hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Federal Correctional Officer Protective Equipment Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1645
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Government studies and investigations
Law enforcement officers
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
Federal Correctional Officer Protective Equipment Act of 2011 - Directs the Bureau of Prisons to conduct a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of the routine issuance of Oleoresin Capsicum spray (pepper spray) to staff. Directs the Comptroller General to report on an evaluation of such pilot program and on tools to improve officer safety in federal prisons.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Zimbabwe Sanctions Repeal Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1646
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa
Congressional oversight
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign loans and debt
Sanctions
Zimbabwe

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
Zimbabwe Sanctions Repeal Act of 2011 - Repeals the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001. (The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 prohibits U.S. support through international financial institutions for debt relief and other economic development aid to Zimbabwe until certain conditions to restore democracy and the rule of law are met.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to repeal the sunset on the reduction of capital gains rates for individuals and on the taxation of dividends of individuals at capital gain rates.

Bill: 112-s-1647
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Income tax rates
Interest, dividends, interest rates

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
Repeals the termination date in the Jobs Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 for provisions reducing individual tax rates on capital gains and dividend income.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Transportation Safety Fund Act

Bill: 112-s-1648
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government trust funds
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
Emergency Transportation Safety Fund Act - Eliminates the transportation enhancement program.
 
Establishes the Emergency Transportation Safety Fund.
 
Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to compile a prioritized list of emergency transportation projects, which will guide the allocation of Fund amounts to the states.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
United States Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculationand Restoration Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1649
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government trust funds
Postal service
Rural conditions and development
U.S. Postal Service

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
United States Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act of 2011 - Prescribes the "average pay" to be used in determining annuities for civilian employment with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for purposes of provisions relating to future benefits attributable to such employment in order to calculate the amount of any USPS surplus or supplemental liability under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). 
 
Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM): (1) within six months after enactment of this Act, to determine (or, if applicable, redetermine) the amount of such surplus or liability as of the close of the most recently ending fiscal year using the methodology required under this Act; and (2) if the result is a surplus, to transfer the surplus amount to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund within 15 days after the determination of a surplus. 
 
Provides for an alternate determination of a USPS surplus or supplemental liability for FY2016-FY2020. 
 
Requires transfer of certain surplus postal retirement contributions in FY2011 to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund or the Employees' Compensation Fund under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act. 
 
Prohibits USPS from closing any post office which is located more than 10 miles from any other post office. 
 
Expresses the intent of Congress that this Act shall apply to allocations of past, present, and future benefit liabilities between the USPS and the Treasury.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6092-6093)
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Consumer Mobile Fairness Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1652
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Contracts and agency
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
Consumer Mobile Fairness Act of 2011 - Renders invalid or unenforceable any pre-dispute arbitration agreement between an individual and a provider of commercial mobile service or mobile broadband Internet access service. Defines a &quot;pre-dispute arbitration agreement&quot; as an agreement to arbitrate a dispute that has not yet arisen at the time of the making of such agreement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-13
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-177.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
International Tourism Facilitation Act

Bill: 112-s-1653
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Asia
Brazil
China
Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
India
Latin America
Performance measurement
User charges and fees
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
International Tourism Facilitation Act - Amends the Department of State and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2005 to authorize the Secretary of State to charge consular services fees which may be deposited in the appropriate Department of State account to the extent that the amount of such fees collected during a fiscal year is greater than the amount of consular service fees deposited in the Treasury during FY2011.
 
Amends the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006 to repeal the Secretary's authority to amend consular service surcharges in support of enhanced border security that are in addition to passport and immigrant visa fees in effect on January 1, 2004. 
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Secretary to waive nonimmigrant visa interviews for up to three additional years (four years total) for individuals who previously held a U.S. visa.
 
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding nonimmigrant visa projections and plans to service such projections through 2020 in the high-growth markets of Brazil, China, and India.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Growth to Excellence Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1654
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2011-10-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Elementary and secondary education

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: 
Growth to Excellence Act of 2011 - Amends part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow states to measure student progress toward academic achievement standards using adaptive assessments that are computerized, aligned with grade-level academic content standards, and measure student growth above and below grade level.
 
Allows states, upon the Secretary of Education's approval, to adopt an alternative accountability model requiring their local educational agencies (LEAs) and public elementary and secondary schools to achieve adequate student growth toward college and career readiness standards.
 
Requires such states to: (1) adopt college and career ready academic content standards; (2) adopt college and career ready assessments that measure annual student growth in mathematics and reading or the language arts; (3) measure secondary school graduation rates; (4) assess at least two additional indicators of students' college or career readiness; and (5) require schools that do not meet adequate student growth targets to be categorized, provided with appropriate support, and subject to consequences that include intervention measures.
 
Requires an alternative accountability model to establish annual progress targets for each school that aim to reduce by half, in less than six years, the difference between the percentage of students (overall and in specified student subgroups) at the top performing schools who meet the college and career readiness standards or make adequate student growth, and the percentage of such students at each school that is not a top performing school.
 
Requires annual progress targets for secondary schools to aim to reduce by half, in less than six years, the difference between the percentage of students who graduate and 90%.
 
Describes what shall be considered adequate student growth toward college and career readiness standards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6093-6095)
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6093)
action_date: 2011-10-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Information Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1655
Sponsor: Sen. Corker, Bob [R-TN]
Introduced: 2011-10-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government information and archives
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: 
Medicare Information Act of 2011 - Amends part A of title XI of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide to each eligible individual annually a statement of Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) contributions and benefits in coordination with the annual mailing of Social Security account statements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6187-6188)
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Hardship Outlays to protect Mortgagee Equity (HOME) Act

Bill: 112-s-1656
Sponsor: Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]
Introduced: 2011-10-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Housing finance and home ownership
Income tax exclusion

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: 
Hardship Outlays to protect Mortgagee Equity (HOME) Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to withdraw amounts from their tax-exempt pension and retirement plans, without incurring the 10% penalty otherwise imposed on such withdrawals, to make mortgage payments on their principal residences.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to return unused or reclaimed funds made available for broadband awards in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to the Treasury of the United States.

Bill: 112-s-1659
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2011-10-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Appropriations
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Congressional oversight
Government lending and loan guarantees
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: 
Requires the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service or the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to terminate for cause any award (including grants and loans) made under the Broadband Initiatives Program or the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, respectively, established pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, if the Administrator or Assistant Secretary determines that cause exists (including insufficient level of performance, wasteful spending, or fraudulent spending) to terminate the award. 
 
Directs the Administrator or the Assistant Secretary to: (1) deobligate, upon terminating such an award, an amount equivalent to such award, as recoverable, less allowable costs; and (2) return to the Treasury's general fund such deobligated amounts and any award returned or disclaimed by a recipient after enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Introduced in Senate
FOCUS Act

Bill: 112-s-1661
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
 Facilitating Outstanding Classrooms Using Size Act or FOCUS Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to award formula grants to states for allocation to their local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) reduce class size, particularly in the early elementary grades, by using highly qualified teachers; and (2) create a continuum of small classes from kindergarten through third grade for all their students.
 
Permits LEAs to use such funds to recruit highly qualified teachers, test new teachers, and provide professional development that enables teachers to teach effectively in their content areas.
 
Requires 80% of an LEA's allocation to be based on its proportion of the state's low-income students, with the remainder based on its proportion of the state's enrolled students.
 
Requires LEAs that receive allocations to provide written notice to the parent of each child who is taught for two or more consecutive weeks by a substitute teacher or a teacher who is not highly qualified. 
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide for an independent evaluation of this Act's effectiveness in reducing class size and improving teaching in small classrooms; and (2) develop and maintain, through the National Center for Education Statistics, a database that accurately calculates class size for every school, school district, and state.
 
Amends the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to require the National Center for Education Research, in the Institute of Education Sciences, to develop and maintain a web-based National Clearinghouse on Class Size to inform the public regarding class size reduction research, resources, and best practices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Nanotechnology Regulatory Science Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1662
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health technology, devices, supplies
Medical research
Technology assessment

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Nanotechnology Regulatory Science Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a program for the scientific investigation of nanomaterials included or intended for inclusion in products regulated under the FFDCA to address: (1) the potential toxicology of such materials; (2) the effects of such materials on biological systems; and (3) the interaction of such materials with biological systems.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6333-6334)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6332-6333)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Travel Regional Investment Partnership Act

Bill: 112-s-1663
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Economic development
Public-private cooperation
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Travel Regional Investment Partnership Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a competitive grant program to promote domestic regional tourism growth and new domestic tourism markets. Limits grant amounts to a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $1 million. Allows such grants to be awarded to state tourism offices, local destination marketing organizations, and partnerships between a state or local government and local tourism entities. Requires matching funds from grant recipients.
 
Directs the Secretary to report annually to Congress on travel-generated expenditures, receipts, and employment related to the use of such grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Equal Justice for Our Military Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1664
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Federal appellate courts
Judicial review and appeals
Military law
Military personnel and dependents
Supreme Court

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Equal Justice for Our Military Act of 2011 - Amends the federal judicial code to allow for review by writ of certiorari of certain cases denied relief or review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
 
Declares that the time for application for such a writ shall be as prescribed by rules of the Supreme Court.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6334)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6334)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Employer Free Speech Act

Bill: 112-s-1666
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Labor-management relations
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Employer Free Speech Act - Declares that the proposed rule issued by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) entitled &quot;Notification of Employee Rights under the National Labor Relations Act" and published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2011, shall have no force or effect.
 
(The proposed rule, at 76 Fed. Reg. 54006, would require employers, including labor organizations in their capacity as employers, to post notices informing employees of their rights to bargain collectively under the National Labor Relations Act.)

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Rural Post Offices Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1668
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Postal service
Rural conditions and development
U.S. Postal Service

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Protecting Rural Post Offices Act of 2011 - Prohibits the United States Postal Service (USPS) from closing any post office which results in more than 10 miles distance (as measured on roads with year-round access) between any 2 post offices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1669
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Energy efficiency and conservation
Floods and storm protection
Hydrology and hydrography
Infrastructure development
Land use and conservation
Water quality
Water resources funding
Water storage
Water use and supply
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions of a U.S. region; and (2) give priority to owners or operators of water systems that are at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing significant negative impacts due to changing hydrologic conditions. 
 
Requires the Administrator to ensure that the list of grant applications funded include a substantial number that propose to use innovative approaches that: (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, including practices that use, enhance, or mimic the natural hydrological cycle or protect natural flows; (3) reduce stormwater runoff or flooding by protecting or enhancing natural ecosystem functions; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses, including through salinity reduction; and (6) provide multiple benefits, including to water supply enhancement or demand reduction, water quality protection or improvement, increased flood protection, and ecosystem protection or improvement. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6338-6339)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6338)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate