hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1586
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Congressional oversight
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental technology
Small business
Technology transfer and commercialization

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Program, to be carried out by the Under Secretary for International Trade, to: (1) promote policies to reduce production costs and encourage innovation, investment, and productivity among businesses in the United States that produce or export clean energy technologies or related services; (2) implement a national strategy with respect to the exportation of such technologies and related services; and (3) ensure that such businesses, including suppliers of parts for the production of such technologies and engineering and design firms, have the information and assistance necessary to be competitive and to create and maintain clean energy technology jobs.
 
Defines &quot;clean energy technology&quot; to means a technology related to the production, use, transmission, storage, control, or conservation of energy that is designed to: (1) reduce the need for additional energy supplies by using existing energy supplies with greater efficiency or by transmitting, distributing, or transporting energy with greater effectiveness; (2) diversify the sources of the energy supply of the United States to strengthen energy security and to increase supplies of energy with a favorable balance of environmental effects if the entire technology system is considered; or (3) contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations through reduction, avoidance, or long-term sequestration of energy-related emissions. 
 
Requires the Under Secretary, consistent with the National Export Initiative, to provide information and other assistance under the Program to businesses, particularly businesses with no more than 500 employees, to promote the production and exportation of such technologies and related services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5840)
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid Flexibility for States Act

Bill: 112-s-1587
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Intergovernmental relations
Medicaid
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Medicaid Flexibility for States Act - Authorizes a state to limit the application within the state of specified provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that expand the program under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act by enacting a law that: (1) expresses the intent of the state to opt out of one or more of the provisions of PPACA, and (2) contains a list of the provisions that will not apply to the state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Recreational Land Self-Defense Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1588
Sponsor: Sen. Webb, Jim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Army Corps of Engineers
Firearms and explosives
Lakes and rivers
Outdoor recreation

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Recreational Land Self-Defense Act of 2011 - Prohibits the Secretary of the Army from promulgating or enforcing any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm at a water resources development project administered by the Chief of Engineers if: (1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm, and (2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the state in which the project is located.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend the authorization for the Coastal Heritage Trail in the State of New Jersey.

Bill: 112-s-1589
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
New Jersey
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Roads and highways

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Extends the authorities provided to the Secretary of the Interior with respect to the Coastal Heritage Trail Route in New Jersey until September 30, 2016. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-401.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Fairness for Small Businesses in Federal Contracting Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1590
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Manufacturing
Public contracts and procurement
Small Business Administration
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Fairness for Small Businesses in Federal Contracting Act of 2011 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a new classification system for industries for purposes of determining whether businesses meet the small business size standards established herein that replaces the North American Industrial Classification System.
 
Requires: (1) the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be amended to integrate the new system, and (2) the Administrator of General Services to integrate the new system into the Integrated Acquisition Environment.
 
Directs the SBA Administrator to: (1) eliminate the nonmanufacturer exception to small business size determinations, (2) require contracting officers to use the size standard established for retail and wholesale industries in federal procurements for products and services that are not manufactured by the offeror, and (3) require such officers to use only SBA size standards for manufacturing industries if the federal government issues a contract for the purchase of a product or good that is manufactured by the offeror.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Act

Bill: 112-s-1591
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays
Congressional tributes
Europe
Hungary
Sweden
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
World history

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Act - Directs The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation on behalf of the Congress of a gold medal of appropriate design to the next of kin or personal representative of Raoul Wallenberg in recognition of his achievements and heroic actions during the Holocaust.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Agricultural Credit Expansion Act

Bill: 112-s-1592
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Disaster relief and insurance
Family relationships
Government lending and loan guarantees

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Agricultural Credit Expansion Act - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to expand eligibility for Farm Service Agency operating loans, farm ownership loans, conservation loans, and emergency loans. 
 
Deems specified embedded entities (an entity owned wholly or in part by another entity) eligible for farm ownership and operating loans. 
 
Deems specified operating-only entities eligible for farm ownership loans.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to determine that an entity that is an owner-operator or operator meets the direct ownership loan requirement if it is owned in whole or in part by other entities and each individual that is an owner of the family farm involved has an ownership interest in each of the other entities.
 
Permits direct loans to be used to refinance Farm Service Agency loans or guaranteed loans.
 Eliminates the 15-year limitation on the period operating loan borrowers are eligible for guaranteed assistance.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require State electronic benefit transfer contracts to treat wireless program retail food stores in the same manner as wired program retail food stores.

Bill: 112-s-1593
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural marketing and promotion
Food assistance and relief
Fruit and vegetables
Public contracts and procurement
Retail and wholesale trades
State and local government operations
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (formerly known as the Food Stamp Act of 1977) to require state electronic benefit transfer contracts to treat wireless program retail food stores in the same manner as wired program retail food stores for purposes of supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP, formerly food stamp) benefits.
 
Defines "wireless retailer" to include: (1) a farmers market, (2) a farm stand, (3) a green cart, (4) a route vendor, (5) an entity operating a community-supported agriculture program, and (6) an individual farmer affiliated with such entities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a conservation program under which the Secretary shall make payments to assist owners and operators of muck land to conserve and improve the soil, water, and wildlife resources of the land.

Bill: 112-s-1594
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Farmland
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to provide payments to owners and operators of qualifying muck land (as determined by the Secretary) in agricultural production to conserve and improve such land's soil, water, and wildlife resources.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Solidarity with Israel Act

Bill: 112-s-1595
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arab-Israeli relations
Congressional oversight
International law and treaties
Israel
Middle East
Palestinians
United Nations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Prohibits funding for the United Nations (U.N.) if the Security Council or General Assembly of the U.N. grants Palestine, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), or the state of Palestine a change in U.N. status from a permanent observer entity before the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that a comprehensive peace agreement has been reached with Israel.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5892-5893)
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Fix America's Schools Today Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1597
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Buy American requirements
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental technology
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Higher education
Labor standards
Public contracts and procurement
Vocational and technical education
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Fix America's Schools Today Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Education to allocate grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to modernize, renovate, or repair early learning or elementary or secondary education facilities.
 
Requires the Secretary to allocate grants directly to the 100 LEAs with the largest numbers of children aged 5-17 living in poverty to modernize, renovate, or repair such facilities. Allocates such funds among these LEAs in proportion to each LEA's respective share of school improvement funds under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
 
Requires states to give subgrant priority to projects that comply with certain green building standards.
 
Prohibits the use of such grants for new construction, routine janitorial costs, or on facilities used for events for which the public is charged admission.
 
Reserves funds for a survey, by the National Center for Education Statistics, of our public school construction, modernization, renovation, and repair needs.
 
Directs the Secretary to allocate grants to states to modernize, renovate, or repair existing facilities at community colleges.
 
Prohibits the use of such grants: (1) for routine janitorial costs, (2) on facilities used for events for which the public is charged admission, or (3) on facilities which are used for sectarian purposes.
 
Requires states, in providing assistance to community college projects, to consider the extent to which the project complies with certain green building standards.
 
Limits the amount of time states and LEAs have to obligate this Act's grants and subgrants.
 
Requires, with certain exceptions, the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in projects funded by this Act to be domestic. 
 
Applies the prevailing wage rate requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act to projects assisted pursuant to this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Anti-Excessive Speculation Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1598
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2011-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Commodities markets
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Energy prices
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: 
Anti-Excessive Speculation Act of 2011 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to revise the registration requirements for foreign boards of trade. Directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to consider whether foreign boards are subject to rules and restrictions prohibiting excessive speculation by governmental authorities that are comparable to the law, regulations, and orders applicable to boards of trade in the United States.
 
Sets forth a presumption of excessive speculation if the CFTC, using specified criteria, determines that speculative traders in a commodity market have a substantial impact on price discovery.
 
Establishes individual position limits on energy contracts (referencing the price of crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, heating oil, or natural gas) that are applicable to long or short positions. Defines an &quot;excessive speculative position&quot; as a position that affects more than 5% of: (1) the estimated deliverable supply of the same commodity in the spot month, and (2) the open interest in a contract in a single month or all months combined.
 
Prohibits any person from holding or controlling an excessive speculative position, long or short, in an energy contract in any single market and aggregated across all markets in the spot month, a single month, or all-months combined.
 
Directs the CFTC to establish aggregate speculative position limits for long energy contracts held by speculators as a class of traders in any single market and in all markets. Requires that such positions be capped at the average annual percentage of long open interest held by speculators in any single energy contract market and in all such markets during the preceding 25-year period (or the period during which the contract has been traded if held for less than the 25-year period).
 
Excludes bona fide energy hedging from the computation of positions held or controlled by a person. Defines &quot;bona fide energy hedging&quot; as a transaction or position that is proportionate and economically appropriate for the reduction of risks in the conduct and management of a trade or business that produces, processes, merchandises, manufactures, or consumes an energy commodity. Declares that the management of financial risk associated with swaps or other similar contracts, by itself, shall not constitute bona fide hedging.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2011-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Changing How America Reduces Greenhouse Emissions (CHARGE) Act

Bill: 112-s-1602
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2011-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: 
Changing How America Reduces Greenhouse Emissions (CHARGE) Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax credit for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles to include vehicles that are powered by an alternative electrical energy storage device other than a battery.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Open Fuels Standard Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1603
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2011-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Consumer affairs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government studies and investigations
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: 
Open Fuels Standard Act of 2011 - Requires each automobile manufacturer's annual covered inventory to comprise at least: (1) 50% fuel choice-enabling vehicles in model years 2015-2017, and (2) 80% fuel choice-enabling vehicles in model year 2018 and each subsequent model year.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to certify the type and blend of advanced alternative fuel blends that can be used in fuel choice-enabling vehicles, existing vehicles, and by new and existing components of the nation's transportation fueling infrastructure.
 
Defines &quot;fuel choice-enabling vehicle&quot; to mean an automobile warranted by its manufacturer to be capable of operating on: (1) an advanced alternative fuel blend, if certified for its use, or a mixture of at least 85% denatured ethanol and gasoline or drop-in fuel, if not yet certified; or (2) natural gas, hydrogen, electricity, a hybrid electric engine, a mixture biodiesel and diesel fuel, or other fuel containing not more than 10% petroleum.
 
Defines &quot;advanced alternative fuel blend&quot; as a mixture containing: (1) at least 85% (or lower percentage of) denatured alcohol as well as gasoline or drop-in fuel, (2) at least 70% menthol as well as gasoline or drop-in fuel, and (3) any other DOT-certified blend of alcohols or liquid fuels.
 
Authorizes a manufacturer with an inventory of less than 10,000 vehicles to request an exemption from such requirements.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish an open fuels standard credit trading program to allow vehicle manufacturers whose annual covered inventory exceeds the percentage requirements to earn credits, which may be sold to manufacturers that are unable to achieve such requirements.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop a model label for pumps dispensing advanced alternative fuels to help consumers evaluate the expected automobile performance of a fuel blend, and (2) make it available for voluntary reproduction and adoption.
 
Directs the Secretary to evaluate the need for standardized fueling equipment and facilities that: (1) dispense advance alternative fuel blends to fuel choice-enabling vehicles, and (2) prevent the dispensing of such fuel blends to incompatible vehicles.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5904-5905)
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Port of Entry Personnel and Infrastructure Funding Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1604
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2011-09-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Agricultural trade
Appropriations
Border security and unlawful immigration
Canada
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Homeland security
Latin America
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Mexico

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: 
Emergency Port of Entry Personnel and Infrastructure Funding Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to hire, by the end of FY2016, an additional: (1) 5,000 full-time U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to serve on all inspection lanes and enforcement teams at U.S. land ports of entry on the northern and southern borders of the United States, and (2) 350 full-time support staff for all U.S. ports of entry.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) equip each CBP officer with a secure communication and satellite-enabled device that allows communication between ports of entry and inspection stations, and with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement entities; and (2) establish a grant program for the purchase of detection equipment at land ports of entry and communication and biometric devices for state and local law enforcement officers serving on the southern border.
 
Authorizes: (1) the Commissioner of CBP to construct land ports of entry, acquire necessary land or land interests, and construct additional ports of entry along the borders; and (2) the Secretary to acquire necessary real property leaseholds.
 
Authorizes appropriations. Rescinds specified funds equal to such appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-09-22
text: Introduced in Senate