hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act

Bill: 113-s-2635
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of the Interior
Endangered and threatened species
Government information and archives
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, to make publicly available on the Internet the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for the determination of whether a species is an endangered species or a threatened species, including each proposed regulation for the listing of a species.
 
Prohibits the Secretary from making the information publicly available when: (1) the public disclosure of the information is prohibited by state law relating to the protection of personal information, and (2) the state makes a request to the Secretary to withhold the information. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4707)
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Alaska Native Conservation Parity Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2636
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Income tax deductions
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Land use and conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
Alaska Native Conservation Parity Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow Alaska Native Corporations an increased tax deduction for donations of conservation easements related to lands conveyed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Permits a 15-year carryover of contribution amounts that exceed annual limitations on the amount of such tax deduction.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
SBA Intermediary Lending Program Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2637
Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Government lending and loan guarantees
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
SBA Intermediary Lending Program Act of 2014 - Amends the Small Business Act to make permanent the Small Business Administration (SBA) Intermediary Lending Program (ILP). 
 
Limits to a maximum of: (1) $1 million a single ILP loan to an eligible intermediary, (2) $5 million the total amount outstanding and committed to the intermediary by the Administrator under the program, and (3) $20 million the total amount of all ILP loans during each of FY2015-FY2017.
 
Authorizes the Administrator, during FY2018 and each ensuing fiscal year, to use amounts made available for the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4707-4708)
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Natural Gas Export Certainty Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2638
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Department of Energy
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Judicial review and appeals
Oil and gas
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
Natural Gas Export Certainty Act of 2014 - Amends the Natural Gas Act to direct the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to make a public interest determination and issue an order for an application for the exportation of natural gas to a foreign country through a particular liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal not later than 45 days after receipt of an application for either: (1) construction of an LNG terminal, or (2) conversion of an LNG terminal into an LNG import or export facility. 
 
Restricts such an order solely to applications for exportation of natural gas to certain foreign countries that have been pending for a period of at least 180 calendar days.
 
Confers upon the Court of Appeals for the circuit in which such export facility will be located original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions for the review of: (1) an order issued by the Secretary about the application, or (2) the failure of the Secretary to issue a decision on it.
 
Requires the Court, if it finds that the Secretary has failed to issue a decision on an application, to order the Secretary to issue one within 30 days.
 
Requires the Court to set any civil action brought under this Act on the docket, for expedited consideration, as soon as practical after the filing date of the initial pleading.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Affairs Health Workforce Enhancement Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2639
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Medical education
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
Veterans Affairs Health Workforce Enhancement Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish medical residency programs, or ensure a sufficient number of residency positions in medical residency programs, at any VA medical facility that the Secretary determines is experiencing a shortage of physicians.
 
Requires the Secretary to determine the specialty of health care professionals that each such facility is experiencing a shortage of and allocate residency programs and positions based on such determination.
 
Directs the Secretary, during the five-year period beginning on the enactment of this Act, to increase the number of graduate medical education residency positions at VA medical facilities by not less than 2,000 positions, giving priority to medical facilities that: (1) do not have a medical residency program, and (2) are located in a community in which there is a high need for health care for veterans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2640
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Libraries and archives
Presidential administrations
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
 Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2014 - Requires each presidential library fundraising organization to submit quarterly reports to the National Archives and Records Administration on all contributions of $200 or more whether monetary or in-kind for the quarterly period. 
 
Requires the Archivist of the United States to publish such information on the website of the National Archives within 30 days after each submission. 
 
Makes it unlawful for contributors or fundraising organizations to knowingly and willfully submit materially false information or omit material information. Prescribes criminal penalties for violation of such prohibitions. 

action_date: 2014-08-26
text: 
 Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2014 - Amends federal law regarding presidential archival depositories to require each presidential library fundraising organization to submit quarterly reports to the National Archives and Records Administration (National Archives) information on a contribution or contributions totaling not less than $200 (whether monetary or in-kind) for the quarterly period. 
 
Requires the Archivist of the United States to publish such information on the website of the National Archives within 30 days after each submission. 
 
Makes it unlawful for contributors or fundraising organizations to knowingly and willfully submit materially false information or omit material information. Prescribes criminal penalties for violation of such prohibitions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-08-26
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 532.
action_date: 2014-08-26
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Carper under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/05/2014 with amendments. With written report No. 113-245.
action_date: 2014-08-26
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Carper under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/05/2014 with amendments. With written report No. 113-245.
action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act to provide that residential mortgage loans held in portfolio qualify and qualified mortgages for purposes of the presumption of the ability to repay requirements under such Act, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-2641
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Consumer credit
Housing finance and home ownership

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
 Amends the Truth in Lending Act with respect to the permission that a creditor may presume that a residential mortgage loan has met the requirement that, at the time the loan is consummated, the consumer has a reasonable ability to repay it, if the loan is a qualified mortgage.
 
Treats as a qualified mortgage any residential mortgage loan made by a creditor having less than $10 billion in total assets, so long as it appears on the creditor's balance sheet (held on portfolio).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4708)
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require a report by the Federal Communications Commission on designated market areas.

Bill: 113-s-2643
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2014-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Government studies and investigations
Rural conditions and development
Television and film

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: 
Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to submit to Congress a report containing an analysis of: (1) the extent to which consumers in each local market have access to broadcast programming from television broadcast stations located outside their local market; (2) whether there are alternatives to the use of designated market areas to define markets that would provide consumers with more local programming options; and (3) the potential impact that such alternatives could have on localism and on broadcast television locally, regionally, and nationally.
 
Requires such report to include recommendations on how to foster increased localism in states served by out-of-state designated market areas. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4713-4714)
action_date: 2014-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate
FAIR Act

Bill: 113-s-2644
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2014-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Evidence and witnesses
Government trust funds

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: 
Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2014 or the FAIR Act - Amends the federal criminal code to increase the federal government's burden of proof in civil forfeiture proceedings to clear and convincing evidence. Requires the government, in addition to showing a substantial connection between the seized property and the offense in a forfeiture proceeding, to establish by clear and convincing evidence that the owner of any interest in the seized property intentionally used the property in connection with the offense or knowingly consented or was willfully blind to the use of the property by another in connection with the offense. 
 
Requires proceeds from the disposition of forfeited property to be deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury, rather than to Department of Justice (DOJ) accounts for law enforcement activities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
TREAT Act

Bill: 113-s-2645
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2014-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug therapy
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: 
Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act or the TREAT Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of patients that a qualifying practitioner dispensing narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment is initially allowed to treat from 30 to 100 patients per year. 
 
Allows a qualifying physician, after one year, to request approval to treat an unlimited number of patients under specified conditions, including that he or she: (1) agrees to fully participate in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program of the state in which the practitioner is licensed, (2) practices in a qualified practice setting, and (3) has completed at least 24 hours of training regarding treatment and management of opiate-dependent patients for substance use disorders provided by specified organizations.
 
Revises the definition of a &quot;qualifying practitioner&quot; to include: (1) a physician who holds a board certification from the American Board of Addiction Medicine; and (2) a nurse practitioner or physicians assistant who is licensed under state law to prescribe schedule III, IV, or V medications for pain, who has specified training or experience that demonstrates specialization in the ability to treat opiate-dependent patients, who practices under the supervision of, or prescribes opioid addiction therapy in collaboration with, a licensed physician who holds an active waiver to prescribe schedule III, IV, or V narcotic medications for opioid addiction therapy, and who practices in a qualified practice setting.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to initiate an evaluation of the effectiveness of this Act, including an evaluation of: (1) changes in the availability and use of medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, (2) the quality of medication-assisted treatment programs, (3) diversion of opioid addiction treatment medication, and (4) changes in state or local policies and legislation relating to opioid addiction treatment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Security Officer Screening Improvement Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2647
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2014-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aging
Child safety and welfare
Criminal justice information and records
Disability and paralysis
Law enforcement officers
Personnel records

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: 
Security Officer Screening Improvement Act of 2014 - Amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to direct the Attorney General to establish policies and procedures for: (1) informing entities that employ private security officers about how to request state and national background checks on officers and applicants, and (2) completing a check of the national criminal history background check system and providing information received to the entity designated by the Attorney General to carry out the criminal history review program. 
 
