hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt certain requests by physicians for consultations by radiation oncologists from the limitation on certain physician referrals under Medicare.

Bill: 112-hr-4127
Sponsor: Rep. Heck, Joseph J. [R-NV-3]
Introduced: 2012-03-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Drug therapy
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exempt from the limitation on certain physician referrals any request by a physician, after a patient is admitted to a hospital, for a consultation by a radiation oncologist that results in an order for radiation therapy. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2012-03-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
Real Unemployment Calculation Act

Bill: 112-hr-4128
Sponsor: Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-52]
Introduced: 2012-03-01 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: 
Real Unemployment Calculation Act - Treats the measure of unemployment issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (known as U5) as the official and primary measure of unemployment in the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act

Bill: 112-hr-4129
Sponsor: Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2]
Introduced: 2012-03-01 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Rhode Island

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-01
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: 2012-03-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
Althea Gibson Excellence Act

Bill: 112-hr-4130
Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2012-03-01 in the House
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Athletes
Congressional tributes
Professional sports
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: 
Althea Gibson Excellence Act - Requires that arrangements be made for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Althea Gibson in recognition of her achievements in athletics and her commitment to ending racial discrimination and prejudice within the world of athletics.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-04-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
El Yunque National Forest Preservation Act

Bill: 112-hr-4131
Sponsor: Resident Commissioner Pierluisi, Pedro R. [D-PR-At Large]
Introduced: 2012-03-01 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Caribbean area
Forests, forestry, trees
Land transfers
Puerto Rico

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: 
El Yunque National Forest Preservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to acquire, by donation or purchase from willing sellers, tracts of land or interests in land not in federal ownership that are located within the established boundaries of El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico or that abut such boundaries. 
 
Provides for the adjustment of the boundary of El Yunque National Forest to include any acquired lands.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E301)
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-01
text: Introduced in House
FAST Act

Bill: 112-hr-4132
Sponsor: Rep. Stearns, Cliff [R-FL-6]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Faster Access to Specialized Treatments Act or FAST Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should apply specified accelerated approval and the fast track provisions to expedite the development and availability of treatments for serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions while maintaining appropriate safety and effectiveness standards.
 
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), at the request of the sponsor of a new drug, to include as a fast track product a new drug, either alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, that is intended for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition. 
 
Permits the Secretary to approve an application for approval of a product for a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, including a fast track product, upon a determination that the product has an effect on: (1) a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit; or (2) on a clinical endpoint, including an endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit. 
 
Directs the Secretary, in conjunction with other planned reviews of the new drug review process, to contract with an independent entity with expertise in assessing biopharmaceutical development and regulatory review programs to evaluate the FDA's application of the fast track processes on the development and availability of innovative treatments for patients suffering from serious or life-threatening conditions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify that any person who, for a commercial purpose, makes available for consumer use a machine capable of producing tobacco products, is a manufacturer of tobacco products.

Bill: 112-hr-4134
Sponsor: Rep. Black, Diane [R-TN-6]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Manufacturing
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include within the definition of "manufacturer of tobacco products," for excise tax purposes, any person who for commercial purposes makes available for consumer use a machine capable of producing tobacco products.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
Western Hemisphere Energy Security Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-4135
Sponsor: Rep. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ-6]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area
Cuba
Latin America
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Oil and gas
Sanctions
Trade restrictions
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Western Hemisphere Energy Security Act of 2012 - Permits U.S. persons (including agents and affiliates) to: (1) engage in any transaction necessary for either exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon resources or for oil spill prevention and clean-up activities from any portion of a foreign exclusive economic zone contiguous to the U.S. exclusive economic zone; (2) export without license authority all equipment necessary for such exploration, extraction, or oil spill prevention and clean-up activities; and (3) import into the United States the hydrocarbon resources and products that are extracted under this Act.
 
Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize under a general license certain travel-related transactions for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection with either exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon resources or oil spill prevention and clean-up activities in any such part of a foreign maritime exclusive economic zone contiguous to the U.S. exclusive economic zone.
 
Includes among persons authorized to travel to Cuba under this Act full-time employees, executives, agents, and consultants of oil and gas producers, distributors, shippers, and persons who engage in oil spill prevention and clean-up activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
action_date: 2012-05-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
To provide for the development of a plan to increase oil and gas production under oil and gas leases of Federal lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Defense in conjunction with a drawdown of petroleum reserves from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Bill: 112-hr-4136
Sponsor: Rep. Gardner, Cory [R-CO-4]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Energy storage, supplies, demand
General public lands matters
Oil and gas
Strategic materials and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prohibit the Secretary of Energy (DOE), except in the case of a severe energy supply interruption, from executing the first drawdown of petroleum products in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) after enactment of this Act until the Secretary has developed a plan to increase the percentage of federal lands (including submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf) under the jurisdiction of DOE, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) leased for oil and gas production by the same percentage as the percentage of petroleum in the SPR that is to be drawn down in such first and subsequent drawdowns.
 
