hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to establish the Green Bank to assist in the financing of qualified clean energy projects and qualified energy efficiency projects.

Bill: 113-s-2271
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2014-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Foreign and international corporations
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Income tax deductions
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Lighting, heating, cooling
Motor fuels
Nuclear power
Securities
State and local finance
Taxation of foreign income
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: 
Establishes the Green Bank as a federally-owned independent corporation with a 20-year charter. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue Green Bonds in order to provide the Bank with an initial capitalization of $10 billion and to provide additional capitalization of up to $50 billion upon request of the Bank.
 
Requires the Bank to establish a program to provide financial support or risk management for qualifying clean energy or energy efficiency projects.
 
Authorizes the Bank to provide funding for low-interest loans to establish state clean energy financing institutions and to co-fund the projects with an institution.
 
Gives the Bank immunity from impairment, limitations, or restrictions under laws. Authorizes the Bank to conduct its business without regard to state law relating to incorporation.
 
Exempts the Bank from all state or local taxation except real property taxation.
 
Requires the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank to set forth spending safeguards, including: (1) deobligating financial support to entities that demonstrate an insufficient level of performance or wasteful or fraudulent spending, and (2) creating a publicly available online database with information about financing support or risk management.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit and defer tax deduction amounts for foreign-related interest expense (i.e., interest expense allocated and apportioned to income from sources outside the United States).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
No Bonuses for Tax Cheats Act

Bill: 113-s-2272
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2014-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses
Department of the Treasury
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Unemployment
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: 
No Bonuses for Tax Cheats Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from providing any discretionary performance award to any employee of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with respect to whom there is substantial evidence of misconduct or a seriously delinquent tax debt. Requires the Secretary to consider such a denial or withholding of a discretionary performance award as an action necessary to protect the integrity of the IRS, for purposes of any collective bargaining agreement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Department of Defense Energy Security Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2273
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2014-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Department of Defense
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Marine and inland water transportation
Military facilities and property
Military operations and strategy
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: 
Department of Defense Energy Security Act of 2014 - Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to authorize agencies to enter into energy savings performance contracts to reduce the costs of fuel supply, delivery, or transport for nonbuilding applications.
 
 Prohibits payments by agencies to entities that supply, deliver, or transport fuel under such contracts from exceeding the amounts that the agencies would have paid entities without the contracts.
 
Authorizes the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to: (1) carry out research to improve military vehicle technology to increase fuel economy or reduce fuel consumption of military vehicles used in combat; and (2) establish an online, centralized repository for all Department of Defense (DOD) operational energy-related research and development efforts.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish: (1) a DOD executive agent for warrior power to align and advance efforts to measure and manage the development and evaluation of man-portable tactical power generation systems to power tactical communications equipment, weapons systems, and other troop equipment; and (2) a program to foster secure and reliable sources of energy for military installations, including incorporation of advanced energy metering, renewable energy, energy storage, and redundant power systems.
 
Establishes in the Treasury the Department of Defense Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Fund to support installing, operating, and maintaining alternative fuel dispensing stations for use by DOD's alternative fueled vehicles and other infrastructure necessary to fuel the vehicles. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to expedite decisions on applications for authorization to export natural gas, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-2274
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2014-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Department of Energy
Judicial review and appeals
Oil and gas
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to issue a decision on an application for authorization to export natural gas within 90 days after the later of: (1) the end of the comment period for that decision as set forth in the Federal Register, or (2) the date of enactment of this Act. 
 
Grants original and exclusive jurisdiction to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the export facility under an application will be located over any civil action for the review of: (1) an order by the Secretary about the application, or (2) the failure of the Secretary to issue a decision on the application.
 
Requires the Court, if it finds in a civil action 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: 2014-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2014-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Financing Act

Bill: 113-s-2275
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Infrastructure development
Pedestrians and bicycling
Public transit
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Financing Act - Amends the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to make eligible for TIFIA funding any projects to improve or construct public infrastructure located within walking distance of and accessible to a fixed guideway transit facility, passenger rail station, intercity bus station, or intermodal facility, including transportation, public utility, and certain capital projects, and related infrastructure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Caring for America's Heroes Act

Bill: 113-s-2276
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Hospital care
Mental health
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Caring for America's Heroes Act - Eliminates the limit on the number of days each year inpatient mental health services may be provided to military dependents under the Department of Defense (DOD) TRICARE program (a DOD managed care program).
 
Eliminates the need for TRICARE Standard beneficiaries to obtain: (1) a nonavailability statement or preauthorization to receive mental health services from a civilian provider, or (2) a nonavailability statement to receive mental health services in specialized treatment facilities outside the 200-mile radius of a military medical treatment facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
SCOPE Act

Bill: 113-s-2278
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Contracts and agency
Department of Health and Human Services
Health care costs and insurance
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Safeguarding Care Of Patients Everywhere Act or SCOPE Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to repeal the requirement that qualified health plans contract only with health care providers, including hospitals with more than 50 beds, that implement a specified patient safety evaluation system and health care quality mechanisms required by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2279
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Corporate finance and management
Electric power generation and transmission
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Income tax credits
Income tax rates
Motor fuels
Nuclear power
Oil and gas
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal tax credits for: (1) alcohol fuel, biodiesel, and alternative fuel mixtures; (2) alternative motor vehicles; (3) new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles; (4) alcohol used as fuel; (5) enhanced oil recovery; (6) producing oil and gas from marginal wells; (7) producing electricity from advanced nuclear power facilities; (8) carbon dioxide sequestration; (9) investment in energy property; and (10) investment in qualifying advanced coal projects, qualifying gasification projects, and qualifying advanced energy projects. 
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to revise the income tax rates for corporations based upon the overall revenue savings from the repeal of the energy tax expenditures by this Act and ensure that each revised rate is reduced by a uniform percentage.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Bill: 113-s-2280
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Canada
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Federal appellate courts
Judicial review and appeals
Licensing and registrations
Nebraska
Oil and gas
Pipelines

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Authorizes TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to construct, connect, operate, and maintain the pipeline and cross-border facilities specified in an application filed by TransCanada Corporation to the Department of State on May 4, 2012.
 
Deems the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement regarding the pipeline issued by the Secretary of State in January 2014 to fully satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and any law that requires federal agency consultation or review, including the Endangered Species Act of 1973. 
 
Declares any applicable federal permit or authorization issued before enactment of this Act to remain in effect.
 
Restricts any legal challenges regarding a federal agency action and such facilities to judicial review on direct appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
 
Declares that this Act does not alter any federal, state, or local process or condition in effect on the date of enactment of this Act that is necessary to secure access from an owner of private property to construct the pipeline and cross-border facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Under the order of 11/12/14, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, failed of passage in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 59 - 41. Record Vote Number: 280.
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Failed of passage/not agreed to in Senate: Under the order of 11/12/14, not having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, failed of passage in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 59 - 41. Record Vote Number: 280.
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6029-6053, S6053-6073)
action_date: 2014-05-05
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 371.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2615-2617)
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Net Price Calculator Improvement Act

Bill: 113-s-2281
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Government information and archives
Higher education
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Net Price Calculator Improvement Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish the minimum requirements for the net price calculator that each institution of higher education (IHE) receiving federal funds under title IV (Student Assistance) of the Act must include on its website. (An IHE's "net price" is the average yearly price actually charged to first-time, full-time undergraduate students receiving student aid at the school after deducting such aid.)
 
Requires the link for the calculator to be clearly labeled and conspicuously posted on an IHE's website.
 
Requires each calculator's results page to include:
 
 
the individual net price of attending the IHE (the individual net price is calculated like the net price but takes into account the cost of attendance for, and aid available to, the individual student to the extent practicable);
 
the cost of attending the IHE;
 
the estimated total need- and merit-based grant aid from federal, state, and institutional sources that may be available to the individual student;
 
the percentage of such students enrolled at the school who receive any of that grant aid; and
 
a notice that an estimate of an individual's net price is non-binding and subject to change.
 
 
Requires calculators that estimate a user's eligibility for veterans' education benefits or educational benefits for active duty service members to clearly distinguish those benefits from other grant-aid. Requires calculators that do not make such estimates to provide users with notice of, and a link to information concerning, those benefits.
 
Directs IHEs to populate their calculators with data from not earlier than two academic years prior to the most recent academic year.
 
Requires the calculators to: (1) clearly indicate which questions need to be completed for a net price estimate, (2) clearly mark requests for contact information as optional, (3) prohibit personally identifiable information from being sold or made available to third parties, and (4) clearly state that any information a user provides is confidential and that the calculator does not store responses or require personal identifying information.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to develop a universal net price calculator that enables users to answer one set of questions and receive net prices for any IHE that is required to have a net price calculator.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
No Bonuses for Tax-Delinquent IRS Employees Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2282
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Department of the Treasury
Employee performance
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
No Bonuses for Tax Delinquent IRS Employees Act of 2014 - Prohibits the payment of any performance award (including, but not limited to, bonuses, step increases, and time off) to an employee of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who owes an outstanding federal tax debt.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2619-2620)
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
NATO Alliance Recognition and Promotion Act

Bill: 113-s-2283
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Albania
Alliances
Bulgaria
Collective security
Croatia
Czech Republic
Defense spending
Estonia
Europe
Hungary
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
NATO Alliance Recognition and Promotion Act - Expresses the sense of Congress: (1) reaffirming the commitment of the United States to collective defense under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Treaty; (2) that NATO members should ensure sufficient funding related to individual and collective capacity; and (3) that the United States, together with NATO allies, should pursue enlargement initiatives for aspirant countries.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Pedestrian Safety Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2284
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Transportation
Government information and archives
Marketing and advertising
Motor vehicles
Pedestrians and bicycling
Roads and highways
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
Pedestrian Safety Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to issue a final rule that: (1) establishes standards for the hood and bumper areas of motor vehicles, including passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less, in order to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by pedestrians who are struck by such vehicles; and (2) considers the protection of vulnerable pedestrian populations, including children and older adults.
 
Allows a federal share of up to 100% for any projects for pedestrian hybrid beacons and roadway improvements that provide separation between pedestrians and motor vehicles, including pedestrian sidewalks and crossing islands. 
 
Declares that highway safety improvement projects include one or more projects for safety public awareness campaigns.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2285
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2014-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Appropriations
Business investment and capital
Government lending and loan guarantees
Manufacturing
Small business
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: 
 
Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2014 - Amends the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 to extend for an additional eight fiscal years the State Small Business Credit Initiative to assist participating states to give collateral support and other innovative credit access and guarantee initiatives for small businesses and manufacturers. 
 
Prescribes allocations of federal funds to participating states. 
 Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to award, on a competitive basis, up to a total of $1 billion in two tranches, according to specified criteria, to participating states and consortiums of participating states for use: (1) for making federal contributions to, or for the account of, an approved state program; and (2) as collateral for a qualifying loan or swap funding facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2014-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate