hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1550
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2011-09-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Air quality
Aviation and airports
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Economic development
Economic performance and conditions
Energy efficiency and conservation
Executive agency funding and structure
Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Infrastructure development
Oil and gas
Public housing
Public transit
Railroads
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding
Unemployment
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: 
National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2011 - Establishes an independent National Infrastructure Bank to: (1) designate qualified transit, public housing, water, highway, bridge, aviation, freight, passenger rail, or road infrastructure projects for loans, loan guarantees, and other financial assistance; and (2) issue general purpose and project-based infrastructure bonds exempt from state and local taxation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Common Access Card Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1551
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2011-09-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Health care quality
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: 
Medicare Common Access Card Act of 2011 - Establishes a pilot program under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act in order to utilize smart card technology for Medicare beneficiary and provider identification cards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5580)
action_date: 2011-09-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide an exception to that Act for actions carried out against grizzly bears in self-defense, defense of others, or a reasonable belief of imminent danger.

Bill: 112-s-1552
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Endangered and threatened species
Mammals

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to exempt from such Act the taking of any grizzly bear by an individual in self-defense, in defense of another individual, or because of a reasonable belief of imminent danger posed by the grizzly bear to any individual.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans to Paramedics Transition Act

Bill: 112-s-1553
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Emergency medical services and trauma care
First responders and emergency personnel
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Rural conditions and development
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Veterans to Paramedics Transition Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize entities receiving rural emergency medical service training and equipment grants to use grant funds to provide required coursework and training to enable military veterans to satisfy emergency medical services personnel certification requirements, as determined by the appropriate state regulatory entity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in the State of Nevada except by express authorization of Congress, and for other purposes.

Bill: 112-s-1554
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Monuments and memorials
Nevada
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Prohibits any further extension or establishment of national parks and monuments in Nevada from being undertaken, except by express authorization of Congress. 
 
 Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from implementing, administering, or enforcing Secretarial Order No. 3310, issued on December 22, 2010, relating to the protection of wilderness characteristics on public lands under the management of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), except by express authorization of Congress. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Rigs to Reefs Habitat Protection Act

Bill: 112-s-1555
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Endangered and threatened species
Government trust funds
Gulf of Mexico
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Rigs to Reefs Habitat Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to assess each offshore oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico that is no longer useful for operations, and has become critical for a marine fisheries habitat, to: (1) determine whether there are coral populations or other protected species in the platform's vicinity, and (2) identify any species in the vicinity that have recreational or commercial value.
 
Prohibits the removal of any such platforms until the Secretary has completed each assessment.
 
Requires suspension of the decommissioning of a platform if a substantial reef ecosystem is in the vicinity until the Secretary determines that decommissioning would not harm the ecosystem.
 
Exempts from certain platform removal deadlines any lessees who: (1) commit to entering a particular platform in the artificial reef program under the National Fishing Enhancement Act of 1984, and (2) initiate discussions with applicable states regarding potential artificial reef sites.
 
Allows a lessee to provide for reefing in place under the artificial reef program.
 
Permits states with a state rig-to-reef program to enter agreements with any appropriate entities to assume liability in federal water for a structure covered by the state program.
 
Establishes a Reef Maintenance Fund. Requires the owner of a rig enrolled in the artificial reef program to: (1) maintain a rig anode system; and (2) pay into the Fund 50% of the estimated platform removal costs for which the owner would have been responsible if it had not participated in the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Accounting of Renewable Energy Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1556
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Alternative and renewable resources
Asia
Business ethics
Business investment and capital
Business records
China
Congressional oversight
Department of Energy
Energy research
Executive agency funding and structure
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Federal Accounting of Renewable Energy Act of 2011 or FARE Act of 2011 - Requires the head of each federal agency to submit to Congress an accounting for all FY2009-FY2011 financial support (including grants, loans, loan guarantees, and direct payments) made by the agency to promote the production or use of renewable energy.
 
Directs the agencies to include in such accounting: (1) a list of the projects that directly led to the production or use of renewable energy; (2) the quantity of renewable energy or products on the market as a direct result of such support and the gross sales of the recipient company during a recent fiscal year; and (3) the total quantity of financial support, the number of jobs created, and the average cost to the recipient company of each full-time job created. 
 
Requires, for each project, a full accounting of: (1) the employment, sales, and revenue targets submitted by each recipient company before receiving support and a list of the companies that substantially failed to meet targets; (2) a list of all recipient companies that received support but are no longer in operation or have moved any portion of their operations to China; and (3) a list of all venture capital firms involved in submitting the proposal for awarded support.
 
Directs the Inspector General of an agency that provided support to a company that is no longer in existence, or is unlikely to achieve substantially the purpose of the support, to conduct a preliminary investigation of the documents submitted by the company to determine whether fraud was committed in obtaining such support.
 
Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Energy (DOE) to submit to Congress a list of the recipient company executives who: (1) received financial support from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory during any of calendar years 2009-2011, and (2) had an immediate family member who was employed by the Laboratory as of the date of receipt of the financial support.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Automatic IRA Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1557
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Department of Labor
Department of the Treasury
Employee benefits and pensions
Federal preemption
Financial services and investments
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Income tax credits
Marriage and family status
Securities
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Automatic IRA Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require certain employers who do not maintain qualified retirement plans or arrangements to make available to their eligible employees a payroll deposit individual retirement account (IRA) arrangement (automatic IRA arrangement) which grants such employees the right to opt-out of participation, (2) require the Secretary of the Treasury to provide employers with a model notice for notifying employees of automatic IRS arrangements and to establish a program to assist employers in the implementation of such arrangements, (3) allow employers who do not have more than 100 employees a tax credit for costs associated with establishing an automatic IRA arrangement, (4) impose a penalty on employers who fail to provide eligible employees access to automatic IRA arrangements, and (5) increase the tax credit for small employer pension plan start-up costs. 
 
Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Labor to jointly conduct feasibility studies on extending spousal consent requirements to automatic IRAs, promoting the use of low-cost lifetime income arrangements, and using investment data to notify individuals with multiple small balance retirement accounts of consolidation options. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5625-5626)
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act

Bill: 112-s-1558
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employment taxes
Self-employed
Social security and elderly assistance
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to apply employment and self-employment taxes to remuneration up to the contribution and benefit base and to remuneration in excess of $250,000.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
San Juan Islands National Conservation Area Act

Bill: 112-s-1559
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2011-09-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Land transfers
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Washington State
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: 
San Juan Islands National Conservation Area Act - Establishes the San Juan Islands National Conservation Area in the state of Washington. 
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term management of the Conservation Area. 
 
 Requires the Secretary to manage the Conservation Area in a manner to conserve, protect, and enhance the resources of such area. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to prescribe measures for the control of nonnative invasive plants and noxious weeds within the Conservation Area. 
 
Instructs the Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribes, to ensure the protection of religious and cultural sites within the Conservation Area and to provide access to them by tribal members for traditional cultural and customary uses. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish the San Juan Islands National Conservation Area Advisory Council to advise the Secretary on the preparation and implementation of the management plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-642.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5626-5627)
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5626)
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Charitable Agricultural Research Act

Bill: 112-s-1561
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-09-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Agricultural research
Higher education
Income tax deductions
Public participation and lobbying
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: 
Charitable Agricultural Research Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a tax deduction for a charitable contribution to an agricultural research organization directly engaged in the continuous active conduct of agricultural research, and (2) make prohibitions against expenditures to influence legislation applicable to such organizations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Introduced in Senate
State and Local Law Enforcement Hatch Act Reform Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1562
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2011-09-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Law enforcement officers
Political advertising
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: 
State and Local Law Enforcement Hatch Act Reform Act of 2011 - Amends the Hatch Act to: (1) allow state and local law enforcement officers to be candidates for the office of sheriff; and (2) allow sheriffs to engage in campaign activities by attending or speaking at political campaign rallies or events, holding or sponsoring political fundraisers, or appearing on political advertisements.

Establishes a limitation period of six months after the later of the date of the alleged violation or the date of enactment of this Act for presenting charges against a law enforcement officer for Hatch Act violations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Safeguarding Disaster Funding Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1563
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2011-09-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Budget process
Disaster relief and insurance
Natural disasters

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: 
Safeguarding Disaster Funding Act of 2011- Requires the President's annual budget, submitted to Congress, to include an allowance for disaster funding of at least the average amount of disaster funding for the previous ten years, excluding the highest and lowest years. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to calculate this allowance for the President.
 
Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to redefine &ldquo;disaster relief&rdquo; to conform to the meaning of &ldquo;disaster funding&rdquo; in this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5687)
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Renewable Fuel Parity Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1564
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]
Introduced: 2011-09-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Motor fuels

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: 
Renewable Fuel Parity Act of 2011 - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the renewable fuel program to include: (1) &quot;cellulosic biofuel&quot; within the definition of "advanced biofuel,&quot; and (2) fuel derived from algae among the types of fuels eligible for consideration as advanced biofuel.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Introduced in Senate
Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act

Bill: 112-s-1566
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2011-09-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Building construction
Credit and credit markets
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
School administration

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: 
Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act - Amends part B (Public Charter Schools) of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise subpart 1 (Charter School Programs) and subsume subpart 2 (Credit Enhancement Initiatives to Assist Charter School Facility Acquisition, Construction, and Renovation) under subpart 1. (Under subpart 2 the Secretary of Education awards grants to public entities and private nonprofit entities to demonstrate innovative means of enhancing credit to finance the acquisition, construction, or renovation of charter schools.) 
 
Replaces the current charter school grant program with a program awarding competitive grants to states, authorized public chartering agencies, and local educational agencies (LEAs) and, through them, subgrants to charter school developers to open new charter schools and expand and replicate high-quality charter schools. 
 
Requires such grantees to use 10% of the grant funds to provide technical assistance to subgrantees and authorized public chartering agencies, and work with those agencies to improve the charter school authorization process.
 
Makes authorized public chartering agencies, LEAs, and charter management organizations eligible to receive competitive grants to open new charter schools and expand and replicate high-quality charter schools themselves.
 
Revises the per-pupil facilities aid program (under which the Secretary makes competitive matching grants to states to provide per-pupil financing to charter schools) to allow states to: (1) partner with organizations to provide up to 50% of the state share of funding for the program; and (2) receive more than one program grant, so long as the amount of the grant funds provided to charter schools increases with each successive grant.
 
Directs the Secretary to conduct certain national activities that include awarding competitive grants directly to charter school developers to open, replicate, and expand charter schools in states that have not received, or are nearing the end of, a grant for that purpose.
 
Reauthorizes appropriations under subpart 1 through FY2017.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-09-15
text: Introduced in Senate