hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for relief in civil actions for violations of the protections on credit extended to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents.

Bill: 112-s-3207
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2012-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Consumer credit
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: 
Provides civil relief for violations of the protections on consumer credit extended to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, including actual and punitive damages as well as equitable and declaratory relief.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3208
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2012-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Endangered and threatened species
Government trust funds
Mammals
Postal service
Reptiles
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: 
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2012 - Amends the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010 to require such stamp to be: (1) made available to the public for an additional four years; and (2) offered in a a choice of five versions depicting an African or Asian elephant, a rhinoceros, a tiger, a marine turtle, and a great ape.
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-09-14
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans' Small Business Opportunity Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3210
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Scott P. [R-MA]
Introduced: 2012-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Public contracts and procurement
Small business
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: 
Veterans' Small Business Opportunity Act of 2012 - Treats the surviving spouse of a service-disabled veteran who acquires the ownership interest in a small business of the deceased veteran as such veteran, for purposes of eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) service-disabled small business contracting goals and preferences, for a period of: (1) 10 years after the veteran's death, if such veteran was either 100% disabled or died from a service-connected disability; or (2) 3 years after such death, if the veteran was less than 100% disabled and did not die from a service-connected disability.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-06-13
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-567.
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3211
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2012-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Africa
Asia
Caribbean area
China
Cuba
Iran
Latin America
Middle East
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
North Korea
Spacecraft and satellites
Sudan
Syria
Technology transfer and commercialization
Terrorism
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: 
Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act of 2012 - Authorizes the President to determine the appropriate export controls of satellites and related items and transfer them, based on national security and foreign policy objectives, from the jurisdiction of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to the Export Administration Regulations.
 
Prohibits the transfer, directly or indirectly, of satellites or related items to, or the launch of such items in, the People's Republic of China (PRC).
 
Prohibits the transfer, directly or indirectly, of satellites or related items to: (1) North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, or any country designated by the Secretary of State as supporting international terrorism; or (2) any entity or person in or acting for or on behalf of such country, or as part of a launch vehicle owned or operated by the government of that country.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2012-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Cody Miller Initiative for Safer Prescriptions Act

Bill: 112-s-3212
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2012-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: 
Cody Miller Initiative for Safer Prescriptions Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate regulations regarding the authorship, content, format, and dissemination requirements for patient medication information (PMI) for prescription drugs.
 
Requires such regulations to require the PMI for such a drug: (1) to be scientifically accurate and to be based on the approved professional labeling and authoritative, peer-reviewed literature; and (2) to include plain language that is not promotional in tone or content. Requires that such language include: (1) the established name of the drug; (2) drug uses and clinical benefits; (3) general directions for proper use; (4) contraindications, common side effects, and the most serious risks of the drug; (5) measures patients may take to reduce the side effects and risks; (6) when a patient should contact his or her health care professional; (7) instructions not to share medications; (8) any key storage requirements; (9) recommendations relating to proper disposal of any unused portion of the drug; and (10) known clinically important interactions with other drugs and substances.
 
Requires such regulations to: (1) include standards related to performing timely updates of drug information, ensuring that common information is applied consistently and simultaneously across similar drug products and for drugs within classes of medications, and developing a process to assess the quality and effectiveness of PMI in promoting patient understanding and safe and effective use; and (2) provide for the development of a publicly accessible electronic repository for all PMI. 
 
Requires the Secretary to publish on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website a link to the Daily Med website.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Goaling Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3213
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2012-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Public contracts and procurement
Small business
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: 
 Small Business Goaling Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to raise from 23% to 25% the governmentwide prime contract award goal for participation by small business concerns and to make the governmentwide subcontract participation award goal 40% for such businesses. Revises percentage goals for awards to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small businesses, small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small businesses owned by women (small business categories).
 
Requires the small business procurement goals established by the head of each federal agency participating in federal procurement contracts to: (1) be in the same format as the goals established by the President, (2) address both prime contract and subcontract awards, and (3) meet or exceed the government-wide goals for each small business category. Requires each agency head to: (1) consult with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) in establishing agency goals, and (2) develop a plan for achieving agency goals.
 
Revises requirements concerning information required to be included in annual reports from: (1) agency heads to the Administrator concerning the extent of small business participation in that agency's procurement contracts; and (2) the Administrator to the President and Congress on whether individual agency goals were achieved, as well as reasons for any failure to achieve such goals. Requires, in the latter reports, information concerning the number and dollar amounts of prime contracts awarded to small businesses owned by an Alaska Native Corporation.
 
Requires training programs established for the development of federal senior executives to include training with respect to federal procurement requirements, including those under the Small Business Act. Requires senior executive performance appraisals to take into account the individual's success in meeting agency small business federal procurement contracting goals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
TEAM Act

Bill: 112-s-3214
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2012-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Elementary and secondary education
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Higher education
Small Business Administration
Small business
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: 
Today's Entrepreneurs are America's Mentors Act or TEAM Act - Amends the Small Business Act to establish in the Small Business Administration (SBA) an Office of Entrepreneurial Education, headed by a Director, to develop and provide innovative entrepreneurial information, education, and resources to promote prospective entrepreneurs and successful small businesses. Directs the SBA's Associate Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development to establish a program of grants to nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance to primary and secondary schools for the development and implementation of curricula and mentoring programs designed to promote entrepreneurship. Requires the Director to submit to the congressional small business committees best practices of U.S. entrepreneurial education and training programs.
 
Authorizes the SBA Administrator to award up to 100 scholarships per year to students pursuing a Masters of Business Administration degree. Requires each student, in return for such scholarship, to provide, on a full-time basis for one to two weeks, free technical assistance, counseling, and related assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
 
Directs the Administrator to establish a program to host regional competitions and a national conference to address regional challenges through entrepreneurial research and business planning.
 
Requires the Administrator to recommend to Congress legislation for establishing programs to forgive or defer student loan payments in order to assist youth entrepreneurship by making capital available for business formation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3425-3426)
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3424-3435)
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Reserve Independence Act

Bill: 112-s-3219
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2012-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Banking and financial institutions regulation
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Reserve System

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: 
 Federal Reserve Independence Act - Amends the Federal Reserve Act regarding class A membership on the board of directors of a Federal Reserve Bank to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board) to designate members from among persons who are not employed in any capacity by a stockholding bank.
 
Requires the Federal Reserve Board to designate the class B members of such board of directors (class B members represent the public).
 
Prohibits employees of any Federal Reserve Board-regulated entity from serving on the board of directors of any Reserve Bank.
 
Prohibits any employee of the Federal Reserve System or any board member of a Reserve Bank from owning stock or investing in any company regulated by the Federal Reserve Board.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to report annually to Congress to ensure implementation of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
RAISE Act

Bill: 112-s-3221
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2012-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employment discrimination and employee rights
Labor-management relations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: 
Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act or RAISE Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to declare that neither its prohibition against interference by an employer with employees' right to bargain collectively, nor the terms of a collective bargaining agreement entered into between employees and an employer after enactment of this Act, shall prohibit an employer from paying an employee higher wages, pay, or other compensation than the agreement provides for.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 411.
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Entrepreneur-in-Residence Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3222
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2012-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Public-private cooperation
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: 
Federal Entrepreneur-in-Residence Act of 2012 - Directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish an entrepreneur-in-residence program to appoint in-house entrepreneurs who have demonstrated success in working with small business concerns and entrepreneurs to: (1) assist federal agencies in improving outreach to small business concerns and entrepreneurs, (2) provide recommendations on inefficient or duplicative agency programs and on methods to improve agency efficiency, (3) facilitate meetings and forums to educate small business concerns and entrepreneurs on agency programs and initiatives, and (4) provide technical assistance or mentorship. Limits to 10 the number of entrepreneurs-in-residence that the Director may appoint in any year. Terminates such program after FY2016.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2012-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the reduction in the recognition period for built-in gains for S corporations.

Bill: 112-s-3223
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2012-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Small business
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a permanent reduction from 10 to 5 years in the recognition period for built-in gains of S corporations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Homeowners and Military Families Tax Fairness Act

Bill: 112-s-3224
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2012-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Housing finance and home ownership
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: 
Homeowners and Military Families Tax Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2015 the exclusion from gross income of income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness on a principal residence, (2) extend through 2012 the tax deduction for mortgage insurance premiums, and (3) exclude from gross income any National Mortgage Settlement amount. 
 
Defines &quot;National Mortgage Settlement amount&quot; as any amount received pursuant to the settlement in a legal action against Bank of America Corporation filed in U.S. District Court on March 12, 2012, which is: (1) a payment for transitional assistance; (2) a payment from the Borrower Payment Fund under the National Mortgage Settlement to a borrower whose home was finally sold or taken in foreclosure after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2012; or (3) a payment received as a result of a foreclosure that the Attorney General has determined was not in compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Congressional Oversight Over Trade Negotiations Act

Bill: 112-s-3225
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2012-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Trade agreements and negotiations

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: 
Congressional Oversight Over Trade Negotiations Act - Directs the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to provide access to documents, including classified materials, regarding trade agreement negotiations to which the United States is a party and policies advanced by the USTR to any Member of Congress who requests such documents as well as Member staff with proper security clearances.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3517-3518)
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Americans Giving care to Elders (AGE) Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3226
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2012-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Adult day care
Aging
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: 
Americans Giving care to Elders (AGE) Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow caregivers a tax credit for up to $6,000 of the eldercare expenses incurred for their parents (or ancestors of such parents).
 
Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to: (1) increase and extend funding for the National Family Caregiver Support Program through FY2015, and (2) establish a National Resource Center on Family Caregiving to provide information on and support for family caregiver support programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education, and Promotion Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3227
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2012-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Building construction
Department of Commerce
Executive agency funding and structure
Judicial review and appeals
Manufacturing
Marketing and advertising
Materials
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: 
Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education, and Promotion Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to issue orders applicable to manufacturers of concrete masonry products (concrete) and to concrete importers, if such imports are subject assessment under the orders. Requires any such order to provide for the establishment of a Concrete Masonry Products Board, which shall carry out a program of promotion, research, and information regarding concrete products.
 
Requires any such order to provide that assessments shall be paid by concrete manufacturers with respect to concrete manufactured and marketed in the United States. Allows any such order to provide that assessments shall be paid by concrete products importers. Provides assessment rates. Requires at least 50% of the assessments paid by a manufacturer to be used to support research, education, and promotion plans and projects in support of the geographic region of the manufacturer. Directs the Secretary, during the 60-day period preceding the proposed effective date of an order, to conduct a referendum for order approval among the manufacturers and importers required to pay assessments under the order. Outlines referendum procedures.
 
Provides for petition and review of an order, and order enforcement through U.S. district courts. Authorizes the Secretary to conduct appropriate investigations in order to administer this Act (with power of subpoena). Directs the Secretary to suspend or terminate any order or provision that obstructs or does not tend to effectuate the purposes of this Act, or that is not favored by persons voting in a referendum.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-3228
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2012-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget process
Congressional oversight

Summary:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: 
Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 - Requires the President on July 9, 2012, to submit to Congress a detailed report on the implementation of certain discretionary reductions (in security and nonsecurity categories) and nonexempt direct spending reductions in the sequestration ordered by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) for FY2013 on January 2, 2013.
 
 (The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act was amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 to revise the discretionary spending limits and reduce the discretionary appropriations and direct spending specified in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act unless a joint committee bill achieving an amount greater than $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction would be enacted by January 15, 2012.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2012-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate