hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to provide end user exemptions from certain provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Bill: 112-s-3480
Sponsor: Sen. Johanns, Mike [R-NE]
Introduced: 2012-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Commodities markets
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Corporate finance and management
Financial services and investments
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: 
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to exempt, from the rules of prudential regulators for swap dealers and major swap participants with respect to initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization, those swaps in which one of the counterparties: (1) is eligible for an exception from clearing requirements for certain significant price discovery agreements, contracts, or transactions in a commodity exempt from regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); or (2) satisfies specified criteria governing treatment of affiliates in connection with clearing requirements.
 
Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, regarding registration and regulation of security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants, to exempt from initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization a security-based swap in which one of the counterparties: (1) qualifies for a specified exception from clearing requirements, or (2) satisfies certain criteria governing the treatment of affiliates.
 
 Requires that the amendments to CEA made by this Act be implemented: (1) without regard to federal information policy requirements or the notice and comment requirements of federal administrative procedure; and (2) through promulgation of an interim final rule, pursuant to which public comment will be sought before a final rule is issued. 
Limits the disregard of such federal information policy and notice and comment requirements solely to changes to rules and regulations, or proposed rule and regulations, that are limited to, and directly a consequence of, the amendments to CEA made by this Act.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Stop Wasteful Federal Bonuses and Conferences Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3481
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government studies and investigations
Public contracts and procurement
Transportation costs
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Stop Wasteful Federal Bonuses and Conferences Act of 2012 - Prohibits a federal agency from awarding a bonus to any employee for two years after the end of a fiscal year in which the Inspector General of the agency or the Comptroller General (GAO) makes a finding that conduct of the employee resulted in fraud, waste, abuse, or a violation of contracting requirements (adverse finding). Requires repayment of a bonus awarded in any year in which an adverse finding is made. 
 
Prohibits an agency from sponsoring a conference that is expected to cost more than $200,000 without the agency head's approval. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act

Bill: 112-s-3484
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Banking and financial institutions regulation
Housing finance and home ownership
Housing industry and standards
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act - Amends the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to exclude a seller of manufactured homes from the definition of loan originator subject to such Act, unless such individual or entity is engaged in the business of a loan originator or receives compensation or gain for engaging in certain residential mortgage loan activities in excess of any compensation or gain received in a comparable cash transaction.
 
Amends the Truth in Lending Act to revise the definition of &quot;high cost mortgage.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3485
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employment taxes
Intergovernmental relations
State and local taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2012 - Prohibits the wages or other remuneration earned by an employee who performs employment duties in more than one state from being subject to income tax in any state other than: (1) the state of the employee's residence, and (2) the state within which the employee is present and performing employment duties for more than 30 days during the calendar year. Exempts employers from withholding of tax and information reporting requirements for employees not subject to income tax under this Act. Allows an employer, for purposes of determining penalties related to employer withholding or reporting requirements, to rely on an employee's annual determination of the time such employee will spend working in a state in the absence of fraud or collusion by such employee. 
 
Exempts from the definition of &quot;employee&quot; for purposes of this Act professional athletes, professional entertainers, and public figures who are persons of prominence who perform services for wages or other remuneration on a per-event basis. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Audit the Pentagon Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3487
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Appropriations
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Department of the Treasury
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Military procurement, research, weapons development

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Audit the Pentagon Act of 2012 - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 to require the financial improvement and audit readiness plan of the Department of Defense (DOD) to ensure that: (1) a complete and validated statement of DOD budgetary resources is ready by the end of FY2014, and (2) the full set of DOD consolidated financial statements for each of FY2017 and thereafter are ready in a timely manner and in preparation for audit. Provides that DOD financial statements shall cease to be covered by specified DOD financial reporting requirements upon the issuance of an unqualified audit opinion (UAO) on such statements.
 
Directs the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to report to Congress on each DOD report required to be submitted to Congress that: (1) would no longer be necessary if their financial statements were audited with a UAO, and (2) interferes with DOD capacity to achieve such an audit.
 
Provides specified DOD program thresholds for reprogramming of funds without prior notice to Congress if a military department obtains an audit with a UAO on its statement of budgetary resources for any fiscal year after 2013. Provides that, if a military department obtains such an audit, then a specified amount shall be available for the payment of certain bonuses for DOD civilian employees determined to have made beneficial contributions to the achievement of the department mission. Outlines bonus exclusions and limitations.
 
Requires additional qualifications and responsibilities of the Comptroller and certain other DOD financial management officials upon the failure to obtain an audit with a UAO on its statement of budgetary resources for FY2014.
 
Provides that if a military department fails to obtain such an audit for FY2017, then the following shall not be available to such department for such fiscal year and thereafter: (1) the program thresholds and bonus payments authorized under this Act, and (2) the expenditure of funds for major defense acquisition program activities beyond Milestone B. Requires, in addition and upon such failure, the reorganization of the position of DOD Chief Management Officer, with added qualifications and responsibilities.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to amend the acquisition guidance of DOD to place specific limits on the procurement of any enterprise resource planning business system, including a three-year limit on its total procurement time from initial obligation of funds to full deployment and sustainment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional educational assistance under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to veterans pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math, and for other purposes.

Bill: 112-s-3488
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Science and engineering education
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay to each individual entitled to post 9/11 educational assistance who is pursuing a program of education with a focus on science, technology, engineering, or math a lump-sum payment of $2,000 per academic year, or fraction thereof for enrollment lasting less than a year. Makes such amount in addition to any other educational assistance to which the individual is entitled. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Good Neighbor Social Security Office and Community Protection Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3489
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Scott P. [R-MA]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Executive agency funding and structure
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Public participation and lobbying
Social Security Administration
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Good Neighbor Social Security Office and Community Protection Act of 2012 - Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to develop and publish: (1) financial guidelines that may be used to identify Social Security Administration field offices for possible closure, and (2) standardized closure procedures that meet certain requirements.
 
Requires such guidelines and procedures to provide that identification of an Administration field office for possible closure shall not require the Commissioner to begin closure procedures for it.
 
Requires the Commissioner to: (1) develop an office closure and service continuity proposal for any office so identified which the Commissioner decides to close that contains, among other specified items, the estimated cost of the closure; (2) notify state and local chief executive offices and the public before closure; (3) require the Commissioner to hold at least one hearing to take public comments before making a final decision to close a field office; (5) issue a final closure decision only after review of such comments and evaluation of any alternatives to closing the office; and (6) continue to operate an office proposed for closure in good faith and with the assumption of continued service until the notice of the Commisioner's final closure decision is made.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
SAVE Elders Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3490
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Scott P. [R-MA]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aging
Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Law enforcement administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Stop Abuse, Violence, and Exploitation of Elders Act of 2012 or the SAVE Elders Act of 2012 - Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to designate specified funds from the Crime Victims Fund for grants for compensation and assistance to victims of elder abuse. 
 
Defines &quot;elder abuse&quot; under that Act: (1) to mean the abuse, exploitation, or neglect of an individual who is age 65 or older and lawfully present in the United States; and (2) with respect to a state that receives a grant, to include any other conduct that is defined as such under the laws of the state.
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Victims of Crime to use such funds to make grants to states to support: (1) eligible crime victim assistance programs that provide assistance to victims of elder abuse; and (2) programs that improve the investigation, handling, and prosecution of cases of elder abuse.
 
Apportions specified percentages of grant amounts among the states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands and requires the amounts remaining after such apportionment to be distributed among the states based on: (1) the population of individuals age 65 or older in a state relative to the population of such individuals in all states, (2) the population of individuals age 65 or older in a state in relation to the population of the state, and (3) the overall rate of crime in a state. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Qualifying Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3491
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Income tax credits
Manufacturing
Materials

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Qualifying Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business-related tax credit for the production of renewable chemicals. 
 
Defines "renewable chemical" as any chemical that is: (1) produced in the United States from renewable biomass; (2) sold or used by the taxpayer as polymers, plastics, or formulated products or for the production of polymers, plastics, or formulated products; and (3) not sold or used for the production of any food, feed, or fuel. Exempts certain chemicals, including those with a biobased content of less than 25%.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a five-year program to allocate credit amounts. Limits the total amount of allocable credits under such program to $500 million, with a limit of $25 million to any taxpayer in any taxable year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for exemptions from municipal advisor registration requirements.

Bill: 112-s-3492
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Banking and financial institutions regulation
Financial services and investments
Securities
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Excludes from the identity of municipal advisor (subject to registration requirements) any person appointed to or volunteering on a board, commission, committee, or similar function of a municipal entity. Exempts also from registration requirements any banks, including agencies or branches of a foreign bank. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Free Press Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3493
Sponsor: Sen. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Evidence and witnesses
Jurisdiction and venue
Legal fees and court costs
News media and reporting

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Free Press Act of 2012 - Amends the federal judicial code to authorize a representative of the news media to file a special motion to dismiss any claim asserted against such representative in a civil action if the claim arises from an oral or written statement or other expression that is on a matter of public concern or that relates to a public official or figure (thereby establishing a judicial procedure to seek dismissal of what are commonly referred to as &quot;Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation&quot; [SLAPPs]). 
 
Places the burden on the party asserting the claim, after such a motion is properly brought, to prove the claim is legally sufficient and supported by facts sufficient to sustain a favorable judgment. Requires the dismissal with prejudice of any such claim challenged with a motion to dismiss for which the party asserting the claim fails to meet that burden.
 
Prohibits such a special motion to dismiss from being filed against a claim: (1) brought by the federal government or a state attorney general, or (2) arising out of a statement offering or promoting the sale of the goods or services of the person making the statement.
 
Authorizes a person whose personally identifying information is sought in connection with a claim that arises in whole or in part from an oral or written statement or other expression that is on a matter of public concern or that relates to a public official or figure, or a person from whom such information is sought in connection with such a claim, to file a special motion to quash the request or order to produce the information. Places a similar burden of proof on the party making the request for such information, after a special motion to quash is properly brought, to show that the claim is legally sufficient and supported by appropriate evidence.
 
Permits a civil action in a state court that raises a claim arising out of speech on public issues to be removed to federal court by a party who seeks to file a special motion to dismiss asserting a colorable defense based on the Constitution or laws of the United States. Allows the removal of a state court proceeding to federal court by a party who seeks to file a special motion to quash, but only with respect to the proceeding to quash the request for personally identifying information and not the remainder of the civil action. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5984-5985)
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5983-5984)
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to qualify formerly homeless individuals who are full-time students for purposes of low income housing tax credit.

Bill: 112-s-3494
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Higher education
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Income tax credits
Low- and moderate-income housing

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify low-income building units that provide housing for full-time students who were homeless during a five-year period prior to occupying a low-income housing unit for the low-income housing tax credit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Economic Growth and Development Act

Bill: 112-s-3495
Sponsor: Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: African Development Foundation
Congressional oversight
Department of State
Economic development
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government studies and investigations
Inter-American Foundation
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Public-private cooperation
Rule of law and government transparency
Trade and Development Agency
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Economic Growth and Development Act - Directs the President to establish an interagency mechanism to improve coordination of U.S. development programs with private sector investment activities.
 
Directs the President and Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to: (1) direct their respective policy and country teams to include private sector consultation in all country, sector, and global development strategies; and (2) ensure that independent analyses of constraints to growth are conducted as a component of all appropriate country, sector, and global development strategies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit direct payment to pharmacies for certain compounded drugs that are prepared by the pharmacies for a specific beneficiary for use through an implanted infusion pump.

Bill: 112-s-3496
Sponsor: Sen. Cochran, Thad [R-MS]
Introduced: 2012-08-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drug therapy
Health technology, devices, supplies
Medicare
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize direct payment under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for the Aged and Disabled) to a pharmacy for certain covered compound drugs prepared by the pharmacy for a specific beneficiary for the effective use of an implanted infusion pump.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5986)
action_date: 2012-08-02
text: Introduced in Senate