Prohibits such plan from providing for a total increase of more than 10% in the percentage of such federal lands leased for oil and gas production.
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
Employee Educational Assistance Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-4137
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Sam [R-TX-3]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Employee Educational Assistance Act of 2012 - Renders the general terminating date (i.e., December 31, 2010) of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 inapplicable to provisions of that Act that extended the exclusion of employer-provided educational assistance from the gross income of employees (thus making such tax exclusion permanent). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium Act

Bill: 112-hr-4138
Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-9]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Health programs administration and funding
Medical research
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Neurological disorders
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that there is a need to: (1) establish and coordinate a multicenter research effort to comprehensively study the causes of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and identify potential biomarkers; and (2) encourage a collaborative effort among academic medical centers with epidemiological study groups to investigate environmental, nutritional, and genetic factors with respect to, and the pathological and epidemiological characteristics of, NMO.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in coordination with the Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, to establish, administer, and coordinate a National Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium to: (1) provide five-year grants to eligible consortia to conduct research regarding the causes of, and the risk factors and biomarkers associated with, NMO; (2) assemble a panel of experts to provide guidance and recommendations for the development of a common study design, standard methods for collecting a minimum data set from study participants, specific analytical methods for examining data, provisions for consensus review of enrolled cases, and an integrated data collection network; and (3) designate a central laboratory to collect, analyze, and aggregate data with respect to funded research and to make such data and analysis available to researchers.
 
Requires a consortium (a partnership of two or more universities, health care organizations, or government agencies, or any combination of such entities, serving a designated catchment area), to be eligible for a grant, to demonstrate that: (1) it has the capability to enroll as research participants a minimum of 25 individuals with a diagnosis of NMO from the consortium's designated catchment area, and (2) such area does not overlap with the designated catchment area of another consortium already receiving a grant under this Act. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend permanently the 100 percent exclusion of gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock.

Bill: 112-hr-4139
Sponsor: Rep. Lungren, Daniel E. [R-CA-3]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Capital gains tax
Financial services and investments
Income tax exclusion
Securities
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a permanent 100% exclusion from gross income of gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock held for more than 5 years, (2) eliminate such tax exclusion as an item of tax preference for alternative minimum tax (AMT) purposes, and (3) repeal the 28% capital gains tax rate on qualified small business stock.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
Restore the Promise GI Bill

Bill: 112-hr-4140
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT-5]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Restore the Promise GI Bill - Provides that, if an individual eligible for educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill is enrolled in an educational institution and the period of such individual's entitlement (ten years after discharge or release from active duty) would expire during a quarter or semester of enrollment, that period shall be extended to the end of that quarter or semester. Allows such an extension until the earlier of the end of the course or 12 weeks, in the case of an educational institution not regularly operated on a quarter or semester basis.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2012-03-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
International Food Assistance Improvement Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-4141
Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child health
Food assistance and relief
Foreign aid and international relief
HIV/AIDS
Nutrition and diet
Sex and reproductive health
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
International Food Assistance Improvement Act of 2012 - Amends the Food for Peace Act to direct the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to: (1) improve the nutritional quality of U.S. food assistance, particularly for groups such as pregnant and lactating mothers, children under the age of five, and beneficiaries under the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief in Africa; and (2) work within the Food Aid Consultative Group to increase coordination and oversight of food assistance programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-06-07
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2012-06-07
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2012-04-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture.
action_date: 2012-03-27
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-03-27
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
American Heroes COLA Act

Bill: 112-hr-4142
Sponsor: Rep. Runyan, Jon [R-NJ-3]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability assistance
Inflation and prices
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
American Heroes COLA Act - Requires that, whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall increase by the same percentage the amounts payable as veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-04-18
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2012-04-18
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2012-03-29
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2012-03-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
Extension of Section 420 and Retiree Life Insurance Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-4143
Sponsor: Rep. Tiberi, Patrick J. [R-OH-12]
Introduced: 2012-03-05 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Life, casualty, property insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: 
Extension of Section 420 and Retiree Life Insurance Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2021 the authority for transfers of excess pension assets of a defined benefit plan to a retiree health benefits account, and (2) allow the transfer of excess pension assets of a defined benefit plan to a retiree group term life insurance account.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-03-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Introduced in House