hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Homeowner Tax Fairness Act

Bill: 113-hr-4062
Sponsor: Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]
Introduced: 2014-02-14 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Housing finance and home ownership
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: 
Homeowner Tax Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2016 the exclusion from gross income of income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness on a principal residence, (2) extend through 2015 the tax deduction for mortgage insurance premiums, (3) exclude from gross income any National Mortgage Settlement amount, and (4) deny a tax deduction for any National Mortgage Settlement amount that was paid in exchange for a full release of the potential civil claims of the United States under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. . 
 
Defines &quot;National Mortgage Settlement amount&quot; as any amount received pursuant to the settlement in a legal action against Bank of America Corporation filed in U.S. District Court on March 12, 2012, which is: (1) a payment for transitional assistance; (2) a payment from the Borrower Payment Fund under the National Mortgage Settlement to a borrower whose home was finally sold or taken in foreclosure after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2014; or (3) a payment received as a result of a foreclosure or excess charge of interest that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has determined was not in compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E216)
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
Growing Small Businesses Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4063
Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2014-02-14 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Labor
Employment and training programs
Performance measurement
Self-employed
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: 
Growing Small Businesses Act of 2014 - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to revise performance accountability system requirements for statewide and local workforce investment programs.
 
Directs the Secretary of Labor to develop separate performance measures for individuals who receive entrepreneurial training under such programs.
 
Requires providers of training services who offer entrepreneurial training services under a local workforce investment program for adults and dislocated workers to: (1) use intake tools that assess an individual's suitability for referral to entrepreneurial training services; (2) report to the local workforce investment board that includes the number of individuals who express interest in self-employment or starting a business and enroll entrepreneurial training services; and (3) develop partnerships with microbusiness development organizations that can provide education, training, counseling, and coaching focused on helping new and low and moderate income entrepreneurs succeed.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-06-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
FAIR Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4064
Sponsor: Rep. Scalise, Steve [R-LA-1]
Introduced: 2014-02-14 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Comprehensive health care
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Sales and excise taxes
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: 
Freeing Americans from Inequitable Requirements Act of 2014 or the FAIR Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the individual mandate to purchase health care coverage, to delay such requirement from taking effect until the Secretary of the Treasury submits to Congress a certification that the employer mandate to provide health care coverage for employees is being applied and administered without any administratively created exceptions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
Smartphone Theft Prevention Act

Bill: 113-hr-4065
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2014-02-14 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Computer security and identity theft
Consumer affairs
Crimes against property
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Telephone and wireless communication
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: 
Smartphone Theft Prevention Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require commercial mobile service providers to make available on mobile devices a function that an account holder may use remotely to: (1) delete or render inaccessible all information relating to the account holder that has been placed on the device; (2) render the device inoperable on the global networks of such service providers, even if the device is turned off or has the data storage medium removed; (3) prevent the device from being reactivated or reprogrammed without a passcode or similar authorization after the device has been rendered inoperable or has been subject to an unauthorized factory reset; and (4) reverse any such actions if the device is recovered by the account holder.
 
Prohibits a mobile device from being manufactured in the United States or imported into the United States for sale or resale to the public, unless the device is configured in such a manner that a service provider may make such remote deletion and inoperability functions available on the device.
 
Allows the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to waive such requirements with respect to any low-cost mobile device that: (1) is intended primarily for voice-only mobile service, and (2) may have limited data consumption functions focused on text messaging or short message service. 
 
Prohibits service providers from charging a fee for making such remote deletion and inoperability functions available.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Introduced in House
To modify the efficiency standards for grid-enabled water heaters.

Bill: 113-hr-4066
Sponsor: Rep. Whitfield, Ed [R-KY-1]
Introduced: 2014-02-18 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Business records
Department of Energy
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Lighting, heating, cooling

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: 
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to provide additional energy conservation standards applicable to grid-enabled water heaters (those intended for use as part of an electric thermal storage or demand response program).
 
Requires annual reports from: (1) manufacturers of such water heaters regarding the quantity of the products shipped each year, and (2) utilities and other demand response and thermal storage program operators regarding the quantity of products activated for their programs.
 
Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to publish analyses of data collected from such reports and to establish procedures to prevent product diversion if sales of the products exceed by at least 15% the quantity activated for use in the demand response and thermal storage programs annually.
 
Maintains the standards and publication procedures established by this Act until the Secretary determines that such water heaters do not require a separate efficiency requirement.
 
Requires the Secretary to consider the impact of EPCA electric water heater standards on thermal storage and demand response programs, including on energy savings, electric bills, electric reliability, integration of renewable resources, and the environment.
 
Makes unlawful, with respect to grid-enabled water heaters not used as part of an electric thermal storage or demand response program, the knowing and repeated distribution of activation keys, enabling of full operation of the products, or removing or making illegible their labels.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: Introduced in House
SCRA Rights Protection Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4068
Sponsor: Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]
Introduced: 2014-02-18 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Civil actions and liability
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: 
SCRA Rights Protection Act of 2014 - Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow the use of arbitration to resolve a controversy that arises under a contract with a servicemember (or with a servicemember and spouse jointly) that provides for arbitration, only if all parties to the controversy consent in writing to arbitration after the controversy arises.
 
Allows a servicemember's waiver of any of such Act's rights and protections to be effective only if it is made after a specific dispute has arisen and the dispute is identified in the waiver.
 
Allows a representative of members of an aggrieved class, or a member of such class, to bring a private civil action for a violation of any rights or protections under such Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-18
text: Introduced in House
Internet Freedom Act

Bill: 113-hr-4070
Sponsor: Rep. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN-7]
Introduced: 2014-02-21 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Competition and antitrust
Consumer affairs
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: 
Internet Freedom Act - Prohibits regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the Report and Order in the matter of preserving the open Internet and broadband industry practices (adopted December 21, 2010) from having any force or effect.
 
 Prohibits the FCC from reissuing such regulations in substantially the same form, or from issuing new regulations that are substantially the same, unless such regulations are specifically authorized by a law enacted after the enactment of this Act.
 
Exempts from such prohibitions any regulations that the FCC determines are necessary to: (1) prevent damage to U.S. national security, (2) ensure public safety, or (3) assist or facilitate actions taken by a federal or state law enforcement agency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
Flood Insurance Flexibility Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4071
Sponsor: Rep. Schrader, Kurt [D-OR-5]
Introduced: 2014-02-21 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance
Floods and storm protection

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: 
Flood Insurance Flexibility Act of 2014 - Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make available, at the option of the insured, flood insurance coverage for properties with premiums and deductibles which have an annual loss-deductible for damage to the covered property of at least $10,000. 
 
Authorizes FEMA to make coverage available with higher loss-deductible amounts that it considers feasible and appropriate.
 
Requires such flood insurance coverage to have a chargeable risk premium rate that, as determined by FEMA, accurately reflects both the current risk of flood to the property and the deductible.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
To prohibit the use of funds appropriated to any Federal department or agency to provide technical assistance to nongovernment entities for the production of motion pictures, television shows, and other audiovisual programs.

Bill: 113-hr-4072
Sponsor: Rep. Barrow, John [D-GA-12]
Introduced: 2014-02-21 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Appropriations
Executive agency funding and structure
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Marketing and advertising
Music
Television and film

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: 
Declares that no federal agency may obligate or expend funds appropriated to such agency for a fiscal year to provide technical assistance to any nongovernment entity for the production of any motion picture, television show, documentary, music video, commercial advertisement, CD-ROM game, or other audiovisual program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
Repeal ID Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4073
Sponsor: Rep. Daines, Steve [R-MT-At Large]
Introduced: 2014-02-21 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Government information and archives
Licensing and registrations
Motor vehicles

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: 
Repeal ID Act of 2014 - Repeals title II (Improved Security for Driver's Licenses and Personal Identification Cards) of the REAL ID Act of 2005. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2014-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
War Crimes Accountability Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4074
Sponsor: Rep. Israel, Steve [D-NY-3]
Introduced: 2014-02-21 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Congressional tributes
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Europe
Germany
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Sanctions
Trade restrictions
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: 
War Crimes Accountability Act of 2014 - Directs the President to submit a report to Congress for each of FY2015-FY2019 that identifies each country that is failing to: (1) cooperate with relevant jurisdictions in extraditing or deporting war crimes suspects or Nazi war criminals to the appropriate jurisdiction; (2) enforce arrest warrants issued by an international tribunal against war crimes suspects; (3) accept Nazi war criminals deported from the United States; or (4) effectively prosecute war crimes suspects or Nazi war criminals within such country's jurisdiction, including Nazi war criminals who resided in the United States and were deported from or extradited by the United States or left the United States voluntarily. 
 
Prohibits the President from issuing a letter of offer to sell defense articles under the Arms Export Control Act for $7 million or more to a country so identified.
 
Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition if in the U.S. national security interest.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-21
text: Introduced in House
SPRINT Act

Bill: 113-hr-4075
Sponsor: Rep. Barber, Ron [D-AZ-2]
Introduced: 2014-02-25 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Health care coverage and access
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical research
Mental health
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Neurological disorders
Research administration and funding
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: 
Suicide Prevention Research INnovaTion Act or the SPRINT Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health to use funds made available by this Act exclusively for the purpose of conducting and supporting: (1) research on the determinants of self-directed and other violence associated with mental illness, including studies designed to reduce the risk of self-harm, suicide, and interpersonal violence, especially in rural communities with a shortage of mental health services; and (2) brain research through the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
Quality Health Care Coalition Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4077
Sponsor: Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13]
Introduced: 2014-02-25 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Competition and antitrust
Contracts and agency
Health care costs and insurance
Health personnel

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: 
Quality Health Care Coalition Act of 2014 - Exempts health care professionals, including individuals and entities, from federal and state antitrust laws in connection with negotiations with a health plan regarding contract terms under which the professionals provide health care items or services for which plan benefits are provided. 
 
Declares that this Act: (1) applies only to health care professionals excluded from the National Labor Relations Act; and (2) does not apply to such negotiations relating to Medicare or Medicaid programs, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP), medical and dental care for members of the uniformed services, veterans' medical care, the federal employees health benefits program, or the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
ITIN Reform Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4078
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Sam [R-TX-3]
Introduced: 2014-02-25 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Government information and archives
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: 
ITIN Reform Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) to an individual only if such individual: (1) submits an application for an ITIN in person at an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxpayer assistance center with required documentation, or (2) submits an application in person outside of the United States to an IRS employee or a designee of the Secretary at a U.S. diplomatic mission or consular post with required documentation. Exempts from such requirements: (1) the spouse, or the dependents, without a social security number of a taxpayer who is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, and (2) nonresident aliens claiming tax treaty benefits. 
 
Requires the Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury for Tax Administration to audit, on a biennial basis, the IRS program for issuance of ITINs pursuant to this Act and report to Congress on such audit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
Songwriter Equity Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4079
Sponsor: Rep. Collins, Doug [R-GA-9]
Introduced: 2014-02-25 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Contracts and agency
Intellectual property
Judges
Music
Sound recording

Summary:
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: 
Songwriter Equity Act of 2014 - Amends federal copyright law regarding the exclusive rights of sound recording copyright owners to remove a provision that prohibits license fees payable for the public performance of sound recordings, by means of a digital audio transmission, from being taken into account in any administrative, judicial, or other governmental proceeding to set or adjust the royalties payable to copyright owners of musical works for the public performance of their works.
 
Requires Copyright Royalty Judges (CRJs), when setting royalty rates under the compulsory license available for the reproduction and distribution of musical works (commonly referred to as a &quot;mechanical license&quot;), to establish rates and terms that most clearly represent the rates and terms that would have been negotiated in the marketplace between a willing buyer and seller.
 
Requires CRJs, in establishing such rates and terms, to base their decision on marketplace, economic, and use information presented by the participants. Allows consideration of comparable uses and circumstances under voluntary license agreements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-02-25
text: Introduced in House