hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
American Jobs Matter Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1363
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2011-07-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Military procurement, research, weapons development
Public contracts and procurement
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: 
American Jobs Matter Act of 2011 - Requires an executive agency to state in a solicitation for competitive proposals that the agency may consider information that the offeror may include on the effects awarding the contract to the offeror would have on employment within the United States (jobs impact statement). Allows such statement to include a guarantee that jobs created or retained in the United States will not be moved outside the United States after award of the contract. 
 
Requires each agency to: (1) assess, annually, the accuracy of such a statement submitted by an offeror awarded a contract; (2) submit an annual report on the frequency of use of such statements in evaluating competitive proposals; and (3) track the number of jobs created or retained during the performance of a contract awarded to an offeror that submitted such a statement. Authorizes an agency to evaluate whether a contractor should be proposed for debarment if the number of jobs that the agency estimates will be created based on such statement significantly exceeds the number created or retained.
 
 Sets forth analogous provisions for defense contracts. 
 
Requires revision of the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the amendments made by this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4558)
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Social Security Benefit Protection Act

Bill: 112-s-1364
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2011-07-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: 
Social Security Benefit Protection Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to issue U.S. obligations in an amount equal to the monthly insurance benefits payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors', and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act in August 2011.
 
Exempts such obligations from the public debt limit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4558-4560)
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Military Pay Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1365
Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]
Introduced: 2011-07-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: 
Protecting Military Pay Act of 2011 - Sets forth the priority for the payment of obligations incurred by the U.S. government in the event that U.S. debt reaches the statutory limit. 
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, during any funding gap impacting the Armed Forces, to make available, out of any amounts in the general fund of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, amounts necessary to continue to provide pay and allowances (without interruption) to: (1) members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including the reserve components thereof, who perform active service; and (2) at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, such civilian personnel of the Department of Defense (DOD) who are providing support to the such Armed Forces members. Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from making any such transfers after December 31, 2011.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to broaden the special rules for certain governmental plans under section 105(j) to include plans established by political subdivisions.

Bill: 112-s-1366
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2011-07-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax exclusion
State and local government operations
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the special rule for the exclusion from gross income of amounts received by an employee from a governmental accident or health plan to include amounts paid from plans established by or on behalf of a state or political subdivision. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Prisoner Fraud Reduction Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1367
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Criminal justice information and records
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
Prisoner Fraud Reduction Act of 2011 - Requires: (1) the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the head of each state prison system, by December 1 each year, to transmit to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in electronic format certain identifying information on inmates who have been incarcerated during any portion of the three-calendar-year period ending with November 15 of the year of the report, and (2) the IRS to notify the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the head of each state prison system annually of any incarcerated individual whom the IRS has determined may have filed or facilitated the filing of a false or fraudulent federal tax return. 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose tax return information to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and to state prison systems to prevent false or fraudulent filings by prison inmates.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Restoring Access to Medication Act

Bill: 112-s-1368
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Appropriations
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax deductions
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
Restoring Access to Medication Act - Repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that limited payments for medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending arrangements to only prescription drugs or insulin.
 
Rescinds appropriated but unobligated discretionary funds determined by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to be equal to the reduction in tax revenues resulting from the repeal in this Act. Requires the Director to report to the Secretary of the Treasury and Congress the accounts and amounts identified for rescission. Exempts unobligated funds of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Social Security Administration (SSA).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4609-4610)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act

Bill: 112-s-1369
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Environmental regulatory procedures
Forests, forestry, trees
Licensing and registrations
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from requiring a permit under national pollutant discharge elimination system permitting requirements for a discharge resulting from the conduct of any silvicultural activity, such as nursery operations, site preparation, reforestation, thinning, prescribed burning, pest and fire control, harvesting operations, surface drainage, or road use, construction, and maintenance, from which there is runoff.
 
 Specifies that nothing in this Act exempts silvicultural activity from permit requirements for the discharge of dredged or fill material into navigable waters.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4610)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
After School for America's Children Act

Bill: 112-s-1370
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Child health
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Family relationships
Indian social and development programs
Language arts
Minority education
Nutrition and diet
Physical fitness and lifestyle
School administration
Science and engineering education
Special education

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
After School for America's Children Act - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before and afterschool programs to improve their academic performance.)
 
Requires the Centers to provide: (1) students with activities that are targeted to their academic needs and aligned with the instruction they receive during the school day, and (2) students' families with opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education.
 
Includes Indian tribes or organizations among the local public or private entities that are eligible for grants from states to establish the Centers.
 
Requires states to use at least 93% (currently 95%) of their allotment from the Secretary of Education to provide grants to those entities. 
 
Allows states to use up to 5% (currently, 3%) of their allotment for certain state activities.
 
Requires states to: (1) award grants to local entities that serve students who primarily attend schools that are eligible for schoolwide programs under part A of title I of the ESEA, and (2) favor applicants that propose to serve students that have not achieved proficiency in accordance with state academic achievement standards.
 
Requires states to use a rigorous peer review process in reviewing grant applications.
 
Allows states to renew a grant under part B based on the grantee's performance during the original grant period.
 
Prohibits the Secretary or states from giving funding priority to applicants that propose to use the funds to extend the regular school day.
 
Includes among the activities grants may fund: (1) core academic subject education activities, including those that allow students to recover or attain credits; (2) literacy education programs; (3) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle; (4) services for the disabled; (5) cultural programs; and (6) programs that build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and support innovative STEM teaching methods.
 
Reauthorizes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program through FY2017.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4611-4612)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act

Bill: 112-s-1371
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Rhode Island

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act - Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and increase Council membership from 21 to 23 members, including: (1) the principal Rhode Island official with marine fishery management responsibility, and (2) a member appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from a list of individuals submitted by the governor of Rhode Island.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4612)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4612)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
No Child Left Inside Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1372
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Higher education
Nutrition and diet
Outdoor recreation
Preschool education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
No Child Left Inside Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states, as a prerequisite to receiving implementation grants, to develop environmental literacy plans, approved by the Secretary of Education, for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 that include environmental education standards and teacher training.
 
Directs the Secretary to award Environmental Education Professional Development Grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to partnerships that include a local educational agency (LEA) and, permissibly, institutions of higher education (IHE), other educational entities, or federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, for activities involving, among other things, teacher training and the development of more rigorous environmental education curricula that advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, IHEs, other educational entities, federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, or park and recreation departments, for activities to improve and support environmental education that include: (1) advancing content and achievement standards, and (2) developing or disseminating innovations or model programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4613-4615)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4612-4613)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
International Tax Competitiveness Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1373
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Foreign and international corporations
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Taxation of foreign income

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
International Tax Competitiveness Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) treat foreign corporations that are managed, directly or indirectly, within the United States as domestic corporations for U.S. income tax purposes; (2) make certain royalty income and income from intangibles received from a controlled foreign corporation subject to U.S. taxation; and (3) revise the tax treatment of property other than stock (i.e., boot) received in connection with a corporate reorganization to provide that such property shall be treated as a taxable dividend.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4615-4616)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act

Bill: 112-s-1374
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Abortion
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Marketing and advertising

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate rules to prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice, a person from advertising with the intent to deceptively create the impression that: (1) such person is a provider of abortion services if such person does not provide such services, or (2) such person is not a provider of abortion services if such person does provide such services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Ending Excessive Corporate Deductions for Stock Options Act

Bill: 112-s-1375
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax deductions
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: 
Ending Excessive Corporate Deductions for Stock Options Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) limit the employer tax deduction for stock options granted to its employees to the value of such options as recorded on the employer's books at the time such options are granted; and (2) apply the $1 million limitation on the employer tax deduction for employee remuneration to stock option compensation. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4616-4620)
action_date: 2011-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to conform income calculations for purposes of eligibility for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and for Medicaid to existing Federal low-income assistance programs.

Bill: 112-s-1376
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2011-07-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax credits
Railroads
Social security and elderly assistance
Transportation employees

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of &quot;modified adjusted gross income&quot; for purposes of eligibility for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan to include in such income the portion of a taxpayer's social security and tier 1 railroad retirement benefits that are not included in gross income for income tax purposes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Corps of Engineers to take into account all available hydrologic data in conducting Missouri River basin operations.

Bill: 112-s-1377
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2011-07-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Hydrology and hydrography
Missouri River

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: 
Requires the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to take into account all available hydrologic data in conducting Missouri River basin operations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Savings Through Eligibility Fairness Act

Bill: 112-s-1378
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE]
Introduced: 2011-07-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax credits
Railroads
Social security and elderly assistance
Transportation employees

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: 
Savings Through Eligibility Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of "modified adjusted gross income" for purposes of eligibility for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan to include in such income the portion of a taxpayer's social security and tier 1 railroad retirement benefits that are not included in gross income for income tax purposes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR  S4683)
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Introduced in Senate
HALT Act

Bill: 112-s-1380
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2011-07-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Border security and unlawful immigration
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Justice
Foreign labor
Immigration status and procedures

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: 
Hinder the Administration's Legalization Temptation Act or the HALT Act - Suspends until January 21, 2013, the Attorney General's (DOJ) authority regarding: (1) waiver of inadmissibility of aliens unlawfully present in the United States; (2) cancellation of removal and adjustment of status for certain non-permanent residents; (3) parole authority, except for parole entries for humanitarian, law enforcement, or security purposes; and (4) designation of a country for temporary protected status.
 
Revises, until January 21, 2013, the definition of "unauthorized alien" (for purposes of the unauthorized employment of aliens) to eliminate the exclusion from such definition of an alien authorized to work by the Attorney General.
 
Prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) from granting deferred action or extended voluntary departure to any alien until January 21, 2013, except for humanitarian, law enforcement, or security purposes.
 
Suspends specified regulations until January 21, 2013.
 
Revokes, as of the date of enactment of this Act, any immigration benefit granted during the period beginning on July 12, 2011, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act under any authority suspended by this Act with respect to: (1) parole authority, (2) the definition of an unauthorized alien, (3) deferred action or extended voluntary departure, or (4) such specified regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-07-18
text: Introduced in Senate