hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Fisheries Fee Fairness Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1304
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2011-06-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Legal fees and court costs
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: 
Fisheries Fee Fairness Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, using sums received as fines, penalties, and forfeitures of property for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act or other fishery resource laws enforced by the Secretary, to reimburse certain legal fees and costs to a person applying for reimbursement that: (1) the Secretary directed to be remitted a fisheries enforcement penalty in the Secretarial Decision Memorandum issued by the Secretary on May 17, 2011, entitled Decisions regarding Certain NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Cases Based on Special Master Swartwood's Report and Recommendations; or (2) received a Notice of Violation and Assessment for a fisheries enforcement penalty issued on or after March 17, 1994, that was settled or otherwise resolved prior to February 3, 2010, paid a civil penalty, submitted a complaint seeking remittance prior to May 7, 2011, and was directed by the Secretary to receive at least a portion of such remittance.
 
Directs the Secretary to make a final determination on whether to provide a reimbursement within 90 days after receiving such an application.
 
Prohibits providing more than $200,000 to such a person for appropriate legal fees and costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4234-4235)
action_date: 2011-06-29
text: Introduced in Senate
No Firearms for Foreign Felons Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1305
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Domestic violence and child abuse
Firearms and explosives

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
No Firearms for Foreign Felons Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to prevent any individual convicted of a felony or crime of domestic violence in a foreign court from possessing a firearm in the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4294)
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4293-4294)
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Secondary School Reform Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1306
Sponsor: Sen. Hagan, Kay R. [D-NC]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Secondary School Reform Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, matching, five-year grants to high-need local educational agencies that partner with public or private nonprofit organizations to assist schools in implementing innovative secondary school reform strategies.
 
Requires grantees to use up to 25% of their grant funds to: (1) implement an early warning indicator and intervention system to identify and assist struggling middle and secondary school students; (2) provide support and credit recovery opportunities for struggling secondary school students; (3) establish secondary school dropout recovery or reentry programs; (4) establish grade and school transition programs and supports from kindergarten through high school graduation; and (5) keep school staff, students, and families apprised of certain education requirements, processes, and opportunities.
 
Requires grantees to use at least 75% of their grant funds on certain efforts to: (1) reform secondary schools that have a graduation rate below 75% and they identify as needing improvement, and (2) improve the academic performance of students who attend middle schools that feed a majority of their students to those secondary schools.
 
Requires those secondary school reforms to include: (1) personalized learning environments attuned to the needs of each student; (2) student engagement through service, experiential, and work-based learning; (3) flexible budget and hiring authority for school leaders; (4) training and collaborative opportunities for school staff; (5) improved curriculum and instruction; (6) an individual graduation plan for each student; and (7) Graduation Promise Academies, Career Academies, or Early College Schools which represent specified strategies that have proven effective in preparing students for graduation, college, and a career.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1308
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Business records
Crimes against children
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Evidence and witnesses
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Pornography
Sex offenses

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly conducting in interstate or foreign commerce a financial transaction that will facilitate access to, or the possession of, child pornography. Exempts a financial transaction conducted by a person in cooperation with, or with the consent of, a law enforcement agency.
 
Adds as predicate offenses to the money laundering statute provisions regarding: (1) such financial facilitation of access to child pornography, (2) obscene visual representation of the abuse of children, and (3) a felony by a registered sex offender involving a minor.
 
Requires a provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service to retain for at least 18 months a log of the temporarily assigned network addresses the service assigns to each subscriber account unless that address is transmitted by radio communication. Bars any cause of action against a provider for retaining records as required. Makes a good faith reliance on the requirement to retain records a complete defense to a civil action. Expresses the sense of Congress that such records should be stored securely to protect customer privacy and prevent breaches of the records. 
 
Allows the issuance of an administrative subpoena for the investigation of unregistered sex offenders by the United States Marshals Service.
 
Requires a U.S. district court to issue a protective order prohibiting harassment or intimidation of a minor victim or witness if the court finds evidence that the conduct at issue is reasonably likely to adversely affect the willingness of the minor witness or victim to testify or otherwise participate in a federal criminal case or investigation.
 
Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure that such guidelines provide an additional penalty for sex trafficking of children and other child abuse crimes.
 
Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to 20 years for the possession of pornographic images of a child under the age of 12.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4294)
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Equity and Access for Podiatric Physicians Under Medicaid Act

Bill: 112-s-1309
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Medicaid
Musculoskeletal and skin diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Equity and Access for Podiatric Physicians Under Medicaid Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Dietary Supplement Labeling Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1310
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child health
Department of Health and Human Services
Food industry and services
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Licensing and registrations
Marketing and advertising
Nutrition and diet
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Dietary Supplement Labeling Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to expand the registration requirements for a dietary supplement manufacturing facility to: (1) require the submission of a description, ingredient list, and label and labeling for each dietary supplement product manufactured; and (2) require a manufacturer to update its registration for new, reformulated, or discontinued products within 30 days.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to compile a list of dietary supplement ingredients and proprietary blends of ingredients that the Secretary determines could cause potentially serious adverse events, drug interactions, contraindications, or potential risks to subgroups such as children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. 
 
Directs the Secretary to enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to: (1) evaluate the safety of dietary supplement ingredients and proprietary blends of ingredients that the Institute determines could cause potentially serious adverse events, drug interactions, contraindications, or potential risks to subgroups; and (2) identify proprietary blends of ingredients for which the weight per serving of the ingredient in the proprietary blend should be provided on the label. 
 
Deems a dietary supplement that does not meet the requirements of this Act to be misbranded.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish a definition for the term &ldquo;conventional food&rdquo; for purposes of the FFDCA, taking in account foods marketed as dietary supplements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4294-4295)
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Improving Student Achievement and Engagement through Expanded Learning Time Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1311
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Performance measurement
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Improving Student Achievement and Engagement through Expanded Learning Time Act of 2011 - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
 
Requires states to use at least 95% of the grant allotted to them under part B to award subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs), nonprofit organizations, or partnerships between LEAs and nonprofit organizations or local governmental entities.
 
Creates two types of subgrants: (1) one-year planning subgrants for use in developing and implementing expanded learning time programs as part of a community learning center; and (2) renewable, multi-year implementation subgrants for use in creating expanded learning time, before and after school, summer enrichment, or summer school programs as part of a community learning center.
 
Defines an &quot;expanded learning time program&quot; as a program that: (1) applies to all students in a school; (2) increases total school hours by at least 300 hours through an expanded school day, week, or year schedule; and (3) provides additional time for instruction in core academic subjects and additional time for school staff to collaborate, plan, and engage in professional development across grades and subjects.
 
Establishes specified community learning center performance indicators to assess success in creating additional learning time and improving student achievement.
 
Reauthorizes appropriations for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program for FY2012-FY2017.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Asset Forfeiture Responsibility Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1312
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Scott P. [R-MA]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Legal fees and court costs
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Asset Forfeiture Responsibility Act of 2011 - Establishes the Fisheries Investment Fund as a separate account in the general fund of the Treasury where all sums received by the United States as fines, penalties, and forfeitures of property for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) or any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) shall be deposited and remain available until expended.
 
Directs that fees deposited in the Fund be used to: (1) reimburse reasonable attorneys' fees to a person that the Secretary has directed to be remitted a fisheries enforcement penalty as recommended in the report of Special Master Swartwood or a person that submitted a complaint to the Special Master prior to May 7, 2011, seeking remittance of a fisheries enforcement penalty and whom the Secretary directs to receive at least a portion of such remittance; and (2) conduct Fund audits and specified enforcement and monitoring activities under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act amended by this Act.
 
Authorizes the Secretary, during FY2012-FY2013, to reimburse reasonable attorneys' fees to such a person. Directs a person to apply for such reimbursement within 60 days after the Secretary directs a fisheries enforcement penalty be remitted to that person.
 
Allows the Secretary to pay from sums appropriated from the Fund for monitoring activities selected by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, including at-sea observers and shoreside monitoring, preparing fishery impact statements, and other priorities established by a Council as necessary to rebuild or maintain sustainable fisheries, ensure healthy ecosystems, and maintain fishing communities.
 
Removes a provision allowing expenses directly related to investigations and civil or criminal enforcement proceedings, including related expenses necessary for equipment, training, travel, witnesses, and contracting services, to be paid from sums received as fines, penalties, and forfeitures of property for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any other fishery resource law enforced by the Secretary. Authorizes certain other costs and enforcement expenses to be paid from sums appropriated from the Fund. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4295-4296)
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Labor to establish minimum funding levels for States for the support of disabled veterans' outreach program specialists and local veterans' employment representatives, and for other purposes.

Bill: 112-s-1314
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Employment and training programs
Rural conditions and development
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish minimum funding levels for specified veterans' benefits contracts and grants to ensure that each state receives sufficient funding to support at least one disabled veterans' outreach program specialist and one local veterans' employment representative per 5,000 square miles of service delivery area within the state.
 
Allows the Secretary, in establishing such minimum levels, to establish hold-harmless criteria for states and exclude consideration of counties with a population density of less than one person per square mile. 
 
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the needs of veterans residing in an area consisting of a county or counties with fewer than seven persons per square mile.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-06-13
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-567.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Fire Police Fairness Act

Bill: 112-s-1315
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Fires
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Law enforcement officers

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Fire Police Fairness Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include a fire police officer as a public safety officer for purposes of death benefits provisions. Defines a &quot;fire police officer&quot; as an individual who: (1) is serving in accordance with state or local law as a member of a legally organized public safety agency but is not a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, a chaplain, or a member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew; and (2) is officially deployed to provide scene security or directs traffic in response to any fire, rescue, or police emergency or at a planned special event.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
One Percent Spending Reduction Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1316
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
House of Representatives
Legislative rules and procedure
Senate

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
One Percent Spending Reduction Act of 2011 - Amends the Balance Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to establish the aggregate outlay (outlay cap) (less net interest payments) for FY2012 at $3.382 billion, less 1%.
 
Reduces each outlay cap for FY2013-FY2017 by 1% of the previous fiscal year's outlay cap.
 
Requires the outlay cap for FY2018 and each subsequent fiscal year to be 18% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for that fiscal year as estimated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
 
Prohibits the outlay caps from being less than those for the preceding fiscal year for FY2019 and any ensuing fiscal year.
 
Requires a sequestration by OMB within 45 days after the beginning of a fiscal year to eliminate any excess outlay amount.
 
Prescribes requirements for Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and OMB sequestration preview reports and an OMB final sequestration report, accompanied by a presidential order detailing uniform spending reductions equal to the excess outlay amount.
 
Requires the House and the Senate budget committees to report a resolution directing the committees of their respective chambers to change existing law to achieve the spending reductions outlined in the OMB August 20 report to meet the outlay limits, if a sequestration is projected.
 
States that if, after November 14, a bill resulting in outlays for the current fiscal year is enacted that causes excess outlays, the excess outlays for the next fiscal year shall be increased by the amount or amounts of that breach.
 
Repeals provisions of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act terminating Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) enforcement mechanisms under such Act.
 
Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in both chambers to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that includes any provision that would cause the most recently reported, current outlay limits in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to be exceeded. Prescribes procedures for waiver or suspension of this rule. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Retirement Freedom Act

Bill: 112-s-1317
Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Retirement Freedom Act - Allows any individual who is otherwise entitled to benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to elect to opt out of such entitlement.
 
Allows an individual who has opted out of Medicare to opt back in without penalty.
 
Prohibits any requirement to opt out of SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) as a condition for opting out of Medicare.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read twice. Ordered Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 92.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Supporting Adoptive Families Act

Bill: 112-s-1318
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2011-06-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Adoption and foster care
Advisory bodies
Child health
Department of Health and Human Services
Government information and archives
Health programs administration and funding
Mental health
Poverty and welfare assistance
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: 
Supporting Adoptive Families Act - Amends part B (Child and Family Services) of title IV of the Social Security Act to make it a purpose of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program to promote efforts to prevent children from entering the foster care system through the provision of pre- and post-adoptive support services.
 
Extends adoption promotion and support services to those designed to support adoptions from other countries as well as domestic adoptions. Specifies related pre- and post-adoptive support services. 
 
Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) to revise requirements for state expenditures for adoption support services.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to develop and implement state-sponsored statewide or tribal post-adoption mental health service programs for all adopted children. 
 
Amends SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) to direct the Secretary, as part of the child support and paternity data collection system, to promulgate final regulations requiring the states to collect and report information regarding children adopted within the United States or from other countries who enter into state custody as a result of the disruption of a placement for adoption or the dissolution of an adoption. 
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Introduced in Senate