8685)
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8683-8684)
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Introduced in Senate