hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Better Health in the Arctic Act

Bill: 113-s-271
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2013-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Arctic Ocean
Arctic and polar regions
Canada
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Environmental health
Executive agency funding and structure
Government studies and investigations
Health promotion and preventive care
International organizations and cooperation
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Minority health

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: 
Better Health in the Arctic Act - Directs the Arctic Research Commission to examine the science base, gaps in knowledge, and strategies for the prevention and treatment of mental, behavioral, and physical health problems, including alcohol abuse, faced by populations in the Arctic, with a focus on Alaska.
 
Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a national Arctic health science policy, reviewing and taking into consideration the National Arctic Health Science Policy developed by the American Public Health Association Task Force in 1984.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a Desk for Arctic Health to: (1) work with the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee to ensure adequate health representation from federal agencies, (2) collaborate and consult with governmental entities and U.S. nongovernmental organizations involved in Arctic health issues, and (3) collaborate with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research on indigenous Arctic people health issues.
 
Directs the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a program at the National Center of Environmental Health to foster advances and help provide technical support in the field of Arctic health impact assessments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to modify the definition of fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to exclude appraisers of employee stock ownership plans.

Bill: 113-s-273
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2013-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Employee benefits and pensions
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: 
Amends the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to exclude appraisers of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) from the meaning of a fiduciary subject to ERISA.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
CHEW Act

Bill: 113-s-274
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2013-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child health
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education
Department of Health and Human Services
Elementary and secondary education
Executive agency funding and structure
Food industry and services
Nutrition and diet
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: 
Children Eating Well Act or the CHEW Act - Requires each local educational agency (LEA) participating in the school improvement program under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to: (1) develop and implement healthy eating and nutrition education programs in its schools, and (2) periodically monitor schools' efforts to improve students' healthy eating and nutritive knowledge.
 
Requires LEAs to consult multiple viewpoints in developing and implementing the healthy eating and nutrition education programs.
 
Includes professional development for teachers, school staff, and food service workers as part of those programs.
 
Directs the Secretary of Education, Secretary of Agriculture, and Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an inter-agency task force to review nutrition education curricula and recommend effective nutrition education programs for elementary and secondary schools.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the Little Wood River Ranch.

Bill: 113-s-275
Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2013-02-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Electric power generation and transmission
Idaho
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: 
 Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), upon the request of the licensee for the project numbered 12063 (Little Wood River Ranch, Idaho), to: (1) extend for three years after enactment of this Act the time period during which the licensee is required to commence the construction of project works; or (2) if the license for Project No. 12063 has been terminated, reinstate the license and extend for three years after enactment of this Act the time period during which the licensee is required to commence the construction of project works.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2013-02-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Budget Reform Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-280
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Budget process
Congressional committees
Congressional oversight
House of Representatives
Legislative rules and procedure
Performance measurement
Senate

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Budget Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA) to require joint budget resolutions signed by the President instead of the concurrent resolutions now required (which do not have to be signed by the President). Revises accordingly the congressional procedures for considering budget resolutions.
 
Prescribes procedures for: (1) expedited consideration in each chamber of a presidential veto of a joint budget resolution; and (2) revision of a joint budget resolution already enacted.
 
Makes specified provisional continuing appropriations in the event that any regular appropriation bill for each fiscal year in a biennium does not become law before the beginning of such fiscal year, or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not in effect. (Thus prevents federal government shutdown.)
 
Requires biennial budget resolutions, appropriations Acts, and government strategic and performance plans instead of annual ones.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-281
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish a per farm cap of $50,000 on commodity program benefits and $75,000 on marketing loan program benefits ($125,000 total). Increases such limit to $250,000 for married couples. 
 
Limits benefits eligibility to active producers.
 
Establishes criteria for determining whether a person acting as a farm manager is actively engaged in farming for such purposes. (Permits only one such eligibility per farm operation.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S658-659)
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Counseling for Career Choice Act

Bill: 113-s-282
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Educational guidance
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Counseling for Career Choice Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive establishment grants to states to develop and implement comprehensive school counseling programs that provide students with effective postsecondary education planning and career guidance services. 
 
Requires each program to be aligned with a statewide counseling framework that: (1) encompasses grades 6 through 12 and postsecondary education; and (2) is developed in consultation with, or exists with the support of, at least five stakeholders that include at least one business or industry and at least one local educational agency (LEA) or secondary school.
 
Requires establishment grant funds to be used to: (1) train and hire school counselors; (2) identify regional workforce trends and postsecondary options available in the state; (3) establish, improve, or coordinate postsecondary opportunities; and (4) recommend curricular improvements to better align curricula with workforce trends and available postsecondary opportunities.
 
Allows states to carry out program activities directly or through competitive subgrants to LEAs, or consortia of LEAs, educational service agencies, tribal organizations, or nonprofit organizations with expertise in counseling or career and technical education.
 
Directs the Secretary to reserve at least 10%, but no more than 20%, of the amount appropriated for this Act's counseling program to award competitive capacity-building grants to states that do not receive an establishment grant.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Investing in Innovation for Education Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-283
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Performance measurement
Rural conditions and development
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Investing in Innovation for Education Act of 2013 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to local educational agencies (LEAs), educational service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to support the school innovation efforts of public schools and LEAs.
 
Requires at least 25% of the grant funds to be awarded for projects in rural areas. 
 
Requires each grant applicant to demonstrate that it has partnered with at least one private, nonprofit, or community-based organization that will provide matching funds. Allows the Secretary to waive the matching funds requirement upon a showing of exceptional circumstances.
 
Requires each grant to be used to address at least one of the following areas of school innovation: (1) improving the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders and promoting their equitable distribution, (2) strengthening the use of data to improve education, (3) providing high-quality instruction that is based on rigorous standards and measuring students' proficiency using high-quality assessments that are aligned to those standards, (4) turning around the lowest-performing schools, and (5) any other area of school innovation the Secretary chooses.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish performance measures for tracking each grantee's progress in: (1) improving the academic performance of public elementary and secondary school students, and specified subgroups of those students; and (2) implementing its project in rural schools, as applicable. Requires grantees to use grant funds to develop or expand strategies to improve high-need students' showing on those performance measures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Stronger Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-286
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Financial services and investments
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Stronger Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act of 2013 - Amends the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to increase the money penalties in administrative and civil actions involving securities laws violations.
 
Prescribes a fourth tier penalty of triple monetary penalties for noncompliance with certain enforcement actions if the violator, within the five-year period preceding the prohibited act, was criminally convicted for securities fraud or became subject to a judgment or order imposing monetary, equitable, or administrative relief in any Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) action alleging fraud by such violator.
 
Applies the treatment as a separate offense each day that a violation of an SEC cease-and-desist order is committed through continuing noncompliance to violation of any action to enforce a federal court injunction or certain SEC orders that bar, suspend, place limitations on the activities or functions of, or prohibit the activities of, a person.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S660)
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-288
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Minority education
Minority employment
Science and engineering education
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Women's education
Women's employment

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2013 - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), acting through the Human Resources Directorate and not less than one research directorate of the NSF, to award competitive grants to eligible entities to enable them to carry out the activities specified below in order to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
 
Requires an eligible entity that receives a grant to use those grant funds to carry out the following activities designed to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields: (1) online workshops, (2) mentoring programs that partner STEM professionals with students, (3) internships for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM, and (4) conducting outreach programs providing elementary and secondary school students with opportunities to increase their exposure to STEM. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
CREED Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-289
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2013-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Government lending and loan guarantees
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: 
Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development Act of 2013 or CREED Act of 2013 - Reinstates for a five-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act the authority for Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest refinancing of small business debt not involving business expansion under the SBA's local development business loan program.
 
Repeals a provision of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 which terminated such authority as of September 27, 2012.

action_date: 2013-09-10
text: 
Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development Act of 2013 or CREED Act of 2013 - Reinstates the authority for Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest refinancing of small business debt not involving business expansion under the SBA's local development business loan program during any fiscal year in which the cost to the federal government for making loan guarantees under such program is zero.
 
Repeals a provision of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 which terminated such authority as of September 27, 2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-09-10
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 167.
action_date: 2013-09-10
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment. With written report No. 113-89.
action_date: 2013-09-10
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment. With written report No. 113-89.
action_date: 2013-06-17
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2013-06-13
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Committee consideration and Mark Up Session held.
action_date: 2013-03-14
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-309.
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S661)
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S660-661)
action_date: 2013-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Title X Amendments Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-290
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2013-02-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Appropriations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Low- and moderate-income housing

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: 
Title X Amendments Act of 2013 - Amends the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 to revise the purpose for grants for lead-based paint hazard reduction in target housing.
 
Requires such grants to be made instead for reduction of lead-based paint hazards and correction of other housing-related hazards.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a process by which, in order to verify a family's income level, a grantee may first obtain and use income and program participation information from an entity administering: (1) the HOME Investment Partnerships program under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act; (2) the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) established under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966; (3) reduced price or free lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; (4) the weatherization assistance program for low-income persons established under the Energy Conservation and Production Act; (5) the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA); (6) the supplemental security income (SSI) program under SSA title XVI; or (7) any other program consistent with the family income requirements of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992.
 
Makes eligible to apply for such a grant, in addition to certain state or local governments, for specified activities relating to lead-based paint hazards: (1) an Indian tribe, and (2) private nonprofit organization partnering with the state or unit of general local government in which the activities will be carried out.
 
Makes a private nonprofit organization not partnering with a state or local government eligible all the same to apply for a grant to reduce housing-related health hazards, including any condition of residential real property that poses a risk of biological, physical, radiological, or chemical exposure that can adversely affect human health.
 
Revises grantee selection criteria for a grant to carry out activities relating to lead-based paint hazards, and prescribes criteria for activities relating to housing-related hazards.
 
Prescribes an allocation of funds for grants to assess and correct housing-related health hazards and evaluate the effectiveness of such assessments and corrections.
 
Reauthorizes the Act for FY2014-FY2018.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S709)
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Housing Council Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-291
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2013-02-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental health
Executive agency funding and structure
Housing and community development funding
Housing industry and standards
Low- and moderate-income housing

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: 
Healthy Housing Council Act of 2013 - Establishes in the executive branch an independent Interagency Council on Healthy Housing.
 
Requires the Council to: (1) review federal programs and services that provide housing, health, energy, or environmental services to families and individuals; (2) monitor, evaluate, and recommend improvements in programs and services administered, funded, or financed by federal, state, and local agencies; (3) recommend ways to reduce duplication among federal programs and services; and (4) ensure collaboration among and within agencies in the provision and availability of such programs and services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S790)
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Introduced in Senate
DASH Act

Bill: 113-s-292
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2013-02-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Labor
Foreign labor
Housing industry and standards
Immigration status and procedures
Labor standards
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: 
Dairy and Sheep H-2A Act or DASH Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include within the H-2A nonimmigrant visa category (temporary agricultural workers) an alien coming temporarily to the United States to work as a sheepherder, goat herder, or dairy worker. 
 
Provides: (1) for a three-year initial period of admission with additional three-year extensions, and (2) that no period of U.S. absence may be required for approval of such extensions.
 
Directs the Secretary of Labor to issue housing regulations for such workers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2013-02-13
text: Introduced in Senate