hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Government Settlement Transparency and Reform Act

Bill: 113-s-1654
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2013-11-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business expenses
Civil actions and liability
Commodities markets
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Income tax deductions
Securities
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-05
text: 
Government Settlement Transparency and Reform Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand provisions relating to the nondeductibility of fines and penalties, to prohibit a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred to any governmental entity relating to the violation of any law or the investigation or inquiry into a potential violation of law. Exempts from such prohibition: (1) restitution or amounts paid to come into compliance with any law that was violated or otherwise involved in the investigation or inquiry, (2) amounts paid pursuant to a court order in a suit in which the governmental entity was not a party, and (3) amounts paid or incurred as taxes due. Imposes new reporting requirements on governmental entities relating to amounts paid as fines or for restitution. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-11-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7831)
action_date: 2013-11-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Provider Tax Administrative Simplification Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1655
Sponsor: Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Introduced: 2013-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Department of Health and Human Services
Housing for the elderly and disabled
Intergovernmental relations
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
State and local taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: 
Provider Tax Administrative Simplification Act of 2013 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to approve a waiver of the uniform tax requirement (whether or not the tax is broad based), regardless of whether the state concerned satisfies certain requirements, for any state with a provider tax that does not apply to continuing care retirement communities or life care communities that: (1) have no beds certified to provide medical assistance under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, or (2) do not provide services for which Medicaid payment may be made. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Children's Consignment Event Recognition Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1656
Sponsor: Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Introduced: 2013-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Labor standards
Retail and wholesale trades
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: 
Children's Consignment Event Recognition Act of 2013 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exclude from the meaning of &quot;employee&quot; subject to minimum wage and maximum hours requirements any individuals who volunteer their services at a children's consignment event with or without the assistance of a facilitator and meet certain other conditions.
 
Defines &quot;children's consignment event&quot; to mean a sale or other event in which: (1) at least 90% of the aggregate fair market value of items offered for sale are children's or maternity clothing, and resale items are offered for sale on consignment; and (2) the event is held open to the public in a single location for the sale of goods for 8 or fewer sale days within any 30-day period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Start-up Jobs and Innovation Act

Bill: 113-s-1658
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2013-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Business investment and capital
Capital gains tax
Computers and information technology
Corporate finance and management
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Inflation and prices
Research and development
Securities
Small business
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: 
Start-up Jobs and Innovation Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the increase to $500,000 of the expensing allowance for business assets, including computer software, and the treatment of qualified real property as depreciable business property; (2) make permanent the 100% exclusion from gross income of gain from the sale or exchange of small business stock; (3) increase and equalize the tax deduction for business start-up expenses and organizational expenditures; (4) increase from $5 million to $10 million the gross receipt test used to determine the eligibility of small businesses to use simplified cash accounting and inventory rules; and (5) exempt from passive loss rules any research activity carried on by a high technology research small business pass-thru entity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
POST Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1659
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2013-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Education programs funding
Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: 
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers Act of 2013 or the POST Act of 2013 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive at least 15% of their revenue from sources other than federal funds or become ineligible for title IV funding. (Currently, the 90/10 rule requires these schools to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV or become ineligible for title IV funding.)
 
Defines &quot;federal funds&quot; as federal financial assistance provided through a grant, contract, subsidy, loan, guarantee, insurance, or other means to a proprietary institution, including federal financial assistance that is provided to an institution on behalf of a student or to a student to attend the institution. Excludes monthly housing stipends provided under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance program from consideration as federal funds.
 
Limits what a proprietary institution may treat as revenue to the school in calculating whether it derives at least 15% of its revenue from non-federal funds.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7912-7913)
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7878-7879)
action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of State to offer rewards of up to $5,000,000 for information regarding the attacks on the United States diplomatic mission at Benghazi, Libya that began on September 11, 2012.

Bill: 113-s-1661
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Libya
Middle East
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Directs the Secretary of State to offer a reward of not more than $5 million to individuals who furnish information: (1) regarding the attacks on the U.S. diplomatic mission at Benghazi, Libya, that began on September 11, 2012; or (2) leading to the capture of an individual who committed, conspired or attempted to commit, or aided in the commission of such attacks.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-12
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 242.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1662
Sponsor: Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Health care quality
Home and outpatient care
Public contracts and procurement
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) submit to Congress a plan to introduce pay-for-performance mechanisms into contracts which compensate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contractors for the provision of veterans' health care services through community-based outpatient clinics (clinics), (2) commence plan implementation within 60 days after submission, and (3) report semiannually to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of utilizing such mechanisms in the provision of VA health care services by means in addition to such clinics. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7929)
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Write the Laws Act

Bill: 113-s-1663
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Congressional-executive branch relations
Constitution and constitutional amendments
Legislative rules and procedure
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Write the Laws Act - Prohibits an Act of Congress from containing any delegation of legislative powers, whether to: (1) any component within the legislative branch, (2) the President or any other member of the executive branch, (3) the judicial branch, (4) any agency, (5) any quasi-public agency, (6) any state or state instrumentality, or (7) any other organization or individual.
 
Excludes from the meaning of delegation of legislative powers the issuance of presidential proclamations, or issuance of rules or regulations governing the internal operation of federal agencies, or conditions made upon grants or contracts issued by agencies.
 
Prohibits the promulgation or putting into effect of any new presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation, or change to an existing presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation governing, limiting, imposing a penalty on, or otherwise regulating any activity of any individual or entity, other than a federal officer or employee, unless it is authorized by an Act of Congress that complies with this Act.
 
Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to identify to Congress all statutes enacted within 90 days after enactment of this Act which contain any delegation of legislative powers prohibited by it.
 
Denies any force or effect to any Act of Congress, presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation noncompliant with this Act. Prohibits any legal, equitable, regulatory, civil, or criminal action from being brought under such an Act, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation.
 
Grants persons aggrieved by the action of any executive branch officer or employee the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against enforcement of any Act of Congress, presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation noncompliant with this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
One Subject at a Time Act

Bill: 113-s-1664
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Appropriations
Government liability
Legislative rules and procedure

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
One Subject at a Time Act - Requires: (1) each bill or joint resolution to embrace no more than one subject, and (2) the subject to be clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title.
 
Prohibits an appropriations bill from containing any general legislation or change of existing law requirement, if its subject is not germane to the subject of such bill.
 
Declares void: (1) an entire Act or joint resolution if its title addresses two or more unrelated subjects, (2) provisions in legislation not clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title, (3) appropriation provisions in legislation outside the relevant subcommittee's jurisdiction, and (4) provisions of appropriation bills not germane to their subject matter.
 
Grants aggrieved persons and Members of Congress the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law the passage of which did not conform to this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthcare Privacy and Anti-Fraud Act

Bill: 113-s-1666
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Comprehensive health care
Consumer affairs
Department of Health and Human Services
Employee hiring
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Licensing and registrations
Personnel records
Right of privacy
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Healthcare Privacy and Anti-Fraud Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance (including concerning liability) to protect the privacy of individually identifiable information submitted to, or accessed by, health care exchange navigators.
 
Requires entities receiving grants under the navigator program to ensure that their employees undergo background checks, take an oath not to disclose individually identifiable information, and meet educational and licensure requirements comparable to those applicable to health insurance agents and brokers in the state.
 
Imposes criminal penalties for disclosure of individually identifiable information and misrepresentation as a navigator.
 
Directs the Secretary to annually make available a list of entities providing navigator services and a list of those determined to be ineligible or convicted of offenses described in this Act. 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt individuals from the penalty for not maintaining minimum essential coverage for any month if the failure resulted from advice of a navigator or a person purporting to provide such services.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to provide consumers with a free annual disclosure of information the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection maintains on them, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-1667
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Consumer credit
Financial services and investments
Government information and archives

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to: (1) disclose to a consumer all information (and their sources) held by the CFPB with respect to that consumer, including any person or other federal department or agency to which the CFPB disclosed the information; and (2) truncate in the disclosure the first five digits of the consumer's Social Security number (or similar identification number), if the consumer so requests and the CFPB has received appropriate proof of the requester's identity. 
 
Permits consumers to request such a disclosure: (1) online, with a link prominently displayed on the CFPB website; (2) via U.S. mail; and (3) via a toll-free telephone number. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require a Comptroller General of the United States report on the impact of certain mental and physical trauma on the discharge of members of the Armed Forces for misconduct.

Bill: 113-s-1668
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government studies and investigations
Mental health
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to report on the impact of mental and physical trauma relating to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, behavioral health matters not related to PTSD, and other neurological combat traumas on the discharge of members of the Armed Forces for misconduct.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Military Equitable Reimbursement Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1669
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Appropriations
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Executive agency funding and structure
Television and film

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Military Equitable Reimbursement Act of 2013 - Requires any amounts received by the Department of Defense (DOD) after enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 as reimbursement for expenses incurred by DOD as a result of providing assistance to a nongovernmental entertainment-oriented media producer to be credited to the applicable appropriations account or fund from which such expenses were charged.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

Bill: 113-s-1670
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Abortion
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit any person from performing or attempting to perform an abortion except in conformity with this Act's requirements. 
 
Requires the physician to first determine the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child, or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician, by making inquiries of the pregnant woman and performing such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician would consider necessary. 
 
Prohibits the abortion from being performed if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater, except: (1) where necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, excluding psychological or emotional conditions; or (2) where the pregnancy is the result of rape, or the result of incest against a minor, if the rape has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency, or if the incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency or to a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse or neglect. Permits a physician to terminate a pregnancy under such an exception only in the manner that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive, unless that manner would pose a greater risk than other available methods would pose of the death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, excluding psychological or emotional conditions, of the pregnant woman.
 
Subjects individuals who violate this Act to a fine, imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. Bars prosecution of a woman upon whom an abortion is performed in violation of this Act for violating or conspiring to violate this Act.
 
Defines "abortion" to mean the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device to intentionally kill an unborn child or to intentionally terminate a pregnancy with an intention other than: (1) after viability, to produce a live birth and preserve the life and health of the child; or (2) to remove a dead unborn child.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to delay the implementation of the individual health coverage mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Bill: 113-s-1671
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Comprehensive health care
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Sales and excise taxes
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to delay until 2015 the requirement that individuals maintain minimal essential health care coverage.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Special Needs Trust Fairness Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1672
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2013-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Health care coverage and access
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: 
Special Needs Trust Fairness Act of 2013 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act with respect to the treatment of revocable trusts for the benefit of an individual for purposes of meeting income requirements for Medicaid coverage.
 
Extends the supplemental needs trust exemption from treatment of a trust as resources available to the individual to supplemental needs trusts for Medicaid beneficiaries established by those beneficiaries.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7929-7930)
action_date: 2013-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate