hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
SAFE Lending Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3426
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2012-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer credit
Government studies and investigations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Jurisdiction and venue

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: 
Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2012 or SAFE Lending Act of 2012 - Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to authorize the issuance of remotely created checks only if the consumer has designated in writing a person to issue them.
 
Defines a &quot;remotely created check&quot; as one that: (1) is not created by the financial institution that holds the customer account from which the check is to be paid; and (2) does not bear a signature applied, or purported to be applied, by the person from whose account the check is to be paid. 
 
 Treats as a preauthorized electronic fund transfer (EFT) subject to the protections of such Act any voluntary repayment by a consumer of an extension of a small-dollar ($5,000 or less) consumer credit transaction by means of an EFT.
 
Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require any small-dollar consumer credit transaction made over the Internet, telephone, FAX, mail, electronic mail, or other electronic communication, as well as any conducted by an insured depository institution, to comply with the laws of the state in which the consumer resides with respect to annual percentage rates, interest, fees, charges, and such other matters as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may determine.
 
Prohibits persons engaged in the business of facilitating, brokering, arranging, gathering applications for, distributing sensitive personal financial information, or extending credit in connection with a small-dollar consumer credit transaction unless that person is directly extending the small-dollar consumer credit to the consumer. 
 
Subjects violators of this Act to civil liability. Empowers the CFPB to investigate violations of this Act. Sets forth investigative and cease-and-desist enforcement procedures, particularly with respect to offshore persons conducting business directed to U.S. residents but from a location outside any U.S. judicial district.
 
Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the availability of capital on Indian reservations and the impact that small-dollar consumer credit extended through Internet and non-Internet means to members of Indian tribes has had upon economic opportunity and wealth for tribal members. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to permanently extend the employer-provided child care credit under section 45F of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Bill: 112-s-3427
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2012-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Child care and development
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: 
Makes permanent provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 allowing a tax credit for employer-provided child care.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5305-5306)
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Renewable Fuel Standard Flexibility Act

Bill: 112-s-3428
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2012-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Motor fuels

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: 
Renewable Fuel Standard Flexibility Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) by November 30 each year, to determine and publish the estimated U.S. corn stocks-to-use ratio for the applicable crop year; and (2) to waive the renewable fuel program's requirements for the next calendar year by reducing the national quantity of renewable fuel otherwise required by specified amounts based on the ratio determined.
 
Prohibits: (1) waivers granted under this Act from affecting the volume of advanced biofuel under such program, or (2) the Administrator from allowing any volume of conventional biofuel to be used to satisfy the requirement for advanced biofuel. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5307)
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5306-5307)
action_date: 2012-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act

Bill: 112-s-3430
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Department of Health and Human Services
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Executive agency funding and structure
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act - Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission to evaluate and make recommendations regarding better coordination and leveraging of federal programs that relate in any way to supporting appropriate clinical care for people with pre-diabetes and diabetes. 
 
Sets forth the duties of the Commission, which shall include: (1) evaluating HHS programs, (2) identifying current activities and critical gaps in federal efforts to support clinicians in providing care to people with pre-diabetes and diabetes, (3) recommending how an outcomes-based registry may be developed and then used to evaluate various care models and methods, (4) evaluating and expanding education and awareness to health care professionals regarding clinical practices for the prevention of diabetes and the precursor conditions of diabetes, and (5) reviewing and recommending appropriate methods for outreach and dissemination of educational resources related to diabetes prevention and treatments.
 
Requires the Commission to submit to the Secretary and Congress an operating plan for carrying out the activities of the Commission that may include specific activities the Commission plans to conduct, a plan for completing the activities, a budget for such activities, and a plan for evaluating the value and potential impact of the Commission's work and recommendations, including the possible continuation of the Commission for purposes of overseeing their implementation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3431
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Trade restrictions
U.S. Sentencing Commission

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2012 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to: (1) expand the list of substances defined as "anabolic steroids&quot;; (2) authorize the Attorney General to issue a temporary order adding a drug or other substance to the list of anabolic steroids; (3) impose enhanced criminal and civil penalties for possessing or trafficking in any anabolic steroid, or product containing an anabolic steroid, unless it bears a label clearly identifying the anabolic steroid by the nomenclature used by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and (4) authorize the Attorney General to collect data and analyze products to determine whether they contain anabolic steroids and are properly labeled.
 
Specifies that a substance shall not be considered to be a drug or hormonal substance that is considered to be an anaboloic steroid if it is: (1) an herb or other botanical; (2) a concentrate, metabolite, or extract of, or a constituent isolated directly from, an herb or other botanical; (3) a combination of two or more such substances (i.e., botanical or concentrate, metabolite, or extract); or (4) a dietary ingredient for purposes of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Provides that any person claiming the benefit of an exemption or exception from being considered a drug or hormonal substance shall bear the burden of providing the appropriate evidence.
 
Directs: (1) the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend federal sentencing guidelines with respect to offenses involving anabolic steroids, and (2) the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to report every two years on what anabolic steroids have been scheduled on a temporary basis under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5383-5384)
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Radio Spectrum Inventory Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3433
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Congressional oversight
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Government information and archives
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
Radio Spectrum Inventory Act of 2012 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), subject to specified national security, classified information, and public safety exceptions, and in consultation with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to: (1) biennially inventory each radio spectrum band from 300 megahertz to at least 6.5 gigahertz managed by each such agency, including information on the total spectrum authorized for each licensee or federal government user and the approximate number of deployed or authorized transmitters, end-user terminals, or receivers (excluding unintended radiators) in the band; and (2) make the information available to the public on a searchable Internet website.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5385)
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
End Government Shutdowns Act

Bill: 112-s-3434
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Executive agency funding and structure

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
End Government Shutdowns Act - Makes specified provisional (automatic) continuing appropriations in the event that any regular appropriation bill for a fiscal year is not enacted before the beginning of such fiscal year, or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not in effect. (Thus prevents a federal government shutdown.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 26 East Genesee Street in Baldwinsville, New York, as the "Corporal Kyle Schneider Post Office Building".

Bill: 112-s-3435
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Military personnel and dependents
New York State
Postal service

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 26 East Genesee Street in Baldwinsville, New York, as the "Corporal Kyle Schneider Post Office Building."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-29
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Infant and Toddler Care Improvement Act

Bill: 112-s-3436
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Child care and development
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Employment and training programs
Preschool education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
Infant and Toddler Care Improvement Act - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to enable eligible states (including Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers, especially those from low-income families.
 
Authorizes the use of grant funds to: (1) make grants to organizations with pertinent expertise to establish and operate staffed family child care networks or systems that offer family child care providers technical assistance, training, administrative support, or direct services; (2) support a statewide network of infant and toddler care specialists; and (3) support initiatives to improve the quality of the provider workforce.
 
Allows the use of such funds also to: (1) develop infant and toddler components for the State's Quality Rating and Improvement System or a similar rating system, child care licensing regulations, or voluntary early learning guidelines; (2) improve the ability of parents to obtain information about high-quality infant and toddler care; or (3) assist eligible infant and toddler care providers seeking to increase their ranking on the State's Quality Rating and Improvement System or similar rating system, meet performance standards applicable to an Early Head Start agency, or become accredited by a national accrediting body.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
State Natural Gas Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3437
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Infrastructure development
Motor fuels
Oil and gas
State and local finance
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
State Natural Gas Act of 2012 - Amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to make grants available to states to independently carry out initiatives to promote the following purposes: (1) the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel, and (2) investment in natural gas vehicles and transportation infrastructure.
 
Establishes $1 million as the minimum grant amount to a state.
 
Requires the Secretary to increase the grant amount above the minimum to reflect the potential of applications and plans to promote the purposes of this Act, taking into consideration: (1) the relative amount of funds likely to be leveraged by initiatives described in the state plan, (2) the degree that initiatives will support a need unlikely to be met by the private sector absent program funding, (3) the degree that initiatives will be a bridge to private investment and sustainable market conditions, and (4) the amount of funds invested in public and private investment in states in natural gas transportation and infrastructure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Offshore Petroleum Expansion Now Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3438
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alaska
Arctic Ocean
Arctic and polar regions
Atlantic Coast (U.S.)
California
Delaware
Energy revenues and royalties
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Gulf of Mexico
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Maryland
Military operations and strategy
North Carolina
Oil and gas
State and local finance
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
 Offshore Petroleum Expansion Now Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement the Proposed Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017 in accordance with the schedule for conducting oil and gas lease sales set forth in it and in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. 
 
Directs the Secretary to conduct each of specified oil and gas lease sales in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Planning Areas, including certain ones in the Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2010-2015), during its specified year. 
 
Requires the Secretary to offer for sale, no later than December 31, 2013, leases of tracts in the Santa Maria and Santa Barbara or Ventura Basins of the Southern California OCS Planning Area.
 
Directs the Secretary to revise a specified Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement map, dated January 2010, to ensure that the square footage of the leasable area in the Mid-Atlantic planning area is directly proportional to the length of the tidal shoreline of the Mid-Atlantic States (Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia).
 
Retains the authority of the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to designate national defense areas on the OCS. 
 
Requires the Secretary to prepare a multisale environmental impact statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for lease sales required under this Act that are not included in the Proposed Leasing Program (2012-2017).
 
Declares that nothing in this Act affects restrictions on oil and gas leasing under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. 
 
Requires all lease sales conducted pursuant to this Act, with specified exceptions, to be area-wide lease sales.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, for each of FY2012-FY2022, to deposit in a special account in the Treasury 37.5 % of all revenues due and payable to the United States from OCS areas not scheduled for lease sale under Proposed Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017. Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to disburse such funds to coastal states and coastal political subdivisions.
 
Prescribes an allocation formula for coastal states and coastal political subdivisions.
 
Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to repeal limitations placed upon the amount of distributed qualified OCS revenues.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Wi-Net Act

Bill: 112-s-3439
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Building construction
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government trust funds
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
Federal Wi-Net Act - Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to: (1) install Wi-Fi hotspots (areas where the public can access a wireless Internet connection) in all publicly accessible federal buildings constructed after enactment of this Act; (2) allow for the installation of wireless neutral host systems (small cellular communications base stations for improved cellular coverage within a building) by any eligible carriers upon request in all publicly accessible federal buildings; and (3) by December 31, 2015, retrofit all federal buildings constructed prior to enactment of this Act.
 
Makes specified amounts available from the Federal Buildings Fund to carry out this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5385-5386)
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend estate and gift tax rules for 1 year.

Bill: 112-s-3440
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Transfer and inheritance taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
Extends for an additional year the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3441
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2012-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Fires
Forests, forestry, trees
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: 
Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) 14 C-27J aircraft that are excess to DOD needs and that acceptable for use by the Forest Service for wildfire suppression purposes. Grants the USDA Secretary priorty over other federal agencies regarding such transfers.
 
 Allows the DOD Secretary during FY2013-FY2017 to sell aircraft and aircraft parts that are excess to DOD needs to persons or entities contracting with the federal government for wildfire suppression purposes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Wear American Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3444
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2012-07-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Buy American requirements
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Manufacturing
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2012-07-26
text: 
Wear American Act of 2012 - Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require federal agencies to procure textiles and apparel articles, including components for such articles, that are manufactured in the United States wholly from articles, materials, or supplies mined, produced or manufactured in the United States. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5726-5727)
action_date: 2012-07-26
text: Introduced in Senate