hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Military SAFE Standards Act

Bill: 113-s-2703
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses
Crime victims
Crimes against women
Health personnel
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
Sex offenses

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Military SAFE Standards Act - Requires sexual assault forensic examiners (SAFEs) for the Armed Forces to be members of the Armed Forces and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who are physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants, or registered nurses. Permits an independent duty corpsman or equivalent to be assigned as a SAFE if the assignment of such a physician, assistant, or nurse is impracticable.
 
Directs the DOD and DHS Secretaries to: (1) assign at least one SAFE at each military medical treatment facility in the United States and overseas; or (2) enter into agreements with facilities with appropriate resources for the provision of sexual assault forensic examinations for the Armed Forces. Requires at least one SAFE to be assigned to each naval vessel. 
 
Requires the Secretary concerned to establish a SAFE certification program that includes training in sexual assault forensic examinations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
No Federal Contracts for Corporate Deserters Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2704
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Corporate finance and management
Department of the Treasury
Foreign and international corporations
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
No Federal Contracts for Corporate Deserters Act of 2014 - Prohibits an executive agency from awarding a contract (including a defense contract) for the procurement of property or services to: (1) any foreign incorporated entity determined to be an inverted domestic corporation or any subsidiary of such entity, or (2) any joint venture more than 10% of which is held by such an entity or subsidiary.
 
Directs each agency to include in each contract awarded with a value in excess of $10 million, other than a contract for exclusively commercial items, a clause that prohibits the prime contractor from: (1) awarding a first-tier subcontract with a value greater than 10% of the total prime contract to such an entity or joint venture, or (2) structuring subcontract tiers enabling such entity or joint venture to perform more than 10% of the total value of the prime contract. 
 
Authorizes an agency to waive such requirements for a contract in the interest of national security or if necessary for the efficient or effective administration of federal or federally-funded programs that provide health benefits to individuals. Provides for termination of a contract or suspension or debarment of a contractor in violation of this Act. 
 
Requires a foreign incorporated entity to be treated as an inverted domestic corporation if: (1) the entity acquires, on or after May 8, 2014, substantially all of the properties held by a domestic corporation or substantially all of the assets of, or substantially all of the properties constituting a trade or business of, a domestic partnership; and (2) after the acquisition, either more than 50% of the stock of the entity is held by former shareholders of the domestic corporation or former partners of the domestic partnership, or the management and control of the expanded affiliated group which includes the entity occurs primarily within the United States and such expanded affiliated group has significant domestic business activities. Sets forth an exception for an entity within an expanded affiliated group with substantial business activities in the foreign country in which the entity is created.
 
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations for determining cases in which the management and control of an expanded affiliated group is to be treated as occurring primarily within the United States. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5142-5143)
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Renewable Energy Environmental Research Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2705
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Atmospheric science and weather
Biological and life sciences
Dams and canals
Ecology
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy research
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government information and archives
Great Lakes
Libraries and archives
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Oil and gas
Public-private cooperation
Water quality
Water use and supply
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Renewable Energy Environmental Research Act of 2014 - Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), within three years, to: (1) develop a plan for a comprehensive and integrated ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmosphere science program to support renewable energy development and smart grid technology; and (2) establish the program that is based on the plan and designed to collect, synthesize, and distribute data in a manner that can be used by resource managers responsible for making decisions about renewable energy projects. 
 
Requires the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Commerce, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Minerals Management Service, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Department of Energy (DOE) to consider this information when making planning, siting, and permitting decisions about renewable energy.
 
Requires NOAA to establish within three years a renewable energy information library and data portal to function as a cross-agency repository of data pertinent to renewable energy development.
 
Gives NOAA the discretion to allow any offshore exploration and production facility to execute a memorandum of understanding authorizing the use of offshore platforms and infrastructure for the placement of meteorological and oceanographic observation sensors of a type to be designated by NOAA in support of the Integrated Ocean Observing System. Requires information collected by the sensors to be readily available for use in hazard response as well as available to the National Weather Service, other NOAA programs, and the general public.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2706
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Adoption and foster care
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Poverty and welfare assistance
Religion

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2014 - Prohibits the federal government, and any state that receives federal funding for any program that provides child welfare services under part B (Child and Family Services) or part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV (Grants to States for Aid and Services to Needy Families with Children and for Child-Welfare Services) of the Social Security Act (SSA), from discriminating or taking an adverse action against a child welfare service provider that declines to provide, facilitate, or refer for a child welfare service that conflicts with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.
 
Bars such prohibition from applying to SSA requirements that forbid state entities from denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements on the basis of an adoptive parent's or a child's race, color, or national origin. 
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withhold 15% of the federal funds that a state receives for such programs if the state violates this Act. 
 
Allows an aggrieved child welfare service provider to assert such an adverse action violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and to obtain all appropriate relief (including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney fees and costs).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans TRICARE Choice Act

Bill: 113-s-2707
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Veterans TRICARE Choice Act - Allows an individual who is eligible to participate in the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program) to: (1) elect to be ineligible to enroll in such program, (2) make tax deductible contributions to a health savings account during the period such individual elects to be ineligible for TRICARE coverage, and (3) enroll in the TRICARE program at a later date during a special enrollment period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Access to Court Challenges for Exempt Status Seekers (ACCESS) Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2708
Sponsor: Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Judicial review and appeals
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Access to Court Challenges for Exempt Status Seekers (ACCESS) Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the availability of the declaratory judgment legal remedy to all organizations that are currently classified as tax-exempt (currently, limited to "c-3" charitable, religious, or educational organizations) and to religious and apostolic organizations, for purposes of determining the initial or continuing qualification of such organizations for a tax exemption. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2709
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Africa
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States through FY2019.
 
Extends, for FY2015-FY2019, the Bank's authority to use a specified amount of its surplus for information technology system updates.
 
Extends, through FY2019, the termination date of the sub-Saharan Africa advisory committee.
 
Prescribes limitations on outstanding Bank loans, guarantees, and insurance for FY2015-FY2018 and each fiscal year thereafter.
 
Extends, through FY2019, Bank authority to provide financing for the export of nonlethal defense articles and defense services whose primary end use is for civilian purposes.
 
Directs the Bank to submit to Congress and the Comptroller General (GAO) a business plan that includes an estimate of the Bank's appropriate exposure limits for FY2015-FY2019.
 
Directs GAO to study the Bank's medium-term financing programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 502.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2710
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Sales and excise taxes
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the holdings of a private foundation in any business enterprise that meet specified requirements relating to exclusive ownership, minimum distribution of net operating income for the charitable purpose (all profits to charity), and independent operation (i.e., not controlled by a substantial contributor or family members) from the excise taxes on excess business holdings and unrelated business income.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2711
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Executive agency funding and structure
Human rights
Religion
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom through September 30, 2016.
 
Directs the Commission, during an initial election, to elect: (1) as Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President, and (2) as Vice Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President. Sets forth a process for future elections in which the positions of Chair and Vice Chair rotate annually between Commissioners appointed by elected officials of each political party. 
 
Requires the Ambassador at Large to be notified in advance of all Commission meetings. Allows the Ambassador to attend all meetings as a nonvoting member. 
 
Removes authority under which a Commission member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office. 
 
Requires approval by at least six of the nine members of the Commission before: (1) issuance of a statement on behalf of the Commission, or (2) submittal of policy recommendation reports to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. Permits each member to include individual or dissenting views.
 
Authorizes elected officials to appoint majority and minority staff directors for the Commission, as well as professional staff for the political parties. (Currently, the Commission appoints a single executive director and is served by nonpartisan staff.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5144-5145)
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5143-5144)
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2712
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Temporary and part-time employment

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2014 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to treat part-time teachers as public service employees, for purposes of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan forgiveness program for public service employees, if they: (1) teach at least one course at an institution of higher education, a postsecondary vocational institution, or a Tribal College or University; and (2) do not have another full-time job. (Public service employees must make 120 monthly payments on such loans as public service employees to qualify for Direct Loan forgiveness under the program.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5145-5146)
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5145)
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation located in Bethel, Alaska.

Bill: 113-s-2713
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2014-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Health facilities and institutions
Land transfers
Minority health

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convey specified property (22.98 acres) to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation located in Bethel, Alaska, for use in connection with health and social services programs. 
 
Shields the Corporation from liability for any environmental contamination on the conveyed property. Requires the Secretary to: (1) be accorded access to the conveyed property as may be reasonably necessary to satisfy any retained obligations and liability; and (2) comply with requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 regarding the transfer of U.S. real property on which any hazardous substance was stored for one year or more, disposed of, or known to have been released.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate
World War I American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 113-s-2714
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2014-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays
Conflicts and wars
Currency
Military history
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: 
World War I American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) mint and issue $1 silver coins to commemorate the centennial of the involvement of the United States in World War I, and (2) hold a competition and provide compensation for its winner to design the obverse and reverse of the coins. 
 
Requires the design of such coins to be emblematic of the centennial of the involvement of the United States in World War I. 
 
Permits the Secretary to issue such coins only during the period beginning on January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2018.
 
Subjects the coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin, payable by the Secretary to the World War I Centennial Commission.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate
COMPETE Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2715
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2014-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Business investment and capital
Capital gains tax
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Inflation and prices
Medical research
Product development and innovation
Research and development
Securities
Small business
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: 
Competitiveness and Opportunity by Modernizing and Permanently Extending the Tax Credit for Experimentation Act of 2014 or the COMPETE Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for research expenditures, to: (1) increase the rate of such credit to 25% of so much of the taxpayer's qualified research expenses in a taxable year as exceeds 50% of the average expenses for the three preceding taxable years; (2) allow such credit for the basic research expenditures of educational institutions, scientific research organizations, and certain grant organizations; (3) allow an increased 35% credit for highly innovative research expenses (defined as research expenses for the creation of a qualified new product category or product technology that represents a significant improvement over previously existing product technology); and (4) make such tax credit, as revised by this Act, permanent.
 
Exempts from the definition of "passive activity," for purposes of the passive loss tax rules, any qualified research activity carried on by a high technology research small business pass-thru entity. Defines "high technology research small business pass-thru entity" as any domestic pass-thru entity if: (1) more than 75% of the entity's expenditures are paid or incurred in connection with qualified research, or (2) more than 50% of the entity's expenditures constitute qualified research expenses. Designates a high technology research entity as a small business if it has 250 or fewer full-time employees and does not have aggregate gross assets in excess of $150 million. 
 
Allows tax-exempt financing of research park facilities (facilities used in connection with research and experimentation that are located on the same site and funded with not more than 25% of the net proceeds of the bond issue).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate
Aleut Confinement and Relocation Sites Study Act

Bill: 113-s-2716
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Historic sites and heritage areas
Military history
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: 
Aleut Confinement and Relocation Sites Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine whether the following sites are suitable for inclusion in the National Park System: (1) the World War II Aleut relocation sites at Funter Bay, Burnett Inlet, Killisnoo, Ward Lake, and the Wrangell Institute in Alaska; and (2) the villages of Makushin, Kashega, and Biorka around Unalaska Island and Attu on Attu Island in Alaska, from which the Aleut people were forcibly removed.
 
Requires the Secretary to:
 
 
evaluate the national significance of the sites;
 
 determine the suitability and feasibility of designating those sites as units of the National Park System; 
 
 consider alternatives for preservation, protection, and interpretation of the land comprising those sites; and 
 
 identify cost estimates for any federal acquisition, development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance associated with carrying out such alternatives.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate