hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Taxpayers Right to Know Act

Bill: 112-s-1957
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-12-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: 
Taxpayers Right to Know Act - Requires the head of each federal agency in each fiscal year to: (1) identify and describe every program administered by such agency; (2) determine the total administrative expenses and expenditures for services for each program; (3) estimate the number of clients served by each program and the beneficiaries who received assistance under each program; (4) estimate the number of full-time federal and contract employees who administer each program; and (5) identify federal programs with duplicative or overlapping missions, services, and allowable uses of funds. 
 
Requires agency heads to publish on agency websites the information required by this Act, the latest performance reviews of each agency program, improper payment rates, the total amount of unspent and unobligated program funds held by the agency and grant recipients, and recommendations for consolidating duplicative programs, eliminating waste and inefficiency, and terminating lower priority, outdated, and unnecessary programs and initiatives. 
 
Expands the scope of information required in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance to include: (1) programs providing assistance to foreign nations, international organizations, and services provided or funded by agencies operating outside the United States; (2) information required by this Act; and (3) budget functions and authorization and appropriation amounts for each assistance program in the Catalog.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend the National Flood Insurance Program until May 31, 2012.

Bill: 112-s-1958
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2011-12-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance
Floods and storm protection

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: 
Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to extend the National Flood Insurance Program from September 30, 2011, through May 31, 2012.
 
Continues through May 31, 2012, the authority of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with the President's approval, to issue up to $20.725 billion in notes and obligations to finance the Program.
 Amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 to repeal the termination of such authority as of November 18, 2011.
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
 Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to extend the National Flood Insurance Program from September 30, 2011, through May 31, 2012.
 
Continues through May 31, 2012, the authority of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with the President's approval, to issue up to $20.725 billion in notes and obligations to finance the Program.
 Amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 to repeal the termination of such authority as of November 18, 2011.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-09
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-698.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S8408; text as passed Senate: CR S8408)
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S8408; text as passed Senate: CR S8408)
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Introduced in Senate
LIHEAP Protection Act

Bill: 112-s-1961
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2011-12-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Appropriations
Energy assistance for the poor and aged
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Performance measurement

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: 
LIHEAP Protection Act - Makes appropriations for FY2012 for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
 
Expresses the sense of the Senate that this Act should be implemented in a manner consistent with the Budget Control Act of 2011, and that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) should: (1) continue and expedite efforts to identify best practices used by LIHEAP grant recipients; (2) provide training and technical assistance to such grant recipients; (3) recommend policy changes, and assess and mitigate risk at governmental levels in order to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse; and (4) strengthen the Program so all funds reach the households who need them the most. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8417)
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8417)
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Startup Expansion and Investment Act

Bill: 112-s-1962
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2011-12-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Corporate finance and management
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: 
Startup Expansion and Investment Act - Amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to revise an exception to rules prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that require the annual reports of certain publicly traded securities issuers to contain: (1) an assessment of the issuer's internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting, and (2) an attestation to such assessment by each registered public accounting firm that prepares or issues an audit report for the issuer.
 
Permits an issuer to elect not to provide such an assessment and attestation if the issuer: (1) has a total market capitalization for the relevant reporting period of less than $1 billion, and (2) is not subject to the annual reporting requirement under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (Current law exempts issuers with an aggregate worldwide market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by its non-affiliates of below $75 million, as of the last business day of the issuer's most recently completed second fiscal quarter.)
 
Requires an issuer electing not to provide such assessment and attestation to disclose that decision in its next annual report. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2011-12-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Great Lakes Short Sea Shipping Enhancement Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1964
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Canada
Great Lakes
Marine and inland water transportation
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Saint Lawrence Seaway
Sales and excise taxes
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Great Lakes Short Sea Shipping Enhancement Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the harbor maintenance tax commercial cargo (other than bulk cargo) loaded or unloaded at U.S. ports in the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System. Defines the &quot;Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System&quot; as the waterway between Duluth, Minnesota, and Sept Iles, Quebec, Canada, encompassing the five Great Lakes, their connecting channels, and the Saint Lawrence River. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to reform the process for enrolling, activating, issuing, and renewing Transportation Worker Identification Credentials so that applicants are not required to visit a designated enrollment center more than once.

Bill: 112-s-1966
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Government information and archives
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Expresses the sense of Congress that it is urgent that the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) application process be reformed by the end of 2012, when many of the more than 1 million current TWIC holders will be required to renew their TWICs.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to reform the process for the enrollment, activation, issuance, and renewal of TWICs to require not more than one in-person visit to a designated enrollment center.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Physician Pathology Services Continuity Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-1967
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Tim [D-SD]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Hospital care
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Physician Pathology Services Continuity Act of 2012 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), with regard to a laboratory-furnished technical component of certain physician pathology services, to treat such component as a service for which payment shall be made to the laboratory, and not as an inpatient hospital or hospital outpatient service for which payment is made to the hospital.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program to increase accountability with respect to outcomes of transportation investments, and for other purposes.

Bill: 112-s-1968
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Economic performance and conditions
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government information and archives
Performance measurement
Regional and metropolitan planning
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish a pilot program under which the Secretary conducts case studies of states and metropolitan planning organizations that are designed to: (1) provide more detailed, in-depth analysis and data collection regarding transportation programs; and (2) apply rigorous methods of measuring and addressing the effectiveness of pilot program participants in achieving national transportation goals.
 
Requires states and metropolitan planning organizations participating in the program to work cooperatively with the Secretary to: (1) evaluate the methods and metrics they use in measuring their effectiveness in achieving national transportation goals, and (2) identify steps to improve those methods and metrics.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to provide financial assistance to program participants to assist them in these efforts.
 
Directs the Secretary, within 21 months of this Act's enactment, to analyze the pilot program case studies and develop and implement a plan for the DOT to use outcome-oriented performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of transportation programs in achieving national transportation goals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Quality Care for Moms and Babies Act

Bill: 112-s-1969
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Medicaid
Nursing
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Quality Care for Moms and Babies Act - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a maternity care quality measurement program with respect to childbearing women and newborns for voluntary use by: (1) a state in administering a state plan under SSA title XIX (Medicaid) or a state child health plan under SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP), (2) health insurance issuers and managed care entities contracting with states to administer such plans, and (3) item and service providers (including accountable care organizations).
 
Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to support: (1) the development of new state and regional maternity care quality collaboratives, (2) expanded activities of existing maternity care quality collaboratives, and (3) maternity care initiatives within established state and regional quality collaboratives that are not focused exclusively on maternity care.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish a maternity care home demonstration program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
CROWDFUND Act

Bill: 112-s-1970
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Business investment and capital
Financial services and investments
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Securities
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Capital Raising Online While Deterring Fraud and Unethical Non-Disclosure Act of 2011 or CROWDFUND Act - Amends the Securities Act of 1933 (SA) to prescribe conditions under which transactions of $1 million or less involving the offer or sale of securities by an issuer through a broker or funding portal are exempt from certain registration requirements and prohibitions relating to interstate commerce and the mails (crowdfunding exemption).
 
(Crowdfunding is a method of capital formation by which groups of people pool money, typically composed of very small individual contributions, and often via Internet platforms, to invest in a company or otherwise support an effort by others to accomplish a specific goal.)
 
 Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (SEA) to define &quot;funding portal&quot; as any person engaged in the business of effecting securities transactions for the account of others, solely pursuant to the crowdfunding exemption under this Act, that does not: (1) offer investment advice or recommendations; (2) solicit purchases, sales, or offers to buy the securities offered or displayed on its website or portal; (3) compensate employees, agents, or other third parties for such solicitation or based on the sale of securities displayed or references on its website or portal; (4) hold, manage, possess, or otherwise handle investor funds or securities; or (5) engage in other activities determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 
Amends the SA to set forth qualification requirements for such crowdfunding exemption, including those for intermediaries and issuers. 
 
Sets forth restrictions on sales of such exempt securities.
 
Amends the SEA to authorize the SEC to exempt crowdfunding investors from certain shareholder caps under the Securities Act of 1933.
 
Requires the SEC to exempt funding portals from certain registration requirements, provided that they remain subject to examination by the SEC and a national securities association.
 
Directs the SEC to review periodically the effects of this Act upon investor protection.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-482.
action_date: 2011-12-14
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-465.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Food and Drug Administration Mission Reform Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1972
Sponsor: Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 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)
Health technology, devices, supplies
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Food and Drug Administration Mission Reform Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to revise the mission of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include establishment of a regulatory system that: (1) advances medical innovation by incorporating modern scientific tools, standards, and approaches; (2) protects the public health and enables patients to access novel products while promoting economic growth, innovation, competitiveness, and job creation among the industries regulated by the FFDCA; (3) is based on the best available science; (4) allows for public participation and an open exchange of ideas; (5) promotes predictability, allows flexibility, and reduces uncertainty; (6) identifies and uses the most innovative and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory ends; (7) ensures that regulations are accessible, consistent, transparent, written in plain language, and easy to understand; (8) measures, and seeks to improve, the actual results of regulatory requirements; and (9) incorporates a patient-focused benefit-risk framework that accounts for varying degrees of risk tolerance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-1973
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Criminal justice information and records
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Department of Justice
Firearms and explosives
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Licensing and registrations
Retail and wholesale trades
Smuggling and trafficking

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2012 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or 20-year prison term on any person who: (1) knowingly provides or receives from another person two or more firearms if such person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that such transfer would violate a federal, state, or local law punishable by a prison term of more than one year (i.e., a felony); (2) makes materially false statements to a licensed firearm importer, dealer, or manufacturer relating to the purchase, receipt, or acquisition of two or more firearms; or (3) directs, promotes, or facilitates such illegal activity. 
 
Increases penalties on licensed firearms importers, dealers, or manufacturers who knowingly violate firearms restrictions under the federal criminal code, including recordkeeping requirements. Expands the authority of the Attorney General to revoke or suspend the license of a firearms dealer for failure to have secure gun storage or safety devices, for transporting armor piercing ammunition, or for violating other federal prohibitions on gun trafficking. Requires the Attorney General to identify licensed firearms dealers who have a heightened risk of firearms being diverted to criminal use.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on firearms that are lost or stolen during commercial shipping.
 
Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to hire additional personnel to enable inspections of gun dealers on a three-year cycle and requires the Director to hire additional investigators and special agents to address trafficking in firearms.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
No More IMF Bailouts Act

Bill: 112-s-1975
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2011-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Europe
European Union
Foreign loans and debt
Multilateral development programs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: 
No More IMF Bailouts Act - Amends the Bretton Woods Agreements Act to repeal authority to: (1) provide certain loans to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), including loans related to the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB); (2) increase the U.S. quota in the IMF; and (3) approve the sale of IMF gold.
 
 Prohibits U.S. loans to the IMF for assistance to any European Union (EU) member state: (1) until the ratio of the total outstanding public debt of each member state to its gross domestic product (as of the end of the most recent fiscal year of the member state ending in the preceding calendar year) is not more than 60%; or (2) for any new credit or liquidity facility, or any new special purpose vehicle, related to European financial stability.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director of the IMF to use U.S. influence to oppose any IMF financing: (1) to any EU member state until the ratio of the total outstanding public debt of each member state to its gross domestic product (as of the end of the most recent fiscal year of the member state ending in the preceding calendar year) is not more than 60%; or (2) for any new credit or liquidity facility, or any new special purpose vehicle, related to European financial stability.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should not approve legislation to implement the December 15, 2010, vote of the IMF Board of Governors to double the U.S. quota in the IMF.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate