hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Button Cell Battery Safety Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1165
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child safety and welfare
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Product safety and quality

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Button Cell Battery Safety Act of 2011 - Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate: (1) a standard requiring button cell battery compartments of battery-operated or assisted consumer products to be secured in a manner that reduces access to such batteries by children that are three years of age or younger; and (2) standards requiring warning labels to be included in any literature that accompanies such a product, on packaging for such batteries sold to consumers, and directly on such a product in a manner that is visible to the consumer upon installation or replacement of the battery. Requires such labels to clearly identify the hazard of ingestion and to instruct consumers to keep new and used batteries out of the reach of children and to seek immediate medical attention if a battery is ingested.
 
Exempts such regulations from procedures for consumer product safety rules.
 
Makes such regulations effective one year after the standard is promulgated.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3688-3689)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1167
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Health care costs and insurance
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Hereditary and development disorders
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and implement a hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT, a vascular genetic bleeding disorder that causes abnormalities of the blood vessels) initiative to assist in coordinating activities to improve early detection, screening, and treatment of people who suffer from HHT, focusing on advancing research on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of HHT and increasing physician and public awareness of HHT.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish the HHT Coordinating Committee to develop and coordinate implementation of a plan to advance research and understanding of HHT, including by: (1) conducting or supporting research across relevant National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes, and (2) conducting evaluations and making recommendations regarding the prioritization and award of NIH research grants relating to HHT.
 
Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to carry out activities with respect to HHT, including conducting population screening and establishing an HHT resource center to provide comprehensive education on, and disseminate information about, HHT to health professionals, patients, industry, and the public. Sets forth requirements for HHT population screening, including requiring the Director of CDC to designate and provide funding for HHT Treatment Centers of Excellence.
 
Requires the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to award grants for: (1) an analysis of the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) file to develop preliminary estimates on the totals costs to Medicare for items, services, and treatments for HHT; and (2) recommendations regarding an enhanced data collection protocol to permit a more precise determination of such costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3690)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
On-the-Job Training Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1168
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employment and training programs
Unemployment
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
On-the-Job Training Act of 2011 - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Labor to: (1) make discretionary grants to states, local boards, and federally-recognized tribal organizations for adult on-the-job training or dislocated worker on-the-job training programs; and (2) use up to 10% of funds authorized under this Act to make grants to such entities for developing on-the-job training programs, including providing capacity building activities for local staff.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Afghan Responsibility for Afghan Security Act

Bill: 112-s-1169
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Afghanistan
Asia
Congressional oversight
Military operations and strategy
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Afghan Responsibility for Afghan Security Act - Directs the President to: (1) establish, and update, benchmarks to evaluate progress being made toward the transition of security responsibilities in Afghanistan to the government of Afghanistan; and (2) include the most current benchmarks with each report on progress toward security and stability in Afghanistan submitted to Congress pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Ready to Learn Act

Bill: 112-s-1170
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Preschool education
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Ready to Learn Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states and, through them, subgrants to schools, child care entities, Head Start programs, or other community-based prekindergarten providers for high-quality full day voluntary prekindergarten programs that prepare four-year olds for school.
 
Requires that such programs: (1) first serve children whose family income is no higher than 200% of the poverty level or who are limited English proficient; (2) ensure that, within two years of grant receipt, each classroom is taught by a teacher who has at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or such a degree and specialized training in early childhood development; (3) use curricula that are aligned with state early learning standards; and (4) have teacher-child ratios of no more than 1 to 10 and group sizes of no more than 20.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1171
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of the Treasury
Employee benefits and pensions
Employment taxes
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax deductions
Income tax deferral
Income tax exclusion
Self-employed

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude from an employee's gross income employer-provided accident and health plan benefits extended to a domestic partner or non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiary eligible to receive such benefits under an employer plan (i.e., "eligible beneficiary"); (2) exempt such benefits paid to eligible beneficiaries from otherwise applicable employment and unemployment taxes; (3) allow self-employed individuals a tax deduction for the health insurance costs of their eligible beneficiaries; (4) allow tax-exempt voluntary employees' beneficiary associations to provide sick and accident benefits to the domestic partners and non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiaries of their members; (5) allow reimbursement of the medical expenses of an eligible beneficiary from a health savings account (HSA); and (6) extend tax-exempt medical benefits to the eligible beneficiaries of retired employees
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide guidance relating to reimbursements from a flexible spending arrangement and a health reimbursement arrangement attributable to an eligible beneficiary as defined by this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of the appeals process under the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims by improving staff conferences directed by such Court, and for other purposes.

Bill: 112-s-1172
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal appellate courts
Legal fees and court costs
Specialized courts
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Amends procedures of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) by requiring the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit, within seven days, a written report to the CAVC and the appellant describing the basis upon which the Secretary remains opposed to a remand if: (1) the CAVC directs representatives and self-represented parties to participate in a staff conference (where parties refine issues and consider matters to help the court resolve a case) pursuant to applicable CAVC Rules of Practice and Procedure or any corresponding similar rule, and (2) an agreement to remand the matter has not been reached before the end of such conference.
 
Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) seeking a remand without the appellant's agreement if such a written report is submitted, and (2) opposing any subsequent filing by the appellant for specified fees and other expenses under the federal judicial code if the Secretary seeks a remand after the seven-day period.
 
Allows the CAVC to impose sanctions, including money sanctions, if the Secretary fails to comply with this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1173
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Department of Health and Human Services
Government information and archives
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Home and outpatient care
Medicare
Performance measurement
Surgery and anesthesia

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require alignment of updates for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services under a revised prospective payment system (PPS) with updates for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services. 
 
Revises requirements for the reporting of quality measure data by ASCs and hospital OPDs.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an ASC value-based purchasing program under which each ASC that the Secretary determines meets (or exceeds) performance standards established, with respect to selected quality measures, for the performance period for a calendar year is eligible for shared savings in the form of a payment increase determined according to a specified formula.
 
Revises requirements for the composition of the expert outside advisory panel the Secretary of HHS is required to consult during the annual review of the clinical integrity of the groups and payment weights in the PPS for hospital OPD services. Requires the panel to include suppliers subject to the PPS as well as at least one ASC representative.
 
States that the conditions for coverage of ASC services specified by the Secretary shall not prohibit ASCs from providing individuals with any notice of rights or other required notice on the date of a procedure if more advanced notice is not feasible under the circumstances, including when a procedure is scheduled and performed on the same day.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3690-3692)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3690)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act

Bill: 112-s-1174
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Income tax deductions
Motor vehicles
Sports and recreation facilities

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the classification, for depreciation purposes, of any motorsports entertainment complex as seven-year property.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
21st Century Readiness Act

Bill: 112-s-1175
Sponsor: Sen. Hagan, Kay R. [D-NC]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Performance measurement
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
21st Century Readiness Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to support 21st century readiness initiatives that fuse core academic subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills (such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation) to ensure that students are prepared for postsecondary education and careers, upon graduation from secondary school. 
 
Amends title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the ESEA to require the Secretary of Education, as part of the national assessment of title I programs, to examine the extent to which such initiatives improve student readiness for postsecondary education and careers. 
 
Includes 21st century readiness initiatives in comprehensive school reform programs and school dropout prevention and reentry programs under title I.
 
Amends title II (Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals) of the ESEA to require high-quality professional development programs to incorporate an aligned system of teaching and learning that includes 21st century skills (such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation), standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessments.
 
Requires LEAs to use title II subgrants to enable educators to deliver instruction on higher-order thinking skills and use the latest available technology in doing so. 
 
Amends title IV (21st Century Schools) of the ESEA to include 21st century readiness initiatives in 21st Century Community Learning Center activities. (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before and after school programs to improve their academic performance.)
 
Amends title VI (Flexibility and Accountability) of the ESEA to allow assessment grants to be used by states to develop or improve assessments that use technology to measure core academic subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills to ensure that students can apply a range of skill competencies alongside core academic subject knowledge, and do so in real-world contexts. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1176
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Civil actions and liability
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Evidence and witnesses
Meat
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence: (1) any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction that is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore; and (2) any horse or other equine that the Secretary has probable cause to believe is being shipped, transported, moved, delivered, received, possessed, purchased, sold, or donated in violation of such prohibition.
 
Increases the cap on the amount of appropriations that may be used to carry out such Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3692-3693)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3692)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Graduation Promise Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1177
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
Graduation Promise Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for differentiated high school improvement systems targeting support to schools with low student achievement and graduation rates after such schools fail for two consecutive years to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) pursuant to state academic performance standards. Allots grant funds to states pursuant to a formula that favors states with low graduation rates and a high percentage of students attending low-income LEAs.
 
Requires state grantees to establish comprehensive school performance indicators and minimum annual improvement benchmarks for use, in addition to current AYP measures, in analyzing school performance and determining the improvement category into which a school is placed.
 
 Directs LEA subgrantees to: (1) categorize each of their schools that fail to make AYP for two consecutive years as needing targeted intervention, whole school reforms, or replacement; (2) convene a local school improvement team for each of such schools that will use performance indicators, AYP measures, and other relevant data to conduct a school needs assessment and develop a multiyear school improvement plan tailored to the school's need categorization; and (3) support the successful implementation of such plans and district-wide high school improvement strategies. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to LEAs, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education to develop and implement, or replicate, effective secondary school models for struggling students and dropouts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3693)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1178
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2011-06-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: 
 Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to rename part D (Achievement through Technology and Innovation) and reauthorize it through FY2017.
 
Requires states to use a portion of their allotted funds under subpart 1 (State and Local Grants) of part D to develop challenging academic content and achievement standards to ensure that students are technologically literate before the end of grade eight. Specifies that such standards are only for tracking technological literacy and not for assessing adequate yearly progress (AYP) under title I. Permits technological literacy testing to be embedded in other state tests or performance-based assessments portfolios, or made through other valid and reliable means.
 
Requires states to use the bulk of their allotment for two new subgrant programs for local educational agencies (LEAs), devoting: (1) 60% for formula subgrants to improve teaching and learning through technology, and (2) 40% for competitive subgrants for systemic school redesign through technology integration.
 
Requires LEAs to: (1) include a new or updated local long-range strategic educational technology plan in their applications, (2) use a specified percentage of each subgrant for teacher training, and (3) use each subgrant to acquire and apply technology to identify individual student learning needs and support personalized learning. Allows LEAs that receive funds for both programs to use all the funds for systemic school redesign through technology integration program activities.
 
Creates a new subpart 2 (State Competitive Grants) program to which all funding is to be directed if part D appropriations fall below a specified amount, otherwise all funding is to be made available for subpart 1 programs.
 
 Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants under subpart 2 to consortia of states to support LEAs' enhanced use of technology, including online and blended learning for systemic education transformation, curricula redesign, and new instructional strategies to personalize learning.
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3693)
action_date: 2011-06-09
text: Introduced in Senate