Requires a request for such a check to include the fingerprints of the covered individual, other documents required by state law for a state criminal history background check, and the appropriate fee, which shall be remitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to offset the costs of conducting the criminal history review.
 
Requires the Attorney General (or such designee) to: (1) establish a criminal history review program to provide requesting entities with information on the criminal history of officers or applicants; (2) establish procedures to securely receive criminal history records; (3) make determinations regarding whether such records indicate that the officer or applicant has a criminal history that may bear on his or her fitness to perform security services; and (4) convey to the requesting entity such determinations and guidance that the entity should consult the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Enforcement Guidance #915.002, dated April 25, 2012, and entitled "Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964."
 
Authorizes the FBI to retain any fingerprints submitted to it under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide certain legal relief from politically motivated charges by the Government of Egypt.

Bill: 113-s-2649
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2014-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Egypt
Human rights
International organizations and cooperation
Middle East

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: 
 Declares that, for purposes of U.S. law and for activities undertaken within the jurisdiction of the United States, no verdict, order, warrant, or writ issued by the government of Egypt or any court, administrative tribunal, or other Egyptian authority relating to the legal charges, trial proceedings, and convictions issued by the Cairo Criminal Court on June 4, 2013, in Public Prosecution Case No. 1110 for the Year 2012 against 43 staff of five international nongovernmental organizations shall be considered a conviction, and no person named in such verdict, order, warrant, or writ shall be considered to have been charged, accused, found guilty, or convicted. 
 
States that it is U.S. policy to recognize any related legal charges, trial proceedings, and convictions as being politically motivated and invalid.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Iran Nuclear Negotiations Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2650
Sponsor: Sen. Corker, Bob [R-TN]
Introduced: 2014-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Foreign aid and international relief
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International law and treaties
Iran
Legislative rules and procedure
Middle East
Nuclear power
Sanctions

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: 
Iran Nuclear Negotiations Act of 2014 - Directs the President, within three days after entering into a U.S.-Iran agreement relating to Iran's nuclear program, to submit such agreement to Congress.
 
Provides for: (1) a 15-day review period by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and (2) a subsequent 15-day period in which a joint resolution of disapproval may be introduced in the House and in the Senate for expedited consideration.
 
Prohibits the use of any Department of State funds available for obligation to implement a nuclear program agreement with Iran, including any related sanctions reduction, if: (1) the President fails to submit the agreement to Congress, or (2) a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted into law.
 
Provides that: 
 
 
if any element of the intelligence community receives information from a reputable source that Iran has failed to comply with the terms of the Joint Plan of Action, or any other agreement related to Iran's nuclear program, the Director of National Intelligence shall determine within 10 days whether the information is credible and accurate, and submit it to Congress; and 
 
upon the Director's determination of the information's credibility and accuracy, any sanctions on Iran that have been waived, suspended, or otherwise reduced in connection with Iran's nuclear program shall be reinstated within five days.
 
 
Reinstates by action of law on November 28, 2014, any sanctions on Iran that have been waived, suspended, or otherwise reduced in connection with Iran's nuclear program, unless before that date the President submits to Congress a comprehensive and long-term agreement that: (1) addresses all key aspects of Iran's nuclear program, and (2) is significantly longer in duration than any previous U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4767, S4768-4769, S4769-4770)
action_date: 2014-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to improve the design-build process in Federal contracting.

Bill: 113-s-2652
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2014-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Building construction
Congressional oversight
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government studies and investigations
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-24
text: 
Modifies design-build selection procedures for civilian and defense contracts for the design and construction of a public building, facility, or work to require the contracting officer to provide written documentation of how more than five finalists in a solicitation for a contract is consistent with the purposes and objectives of the two-phase selection process (a procurement process in which the first phase consists of prequalification or shortlisting and the second phase consists of preparation and submission of complete design-build proposals from the prequalified offerors). 
 
Requires the use of two-phase selection procedures for civilian or defense contracts when a contracting officer determines that the contract has a value of $750,000 or greater, adjusted for inflation. Requires: (1) agencies to report on contracts for which more than five finalists were selected for phase-two requests or for which the contract was awarded without using two-phase selection procedures, and (2) the Comptroller General (GAO) to report on the compliance of executive agencies with design-build contract procedures. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate