hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to make responsible parties liable for certain costs relating to the release of pollutants or contaminants.

Bill: 113-s-1951
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Pollution liability

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to impose liability for hazardous substances releases of pollutants or contaminants if the President takes any response measure pursuant to CERCLA response authorities with respect to the pollutants or contaminants.
 
 Excepts otherwise liable persons who engage in conduct with respect to such pollutants or contaminants from liability for damages for injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources, including the reasonable costs of assessing the injury, destruction, or resulting loss.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
GREEN Act

Bill: 113-s-1952
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental technology
Higher education
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Grants for Renewable Energy Education for the Nation Act or GREEN Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to partnerships of local educational agencies (LEAs), postsecondary institutions, and clean and renewable energy industry representatives to develop programs of study focused on emerging careers and jobs in the fields of clean and renewable energy. 
 
Requires a priority be given to grant applications that: (1) use online learning or other innovative methods to deliver a program of study to individuals outside the partnership, and (2) focus on low-performing students and special populations.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to LEAs and postsecondary institutions to promote development of career and technical educational facilities that are energy efficient and use renewable energy practices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Oversight Workforce Improvement Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-1953
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Freedom of information
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government studies and investigations
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Oversight Workforce Improvement Act of 2014 - Exempts from requirements relating to the authority of federal agencies to collect information for investigations: (1) information collected during any evaluation by the Federal Accountability and Spending Transparency Board; and (2) information collected during any audit, investigation, evaluation, or other review conducted by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency or any Office of the Inspector General, including any office of Special Inspector General.
 
Exempts from document disclosure requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) information relating to the information security program or practices of a federal agency if disclosure could reasonably be expected to lead to, or result in, unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of such information program or the information such program controls, processes, stores, or transmits. 
 
Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to: (1) establish classification and pay standards for the Inspectors General of each federal agency; (2) set forth procedures for considering allegations of wrongdoing against the Special Counsel and Deputy Special Counsel (officials appointed to investigate prohibited personal practices and government waste and abuse); and (3) include within the membership of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency the Inspectors General of the Intelligence Community and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (currently, the Inspectors General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2014.

Bill: 113-s-1954
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Health personnel
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Medicare
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to continue to apply through calendar year 2014 the enforcement instruction on physician supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals, as extended in November 2012 for calendar year 2013 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (The instruction directs Medicare contractors not to evaluate or enforce such requirements until the policy on supervision of such services could be revisited.)

action_date: 2014-02-10
text: 

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

 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to continue to apply through calendar year 2014 the enforcement instruction on physician supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals, as extended in November 2012 for calendar year 2013 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (The instruction directs Medicare contractors not to evaluate or enforce such requirements until the policy on supervision of such services could be revisited.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-02-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-02-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-02-11
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2014-02-11
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2014-02-10
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S855)
action_date: 2014-02-10
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S855)
action_date: 2014-02-10
text: Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S855)
action_date: 2014-02-10
text: Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S855)
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Knife Owners' Protection Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-1955
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Detention of persons
Federal preemption
State and local government operations
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Knife Owners' Protection Act of 2014 - Allows any individual who is not otherwise prohibited by federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a knife to transport a knife from any state or place where such individual may lawfully possess, carry, or transport such a knife to any other state or place where such individual may lawfully do so: (1) by motor vehicle if the knife is not directly accessible from the passenger compartment or is in a locked container, glove compartment, or console; or (2) by other means over land or through water or the air if the knife is in a locked container. Excludes the transport of a knife with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year involving the use or threatened use of force against another person or with knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe, that such an offense is to be committed in the course of, or arising from, the journey.
 
Authorizes an individual transporting a knife in accordance with such requirements to have a knife accessible while staying in any form of temporary lodging.
 
Allows an individual to carry a knife or tool that is designed for enabling escape in an emergency and that incorporates a blunt tipped safety blade or a guarded blade or both for cutting safety belts in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle without being secured in a locked container, glove compartment, or console, except in the passenger cabin of aircraft whose passengers are subject to airport screening procedures of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
 
Establishes a cause of action by individuals subjected to deprivation of rights provided under this Act. Requires the court to award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party if an individual asserts this Act as a claim or defense.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Restore Honor to Service Members Act

Bill: 113-s-1956
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Department of Defense
Evidence and witnesses
Government information and archives
Military history
Military personnel and dependents
Personnel records
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Restore Honor to Service Members Act - Requires appropriate military record correction boards or discharge review boards to review the discharge characterization of any former members of the Armed Forces requesting a review who were discharged because of their sexual orientation. Permits such boards to change a characterization to honorable if such characterization is any characterization except honorable.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to ensure that any such changes are carried out consistently and uniformly across the military departments using specified criteria, including that: (1) the original discharge was based on the policy of Don't Ask Don't Tell (as in effect before it was repealed pursuant to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010) or a similar earlier policy; and (2) the discharge characterization will be changed if, with respect to the original discharge, there were no aggravating circumstances, such as misconduct, that would have independently led to any discharge characterization except honorable.
 
Prohibits &quot;aggravating circumstances&quot; from including: (1) an offense of sodomy committed by the member against a consenting person of the same sex; or (2) statements, consensual sexual conduct, or consensual acts relating to sexual orientation or identity, or the disclosure of such statements, conduct, or acts, that were prohibited at the time of discharge but that became permitted after such discharge.
 
Directs the Secretary of each military department to ensure that oral historians of the department: (1) review discharges between World War II and September 2011 based on sexual orientation, and (2) receive oral testimony of individuals who personally experienced discrimination and discharge because of actual or perceived sexual orientation so that such testimony may serve as an official record of such discriminatory policies and their impact on American lives.
 
Requires the reissuance of specified military personnel records and discharge forms in a manner that shall not reflect the sexual orientation of the member. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Partnership to Build America Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-1957
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Buy American requirements
Corporate finance and management
Foreign and international corporations
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government lending and loan guarantees
Income tax exclusion
Infrastructure development
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Public-private cooperation
Securities
State and local finance
Taxation of foreign income

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Partnership to Build America Act of 2014 - Establishes the American Infrastructure Fund (AIF) as a wholly-owned government corporation to provide bond guarantees and make loans to state and local governments, non-profit infrastructure providers, private parties, and public-private partnerships for state or local government sponsored transportation, energy, water, communications, or educational facility infrastructure projects (Qualified Infrastructure Projects [QIPs]). Authorizes AIF also to make equity investments in QIPs .
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the AIF, to issue American Infrastructure Bonds with an aggregate face value of $50 billion. Requires proceeds from the sale of the bonds to be deposited into the AIF.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow U.S. corporations to exclude from gross income qualified cash dividend amounts received during a taxable year from a foreign-controlled corporation equal to the face value of qualified infrastructure bonds the corporation has purchased.
 
Prohibits allowance of a foreign tax credit to the excluded portion of any dividend received by a U.S. corporation. Prohibits also the allowance of a deduction for expenses related to that excludable portion.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to raise the per-incident cap on removal actions.

Bill: 113-s-1958
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2014-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Pollution liability

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: 
Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to raise from $2 million to $4 million the amount that may be obligated from the Hazardous Substance Superfund for a response action after which obligations may not continue unless certain criteria are met.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2014-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
QUIET Act

Bill: 113-s-1959
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2014-01-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Marketing and advertising
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: 
Quell Unnecessary, Intentional, and Encroaching Telephone Calls Act of 2014 or the QUIET Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit a a person within the United States, or a person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States, from knowingly initiating a commercial robocall without the prior express written consent of the recipient. Defines "commercial robocall" to mean a telephone call made for the purpose of soliciting or encouraging the purchase or rental of, or investment or enrollment in, property, goods, or services, using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice.
 
Exempts telephone calls that: (1) are made for emergency purposes; (2) are by or on behalf of a tax-exempt nonprofit organization; (3) are made by a provider of commercial mobile radio service to subscribers of the service, for which the subscribers are not charged; or (4) deliver a message relating to health care made by, or on behalf of, a covered entity or a business associate of a covered entity.
 
Subjects any person who violates this Act to a fine of not more than $20,000 per violation, imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-1960
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2014-01-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Homeland Security
Disaster relief and insurance
Economic performance and conditions
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Poverty and welfare assistance
Sales and excise taxes
State and local taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: 
Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2014 - Requires the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to amend the rules concerning the factors FEMA considers when evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the need for public assistance: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to the estimated cost of the assistance (10%), localized impacts (40%), insurance coverage in force (10%), hazard mitigation (10%), recent multiple disasters (10%), programs of other federal assistance (10%), and economic circumstances (10%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of both the local economy of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate) and the state economy (including the unemployment rate).
 
Requires such rules to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the severity, magnitude, and impact of the disaster and the evaluation of the need for assistance to individuals: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to concentration of damages (20%), trauma (20%), special populations (20%), voluntary agency assistance (10%), insurance (20%), average amount of individual assistance by state (5%), and economic considerations (5%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate).
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S488)
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S648-649)
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Pullman National Historical Park Act

Bill: 113-s-1962
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2014-01-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays
Historic sites and heritage areas
Illinois
Industrial facilities
Labor-management relations
Land transfers
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: 
Pullman National Historical Park Act - Establishes the Pullman National Historical Park in Illinois as a unit of the National Park System to: (1) preserve and interpret for the benefit of future generations the significant labor, industrial, civil rights, and social history of the Park, the significant architectural structures in the Park, and the role of the Pullman community in the creation of the first national Labor Day holiday in the world; (2) coordinate preservation, protection, and interpretation efforts of the Park by the federal government, the state of Illinois, units of local government, and private and nonprofit organizations; and (3) coordinate appropriate management options necessary to ensure the protection, preservation, and interpretation of the many significant aspects of the Park. 
 
Requires the Park to include: (1) the Pullman Factory Complex, including the Clock Tower Building and rear erecting shops; and (2) the approximately 13 acres of land upon which such structures are located. 
 
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete a general management plan for the Park. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S489-490)
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S488-489)
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to repeal section 403 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.

Bill: 113-s-1963
Sponsor: Sen. Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Introduced: 2014-01-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Inflation and prices
Military personnel and dependents
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: 
Repeals a provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that reduces the cost-of-living adjustment to the retirement pay of members of the Armed Forces under age 62.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-02-12
text: Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 298.
action_date: 2014-02-11
text: Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S860-871, S872-873, S873-885)
action_date: 2014-02-10
text: Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 0. Record Vote Number: 26. (consideration: CR S846-847; text: CR S846-847)
action_date: 2014-02-10
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S837, S838, S842, S845-847)
action_date: 2014-02-06
text: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S812; text: CR S812)
action_date: 2014-02-06
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S775, S812)
action_date: 2014-02-04
text: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S738-739, S747-750, S754-755)
action_date: 2014-01-28
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 298.
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Introduced in Senate