hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Polluter Pays Restoration Act

Bill: 112-s-461
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2011-03-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Income tax rates
Pollution liability
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Polluter Pays Restoration Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code by reinstating until December 31, 2020, the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate and the corporate environmental income tax.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-462
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2011-03-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aging
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Evidence and witnesses
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Health programs administration and funding
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Law enforcement administration and funding
Marketing and advertising
State and local government operations
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: 
Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2011 - Establishes within the Department of Justice (DOJ) an Office of Elder Justice, which shall address issues relating to elder abuse. Requires the Director of such Office to: (1) provide information, training, and technical assistance to assist states and local governments in preventing, investigating, prosecuting, and mitigating the impact of elder abuse, exploitation, and neglect and in addressing the physical and psychological trauma to victims of such abuse; (2) evaluate the efficacy of measures intended to prevent, detect, respond to, or redress elder abuse and the extent to which the needs of the victims in each state are met by crime victim services, programs, and sources of funding; (3) evaluate training models to determine best practices for investigating elder abuse, addressing evidentiary and legal issues, and interacting with victims; and (4) conduct, and regularly update, a study of state laws and practices relating to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
 
Directs the Attorney General to annually: (1) collect from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutor offices statistical data relating to the incidence of elder abuse; (2) identify common data points among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutor offices that would allow for the collection of uniform national data; (3) publish a summary of the data collected; (4) identify the types of elder abuse data that should be collected and what entity is most capable of collecting it; and (5) develop recommendations for collecting additional data.
 
Authorizes the Director to provide grants and technical assistance to assist not more than 15 states in establishing and operating programs designed to improve: (1) the response to elder abuse in a manner that limits additional trauma to victims, and (2) the investigation and prosecution of cases of elder abuse. Requires eligible states to: (1) have a qualified crime victims compensation program; and (2) establish or designate a multidisciplinary task force on elder justice.
 
Amends the Social Security Act to include the Director as the alternate for the Attorney General as a member of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1143-1144)
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1142)
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Effective STEM Teaching and Learning Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-463
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2011-03-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Science and engineering education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: 
Effective STEM Teaching and Learning Act of 2011 - Replaces the Mathematics and Science Partnership program under part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 with a program providing competitive grants to states to improve preschool through grade 12 education in: (1) mathematics or science, or both; and (2) at the state's discretion, technology or engineering, or both. 
 
Requires state grantees to use: (1) up to 20% their grant for certain state-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, including the development, implementation, or improvement of a comprehensive state STEM plan; and (2) the bulk of their grant for competitive subgrants to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), partnerships between such LEAs and institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations, or educational service agencies proposing to serve such LEAs.
 
Directs subgrantees to use the subgrants to implement high-quality, evidence-based, comprehensive, and coherent STEM programs in high-need schools that include: (1) high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders; (2) high-quality curriculum and instructional materials that are aligned with state standards; (3) coherent, high-quality assessment systems that are aligned with state standards and assessments, and used to improve instruction and student interventions; and (4) program monitoring.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to reserve a portion of part B funds to award competitive, capacity-building grants to states that do not receive a STEM improvement grant under part B.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Introduced in Senate
End Abuse in Later Life Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-464
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2011-03-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aging
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Domestic violence and child abuse
Law enforcement administration and funding
Sex offenses

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: 
End Abuse in Later Life Act of 2011 - Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for and revise provisions governing the grant program to end abuse of individuals age 50 and over that is authorized to be conducted by the Attorney General through the Director of the Office of Violence Against Women. 
 
Makes currently listed activities mandatory for grant recipients and sets forth as additional permissible activities: (1) providing training programs to assist attorneys, health care providers, faith-based leaders, or other community-based organizations in recognizing and addressing instances of such abuse; and (2) conducting outreach activities and public awareness campaigns to ensure that abuse victims receive appropriate assistance. 
 
Includes as eligible entities: (1) a population-specific organization with demonstrated experience in assisting individuals over 50 years of age; (2) a victim service provider with demonstrated experience in addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; or (3) a state, tribal, or territorial domestic violence or sexual assault coalition. Requires each eligible entity to demonstrate that it is a part of a multidisciplinary partnership that includes a law enforcement agency, a prosecutor's office, a victim service provider, and a nonprofit program or government agency with demonstrated experience in assisting individuals in later life.
 
Directs the Attorney General to: (1) give priority to proposals providing population-specific services to racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved populations; and (2) conduct research to promote understanding of, prevention of, and response to abuse in later life.
 
Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to replace the term &quot;elder law&quot; with &quot;abuse in later life.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1144-1145)
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1144)
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Senior Financial Empowerment Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-465
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-03-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aging
Commemorative events and holidays
Crime prevention
Criminal justice information and records
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Law enforcement administration and funding
Marketing and advertising

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: 
Senior Financial Empowerment Act of 2011 - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): (1) to disseminate to seniors and their families and caregivers information on mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud targeting seniors, including on ways of referring complaints to appropriate law enforcement agencies; (2) in response to a request about a particular entity or individual, to provide publicly available information on any record of civil or criminal law enforcement action for such fraud; and (3) to maintain a website as a resource for such individuals on those kinds of fraud.
 
Directs the Attorney General (DOJ) to establish and administer a competitive grant program for mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud prevention education programs for senior citizens. 
 
Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to public awareness of the impact of such fraud on senior citizens and designation of a National Senior Fraud Awareness Week.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Restoration of Legal Rights for Claimants under Holocaust-Era Insurance Policies Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-466
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2011-03-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Europe
Germany
Legal fees and court costs
Life, casualty, property insurance
Switzerland
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: 
Restoration of Legal Rights for Claimants under Holocaust-Era Insurance Policies Act of 2011 - Allows a beneficiary (including an heir, assignee, or legal representative of a named insured or beneficiary) of a Holocaust-era life, dowry, education, annuity, property, or other insurance policy to bring a civil action in a U.S. district court against the insurer for the covered policy (or a related company of the insurer) to recover proceeds due or otherwise to enforce any rights under the policy. Covers any such policy issued to a policyholder domiciled in any area that was occupied or controlled by Nazi Germany (or by an ally or friendly government) or the territorial jurisdiction of Switzerland.
 
Requires the award to a prevailing beneficiary of the amount of the proceeds due under the policy, plus prejudgment interest at 6% per year, compounded annually, calculated from the date the amount was originally due. Requires the award of treble damages against any insurer or related company that acted in bad faith. Sets a 10-year statute of limitations for claims filed under this Act. 
 
Prohibits any prior judgment or release entered for any claim arising under a covered policy in any civil action in a federal or state court from impairing any claim brought under this Act.
 
Declares that any executive agreement between the United States and a foreign government entered into, or any executive foreign policy of the U.S. government established, before, on, or after the enactment of this Act, shall not supercede or preempt any state law or compromise, settle, extinguish, waive, preclude, bar, or foreclose any claim brought under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-06-20
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-551.
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-03-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthen the Earned Income Tax Credit Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-467
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2011-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax credits
Marriage and family status
Poverty and welfare assistance
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax treatment of families
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: 
Strengthen the Earned Income Tax Credit Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the reduction in the marriage penalty applicable to the earned income tax credit, (2) increase such tax credit for families with three or more qualifying children and for individuals with no qualifying children, (3) extend such credit to individuals at age 21 (currently age 25) who do not have a qualifying child, (4) allow such credit for certain married individuals who live apart from their spouses and file separate tax returns (abandoned spouse rule), (5) repeal provisions denying such credit for individuals with excessive investment income, and (6) increase to $500 the penalty on tax return preparers for failure to be diligent in determining eligibility for the earned income tax credit. 
 
Makes permanent provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 relating to the earned income tax credit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1220-1221)
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Mining Jobs Protection Act

Bill: 112-s-468
Sponsor: Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
Introduced: 2011-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental regulatory procedures
Government information and archives
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mining
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Solid waste and recycling
Water quality
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: 
Mining Jobs Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to repeal provisions that require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to consult with the Secretary of the Army before denying or restricting the use of specified areas as disposal sites for discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.
 
Requires the Administrator to provide, within specified timeframes, to: (1) the Secretary notice of any concerns with respect to a specification for a disposal site proposed to be issued under a permit to discharge into navigable waters; and (2) the Secretary and permit applicants the reasons for any disapproval of permits. 
 
Removes the Administrator's authority to prohibit the specification of any defined area as a disposal site: (1) 60 days after the Administrator receives the proposed specification from the Secretary for review; and (2) once the Secretary has issued a permit for dredged or fill material. Authorizes the Secretary to reevaluate and reissue, or to elect not to reissue, a specification in any case in which, before the enactment of this Act, the Administrator disproved of a specification after it was issued by the Secretary.
 
Sets forth requirements that must be met before the Administrator or the head of another agency requests that a proposed permit for dredged or fill material receive a higher level of review by the Secretary.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1221-1222)
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1221)
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to rescind amounts made available for water treatment improvements for the city of Kalispell, Montana, and make the amounts available for Federal deficit reduction.

Bill: 112-s-469
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2011-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Montana
Water quality
Water resources funding

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: 
Rescinds a specified amount provided to Kalispell, Montana, for water treatment improvements under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004. Requires such rescinded amounts to be used to reduce the federal deficit.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Supporting State Systems of Early Learning Act

Bill: 112-s-470
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2011-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Child care and development
Child health
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Government information and archives
Indian social and development programs
Minority education
Performance measurement
Preschool education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: 
Supporting State Systems of Early Learning Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, matching Quality Pathways grants to states that demonstrate the greatest progress toward establishing a high-quality system of early learning that includes: (1) state early learning standards; (2) preservice and ongoing training for staff; (3) the systematic review, rating, and monitoring of early learning programs for ameliorative purposes; (4) parental involvement; (5) health, disability, and family support services and referrals for participating children; (6) an early learning data system; and (7) a process for evaluating children's school readiness and ensuring their effective transition to the public school system.
 
Requires the grant to be used to further such progress and move more disadvantaged children into higher quality programs. Permits grantees to apply to the Secretary to reserve up to 25% of their grant to expand disadvantaged children's access to the highest quality early learning programs offering full-day, full-year services.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive Development grants to states that were not awarded a Pathways grant, but commit to developing a high-quality system of early learning that includes the components listed above.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish indicators to measure state progress in meeting grant objectives, and states to establish Secretary-approved benchmarks for success that are based on those indicators.
 
Requires the Secretary to use certain reserved funds to: (1) establish a competitive grant demonstration program for Native American school readiness programs; (2) provide technical assistance to states to help them qualify for, apply for, and maintain this Act's grants; and (3) support the Institute of Education Sciences' research into, and evaluation of, this Act's grant-related activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Stop Asian Carp Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-471
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Fishes
Floods and storm protection
Government studies and investigations
Great Lakes
Hydrology and hydrography
Illinois
Indiana
Lakes and rivers
Marine and inland water transportation
Mississippi River
Watersheds
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: 
Stop Asian Carp Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to study the watersheds of the Illinois, Chicago, and Calumet Rivers, including their tributaries, that drain directly into Lake Michigan to determine the feasibility and best means of implementing the hydrologic separation of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basins to prevent the introduction or establishment of populations of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins through the Chicago Area Water System (CAWS) and other aquatic pathways.

Requires the study to: (1) include options to address flooding, Chicago wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, waterway safety operations, and barge and recreational vessel traffic alternatives; and (2) contain a detailed analysis of the environmental benefits and costs of each option.

Directs: (1) the Secretary to carry out this Act at full federal expense; and (2) the President, or the Council on Environmental Quality as a designee to the President, to oversee the study to ensure its thoroughness and timely completion.

Requires the Director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to: (1) monitor and survey all waters that connect to the Great Lakes Basin or could connect to it due to flooding, underground hydrological connection, or human-made diversion to identify additional threats that could allow Asian Carp to enter the Basin; and (2) prioritize each threat and help identify means to impede the passage of Asian Carp to the Basin.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Service Members Permanent Change of Station Relief Act

Bill: 112-s-472
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2011-03-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Military personnel and dependents
Motor vehicles
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: 
Service Members Permanent Change of Station Relief Act - Sets at the business standard mileage rate of the Internal Revenue Service the monetary allowance for a member of the Armed Forces for travel by privately owned vehicles in lieu of government transportation in the case of: (1) a change of permanent station, (2) travel to the first station upon call to active duty, and (3) travel from a last duty station upon separation from service. Sets the monetary allowance for authorized travel by a member's dependent at the rate per mile established by the Administrator of General Services instead of the actual expenses for such transportation.
 
Revises requirements allowing the transport at government expense of one motor vehicle owned or leased by a member (or member's dependent) to the new station of the member who has been ordered to make a change of permanent station. 
 
Authorizes the transport at government expense of one additional motor vehicle of a member (or member's dependent) if: (1) the member is ordered to make a change of permanent station to or from a nonforeign area outside the continental United States and the member has at least one dependent of driving age who will use the motor vehicle, or (2) the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that a replacement for the transported motor vehicle is necessary for reasons beyond the member's control and is in the interest of the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1223)
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1222-1223)
action_date: 2011-03-03
text: Introduced in Senate