hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Microfinance and Microenterprise Enhancement Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-2027
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2011-12-17 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Foreign aid and international relief
Nutrition and diet
Small business
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Women in business
Women's employment
Women's health
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: 
Microfinance and Microenterprise Enhancement Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) should expand specified microfinance programming. 
 
Directs USAID to: (1) modify the Poverty Assessment Tools so that partner organizations can use them for expanded data management purposes, (2) align household-level interventions with interventions that link the poor to expanding economic opportunities, (3) support the development of financial products adapted to the needs of enterprises, (4) support microfinance institutions and providers that are using agriculture-specific tools, (5) promote financial services to meet the needs of poor households for cash flow management and asset accumulation, and (6) support partners that provide informal savings-led and asset building approaches to microfinance. 
 
Urges USAID to: (1) consider support for small- and medium-sized enterprises as a means to improve productivity and competitiveness in key subsectors in which large numbers of poor micro-entrepreneurs participate; and (2) support organizations that link social protection programs with microfinance services, savings services, and business development services.
 
Authorizes USAID to utilize 1% of its development assistance account budget for FY2013 through FY2017 for the creation of a financial access and microenterprise innovation challenge fund that shall: (1) support cost-effective and innovative products and technologies that improve the delivery of financial services to the poor, particularly in rural locations; (2) support new microfinance and microenterprise products, services, and delivery systems that show potential to become cost-effective at large scale; and (3) help transition such methods and technologies to widespread adoption.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Invest in American Jobs Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-2028
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2011-12-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aviation and airports
Buy American requirements
Congressional oversight
Department of Transportation
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government lending and loan guarantees
Infrastructure development
Manufacturing
Metals
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
Public contracts and procurement
Public transit
Railroads
Roads and highways
Sanctions
Trade restrictions
Transportation programs funding
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: 
Invest in American Jobs Act of 2011 - Revises Buy American requirements with respect to federal-aid highways, capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail service (rail grants), and Amtrak, particularly the handling of waiver requests.
 
Revises similar Buy American requirements with respect to public transportation, particularly rolling stock. Requires the cost of rolling stock components and subcomponents produced in the United States to increase from 60% in FY2012 by 10% annual increments up to 100% for FY2016 and ensuing fiscal years. Revises waiver requirements as well to mirror those for federal-aid highways.
 
Applies the rail grant Buy American requirements under this Act to recipients of rail loans and loan guarantees with respect to railroad rehabilitation and improvement.
 
Prescribes Buy American requirements for procurement of a facility or equipment under federal aviation programs similar to those for rolling stock.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to report annually to Congress on: (1) each project for which a waiver of Buy American requirements was issued; and (2) the country of origin and product specifications for steel, iron, or manufactured goods acquired pursuant to each waiver.
 
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prescribe Buy American requirements for steel, iron, and manufactured goods used in the construction of a publicly owned wastewater treatment works.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to make funds available for the American centrifuge project research, development, and demonstration program of the Department of Energy, with an offset.

Bill: 112-s-2031
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2011-12-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Energy research
Nuclear power
Ohio
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: 
Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to make $150 million available to carry out the American centrifuge project research, development, and demonstration program of the Department of Energy (DOE).
 
Requires such sums to be derived from: (1) proceeds from the disposition of reenriched uranium from existing uranium owned by the DOE, and (2) unobligated balances of funds made available to carry out other DOE programs and activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-12-17
text: Introduced in Senate
POST Act

Bill: 112-s-2032
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2012-01-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Education programs funding
Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: 
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers Act or POST Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive at least 15% of their revenue from sources other than federal funds or become ineligible for title IV funding. (Currently, the 90/10 rule requires these schools to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV or become ineligible for title IV funding.)
 
Defines &quot;federal funds&quot; as federal financial assistance provided through a grant, contract, subsidy, loan, guarantee, insurance, or other means to a proprietary institution, including federal financial assistance that is provided to an institution on behalf of a student or to a student to attend the institution. Excludes monthly housing stipends provided under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance program from consideration as federal funds.
 
Limits what a proprietary institution may treat as revenue to the school in calculating whether it derives at least 15% of its revenue from non-federal funds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S44-45)
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Closing the Derivatives Blended Rate Loophole Act

Bill: 112-s-2033
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2012-01-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Capital gains tax
Commodities markets
Income tax rates
Securities
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: 
Closing the Derivatives Blended Rate Loophole Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat all gain or loss with respect to a section 1256 contract (i.e., any regulated futures contract, foreign currency contract, nonequity option, dealer equity option, and dealer securities future contract) as short-term capital gain or loss (currently, 60% of such gain or loss is treated as long-term capital gain or loss and is thus taxed at lower marginal rates). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S45)
action_date: 2012-01-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2034
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2012-01-24 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Arms control and nonproliferation
Chemical and biological weapons
Congressional oversight
Detention of persons
Firearms and explosives
Human rights
Middle East
Military procurement, research, weapons development
News media and reporting
Nuclear weapons
Palestinians
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Protest and dissent
Public contracts and procurement
Sanctions
Syria
Technology transfer and commercialization
Terrorism
Trade restrictions
U.S. and foreign investments
United Nations
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-24
text: 
Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012 - Directs the President to submit, and update every 180 days and as new information becomes available, the following lists to Congress: (1) Syrian government officials or persons acting on behalf of that government who are responsible for or complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against Syrian citizens or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Syria; (2) persons who knowingly transfer or facilitate the transfer of goods or technologies (weapons, surveillance technology, or sensitive technology) that are likely to be used by Syria to commit human rights abuses against the Syrian people; and (3) persons who engage in censorship that prohibits, limits, or penalizes the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression by Syrian citizens.
 
Directs the President to impose specified property and finance-related sanctions on such listed persons and make them ineligible for U.S. entry.
 
Authorizes the President to waive the listing of a person or the imposition of sanctions if in the U.S. national security interest. 
 
Prohibits the head of a federal agency from entering into or renewing a contract for the procurement of goods or services with a person (or a person owning or controlling such person) that exports sensitive technology to Syria. Authorizes the President to exempt certain products from such prohibition.
 
Defines &quot;sensitive technology&quot; as hardware, software, telecommunications equipment, or any other technology that is used to: (1) restrict the free flow of unbiased information in Syria; or (2) disrupt, monitor, or otherwise restrict the speech of the Syrian people.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2012-01-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Workforce Residential Housing Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-2035
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2012-01-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing finance and home ownership
Low- and moderate-income housing

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: 
Workforce Residential Housing Act of 2011 - Amends the National Housing Act to exempt a workforce residential housing property from the prohibition against the use of multifamily housing covered by a federally insured mortgage for transient or hotel purposes (thus authorizing such use).
 
Defines &quot;workforce residential property&quot; as multifamily housing that rents units for a minimum stay of seven days and does not provide retail hotel amenities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: Introduced in Senate
National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 112-s-2036
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2012-01-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Currency
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Professional sports

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: 
National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition of the National Baseball Hall of Fame during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2015. 
 
Directs the Secretary to hold a competition to design the common obverse of the coins, with such design being emblematic of the game of baseball. Requires the design on the common reverse side to depict a baseball similar to those used by Major League Baseball.

Requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the National Baseball Hall of Fame to help finance its operations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Budget Before Borrowing Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2040
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2012-01-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
Budget process
Legislative rules and procedure

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: 
Budget Before Borrowing Act of 2012 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in both chambers to consider any bill or joint resolution, amendment, or conference report to increase or modify the public debt limit unless a concurrent resolution on the budget has been agreed to and is in effect for the fiscal year during which such measure is being considered.
 
Permits: (1) waiver or suspension of such prohibition in either chamber only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of its Members, and (2) its successful appeal from the ruling of the Chair in the Senate only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of its Members. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2012-01-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline project and provide for environmental protection and government oversight.

Bill: 112-s-2041
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2012-01-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Canada
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Judicial review and appeals
Licensing and registrations
Montana
Nebraska
Oil and gas
Pipelines

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: 
Authorizes TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to construct, connect, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities for the import of crude oil and other hydrocarbons at the United States-Canada Border at Phillips County, Montana, in accordance with a certain application filed with the Department of State on September 19, 2008.
 
Declares that no permit pursuant to Executive Order 13337 or any other similar Executive Order regulating such activities at the U.S. border, and no additional environmental impact statement (EIS), shall be required for such Pipeline.
 
Deems a certain EIS issued by the Department of State to satisfy all requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as well as any other law requiring federal agency consultation or review regarding such cross-border facilities. 
 
Sets forth conditions governing construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of the cross-border facilities in connection with the Pipeline.
 
Deems sufficient for the purposes of this Act any route and construction, mitigation, and reclamation measures for the Pipeline in the state of Nebraska that is identified by Nebraska and submitted to the Secretary of State.
 
States that any action taken to implement this Act does not constitute a major federal action requiring an EIS under NEPA.
 
Restricts to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit any federal judicial review over actions and facilities implemented under this Act.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-02-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S366-367)
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 308.
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S165-166)
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to reinstate the reporting provision relating to fees and expenses awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions involving the United States.

Bill: 112-s-2042
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2012-01-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Government liability
Legal fees and court costs

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: 
Amends the federal judicial code to require the Attorney General to submit to Congress and make publicly available online an annual report regarding the amount of attorney's fees, expenses for expert witnesses, and other fees and expenses awarded during the preceding fiscal year to certain prevailing parties other than the United States in civil actions (other than tort cases) brought by or against the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-2043
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2012-01-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Family planning and birth control
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health promotion and preventive care
Religion

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: 
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit any guideline or regulation issued relating to the coverage of preventive health services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or any other provision of PPACA to: (1) require any individual or entity to offer, provide, or purchase coverage for a contraceptive or sterilization service, or related education or counseling, to which that individual or entity is opposed on the basis of religious belief; or (2) require any individual or entity opposed by reason of religious belief to provide coverage of a contraceptive or sterilization service or to engage in government-mandated speech regarding such a service.
 
Declares that nothing in PPACA and no regulations or guidelines issued under PPACA shall be construed to authorize the imposition of a sanction or otherwise disadvantage an individual or entity on the basis of a religiously based decision made by that individual or entity to not offer, provide, or purchase coverage for a contraceptive or sterilization service, or to engage in a government-mandated speech regarding such service.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-01-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Under Secretary for Science and Technology in the Department of Homeland Security to contract with an independent laboratory to study the health effects of backscatter x-ray machines used at airline checkpoints operated by the Transportation Security Administration and provide improved notice to airline passengers.

Bill: 112-s-2044
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2012-01-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aging
Aviation and airports
Cancer
Child health
Consumer affairs
Government studies and investigations
Medical research
Product safety and quality
Radiation
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Travel and tourism
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: 
Directs the Under Secretary for Science and Technology in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to arrange for an independent study of the effects on human health caused by the use of backscatter x-ray machines at airline checkpoints operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
 
Directs the TSA Administrator to ensure that large, readable signs or equivalent electronic displays are placed at the front of airline passenger check points where backscatter advanced imaging technology machines are used for screening to inform airline passengers that they may request undergoing alternative screening procedures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S209-210)
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Bill: 112-s-2045
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2012-01-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Federal appellate courts
Judges
Specialized courts
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: 
Requires that the principal office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) be in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC, but allows the CAVC to sit any place within the United States.
 
Requires judges in active service on the CAVC to: (1) have their official duty station at the principal office, and (2) reside within 50 miles of the District of Columbia.
 
Allows the President to remove judges violating that residency requirement who were confirmed on or after January 1, 2012.
 
Sets forth exceptions for recall-eligible retired judges.

action_date: 2012-12-13
text: 
Requires that the principal office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) be in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC, but allows the CAVC to sit any place within the United States.
 
Requires judges in active service on the CAVC to: (1) have their official duty station at the principal office; and (2) reside within 50 miles of such metropolitan area.
 
Allows the President to remove judges violating that residency requirement who were confirmed on or after January 1, 2012.
 
Sets forth exceptions for recall-eligible retired judges.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-01-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2012-12-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2012-12-17
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2012-12-14
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2012-12-13
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S8046)
action_date: 2012-12-13
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S8046)
action_date: 2012-12-13
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S8046)
action_date: 2012-12-13
text: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-12-13
text: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-06-27
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-668.
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2012-01-31
text: Introduced in Senate