hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Veterans Conservation Corps Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1262
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Army Corps of Engineers
Cemeteries and funerals
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Disaster relief and insurance
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Historic sites and heritage areas
Land use and conservation
Law enforcement officers
National and community service
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Veterans Conservation Corps Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a veterans conservation corps to assist veterans in the transition from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life and to employ veterans: (1) in conservation, resource management, and historic preservation projects on public lands; (2) in maintenance and improvement projects for cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery Administration; and (3) as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and disaster relief personnel. 
 
Requires priority to be given to the employment of veterans who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. 
 
Requires, as part of the veterans conservation corps: (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to award grants under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to hire veterans as firefighters; (2) the Attorney General to award grants under the public safety and community policing grant program (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program) under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to hire veterans as law enforcement officers; and (3) the DHS Secretary to provide funds to increase participation by veterans in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Corps program.
 
Authorizes the VA Secretary to transfer amounts to carry out the corps to the Attorney General, the Chief of Engineers, and the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, DHS, and Interior. 
 
Directs the VA Secretary to establish a steering committee to establish selection criteria for, and provide advice to the VA Secretary on, the awarding of assistance under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-19
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2013-10-30
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-280.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Douglas County Conservation Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1263
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Floods and storm protection
Forests, forestry, trees
Indian lands and resources rights
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Nevada
Outdoor recreation
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Water use and supply
Watersheds
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Douglas County Conservation Act of 2013 - Designates specified federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to be known as the Burbank Canyons Wilderness, as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. 
 
Releases BLM land in any part of the Burbank Canyon Wilderness not designated as wilderness by this Act from further study for designation as wilderness. 
 
Transfers all interest of the United States in certain land which shall be held in trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and which shall become part of the Tribe's reservation.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a cooperative management agreement for the land identified as the Cooperative Management Area in order to: (1) preserve cultural resources, (2) ensure regular access by members of the Tribe and the community across National Forest System land for cultural and religious purposes, and (3) protect recreational uses. 
 
Requires the Secretary concerned to convey certain Forest Service land (Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park) to the state of Nevada, to be used for the conservation of wildlife or natural resources or for a public park. (Defines &quot;Secretary concerned&quot; as the Secretary of Agriculture. acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, for National Forest System lands, and the Secretary of the Interior for land managed by BLM.)
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make publicly available a prospectus to solicit one or more concessionaires for the lands identified as the Round Hill Pines Resort and Zephyr Shoals. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to transfer from the Forest Service to Nevada, Douglas County (the county), or the applicable unit of local government, certain lands or interests which are unsuitable for Forest Service administration or necessary for a public purpose. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary concerned to convey or lease specified lands to the county to be managed for flood control and management, water resource infrastructure, recreation and public purposes, or forest service recreation. 
 
Directs the Secretary concerned to conduct one or more sales of specified BLM and county lands to qualified bidders. 
 
Amends the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 to specify the use of funds for federal land in Douglas County. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Clean Vehicle Corridors Act

Bill: 113-s-1264
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Commuting
Government information and archives
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Intergovernmental relations
Motor fuels
Roads and highways
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Clean Vehicle Corridors Act - Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to: (1) designate at least five Clean Vehicle Corridors along federal highways, interstates, or other contiguous highways after consulting with specified agencies; and (2) encourage the addition of cleaner alternative fuel options and other supporting infrastructure along the corridors and the inclusion of existing and private facilities in the corridor.
 
Defines &quot;cleaner alternative fuels&quot; to include: (1) compressed natural gas, (2) liquefied natural gas, (3) liquefied petroleum gas (also known as propane), (4) plug-in electric, (5) advanced biofuels, and (6) hydrogen.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to provide waivers of statutory restrictions for cleaner alternative fuel projects and vehicles along Clean Vehicle Corridors.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) maintain a publicly accessible website containing information and resources for corridors, (2) identify best practices and case studies of communities and complementary programs that have successfully promoted cleaner alternative fuel use in consultation with federal agencies, tribes, states, and Clean Cities, (3) identify all existing technical and financial mechanisms available to promote the development of cleaner alternative fuel infrastructure, and (4) collaborate with the Secretary of Energy (DOE) and all relevant Clean Vehicle Corridor stakeholders to collect data on cleaner alternative fueling station usage patterns. 
Authorizes: (1) two or more contiguous states to enter into an interstate compact to establish Clean Vehicle Corridor partnerships to facilitate planning for and siting of necessary facilities within those states; and (2) the Secretary, in consultation with the DOE Secretary, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to provide technical assistance to interstate compact partnerships.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to delay the implementation of round 2 of the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Acquisition Program for competitive acquisition areas in Tennessee, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-1265
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health technology, devices, supplies
Medicare
Public contracts and procurement
Tennessee

