hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act

Bill: 112-s-2064
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2012-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Corporate finance and management
Electric power generation and transmission
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Income tax credits
Income tax rates
Motor fuels
Nuclear power
Oil and gas
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: 
Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal: (1) the excise tax credits for alcohol fuel, biodiesel, and alternative fuel mixtures; (2) the tax credits for the purchase of certain plug-in electric vehicles and alternative motor vehicles; (3) the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property tax credit; (4) the tax credits for alcohol used as fuel and for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel; (5) the enhanced oil recovery tax credit and the tax credit for producing oil and gas from marginal wells; (6) the tax credit for carbon dioxide sequestration; (7) the energy tax credit; and (8) the tax credits for investment in qualifying advanced coal projects and qualifying gasification projects. Terminates after 2012 the tax credits for the production of electricity from certain renewable resources and from advanced nuclear power facilities. 
 
Repeals the grant program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for payments to invest in alternative and renewable energy property in lieu of tax credits. 
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the corporate income tax rates by prescribing proportionate modifications to such rates based upon revenue savings resulting from the repeal of energy tax expenditures by this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 309.
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Down Payment to Protect National Security Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2065
Sponsor: Sen. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2012-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
Budget process
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Inflation and prices
Members of Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: 
Down Payment to Protect National Security Act of 2012 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine the number of full-time employees employed in each federal agency. Prohibits a federal agency head from hiring more than 2 employee for every 3 full-time employees who leave employment in such agency until the OMB Director makes a determination that the number of full-time federal employees is 5% less than the initial level as determined by OMB. Allows a waiver of such workforce limitation by the President for national security reasons or in the case of an extraordinary emergency.
 
Amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 to extend the freeze on the pay of federal employees, including Members of Congress, until June 30, 2014. 
 
Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011, to offset mandatory sequestration in security and nonsecurity categories in FY2013-FY2021 with revenues resulting from the reduction in the federal workforce and the pay freeze under this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget. (text of measure as introduced: CR S324)
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act

Bill: 112-s-2066
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2012-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Firearms and explosives
Forests, forestry, trees
Hunting and fishing
Land use and conservation
Outdoor recreation
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: 
Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act - Requires a federal public land management official, in cooperation with the respective state and fish and wildlife agency, to exercise the authority of the official under law, including regarding land use planning, to facilitate the use of, and access to, federal public land for hunting, recreational fishing, and recreational shooting, except as described in this Act. 
 
Requires the heads of federal public land management agencies to exercise their discretion in a manner that supports and facilitates hunting, recreational fishing, and recreational shooting opportunities, to the extent authorized under applicable law. 
 
 Requires that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service land, excluding land on the Outer Continental Shelf, be open to hunting, recreational fishing, or recreational shooting unless the managing agency acts to close lands to such activity. Permits closures or restrictions on such land for purposes including resource conservation, public safety, energy or mineral production, energy generation or transmission infrastructure, water supply facilities, national security, or compliance with other law. 
 
Allows federal agencies to: (1) lease or permit use of federal public land for recreational shooting ranges, and (2) designate such specific land for recreational shooting activities. 
 
Requires annual reports on closures of federal public lands to hunting, recreational fishing, or recreational shooting. 
 
Sets forth requirements for specified closures or significant restrictions involving 640 or more contiguous acres of federal public land or water to hunting or recreational fishing or related activities. 
 
Instructs federal agencies to consult with respective advisory councils as specified in Executive Orders 12962 (relating to recreational fisheries) and 13443 (relating to the facilitation of hunting heritage and wildlife conservation) in carrying out this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate
SET Device Act

Bill: 112-s-2067
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2012-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government information and archives
Health technology, devices, supplies

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: 
Safe, Efficient, and Transparent Medical Device Approval Act or the SET Device Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), within 120 days of enactment of this Act, to establish the schedule for the promulgation of a regulation requiring premarket approval for a medical device that the Secretary requires to remain in class III.
 
Directs the Secretary, within 18 months, to: (1) issue a final regulation for each device that the Secretary requires to remain in class III, and (2) establish the required special controls for each device that is classified into class II pursuant to a determination revising such devise's classification.
 
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to permit a person to: (1) submit a request for initial classification of a device that has not previously been classified under such Act if the person declares that there is no legally marketed device upon which to base a substantial equivalence determination; and (2) recommend to the Secretary a classification for the device and include in the request an initial draft proposal for applicable special and general controls that are necessary to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. 
 
Permits the Secretary to decline to undertake a classification request if the Secretary identifies a legally marketed device that could provide a reasonable basis for review of substantial equivalence or if the Secretary determines that the device submitted is not of low-moderate risk.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Access to Independent Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2068
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2012-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Insurance industry and regulation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: 
Access to Independent Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2012 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to exclude remuneration paid for licensed independent insurance producers from administrative cost calculations for purposes of calculating the medical-loss ratio of a health insurance plan. 
 
Defines "independent insurance producer" to mean an insurance agent or broker, insurance consultant, benefit specialist, limited insurance representative, and any other person required to be licensed under the laws of the particular state to sell, solicit, negotiate, service, effect, procure, renew, or bind policies of insurance coverage or offer advice, counsel, opinions, or services related to insurance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate
SPRINT Act

Bill: 112-s-2069
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2012-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug therapy
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical research
Medicare
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: 
Spending Reductions through Innovations in Therapies Agenda Act of 2012 or the SPRINT Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Spending Reductions through Innovations in Therapies Program (SPRINT Program) to support development of therapies to reduce spending by federal health care programs for high-cost chronic conditions. Requires the Program to: (1) accelerate advanced research and development of such therapies, and (2) encourage innovation in technologies that may assist such research to reduce the time and cost of therapy development.
 
Requires the Secretary to select the high-cost chronic conditions that shall be the focus of the Program from conditions among the top 10 leading causes of death designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that have: (1) the highest current and projected cost to federal health care programs and high long-term care costs; (2) a likelihood of impairing the ability of an individual to carry out activities of daily living, which can result in the individual becoming dependent on caregivers; (3) a death rate that has increased and is projected to increase significantly in future years; and (4) a lack of existing therapies to prevent, control, or cure the condition or delay cognitive decline. 
 
Sets forth the duties of the Secretary, including to: (1) partner with certain nonprofit strategic investment entities, (2) reduce the time and cost barriers between laboratory discoveries and clinical trials for therapies used to treat high-cost chronic conditions, and (3) facilitate innovative and expedited review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the therapies developed.
 
Establishes a SPRINT Award Program, under which the Secretary may award contracts or grants to public, nonprofit, early stage companies or growth companies to support advanced research and the development of therapies. Sets forth matching fund requirements. Requires the Secretary to evaluate projects funded.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S324-326)
action_date: 2012-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate
NGEAR Act

Bill: 112-s-2070
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2012-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Business investment and capital
Elementary and secondary education
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles
Oil and gas
Public transit
Sales and excise taxes
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: 
Natural Gas Energy and Alternatives Rewards Act or the NGEAR Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2016: (1) the excise tax credits for alternative fuels and alternative fuel mixtures; and (2) the tax credit for depreciable property used for alternative fuel vehicle refueling, including property relating to hydrogen.
 
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish a rebate program through 2016 for the purchase of alternatively fueled buses by: (1) a public or private entity providing transportation exclusively for school students, personnel, and equipment; or (2) a public entity providing mass transit services to the public. Allows such entities a rebate equal to the lesser of 30% of the purchase price of such a bus or $15,000.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2071
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2012-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Art, artists, authorship
Birds
Hunting and fishing
Licensing and registrations
Postal service
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: 
Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012 - Grants the Secretary of the Interior permanent authority to authorize any state to issue electronic duck stamps. 
 
Sets forth state electronic duck stamp application requirements. 

action_date: 2012-09-19
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012 - Grants the Secretary of the Interior permanent authority to authorize any state to issue electronic duck stamps. 
 
Sets forth state electronic duck stamp application requirements. 
 
Allows the Secretary to determine the number of new states permitted per year to participate in the electronic duck stamp program. 
 
Instructs the Secretary to require electronic stamp revenue and customer information collected by each state to be transmitted in accordance with a written agreement between the Secretary and the state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 513.
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer without amendment. With written report No. 112-212.
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer without amendment. With written report No. 112-212.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2012-04-24
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works Senate Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-968.
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Helping Homeowners Refinance Act

Bill: 112-s-2072
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2012-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Housing finance and home ownership
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: 
Helping Homeowners Refinance Act - Requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to promulgate rules prohibiting the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs) and their affiliates from holding any possessory interest in or otherwise owning, in whole or in part, any financial market instrument that would, in the Director's discretion, substantially reduce the financial incentive to carry out the statutory mission of the GSEs to provide liquidity, stability, and affordability to the U.S. housing market under the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act and the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act.
 
Directs Freddie Mac to implement policies (consistent with Fannie Mae's as of February 1, 2012) to reduce the putback risk on a mortgage, including any putback risk associated with loan refinancing, regardless of the loan-to-value ratio on the mortgage. Defines &quot;putback risk&quot; as the probability that a GSE would require a loan originator to repurchase a loan purchased by the GSE.
 
Requires the GSEs to apply the same putback risks to all financial institutions that refinance mortgage loans owned or guaranteed by a GSE, regardless of whether the loans being refinanced were originated by the same institution that is originating the new loan.
 
Authorizes the Director to waive any rule under this Act or the application of such a putback risk if the Director certifies in writing to Congress that the GSE's safety and soundness is put at risk by the applicability of the putback risk. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the permanent relocation of F-16 aircraft assigned to Eielson Air Force Base.

Bill: 112-s-2073
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2012-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alaska
Aviation and airports
Military facilities and property

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: 
Prohibits the Secretary of the Air Force from planning or executing the permanent relocation of any F-16 aircraft assigned to Eielson Air Force Base (Alaska) as of the date of enactment of this Act.
 
Directs such Secretary to ensure that the number of such aircraft assigned to Eielson as of September 30, 2012, equals or exceeds the number assigned as of October 1, 2011.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Creating American Prosperity through Preservation Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2074
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2012-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Building construction
Department of the Treasury
Energy efficiency and conservation
Historic sites and heritage areas
Income tax credits
Income tax exclusion
Residential rehabilitation and home repair
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: 
Creating American Prosperity through Preservation Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax credits for building rehabilitation expenditures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit for projects involving $7.5 million or less in rehabilitation expenditures, (2) provide for an additional 2% credit amount for a building that is a qualified energy efficient rehabilitated building (increased energy efficiency of 30% or more), (3) change the placed-in-service requirement for non-historic rehabilitated buildings from before 1936 to 50 years prior to the year in which qualified rehabilitation expenditures are taken into account, and (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax credit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2076
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2012-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Government buildings, facilities, and property
Law enforcement administration and funding
State and local courts

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-07
text: 
Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2012 - Authorizes the Attorney General, as part of the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability Initiative (VALOR) of the Department of Justice (DOJ), to provide safety training and technical assistance to local law enforcement agencies.
 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit states and other grant recipients under the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Urban Area Security Initiative, and Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to use grant funds to improve security at state or local government courthouses.
 
Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to ensure that state or local governments have an opportunity to request excess security equipment (metal detectors, wands, baggage screening devices) for state or local courthouses having less security equipment than such courthouses require before such equipment is made available to any other individual or entity. Requires that priority be given to courthouses that have no security equipment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-24
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2012-03-19
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2012-03-19
text: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-03-19
text: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S391)
action_date: 2012-02-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S390)
action_date: 2012-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate