hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Fair Raises for Seniors Act

Bill: 113-s-2382
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Aging
Employment taxes
Health care costs and insurance
Inflation and prices
Prescription drugs
Self-employed
Social security and elderly assistance
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Fair Raises for Seniors Act - Directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the Department of Labor to publish for each calendar month a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E) that indicates the average change over time in the prices paid by individuals in the United States who are age 62 and older for a market basket of consumer goods and services.
 
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to make the CPI-E the applicable Consumer Price Index (CPI) for computation of cost-of-living increases in OASDI benefits for such individuals. 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from wages for purposes of employment and self-employment taxes (under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act [FICA] for OASDI insurance): (1) any remuneration up to $250,000 of the amount of the contribution and benefit base, and (2) only so much of that remuneration that is less than $250,000.
 
Amends SSA title II to include 1% or $1,000 (whichever is less) of surplus average indexed monthly earnings in the determination of primary OASDI amounts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Certify It Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2383
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Economic performance and conditions
Employee benefits and pensions
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Sales and excise taxes
Small business
Unemployment
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Certify It Act of 2014 - Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to study the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on small businesses and the Office of the Actuary, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to study the Act's impact on small group health insurance costs.
 
Declares that, if GAO or the Office of the Actuary reports to Congress that PPACA has caused either net employment loss amongst small businesses or small group health insurance costs to rise, certain PPACA assessments that may be imposed on employers for failing to offer their full-time employees (and their dependents) the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential coverage shall not apply for a specified one-year period.
 
Declares further that, if GAO or the Office fails to submit such a report in accordance with specified timelines, such assessments shall not apply during the following calendar year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Deter Cyber Theft Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2384
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Customs enforcement
Foreign property
Intellectual property
Manufacturing
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Research and development
Sanctions
Trade secrets and economic espionage
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Deter Cyber Theft Act of 2014 - Requires the President to report annually to Congress on foreign countries that engage in economic and industrial espionage in cyberspace with respect to U.S. trade secrets or proprietary information. Requires each report to: (1) identify countries that engage in such espionage, including countries that facilitate, support, fail to prosecute, or otherwise permit such espionage; (2) specify the countries that engage in the most egregious forms of such espionage; and (3) describe actions taken and progress made by the President to decrease the prevalence of such espionage.
 
Authorizes the President to block and prohibit transactions in property, and interests in property, of a foreign person the President determines knowingly requests, engages in, supports, facilitates, or benefits from the significant appropriation, through economic or industrial espionage in cyberspace, of technologies or proprietary information developed by U.S. persons if such property and interests in property: (1) are in the United States; (2) come within the United States; or (3) are, or come within, the possession or control of a U.S. person. Prohibits the President from imposing sanctions on the importation of goods under such authority. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3297-3298)
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Avonte's Law Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2386
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child safety and welfare
Disability and paralysis
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency communications systems
First responders and emergency personnel
Health information and medical records
Hearing, speech, and vision care
Hereditary and development disorders
Law enforcement administration and funding
Neurological disorders
School administration

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Avonte's Law Act of 2014 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to law enforcement agencies to: (1) reduce the risk of injury and death relating to the wandering characteristics of some individuals with autism and other disabilities, and (2) safeguard the well-being of individuals with disabilities during interactions with law enforcement.
 
Requires grant awards to be used to: (1) provide education and resources to law enforcement agencies, first responders, schools, clinicians, and the public in order to reduce the risk of wandering by such individuals, help to identify signs of abuse in such individuals, increase their personal safety and survival skills, and facilitate effective communication with individuals who have communication-related disabilities; (2) provide training and emergency protocols for school administrators, staff, and families; (3) provide response tools and training for law enforcement and search-and-rescue agencies, including tracking technology; or (4) provide response tools and training to law enforcement agencies in order to recognize and respond to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
 
Directs the Attorney General to establish standards and best practices relating to the use of tracking technology to monitor children with autism and other disabilities. Requires each law enforcement agency that receives a grant to comply with any such standards and best practices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract with eligible Indian tribes to manage land buy-back programs, to require that certain amounts be deposited into interest bearing accounts, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-2387
Sponsor: Sen. Walsh, John E. [D-MT]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Government trust funds
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Land transfers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Amends the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) to enter into contracts under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act with eligible Indian tribes to carry out activities related to them under the Land Consolidation Program. 
 
Requires the Secretary to invest the amounts remaining in the Trust Land Consolidation Fund into public debt securities with maturities suitable to the needs of such Fund. Requires invested funds and the interest to be used for the purposes for which the Trust Land Consolidation Fund was established.
 
Makes the Secretary responsible for ensuring that all payments are made to beneficiaries within one year. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy-Efficient Cool Roof Jobs Act

Bill: 113-s-2388
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Building construction
Business investment and capital
Corporate finance and management
Energy efficiency and conservation
Financial services and investments
Income tax deductions
Real estate business

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Energy-Efficient Cool Roof Jobs Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify any qualified energy-efficient cool roof replacement property as 20-year property for depreciation purposes. Defines "qualified energy-efficient cool roof replacement property" as any roof system that: (1) is placed in service above conditioned or semiheated space on an eligible commercial building, (2) has a slope equal to or less than 2:12 (low-slope roof), (3) replaces an existing roof system, and (4) includes insulation meeting specified standards and a primary roof covering that has a cool roof surface. Requires the adjustment for depreciation to the earnings and profits of a real estate investment trust for any taxable year, in the case of such property, to be determined under the alternative depreciation method, except that the recovery period shall be 20 years. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Foster Care Tax Credit Act

Bill: 113-s-2390
Sponsor: Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Government information and archives
Income tax credits
Indian social and development programs

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Foster Care Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a partially refundable tax credit for each qualifying foster child who resides in the home of an eligible taxpayer for at least one calendar month during the taxable year. Defines &quot;qualifying foster child&quot; as a child in foster care who has not attained age 17, who is a citizen, national, or resident of the United States, and with respect to whom the child tax credit is not allowable. Requires the name and taxpayer identification number of a foster child to be included on the taxpayer's tax return. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify provisions in the Internal Revenue Code that can benefit foster families and increase outreach efforts to inform state and Indian tribal foster care agencies and foster families about such provisions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3298)
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
21st Century Buy American Act

Bill: 113-s-2391
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Buy American requirements
Department of Transportation
Economic performance and conditions
Executive agency funding and structure
Government lending and loan guarantees
Manufacturing
Metals
Military procurement, research, weapons development
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
Public contracts and procurement
Public transit
Railroads
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
21st Century Buy American Act - Deems articles, materials, or supplies as made substantially all from articles, materials, or supplies mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States if the cost of the domestic components of such articles, materials, or supplies exceeds 60% of the total cost of all components of such articles, materials, or supplies.
 
Prohibits the use of the overseas exception to Buy American requirements unless one of the following criteria is met: (1) the articles, materials, or supplies are needed on an urgent basis; (2) the articles, materials, or supplies are to be purchased using a local supplier; or (3) a cost analysis demonstrates that the articles, materials, or supplies to be acquired would be more than 50% more expensive if made in the United States.
 
Requires the head of a federal agency, in determining whether to apply the public interest exception to Buy American requirements, to: (1) consider the short-term and long-term effects of applying such exception on employment in the United States, and (2) determine that preserving or increasing employment in the United States is consistent with the public interest.
 
Requires each federal agency that applies an exception or grants a waiver to Buy American requirements to submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a notification of such exception or waiver. Requires the Director to post such notification on the OMB website. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to establish and carry out a program to make or guarantee loans to certain business entities, up to $500,000 per entity, under the Defense Production Act. Specifies eligibility requirements for such entities, including requirements that such an entity is a manufacturer in the United States, is certified as eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance, and meets criteria relating to the availability of an item. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

Bill: 113-s-2392
Sponsor: Sen. Walsh, John E. [D-MT]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Montana
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act - Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified river segments of the East Rosebud Creek in Montana as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 
 
Prohibits the inclusion of any private property within the boundaries of those segments. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 113-493.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Servicemember Employment Protection Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2393
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Labor-management relations
Public contracts and procurement
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Servicemember Employment Protection Act of 2014 - Makes unenforceable any clause of an agreement between an employer and employee requiring arbitration of a dispute arising under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Provides an exception when both parties voluntarily agree to arbitration. Requires any issue as to whether such requirement applies to an arbitration clause to be determined by federal law and the validity or enforceability of an agreement to arbitrate to be determined by a court rather than an arbitrator.
 
Protects, under USERRA, an individual who is absent from employment in order to receive medical or dental treatment for an injury or illness incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
 
Authorizes the suspension, termination, or debarment of federal contractors for repeated failures or refusals to comply with USERRA protections.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Sage Grouse Protection and Conservation Act

Bill: 113-s-2394
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Birds
California
Colorado
Endangered and threatened species
Idaho
Intergovernmental relations
Montana
Nevada
North Dakota
Oregon
South Dakota
State and local government operations
Utah
Washington State
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Sage Grouse Protection and Conservation Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) or the Secretary of the Interior to give effect to a statewide conservation and management plan for the protection and recovery of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and the Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) from either California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. Requires the appropriate Secretary to:

 
hold for at least 10 years actions to list the species as endangered or threatened, the enforcement of the listing, and the designation of critical habitat for the species in that state;
 
withdraw any land use planning activities related to federal management of the species on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land within the state; and 
 
amend federal land use plans with respect to that state to comply with a state plan.
 
 
Applies these requirements to states that submit a plan or have a plan previously endorsed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
 
Requires the appropriate Secretary to: (1) review statewide plans to determine if they are likely to conserve the species to the point at which the measures provided pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 are no longer necessary; (2) approve or endorse, or make comments on, statewide plans; and (3) provide states with information and make personnel available to help with plans.
 
Prohibits any proposed action pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that occurs within one of those states from being denied or restricted solely on the basis of such sage-grouse if the action is consistent with a state plan that has been submitted to the appropriate Secretary.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.

Bill: 113-s-2395
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Iraq
Middle East
Military operations and strategy
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Repeals the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2397
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Inflation and prices

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act of 2014 or the FAIR Act - Increases by 3.3% in FY2015 the rate of basic pay for federal employees under the statutory pay systems (relating to the General Schedule, the U.S. Foreign Service, and the Veterans Health Administration) and for prevailing rate employees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Automaker Accountability Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2398
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2014-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Consumer affairs
Elementary and secondary education
Government studies and investigations
Motor vehicles
Product safety and quality
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Automaker Accountability Act of 2014 - Revises civil penalties for violation of federal motor vehicle safety requirements, and subjects to them also persons who cause such a violation.
 
Repeals current maximum penalties.
 
Increases civil penalties for violations: (1) from $5,000 to $25,000 per violation; (2) from $10,000 to $100,000, maximum, for the manufacture, sale, introduction into commerce, or importation of a school bus or school bus equipment that does not comply with federal motor vehicle requirements; and (3) from $5,000 to $25,000 per violation per day for a person who fails or refuses to perform an act pursuant to specified inspection, investigation, and record-keeping requirements pertaining to defective or noncompliant motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate