hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1443
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Licensing and registrations
Mining
Pollution liability
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2013 - Encourages the partial or complete remediation of inactive and abandoned mine sites for the public good by good samaritans (defined as individuals or entities who had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue or any resulting environmental pollution and are not legally responsible for the remediation of the historic mine residue). Defines &quot;inactive or abandoned mine site&quot; as a mine site located in the United States that is no longer actively mined and that was used for the production of a mineral other than coal and has historic mine residue.
 
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize a permitting authority (i.e., the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] or a state or Indian tribe with an approved good samaritan program) to issue good samaritan discharge permits. Sets forth requirements for the issuance of such permits, including the applicant's submission of a detailed remediation plan and a determination by a permitting authority that such plan preserves water quality. Grants a release from liability under such Act to good samaritans who comply with a discharge permit approved under the terms of this Act. 
 
Terminates the authority to issue good samaritan discharge permits ten years after enactment of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6221)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1444
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health personnel
Medicare
Rural conditions and development
Surgery and anesthesia

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) on a reasonable cost basis for anesthesia services furnished by a physician who is an anesthesiologist in certain rural hospitals in the same manner as payment is made for anesthesia services furnished by a certified registered nurse anesthetist in such hospitals.
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6222)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6221-6222)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
National Health Service Corps Improvement Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1445
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Education programs funding
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Hearing, speech, and vision care
Medical education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
National Health Service Corps Improvement Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise the definition of &quot;primary health services&quot; for purposes of the National Health Service Corps to include optometry health services.
 
Includes optometrists within: (1) the fellowship program for the delivery of primary health services in health professional shortage areas, (2) the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program, and (3) the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Care Coverage for Displaced Workers Act

Bill: 113-s-1446
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax credits
Trade adjustment assistance
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Health Care Coverage for Displaced Workers Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for the health insurance coverage costs of certain taxpayers (i.e., Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation [PBGC] pension and trade adjustment assistance [TAA] recipients) and their dependents, to: (1) increase the rate of such credit from 72.5% to 80%, and (2) make such credit permanent. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that income attributable to certain passenger cruise voyages beginning or ending in the United States shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

Bill: 113-s-1449
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax exclusion
Income tax rates
International law and treaties
Marine and inland water transportation
Taxation of foreign income
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat United States cruise industry income as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States (thus subjecting such income to U.S. income taxation). Defines &quot;United States cruise industry income&quot; as income attributable to a voyage of a commercial passenger cruise vessel (a passenger vessel having berth or stateroom accommodations for at least 250 passengers) that extends over 1 or more nights and during which passengers embark or disembark the vessel in the United States. Prohibits any tax exemption or reduced tax rate under any U.S. treaty with respect to United States cruise industry income. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6222-6223)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6222)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose an ad valorem excise tax on certain passenger cruise voyages, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-1450
Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Government trust funds
Marine and inland water transportation
Sales and excise taxes
Transportation programs funding
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 5% excise tax on persons providing a covered passenger cruise. Defines &quot;covered passenger cruise&quot; as a voyage of a commercial passenger cruise vessel that extends over one or more nights and during which passengers embark and disembark the vessel in the United States. Defines &quot;passenger cruise vessel&quot; as any passenger vessel having berth or stateroom accommodations for at least 250 passengers and that is used in the business of carrying passengers for hire. 
 
Establishes in the Treasury the Intermodal Infrastructure Trust Fund to be funded by the per passenger excise tax. Allows expenditures from such Fund for specified transportation improvements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6223)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Diagnosis Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1453
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Medical education
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Organ and tissue donation and transplantation

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Diagnosis Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an Interagency Pulmonary Hypertension Coordinating Committee to make recommendations on, and coordinate, all efforts within HHS concerning pulmonary hypertension. 
 
Requires the Committee to: (1) develop and update annually a summary of pulmonary hypertension advances in medical research and treatment development and improvement, early and accurate diagnosis, appropriate and timely intervention, transplantation, and access to care and therapies for patients; (2) monitor federal activities respecting pulmonary hypertension; (3) make recommendations regarding appropriate changes to such activities as well as stakeholder participation in decisions relating to pulmonary hypertension; and (4) develop and update annually a comprehensive strategic plan to cooperatively improve health outcomes for pulmonary hypertension patients.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Empowering Encore Entrepreneurs Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1454
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Congressional oversight
Credit and credit markets
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
Self-employed
Small business
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Tax-exempt organizations
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Empowering Encore Entrepreneurs Act of 2013 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a program under which the Administrator may enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, or make grants to, nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance, mentoring, and other specialized training activities for encore entrepreneurs. 
 
Defines "encore entrepreneur" to mean an entrepreneur, business person, or owner of a small business concern who: (1) is seeking to start a new small business concern or expand an existing one, and (2) is at least age 50 or has at least 20 years of experience in a workplace.
 
Directs the Administrator to give special consideration to applications seeking funding for programs for: (1) members of the Armed Forces impacted by base closures or realignment, or (2) encore entrepreneurs unemployed for a period of not less than one year. 
 
Terminates the program on September 30, 2017.
 
Requires the Administrator to submit to specified congressional committees a report that describes the barriers and obstacles faced by encore entrepreneurs in starting new small business concerns or expanding existing small business concerns.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-12
text: Committees on Aging; Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Joint hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-898.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Requiring E-VERIFI Act

Bill: 113-s-1455
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Exchange Verification of Eligibility to Receive Income-Related Funds for Individuals or the Requiring E-VERIFI Act - Declares that no premium tax credits or reductions in cost-sharing for the purchase of qualified health benefit plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) shall be permitted until the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) certifies to Congress that there is in place a program that successfully and consistently verifies, consistent with PPACA requirements, the household income and coverage requirements of individuals applying for such credits and cost-sharing reductions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres.

Bill: 113-s-1456
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Israel
Middle East

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal in honor of President Shimon Peres of Israel.

action_date: 2014-03-13
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal in honor of President Shimon Peres of Israel.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-03-14
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2014-03-14
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2014-03-14
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2014-03-13
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S1667)
action_date: 2014-03-13
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S1667)
action_date: 2014-03-13
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1666-1667)
action_date: 2014-03-13
text: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2014-03-13
text: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Aged Distilled Spirits Competitiveness Act

Bill: 113-s-1457
Sponsor: Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alcoholic beverages
Business investment and capital
Income tax deductions
Interest, dividends, interest rates

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Aged Distilled Spirits Competitiveness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude the aging period from the production period for distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6229)
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1458
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Congressional officers and employees
Higher education
Lawyers and legal services

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Act of 2013 - Establishes the Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Program for the appointment of individuals who are graduates of accredited law schools to serve as Congressional Clerks in the Senate or House of Representatives.
 
Requires the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Committee on House Administration to each select at least six individuals for a one-year term to serve as employees in their respective chambers.

Specifies eligibility criteria for a Congressional Clerk, including that the selected candidate be a graduate of such a law school as of the starting date of his or her clerkship.
 
Requires the Committees to ensure that Congressional Clerks selected under this Act are apportioned equally between majority and minority party offices.

Entitles each clerk selected to the same compensation as, and comparable benefits to, an individual who holds the position of a judicial clerkship for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia within three months of graduating from law school.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1459
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Civil actions and liability
Mammals
Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2013 - Prohibits a person from transporting a horse in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle (except a vehicle operated exclusively on rail or rails) containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. Sets forth civil penalties for persons who knowingly violate such prohibition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
FISA Judge Selection Reform Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1460
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Government studies and investigations
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Judges
Specialized courts

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
FISA Judge Selection Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, with respect to the appointment of judges to the court established by such Act (FISA Court), to: (1) increase from 11 to 13 the number of FISA Court judges, with one judge designated from each judicial circuit; (2) authorize a chief judge of a judicial circuit to submit to the Chief Justice of the United States the name of a district judge within such circuit to fill a FISA Court vacancy; (3) allow the Chief Justice to accept the proposed replacement judge or reject such replacement and request two additional names; (4) require the Chief Justice to fill the vacancy with one of the two additional named judges; and (5) require any judge appointed to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review by the Chief Justice to be confirmed by five Associate Justices. 
Directs the Committee on Intercircuit Assignments of the Judicial Conference of the United States to study and report on how to ensure that judges appointed to the FISA Court and the FISA Court of Review are diverse and representative.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Homeowners' Defense Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1461
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance
Housing finance and home ownership
Insurance industry and regulation
Securities
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Homeowners' Defense Act of 2013 - Establishes the National Catastrophe Risk Consortium as a nonprofit, nonfederal entity to: (1) maintain an inventory of catastrophe risk obligations held by state reinsurance funds and state residual insurance market entities; (2) issue, on a conduit basis, securities and other financial instruments linked to catastrophe risks insured or reinsured through Consortium members; (3) coordinate reinsurance contracts; (4) act as a centralized repository of state risk information accessible by certain private-market participants; and (5) use a database to perform research and analysis that encourages standardization of the risk-linked securities market. 
 
Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to implement a national homeowners' insurance stabilization program to make liquidity loans and catastrophic loans to qualified reinsurance programs to: (1) ensure their solvency; (2) improve the availability and affordability of homeowners' insurance; (3) provide incentive for risk transfer to the private capital and reinsurance markets; and (4) spread the risk of catastrophic financial loss resulting from natural disasters and catastrophic events. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish and collect, from qualified and precertified reinsurance programs, a reasonable fee to offset expenses of the program. 

Instructs the Secretary to require full repayment of all loans made under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate
Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

Bill: 113-s-1462
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Transportation
Railroads
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act - Revises the railroad safety risk reduction program.
 
Extends from December 31, 2015, to December 31, 2020, the deadline for submission to the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) by each Class I railroad carrier and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation of a plan for implementing a positive train control (PTC) system on certain of its tracks.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to extend the implementation deadline, upon application, in one-year increments, if specified circumstances exist. 
 
Directs the Secretary to revise federal regulations requiring a Class II or III railroad (including a tourist or excursion railroad) to equip its locomotives with an onboard PTC system to operate in PTC territory.
 
Extends for five years the time for such railroad to meet the deadline for equipping its locomotives with a PTC system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in Senate