hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
STOP Act

Bill: 112-s-854
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Higher education
Marketing and advertising
Medical research
Performance measurement
Research administration and funding
Roads and highways
School athletics
State and local government operations
Television and film
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Reauthorization Act or the STOP Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program to reduce underage drinking for FY2012-FY2016. Makes revisions to such program, including by: (1) revising reporting requirements on state programs on underage drinking; (2) expanding the national media campaign to prevent underage drinking; (3) requiring the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to make grants to professional pediatric provider organizations to increase effective practices, including the screening of children and adolescents for alcohol use, to reduce the prevalence of alcohol use among individuals under the age of 21, including college students; and (4) expanding state public health surveillance of alcohol use and alcohol-related conditions among individuals between the ages of 18 and 20.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Pay Our Troops Act

Bill: 112-s-855
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appropriations
Coast guard
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
 Pay Our Troops Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, during a federal funding gap impacting the Armed Forces, to transfer to the Secretary of Defense (DOD), and the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) in the case of the Coast Guard, amounts necessary to continue to provide pay and allowances to members of the Armed Forces, including the reserves, who perform active service during the funding gap.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Spending Transparency Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-856
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Business records
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Freedom of information
Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Medical research
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Medicare Spending Transparency Act of 2011 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), consistent with applicable information, privacy, security, and disclosure laws, to make public on the Internet website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services the following data with respect to SSA title XVIII (Medicare): (1) a complete list of service providers and suppliers participating in the Medicare program, including their business addresses; and (2) certain aggregate information about each provider and supplier.
 
Entitles a qualified individual or group, for health research and fraud detection purposes, to access to Medicare claims and payment data of both HHS and its contractors. Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for the storage and use of data provided to such an individual or group.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2531-3532)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2531)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
TALENT Act

Bill: 112-s-857
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
To Aid Gifted and High-Ability Learners by Empowering the Nation's Teachers Act or TALENT Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require state assessments of student proficiency to be vertically scaled and capable of measuring student proficiency above the grade level in which the student is enrolled. 
 
Requires states to: (1) recognize local educational agencies (LEAs) that significantly increase the proportion of their students, overall and in specified student subgroups, that score at or above the advanced level of achievement on such assessments; (2) assist their LEAs and schools in providing additional educational assistance to advanced, gifted, and talented students; and (3) report annually the most recent two-year trend in student achievement for students scoring in the highest 10% on the state assessments in each subject area and grade level.
 
Requires LEAs receiving school improvement funds to identify gifted and talented students and support their learning needs.
 
Authorizes LEAs to use funding under: (1) the small rural school achievement program to support gifted and talented students, and (2) the rural and low-income school program to train teachers to meet the unique learning needs of gifted and talented students.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states or institutions of higher education (IHEs) that partner with other public or private educational entities to: (1) ensure that school personnel receive the training required to ensure that gifted and talented students' achievements are commensurate with their abilities; or (2) conduct field-based research to develop innovative practices, assessment tools, and materials that address the needs of such students.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to award a competitive grant to a partnership between at least one IHE and one nonprofit organization to establish a National Research and Dissemination Center for the Education of the Gifted and Talented that researches, develops, and disseminates best practices for meeting the needs of such students.
 
Repeals the Jacob K. Javits gifted and talented students education program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2532-2533)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Colonel Charles Young Home Study Act

Bill: 112-s-858
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Historic sites and heritage areas
Military history
Ohio
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Colonel Charles Young Home Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the Colonel Charles Young Home, a National Historic Landmark in Xenia, Ohio, to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the Home as a unit of the National Park System. (Colonel Charles Young was a distinguished African-American officer in the U.S. Army, a pioneer of techniques in military intelligence, as well as a commander of troops in combat in the Spanish-American War and the Mexican expedition against Pancho Villa.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-124.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Public Agency Accountability for Sexual Harassment Act

Bill: 112-s-859
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Public contracts and procurement
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Public Agency Accountability for Sexual Harassment Act - Prohibits sexual harassment (as defined under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) by any individual who is an agent of an organization or government and who administers a program or activity from which an annual benefit of more than $5,000 is derived. Requires such organization or government to terminate its relationship with an agent who engages in sexual harassment and to disclose the terms of any settlement resulting from an act of sexual harassment by an agent. Sets forth enforcement provisions and fines for violations of this Act. 
 
Declares that states shall not be immune under the Eleventh Amendment from suit in federal court for a violation of this Act and that states waive sovereign immunity by receiving federal assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to ensure that methodologies and technologies used by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to screen for and detect the presence of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiological weapons in municipal solid waste are as effective as the methodologies and technologies used by the Bureau to screen for those materials in other items of commerce entering the United States through commercial motor vehicle transport.

Bill: 112-s-860
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Motor carriers
Nuclear weapons
Solid waste and recycling
Terrorism
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Requires the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP): (1) to report on whether the methodologies and technologies used by CBP to screen for and detect the presence of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiological weapons in municipal solid waste are as effective as those used to screen for such materials in other items of commerce entering the United States through commercial motor vehicle transport; and (2) if such waste screening measures are less effective, to report on the actions CBP will take to achieve the same level of effectiveness.
 
Bars entry of such waste into the United States if such actions are not fully implemented within a specified period following such report until such screening measures are certified to be as effective for such waste as for other items entering U.S. commerce.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2533-2534)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2533)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Comprehensive Gulf of Mexico Recovery, Restoration, and Resiliency Act

Bill: 112-s-862
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Alabama
Alternative and renewable resources
Ecology
Economic development
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Florida
Government trust funds
Gulf of Mexico
Louisiana
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Marketing and advertising
Mississippi
Oil and gas
Pollution liability
Seafood
Texas
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Comprehensive Gulf of Mexico Recovery, Restoration, and Resiliency Act - Establishes the Gulf of Mexico Recovery Council, which shall be composed of members of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.
 
Requires the Council, in coordination with the natural resource trustees designated with respect to natural resource damages relating to the Gulf oil spill in connection with the blowout and explosion of the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010, to: (1) develop the Comprehensive Gulf of Mexico Recovery Plan to restore, revitalize, and increase the resiliency of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem; (2) provide grants to local political subdivisions affected by the oil spill for activities relating to Gulf coast economic development, ecosystem restoration, and public health rehabilitation; (3) establish the Gulf of Mexico Observation System, which shall be implemented through a Gulf of Mexico Exploration Research Center, to observe, monitor, and map the Gulf in a comprehensive manner; (4) establish a Fishery Endowment to ensure the long-term sustainability of fish stocks and the recreational, commercial, and charter fishing industry in the Gulf; and (5) administer the Gulf of Mexico Recovery Fund established by this Act for activities relating to economic development, ecosystem restoration, and public rehabilitation.
 
Establishes the Citizens' Advisory Committee to report on: (1) the achievement of safe operations in the Gulf of oil and gas activities; (2) unresolved problems and concerns with operations, activities, and plans; and (3) the operations and expenditures, needs, issues, and recommendations of such Committee.
 
Establishes the Scientific Advisory Committee to: (1) provide advice to the Council regarding the science behind the Plan and the long-term monitoring and restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem; and (2) report to the Council on the science regarding the impacts to the Gulf and the Gulf coast from the oil spill; (3) the progress of restoration activities; and (4) the Plan's implementation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2536-2539)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2536)
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVI of the Social Security Act to clarify that the value of certain funeral and burial arrangements are not to be considered available resources under the supplemental security income program.

Bill: 112-s-863
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2011-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: 
Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act to provide that the value of certain funeral and burial arrangements involving an irrevocable trust whose named beneficiary is the funeral provider are not to be considered, under the SSI program, as resources available to the individual. 
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act

Bill: 112-s-864
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2011-05-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Aviation and airports
California
Military personnel and dependents
Monuments and memorials
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: 
Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act - Designates the memorial at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, as the Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial, in honor of current and former members of the armed forces who have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-28
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-214.
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-865
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2011-05-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Financial literacy
Higher education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: 
Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award formula matching grants to states or partnerships between states and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education.
 
Requires grantees to use 25% of the grant funds to: (1) develop financial literacy standards and assessments for at least three grade levels, (2) create teacher training programs to embed financial literacy or personal finance education into core academic subjects, and (3) evaluate the impact such education has on students' financial literacy.
 
Requires the remaining grant funds to be used for subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and community organizations, local businesses, or other educational entities to implement such financial literacy activities, including student assessments and teacher training. 
 
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or partnerships between IHEs and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education for activities that increase student knowledge in consumer, economic, and personal financial concepts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Reserve Retirement Deployment Credit Correction Act

Bill: 112-s-866
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2011-05-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: National Guard and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: 
Reserve Retirement Deployment Credit Correction Act - Requires the days of active duty or active service used to reduce the minimum age at which a member of the reserves may retire for non-regular (reserve) service to occur in in any two consecutive fiscal years (under current law, in the same fiscal year).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2011-05-02
text: Introduced in Senate
State Flexibility Act

Bill: 112-s-868
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2011-05-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: 
State Flexibility Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to repeal certain state Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) maintenance of effort requirements under titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act.
 
(Under &quot;maintenance of efforts&quot; a state is prohibited from having eligibility standards, methodologies, or procedures under its state Medicaid or CHIP plan that are more restrictive than those in effect on on July 1, 2008, under ARRA or on March 23, 2010, under PPACA.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Former Charleston Naval Base Land Exchange Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-869
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2011-05-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land transfers
Military facilities and property
Navigation, waterways, harbors
South Carolina

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: 
Former Charleston Naval Base Land Exchange Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to exchange specified parcels of land owned by the United States located on the former U.S. Naval Base Complex in North Charleston, South Carolina, (federal land) for specified parcels owned by the South Carolina State Ports Authority (non-federal land).
 
Requires, upon acceptance of title to the non-federal land by the Secretary: (1) the non-federal land to be added to and administered as part of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; and (2) the boundaries of the Center to be adjusted to exclude the exchanged federal land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-07-12
text: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2011-07-12
text: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Pollution Accountability Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-870
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2011-05-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Marine pollution
Oil and gas
Pollution liability
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: 
Pollution Accountability Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to subject the owner, operator, or person in charge of any vessel, onshore facility, or offshore facility from which oil or a hazardous substance is discharged in violation of such Act: (1) to a civil penalty of the higher of the currently prescribed amounts (i.e., up to $25,000 per day of violation or up to $1,000 per barrel of oil or unit of reportable quantity of hazardous substances discharged), and (2) in any case in which such violation was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct, to a civil penalty of the higher of the currently prescribed amounts (i.e., not less than $100,000, and not more than $3,000 per barrel of oil or unit of reportable quantity of hazardous substance discharged).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2623-2624)
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act

Bill: 112-s-871
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-05-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Income tax credits
Motor fuels
Sales and excise taxes
Tariffs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: 
Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to advance the termination date of the income and excise tax credits for alcohol fuel mixtures (ethanol) from December 31, 2011, to the later of June 30, 2011, or the enactment of this Act. 
 
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to allow, on or after June 30, 2011, duty-free treatment for ethyl alcohol or any mixture containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-05-03
text: Introduced in Senate