hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to require the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Bill: 113-s-2937
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2014-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Federal Reserve System
Federal officials
New York City

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: 
Amends the Federal Reserve Act to require the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for terms of five years. 
 
Requires the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to testify annually to certain congressional committees. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6096-6097)
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Soledad Canyon Settlement Act

Bill: 113-s-2938
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2014-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: California
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Mining
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: 
Soledad Canyon Settlement Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to offer to cancel Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mineral contracts CA-20139 and CA-22901 (located in Soledad Canyon, California) and compensate the contract holder for the cancellation with proceeds from the sale of lands near Victorville, California. Withdraws affected areas from mineral leasing. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Sunlight for Unaccountable Non-profits (SUN) Act

Bill: 113-s-2939
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2014-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government information and archives
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: 
Sunlight for Unaccountable Non-profits (SUN) Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require: (1) the annual tax return information for tax-exempt organizations and deferred compensation plans to be made available to the public at no charge and in an open structured data format that is processable by computers, with the information easy to find, access, reuse, and download in bulk; and (2) the disclosure of the names and addresses of contributors of $5,000 or more to tax-exempt organizations that participate or intervene in political campaigns on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate
American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act

Bill: 113-s-2940
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2014-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Employment and training programs
Energy assistance for the poor and aged
Energy prices
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Higher education
Income tax rates
Inflation and prices
Infrastructure development
Manufacturing
Oil and gas
Sales and excise taxes
Social security and elderly assistance
Student aid and college costs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: 
American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a fee on: (1) fossil fuel products, including coal, petroleum products, and natural gas, for carbon dioxide emissions; and (2) emissions of any greenhouse gas other than carbon dioxide from any greenhouse gas emission source. 
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish, implement, and report on a program to collect data on methane emissions by major non-natural sources, including emissions attributable to the extraction and distribution of coal, petroleum products, and natural gas. 
 
Establishes the American Opportunity Trust Fund to provide economic assistance to low-income families and businesses using tax revenues generated by this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6149-6153)
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2941
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2014-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crime victims
Crimes against children
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Evidence and witnesses
Human trafficking
Law enforcement officers
Sex offenses

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: 
Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code, with respect to sex trafficking of children, to: (1) subject to criminal prosecution buyers, as well as sellers, of commercial sex involving sex trafficking victims; (2) provide that in prosecutions of sex trafficking crimes, the government is not required to prove that a sex trafficking defendant knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that a victim was under age 18; (3) equalize the period of supervised release for sex trafficking offenders convicted of conspiracy; (4) expand wiretap authority for investigating crimes related to sex trafficking, including slavery, involuntary servitude, and forced labor; (5) grant crime victims the right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea agreement or deferred prosecution agreement; and (6) require an appellate court to apply ordinary standards of review in reviewing appeals filed by crime victims. 
 
Requires the Director of Justice Statistics in the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prepare and report annually on: (1) the rates of arrests by state law enforcement officers for sex trafficking crimes involving buyers of commercial sex involving sex trafficking victims, and (2) prosecutions and convictions for such crimes in state courts. 
 
Directs the Attorney General to ensure that DOJ anti-human trafficking training programs, including programs for federal, state, or local law enforcement officers, include technical training on effective methods for investigating and prosecuting buyers of commercial sex involving sex trafficking victims.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6154)
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6153-6154)
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Infectious Disease Hospital Hubs Act

Bill: 113-s-2942
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2014-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: 
Infectious Disease Hospital Hubs Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in an emergency or significant potential emergency which involves a specific infectious disease that requires the isolation and specialized treatment of patients, to award grants to states to improve surge capacity at hospitals designated by the state and enhance community and hospital preparedness. Allows HHS to award additional grants to compensate designated hospitals for unreimbursed costs for treating infectious disease patients or for damages for lost business activity or lost services attributable to the treatment of those patients.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend Public Law 110-299 to extend the time period during which permits are not required for certain discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels.

Bill: 113-s-2943
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2014-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Licensing and registrations
Marine and inland water transportation
Marine pollution
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: 
Extends the time period during which both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and any state with a state permit program are prohibited from requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) for a vessel that is less than 79 feet in length or a fishing vessel for any discharge: (1) of effluent from properly functioning marine engines, or of laundry, shower, and galley sink wastes; or (2) that is incidental to the normal operation of those vessels. Ends the prohibition on December 18, 2015, instead of December 18, 2014.
 
(This prohibition does not apply with respect to garbage discharged overboard, other discharges when the vessel is operating in a capacity other than as a means of transportation, ballast water [water held in ships to increase stability] discharges, or any discharge that contributes to a violation of a water quality standard or poses an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
No Social Security for Nazis Act

Bill: 113-s-2944
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2014-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Citizenship and naturalization
Congressional oversight
Poverty and welfare assistance
Social security and elderly assistance
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: 
No Social Security for Nazis Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to consider the following individuals to be removed under the Immigration and Nationality Act and so to have their OASDI benefits terminated:
 
 
an individual with respect to whom an order admitting the individual to citizenship has been revoked and set aside where such action is based on conduct relating to participation in Nazi persecution, concealment of a material fact about such conduct, or willful misrepresentation about such conduct; and
 
an individual who, pursuant to a settlement agreement with the Attorney General (AG), has admitted to such conduct and has lost status as a U.S. national by renouncing that status.
 
 
Requires such individuals to have been considered removed under such Act as of the date of the revocation, setting aside, or renunciation.
 
Prohibits such individuals from receiving other Social Security benefits based on the wages and self-employment income of any other individual.
 
Prohibits the payment to such individuals also of any benefits under SSA tile XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI).
 
Requires the AG or the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to notify the Commissioner of Social Security of such revocations, setting asides, and renunciations of nationality.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to repeal section 910 of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

Bill: 113-s-2945
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2014-11-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Crimes against women
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Domestic violence and child abuse
Jurisdiction and venue

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: 
Amends the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 to repeal a provision prohibiting Alaska tribes other than the Metlakatla Indian Community from issuing and enforcing domestic violence protective orders against non-member Alaska Natives and non-Natives. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2014-11-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Federal Power Act to clarify the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to prescribe just, reasonable, and not unduly discriminatory or preferential terms, conditions, and compensation applicable to wholesale demand response resource participation in organized wholesale energy, capacity, and ancillary service markets.

Bill: 113-s-2947
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Electric power generation and transmission
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Public utilities and utility rates

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Amends the Federal Power Act to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to prescribe just, reasonable, and not unduly discriminatory or preferential terms, conditions, and compensation applicable to wholesale demand response resource participation in organized wholesale energy, capacity, and ancillary service markets.
 
Defines &quot;demand response&quot; as a reduction in customer consumption of electric energy from the expected consumption in response to either increased electric energy prices or to incentive payments designed to induce lower electric energy consumption. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicaid Generic Drug Price Fairness Act

Bill: 113-s-2948
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Medicaid
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Medicaid Generic Drug Price Fairness Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to extend to manufacturers of generic drugs the requirement that drug manufacturers in certain circumstances pay an additional rebate to state Medicaid programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act

Bill: 113-s-2949
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Motor vehicles
Product safety and quality
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act - Prescribes certain whistleblower incentives and protections for motor vehicle manufacturer, part supplier, or dealership employees or contractors who voluntarily provide the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) information relating to any motor vehicle defect, noncompliance, or any violation of any notification or reporting requirement which is likely to cause unreasonable risk of death or serious physical injury.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to pay awards to one or more whistleblowers in an aggregate amount of up to 30% of total monetary sanctions collected pursuant to an administrative or judicial action resulting in aggregate monetary sanctions exceeding $1 million.
 
Prohibits an award to any whistleblower who knowingly and willfully makes false representations. Subjects such a whistleblower to criminal penalties.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans Act

Bill: 113-s-2950
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Veterans Affairs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Licensing and registrations
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use the Secretary's authority to employ certain personnel without regard to civil service or classification laws, rules, or regulations to employ physicians on a without compensation basis in any practice area or specialty for which: (1) the average waiting time for veterans seeking an appointment with a physician exceeds the VA's waiting time goals, or (2) the VA facility where the physician will be employed has demonstrated staffing shortages.
 
Requires each VA medical facility to have a volunteer coordinator who: (1) seeks to establish relationships with medical associations serving the area, (2) recruits physicians for uncompensated employment at the facility, and (3) serves as the initial point of contact for physicians seeking uncompensated employment at the facility.
 
Conditions an uncompensated physician's receipt of a credential or privilege to practice medicine in a VA facility on the physician's commitment to serve at least 40 hours in the facility during the ensuing 12-month period.
 
Requires the Secretary to decide whether to grant an uncompensated physician's request for a credential or privilege to practice medicine in the VA facility within 60 days.
 
Requires the director of a VA medical facility to approve, and accept the uncompensated services of, any physician who has made the requisite service commitment and receives a credential or privilege to practice medicine in such facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Dignified Burial Act

Bill: 113-s-2951
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Business records
Cemeteries and funerals
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Veterans Dignified Burial Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) upon confirming the veteran status of a deceased veteran in the custody of a local medical examiner, funeral director, county service group, or other similar entity, to request from such entity the specific date of the scheduled interment of such veteran; and (2) during each 30-day period following such request, to repeat the request until such entity confirms that such veteran has been interred.
 
Requires the Secretary, by January 31 of each year, to submit to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees a report on deceased veterans who were interred after the 30-day period following the date on which the Secretary made such request. Requires the report to include: (1) the number of deceased veterans who were not interred in such 30-day period during the prior year, (2) the number of such deceased veterans who are not interred as of the date of the report, and (3) the entity with custody of each such deceased veteran.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2952
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Census and government statistics
Congressional oversight
General taxation matters
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Policy sciences
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2014 - Establishes in the executive branch a Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking. Directs the Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of the data inventory, data infrastructure, and statistical protocols related to federal policymaking and the statistical and programmatic agencies responsible for maintaining that data to:
 
 
 determine the optimal arrangement for which administrative data on federal programs and tax expenditures and related data series may be integrated and made available to facilitate program evaluation, policy-relevant research, and cost-benefit analyses by qualified researchers and institutions; 
 
 make recommendations on how data infrastructure and protocols should be modified to best fulfill those objectives; and
 
 make recommendations on how best to incorporate outcomes measurement, institutionalize randomized controlled trials, and rigorous impact analysis into program design.
 
 
Requires the Commission to consider if and how to create a clearinghouse for program and survey data. 
 
Terminates the Commission not later than 18 months after enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Keeping America Safe from Ebola Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2953
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Immigrant health and welfare
Immigration status and procedures
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Visas and passports
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Keeping America Safe from Ebola Act of 2014 - Defines &quot;covered alien&quot; as an alien: (1) who is a national or a resident of a country designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one with widespread transmission of the Ebola virus; and (2) whose last habitual residence, or last habitual residence before residence in the United States if the alien is seeking to reenter the United States, was a designated country. 
 
States that a covered alien is ineligible to: (1) receive a U.S. visa or otherwise be admitted to the United States; or (2) enter the United States if the alien was lawfully present in the United States, departed the United States and visited a designated country, and is seeking to reenter the United States. Requires the Secretary of State to revoke the visa of each covered alien. 
 
Exempts from such coverage and requirements: (1) certain aid workers, and (2) persons authorized by the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to travel to the United States for training.
 
Directs the President to report to Congress every 30 days regarding the spread of Ebola.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to revise the Inland Waterways Trust Fund financing rate.

Bill: 113-s-2955
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2014-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Government trust funds
Marine and inland water transportation
Motor fuels
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the Inland Waterways Trust Fund financing rate to 29 cents per gallon. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate