hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1245
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Afghanistan
Africa
Algeria
Asia
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Department of State
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Egypt
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Gaza Strip
Human rights
India
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Libya
Maldives
Middle East
Morocco
Nepal
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinians
Qatar
Religion
Saudi Arabia
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tajikistan
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
West Bank
Yemen

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2011 - Authorizes the President to appoint a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia within the Department of State.
 
Authorizes the Special Envoy, subject to direction by the President and the Secretary of State, to represent the United States in matters and cases relevant to religious freedom in: (1) contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations (U.N.), the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international organizations; and (2) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to religious freedom.
 
Defines &quot;countries of the Near East&quot; as Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and including the West Bank and Gaza. Defines &quot;countries of South Central Asia&quot; as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4028)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to reduce the number of non-essential new vehicles purchased and leased by the Federal Government.

Bill: 112-s-1246
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Executive agency funding and structure
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government studies and investigations
Motor vehicles
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate with the heads of federal agencies to determine costs associated with the purchase or lease of civilian and non-tactical vehicles in FY2010 and to reduce such costs by 20% by FY2012. Exempts the United States Postal Service (USPS) and vehicle purchases deemed essential for defense or security reasons from such cost reductions. 
 
Directs the Inspector General of each federal agency to review the system for monitoring the use of motor vehicles owned or leased by such agency for non-offical use.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Enumerated Powers Act

Bill: 112-s-1248
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Constitution and constitutional amendments
Legislative rules and procedure

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Enumerated Powers Act - Requires each Act of Congress, bill, resolution, conference report, or amendment to contain a concise explanation of the specific constitutional authority relied upon as the basis for enacting each portion of the measure.
 
Permits a statement of constitutionality, to the extent that a measure limits or abolishes any federal activity, spending, or power overall, to cite the 9th or the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
 
Declares that invoking one or more specified parts of the following clauses in a statement of constitutionality is not sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Act: (1) the enumerated spending clause; or (2) the commerce clause for any purpose other than the regulation of the buying and selling of goods or services, or their transportation, across boundaries with foreign nations, across state lines, or with the Indian tribes.
 
Declares that failure to comply with this requirement shall give rise to a point of order in either chamber.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act

Bill: 112-s-1249
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Firearms and explosives
Forests, forestry, trees
Government liability
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Outdoor recreation
Solid waste and recycling
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act - Amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to: (1) authorize a state to pay up to 90% of the costs of acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range; (2) authorize a state to elect to allocate 10% of a specified amount apportioned to it from the federal aid to wildlife restoration fund for such costs; (3) limit the federal share of such costs under such Act to 90%; and (4) require amounts provided for such costs under such Act to remain available for expenditure and obligation for five fiscal years.
 
Shields the United States from any civil action or claim for money damages for injury to or loss of property, personal injury, or death caused by an activity occurring at a public target range that is funded by the federal government pursuant to such Act or located on federal land, except to the extent provided under the Federal Tort Claims Act with respect to the exercise or performance of a discretionary function.

 
Urges the Chief of the Forest Service and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to cooperate with state and local authorities and other entities to carry out waste removal and other activities on any federal land used as a public target range to encourage its continued use for target practice or marksmanship training.


Legislative actions:
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: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4029-4030)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4029)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Growing Education Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals Act

Bill: 112-s-1250
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Licensing and registrations
National and community service
School administration
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Growing Education Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals Act or GREAT Teachers and Principals Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to: (1) create or approve teacher or principal preparation academies and create or designate authorizers of those academies; (2) support the creation and operation of such academies; and (3) award subgrants to nonprofit entities to establish or expand such academies, measure their effectiveness, or recruit enrollees who have demonstrated strong potential to be effective teachers or principals.
 
Requires each academy to enter into a charter with an authorizer that specifies the goals and outcomes expected of the academy and the obligations of the authorizer. Prohibits authorizers from renewing an academy's charter if it fails to produce the minimum number or percentage of effective teachers or principals specified in its charter.
 
Requires each academy to provide: (1) enrollees with a significant portion of their training through clinical preparation that partners them with successful teacher or principal mentors, and (2) certificates of completion only to graduates who demonstrate a track record of success in preparing students for college and careers.
 
Requires state grantees to recognize a certificate of completion from an academy as at least the equivalent of a master's degree in education for the purposes of teacher or principal hiring, retention, compensation, and promotion in the state.
 
Directs the Secretary to enter into an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service under which the Corporation approves national service positions for candidates at each teacher or principal preparation academy receiving financial assistance under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Women and Workforce Investment for Nontraditional Jobs

Bill: 112-s-1252
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Women's employment

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Women and Workforce Investment for Nontraditional Jobs or Women WIN Jobs - Requires the Secretary of Labor, in any fiscal year in which the total authorization of appropriations to carry out this Act exceeds $50 million, to allocate grants to states with approved state plans to provide funding to eligible entities (partnerships) to increase low-income women's participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations in which women make up less than 25% of the current workforce.
 
Authorizes states to use grants for statewide activities, including to: (1) provide technical assistance to eligible entities and to state registered apprenticeship programs and sponsors and joint apprenticeship training councils in meeting their enrollment goal for low-income women in nontraditional occupations, (2) develop policies and protocols that set goals for hiring specific percentages of women into registered apprenticeships and permanent employment openings in publicly assisted projects, and (3) engage in outreach activities and provide training to overcome stereotypes about women in nontraditional occupations as well as gender inequity among employers.
 
Authorizes the allocation of grant funds to eligible entities to support the recruitment, training, placement, and retention of low-income women in nontraditional occupations.
 
Directs the Secretary to convene a national commission to examine and make recommendations for improving the status of women in high-demand, high-wage nontraditional occupations.
 
Directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to collect data on the status of women's participation in underrepresented sectors of the economy, and examine the status of women in relation to that of men.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a national clearinghouse to collect and distribute best practices. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4287)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Border Health Security Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1257
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Arizona
Building construction
California
Canada
Cancer
Child health
Dental care
Domestic violence and child abuse
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Emergency communications systems
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Emergency planning and evacuation
Employment and training programs
Environmental health
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
International organizations and cooperation
Latin America
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Mexico
New Mexico
Nutrition and diet
Sex and reproductive health
Terrorism
Texas
Women's health
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Border Health Security Act of 2011 - Amends the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act to revise the duties of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission to include serving as an independent and objective body to both recommend and implement initiatives that solve border health issues.
 
Authorizes a member of the Commission to provide advice or recommendations to Congress concerning issues that are considered by the Commission.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Commissioners, to award grants to eligible entities to improve the health of border residents.
 
Requires the Secretary to award grants under the Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance project to eligible entities for infection disease surveillance activities in the border area.
 
Requires the Commission to: (1) prepare a binational strategic plan to guide the operations of the Commission, and (2) develop and approve an operational work plan and budget based on the strategic plan. 
 
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an evaluation of Commission activitie.
 
Requires the Secretary to enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine for a study concerning binational health infrastructure (including trauma and emergency care) and health insurance efforts. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) in establishing a health alert system that: (1) alerts clinicians and public health officials of emerging disease clusters and syndromes along the border area; and (2) is alerted to signs of health threats, disasters of mass scale, or bioterrorism along the border area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4031-4032)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4030-4031)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Trafficking Victims Enhanced Protection Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1259
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Child safety and welfare
Foreign aid and international relief
Human rights
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to prohibit the provision of peacekeeping operations assistance to governments of countries that recruit and use child soldiers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4032)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
College LIFE Act

Bill: 112-s-1260
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Financial literacy
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
College Literacy in Finance and Economics Act of 2011 or College LIFE Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education (IHEs) to provide student borrowers under the Federal Family Education Loan, Direct Loan, and Perkins Loan programs with financial literacy counseling within 45 days of their first receipt of such a loan and prior to the completion of their studies or when they leave school.
 
Requires student borrowers to receive at least four hours of counseling on each occasion.
 
Makes such counseling requirements inapplicable to borrowers of consolidation loans.
 
Requires financial literacy counseling to include information on the Financial Education Core Competencies as determined by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission.
 
Directs the Secretary of Education to develop a curriculum that IHEs may use to fulfill this Act's requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4040)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4032-4033)
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Congressional Integrity and Pension Forfeiture Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1261
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2011-06-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Members of Congress
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: 
Congressional Integrity and Pension Forfeiture Act of 2011 - Extends provisions requiring forfeiture of pension benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) to the President, Vice President, or an elected state or local government official, in addition to Members of Congress, upon conviction of a serious public corruption crime. Expands the list of such crimes that would require a pension forfeiture.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-06-22
text: Introduced in Senate
National Silver Alert Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1263
Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]
Introduced: 2011-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Aging
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Department of Justice
Emergency communications systems
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Intergovernmental relations
Law enforcement administration and funding
Public-private cooperation
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: 
National Silver Alert Act of 2011 - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish a national Silver Alert communications network within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assist regional and local search efforts for missing seniors; (2) ensure that, when feasible, the network is able to operate in coordination with the AMBER Alert communications network; and (3) designate an individual of DOJ to serve as the Silver Alert Coordinator to coordinate the network with states. Defines &quot;missing senior&quot; as any individual who is reported as missing to or by a law enforcement agency and who meets state requirements for designation as a missing senior. 

Directs the Coordinator to: (1) establish minimum standards for the issuance and dissemination of alerts issued through the network; and (2) make available to states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities network training and information.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4096)
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Veteran Voting Support Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1264
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2011-06-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Health facilities and institutions
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: 
Veteran Voting Support Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide mail voter registration application forms to each veteran who: (1) seeks to enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system at the time of such enrollment; and (2) is already enrolled in such system when there is a change in the veteran's enrollment status or when there is a change in the veteran's address. 
 
Requires the Secretary to accept completed application forms for transmittal to appropriate state election officials. Instructs that forms accepted at VA medical centers, community living centers, community-based outpatient centers, and domiciliaries be transmitted within ten days of acceptance, unless a completed form is accepted within five days before the last day for registration to vote in an election in which case the application shall be transmitted to the appropriate state election official within five days of acceptance.
 
Prohibits any information relating to registering to vote or a declination to register to vote under this Act from being used for any purpose other than voter registration. 
 
Requires each Director of a VA community living center, domiciliary, or medical center to provide assistance in voting by absentee ballot to resident veterans. Requires such assistance to include: (1) providing information relating to the opportunity to request an absentee ballot; (2) making available absentee ballot applications upon request, as well as assisting in completing such applications and ballots; and (3) working with local election administration officials to ensure the proper transmission of the applications and ballots. 
 
Directs the Secretary to permit nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information and assistance at facilities of the VA health care system. 
 
Prohibits the Secretary from banning any election administration official, whether state or local, party-affiliated or non-party affiliated, or elected or appointed, from providing voting information to veterans at any VA facility. 
 
Directs the Secretary to provide reasonable access to facilities of the VA health care system to state and local election officials for the purpose of providing nonpartisan voter registration services to individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-06-27
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-668.
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4097-4098)
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4097)
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Introduced in Senate