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to delay implementation of Round 2 of the Medicare DMEPOS (Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies) competitive acquisition program (for the furnishing to Medicare beneficiaries of competitively priced items and services) for competitive acquisition areas in Tennessee.
 
Terminates contracts already awarded with respect to such areas in Tennessee, and prohibits any payments based on such a contract. Requires any damages resulting from contract terminations to be paid from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a rebid of the competition for such round in such areas as soon as possible in accordance with the requirements of this Act, including the requirement that suppliers meet state licensing requirements.
 
Requires the Secretary, in the case of any such new competition, to impose a civil monetary penalty of $10,000 on the entity contracted to implement the competitive bidding program for each instance in which information that entity supplies is incorrect and results in the award of a contract to a supplier in such an area to a supplier not licensed by the state of Tennessee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Refinancing Education Funding to Invest (REFI) for the Future Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1266
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Refinancing Education Funding to Invest (REFI) for the Future Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, upon determining that borrowers are unable to secure adequate credit accommodations with existing private education loans, to establish credit facilities to: (1) accommodate reasonable loan adjustments that reduce the likelihood that borrowers become delinquent or default on their loans, (2) benefit borrowers that are most likely to have private student debt service obligations that represent a disproportionate share of their income, and (3) ensure that borrowers pay lower interest rates that are commensurate with credit risk so that they can pursue more economically productive activities.
 
Requires the decision that borrowers are unable to secure adequate credit accommodations to be made by the Secretary jointly with the Secretary of Education and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB).
 
Prohibits the establishment of such credit mechanisms from resulting in any net cost to the federal government.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a national awareness campaign to alert all private education loan borrowers who may benefit from those credit facilities or programs.
 
Terminates any activities initiated through such a credit facility three years after such facility is established or not later than five years after this Act's enactment.
 
Expresses the sense of the Congress that federal financial institutions and federally chartered private entities should consider the timely use of their available authorities to assist borrowers of private education loans in refinancing such loans in a manner that results in no increased costs to taxpayers.
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Qualifying Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1267
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Income tax credits
Manufacturing
Materials

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Qualifying Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business-related tax credit for the production of renewable chemicals. 
 
Defines "renewable chemical" as any chemical that is: (1) produced in the United States from renewable biomass; (2) sold or used by the taxpayer as polymers, plastics, or formulated products or for the production of polymers, plastics, or formulated products; and (3) not sold or used for the production of any food, feed, or fuel. Exempts certain chemicals, including those with a biobased content of less than 25%.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a five-year program to allocate credit amounts. Limits the total amount of allocable credits under such program to $500 million, with a limit of $25 million to any taxpayer in any taxable year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to approve an agreement between the United States and the Republic of Palau.

Bill: 113-s-1268
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2013-06-27 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign labor
Infrastructure development
International law and treaties
Palau
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: 
Approves, with specified exceptions, the agreement and appendices signed by the United States and the Republic of Palau on September 3, 2010, in connection with the Compact of Free Association between the United States and Palau.
 
Provides that, if Palau withdraws more than $5 million from the trust fund set up by the Compact in any of FY2011-FY2014, certain amounts will be withheld from Palau until it reimburses the fund for the total amounts withdrawn that exceeded $5 million in any of those fiscal years. 
 
Authorizes appropriations to: (1) subsidize postal services to Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia for FY2014-FY2024, and (2) carry out specified federal responsibilities under the Compact.
 
Repeals specified offset requirements.
 
Provides funding through FY2023 for: (1) the trust fund, and (2) economic assistance.
 
 Provides funding through FY2024 to create an Infrastructure Maintenance Fund for routine and periodic maintenance of major capital improvement projects. (Requires Palau to provide specified quarterly amounts for the Fund.)
 
Provides funding through FY2016 for infrastructure projects.
 
Revises passport requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-07-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-177.
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5505-5506)
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5504-5505)
action_date: 2013-06-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Community College to Career Fund Act

Bill: 113-s-1269
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2013-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Economic development
Education programs funding
Employee hiring
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Labor-management relations
Performance measurement
Small business
State and local finance
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-08
text: 
Community College to Career Fund Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to: (1) institutions of higher education for educational or career training programs (including those leading to a recognized postsecondary credential) for workers, (2) state or local organizations in partnership with community colleges and other training providers for pay-for-performance projects and pay-for-success job training projects, (3) state or local governments to provide job training or recruiting activities necessary to provide skilled workers for businesses that have relocated or are considering relocating operations outside the United States but may instead relocate them to or remain in areas served by those governments, and (4) institutions of higher education in partnership with local or regional economic development entities to provide training in starting a small business and entrepreneurship.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-07-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5528)
action_date: 2013-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Exchange Sunset Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1272
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2013-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Comprehensive health care
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: 
Exchange Sunset Act of 2013 - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to make inapplicable provisions concerning Health Benefit Exchanges if one or more Exchanges fail to accept applications for enrollment in qualified health plans beginning on October 1, 2013.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate the requirement that individuals maintain minimum essential coverage upon such a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
FAIR Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1273
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2013-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alabama
Alaska
Alternative and renewable resources
Energy revenues and royalties
Government trust funds
Gulf of Mexico
Land use and conservation
Louisiana
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mississippi
Oil and gas
Outdoor recreation
State and local finance
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: 
Fixing America's Inequities with Revenues Act of 2013 or FAIR Act of 2013 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to deposit into a special account in the Treasury 37.5% of all revenues payable to the United States from oil, natural gas, and alternative and renewable energy on the outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
 
 Instructs the Secretary to disburse such revenues (with certain exceptions) according to this formula: (1) 27.5% of such revenues to coastal states and coastal political subdivisions, and (2) 10% of the revenues to coastal states that establish funds in their treasuries to support projects relating to alternative or renewable energy, energy research and development, energy efficiency, or conservation.
 
Prescribes requirements for allocating such revenues to coastal states and their coastal subdivisions, with a special rule for Alaska. Limits the allocable share of each coastal state to the revenues collected from a leased tract located no more than 200 nautical miles from the coastline of the state and within the state's OCS region.
 
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to disburse 50% of all revenues derived from all rentals, operating fees, royalties, bonus bids, rights-of-way, and other amounts payable to the United States from the development of alternative or renewable onshore energy sources to the state within whose boundaries the energy source is located.
 
Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to: (1) redefine qualified OCS revenues, (2) prescribe requirements for the disposition of qualified OCS revenues into a special account in the Treasury, and (3) revise the formula for allocating federal funds among the Gulf producing states. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-122.
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend assistance to certain private nonprofit facilities following a disaster, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-1274
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2013-07-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Community life and organization
Disaster relief and insurance
Religion
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: 
Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include community centers and houses of worship as &quot;private nonprofit facilities&quot; that provide essential services of a governmental nature to the general public for purposes of disaster relief and emergency assistance eligibility under such Act.
 
Makes a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other house of worship and an otherwise eligible private nonprofit facility operated by a religious organization eligible for federal contributions for the repair, restoration, and replacement of facilities damaged or destroyed by a major disaster, without regard to the religious character of the facility or the primary religious use of the facility. Requires that, in spaces used primarily for religious worship services, such contributions only be used to cover costs of purchasing or replacing, without limitation, the building structure, building enclosure components, building envelope, vertical and horizontal circulation, physical plant support spaces, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems (including heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and fire and life safety systems), and related site improvements. 
 
Makes this Act applicable to the provision of assistance in response to a major disaster or emergency declared on or after October 28, 2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2013-07-10
text: Introduced in Senate