hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Defense Commissary Agency to conduct a pilot program at military institutions to be closed or subject to an adverse realignment under a base closure law under which a commissary store may sell additional types of merchandise.

Bill: 112-s-1044
Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2011-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alcoholic beverages
Maine
Military facilities and property
Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: 
Requires the Defense Commissary Agency (DCA) to operate an enhanced commissary store (store) at Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Maine, and authorizes the DCA to operate a store at a military installation designated for closure or realignment under a defense base closure law. Allows such stores to sell, in addition to regularly-permitted merchandise, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and items in such other merchandise categories as the Secretary of Defense may authorize. Allows the Secretary to retain sale profits to offset the cost of store operation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3226-3227)
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1045
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2011-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accidents
Child health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Hereditary and development disorders
Surgery and anesthesia

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: 
Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group or individual health plan that covers surgical benefits to also cover outpatient and inpatient diagnosis and treatment of a congenital or developmental deformity, disease, or injury of a minor child (defined as child under the age of 22).
 
Requires that such coverage: (1) be subject to pre-authorization or pre-certification requirements of the plan or issuer, and (2) include any surgical treatment deemed by the treating physician to be medically necessary to approximate a normal appearance. Defines &quot;treatment&quot; to include reconstructive surgical procedures that are performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, burns, infection, tumors, or disease, including: (1) procedures that do not materially affect the function of the body part being treated, and (2) procedures for secondary conditions and follow-up treatment. Excludes cosmetic surgery performed to reshape normal structures of the body to improve appearance or self-esteem. 
 
Applies the provisions of this Act to grandfathered health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility Detention Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1046
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Caribbean area
Cuba
Detention of persons
Latin America
Military facilities and property
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: 
Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility Detention Act of 2011 - Requires each high-value enemy combatant captured or otherwise taken into long-term custody or detention by the United States to, while under such U.S. detention, be detained at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility (GTMO) at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
 
Defines &quot;high-value enemy combatant&quot; as an enemy combatant who: (1) is a senior member of al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or any associated terrorist group; (2) has knowledge of an imminent terrorist threat against the United States or its territories, the U.S. Armed Forces, or U.S. people, organizations, or allies; (3) has, or has had, direct involvement in planning or preparing a terrorist action against the United States or a U.S. ally or in assisting the leadership of al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or any associated terrorist group in planning or preparing such a terrorist action; or (4) would, if released from detention, constitute a clear and continuing threat to the United States or any U.S. ally.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Health Relief Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1049
Sponsor: Sen. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2011-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Small business
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: 
Small Business Health Relief Act of 2011 - Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), that: (1) impose fines on large employers (employers with more than 50 full-time employees) who fail to offer their full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential health insurance coverage; and (2) require such large employers to file a report with the Secretary of the Treasury on health insurance coverage provided to their full-time employees.
 
Repeals provision of PPACA that: (1) set limits on the annual deductible on health plans offered in the small group market, (2) allow catastrophic plans to be offered in the individual market to individuals under the age of 30, and (3) impose an annual fee on health insurance entities.
 
Deems high deductible health plans to meet essential health benefits coverage requirements if the enrollee has established a health savings account.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act, as amended by PPACA, to repeal provision that allow a premium rate variance by age in the individual or small group market.
 
Repeals restrictions on payments for medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending arrangements to prescription drugs or insulin.
 
Repeals provisions limiting annual salary reduction contributions by an employee to a health flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan to $2,500.
 
Allows a health plan to maintain its status as a grandfathered health plan regardless of any modification to the cost-sharing levels, employer contribution rates, or covered benefits. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate regulations to clarify the application of such provision. Makes this provision effective as if included in PPACA. Voids any regulations promulgated related to such provisions before enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3228-3229)
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Fourth Amendment Restoration Act

Bill: 112-s-1050
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2011-05-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Business records
Consumer credit
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Judicial review and appeals
Right of privacy
Securities
Telephone and wireless communication
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: 
Fourth Amendment Restoration Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to impose limits on roving electronic surveillance by revising specifications and adding directions required to be included in the order of a designated judge approving such surveillance, including, in cases where the facility or place at which the electronic surveillance will be directed is unknown at the time the order is issued, that the electronic surveillance be conducted only for such time as reasonable to presume that the target of the surveillance is or was reasonably proximate to the particular facility or place.
 
Amends the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 to make the following FISA provisions, subject to exceptions, read as they read on October 25, 2001 (prior to enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act on October 26, 2001): (1) effective December 31, 2013, provisions specifying the directions to be contained in orders approving electronic surveillance of a foreign power or agent of a foreign power; and (2) effective February 28, 2011, provisions authorizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to apply for orders requiring production of business records and other tangible things in investigations related to foreign intelligence and international terrorism and directing the Attorney General (AG) to annually inform Congress of such requests.
 
Directs the AG to establish minimization and destruction procedures, as specified, governing the acquisition, retention, and dissemination of any records received by the FBI: (1) in response to a national security letter issued under specified federal criminal code provisions authorizing the FBI to request telephone toll and transactional records from wire or electronic communication service providers for counterintelligence purposes, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978, or the National Security Act of 1947; or (2) pursuant to the above FISA provisions authorizing the FBI to apply for production of business records and other tangible things and directing the AG to inform Congress of such requests.
 
Sets forth provisions requiring judicial review of certain national security letters and suspicious activity reports.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 66.
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2011-05-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act

Bill: 112-s-1051
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Asia
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Congressional oversight
Human rights
Immigration status and procedures
International law and treaties
Protest and dissent
Religion
Sanctions
Vietnam
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act - Directs the President to: (1) impose financial and immigration/entry sanctions on listed nationals of Vietnam who are complicit in human rights abuses committed against nationals of Vietnam or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Vietnam; and (2) submit to Congress a publicly available list of individuals determined to be complicit in such human rights abuses.
 
Authorizes the President to waive sanctions to comply with international agreements or if in the U.S. national interest.
 
Terminates sanctions if the President certifies to Congress that the government of Vietnam has: (1) released all political prisoners; (2) ceased its practices of violence, detention, and abuse of citizens of Vietnam engaging in peaceful political activity; and (3) conducted a transparent investigation into the killings, arrest, and abuse of such political activists and prosecuted those responsible.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S.-Vietnam relationship cannot progress while the government of Vietnam's human rights record continues to deteriorate, and (2) the Secretary of State should designate Vietnam as a country of particular concern with respect to religious freedom.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
National Childhood Brain Tumor Prevention Network Act

Bill: 112-s-1052
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Cancer
Child health
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical research

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
National Childhood Brain Tumor Prevention Network Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish, administer, and coordinate within the National Center for Environmental Health a National Childhood Brain Tumor Prevention Network to: (1) provide grants for research on the causes of and risk factors associated with childhood brain tumors; (2) assemble a panel of experts to provide ongoing guidance and recommendations on research funded by the Network, including on a common study design and standard protocols; and (3) designate a central laboratory to collect, analyze, and aggregate data with respect to research funded by the Network and to make such data and analysis available to researchers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterinary Services Investment Act

Bill: 112-s-1053
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal and plant health
Education programs funding
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Medical education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
Veterinarian Services Investment Act - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a matching grant program with qualified en

tities to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services.
 
Requires a qualifying entity to carry out programs that: (1) relieve veterinarian shortage situations, (2) support private veterinary practices engaged in public health activities, or (3) support practices of veterinarians who are participating in or have successfully completed a specified service requirement.
 
Makes such grants available for: (1) assistance for establishing or expanding veterinary practices or establishing mobile veterinary facilities; (2) veterinarian, technician, and student recruitment; (3) grants to attend training programs in food safety or food animal medicine; (4) grants to establish or expand accredited education, internship, residency, and fellowship programs; (5) grants to assess veterinarian shortage situations; and (6) grants for continuing education and extension, including veterinary telemedicine and other distance-based education. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Fighting Fraud in Bankruptcy Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1054
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Bankruptcy
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Housing finance and home ownership
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
Fighting Fraud in Bankruptcy Act of 2011 - Amends federal bankruptcy law to prescribe remedies, including civil penalties, for a negligent, reckless, or fraudulent assertion of claim in a bankruptcy proceeding under either chapter 7 (liquidation) or chapter 13 (adjustment of debts of an individual with regular income). 
 
Prohibits the court, in any case involving a service member, from granting relief from an automatic stay upon request of a party in interest unless such party certifies under penalty of perjury that the requirements of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act pertaining to mortgages used as security on real or personal property have been met. 
 
Amends the federal judicial code to confer upon the U.S. trustee the duty to exercise the trustee's powers and authorities to prevent or remedy any negligent, reckless, or fraudulent assertion of a claim.
 
Requires the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees to establish specified audit procedures to determine the accuracy, veracity, and completeness of proofs of claim filed under federal bankruptcy laws.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3277-3278)
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3276-3277)
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1055
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Elementary and secondary education
Income tax credits
Science and engineering education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain full-time elementary and secondary school teachers of mathematics, science, engineering, or technology courses a refundable tax credit for 10% of their undergraduate tuition up to $1,000 in any taxable year, limited to a 10-year period. Increases such credit amount to $1,500 for teachers in schools serving disadvantaged children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act

Bill: 112-s-1057
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Income tax credits
Motor fuels
Sales and excise taxes
Tariffs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to advance the termination date of the income and excise tax credits for alcohol fuel mixtures (ethanol) from December 31, 2011, to the later of June 30, 2011, or the enactment of this Act. 
 
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to allow, on or after June 30, 2011, duty-free treatment for ethyl alcohol or any mixture containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-25
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 69.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Pharmacy Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1058
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2011-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: 
Pharmacy Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirements Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, and part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit a group or individual health plan from entering into a contract with any pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) to manage the prescription drug coverage provided under such plan or to control the costs of such coverage, unless the PBM satisfies the requirements of this Act.
 
Directs a PBM to provide at least annually a report to each plan sponsor that includes information on the number and total costs of prescriptions under the contract, payments to pharmacies, payments from pharmaceutical manufacturers, and generic drugs and brand name drugs dispensed.
 
Sets forth provisions governing the interaction between a PBM and pharmacies that contract with the PBM, including requiring a PBM to: (1) include in contracts drug pricing information and agree to provide timely updates on pricing, (2) agree to pay pharmacies promptly for clean claims, (3) not exclude qualifying pharmacies willing to accept terms and conditions of PBM, and (4) require each pharmacy to sign a contract before assuming responsibility to fill prescriptions for a PBM.
 
Prohibits a PBM from mandating or providing incentives to beneficiaries for use of a pharmacy in which the PBM has an ownership interest.
 
Sets forth limits on audits of pharmacy providers by PBM, including with respect to record keeping, appeals, and recoupment.
 
Establishes limits and notice requirements related to PBM's selling claims or utilization data.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Family Health Care Accessibility Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1059
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2011-05-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Government liability
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-25
text: 
Family Health Care Accessibility Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem a health professional volunteer providing primary health care to an individual at a community health center to be an employee of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise from providing services to patients. Sets forth conditions for such liability protection, including: (1) the service is provided to the individual at a community health center or through offsite programs or events carried out by such center; and (2) the health care practitioner does not receive any compensation for providing the service, except repayment for reasonable expenses.
 
Considers an entity as sponsoring the health care practitioner if the entity submits an application to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Secretary determines that the health care practitioner is deemed to be an employee of the Public Health Service.
 
Requires the Attorney General to submit to Congress an estimate of the amount of claims (together with related fees and expenses of witnesses) that, by reason of the actions or omissions of health professional volunteers, will be paid pursuant to this Act annually. Requires the Secretary to transfer such estimated amount from the claims fund to the appropriate accounts in the Treasury, subject to the extent of amounts in the fund.
 
Makes this Act effective on October 1, 2012. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2011-05-25
text: Introduced in Senate