hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
First Amendment Protection Act

Bill: 113-s-2232
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2014-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Civil actions and liability
First Amendment rights
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Licensing and registrations
Political movements and philosophies
Religion
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: 
First Amendment Protection Act - Establishes a cause of action that may be brought against a federal executive agency officer or employee who, in the course of an investigation, audit, decision to disclose any record, or decision to grant a license, permit, or recognition of tax exempt status, discriminates against a person's or group's political or religious viewpoint or affiliation in violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech.
 
Defines &quot;record&quot; as any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual or group that: (1) is maintained by an executive agency, including education, financial transactions, medical information, tax information, address, and criminal or employment history; and (2) contains an individual's name or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print or a photograph.
 
Permits a person or group aggrieved of such a violation to bring a civil action in federal court against the officer or employee (or former officer or employee) for damages or other legal or equitable relief. Allows the court to include the retirement benefits of such an officer or employee in the amount of any damages awarded. 
 
Authorizes the head of an executive agency, if a court determines that an officer or employee of the agency has violated this Act, to terminate such officer or employee and such officer's or employee's benefits, including retirement benefits, without cause. 
 
Provides for such cause of action and termination authority to apply to conduct that occurred before the enactment of this Act.
 
Expands the categories of nonprofit organizations authorized to file a pleading with a federal court for a declaratory judgment regarding their qualification for tax-exempt status (including any revocation of or change in qualification) to include: (1) civic leagues or organizations; (2) labor, agricultural, or horticultural organizations; and (3) business leagues, chambers of commerce, real-estate boards, boards of trade, or professional football leagues.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
LEAP Act

Bill: 113-s-2234
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2014-04-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Congressional agencies
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government Publishing Office (GPO)
Government information and archives
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: 
Leveraging and Energizing America's Apprenticeship Programs Act or the LEAP Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business-related tax credit of $1,500 for hiring an apprenticeship employee who has not attained age 25 at the close of the taxable year or $1,000 for an apprenticeship employee who has attained age 25. Allows such credit for no more than two taxable years with respect to any apprenticeship employee. Defines "apprenticeship employee" as an employee who is employed in an officially-recognized apprenticeable occupation pursuant to an apprentice agreement registered with the Office of Apprenticeship of the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor or a state apprenticeship agency. 
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate with the heads of federal agencies to: (1) determine which government publications could be available on government websites and no longer printed, (2) devise a strategy to reduce overall government printing costs over the 10-year period beginning with FY2015, (3) establish government-wide guidelines on employee printing, and (4) issue guidelines for publicly disclosing information about the publication of government documents.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2328)
action_date: 2014-04-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Democracy Restoration Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2235
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Law enforcement administration and funding
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
 Democracy Restoration Act of 2014 - Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution or facility. Provides for enforcement of, and remedies for violations of, this Act.
 
Prohibits this Act from being construed to prohibit a state from enacting any state law that affords the right to vote in any election for federal office on terms less restrictive than those terms established by this Act. Declares that the rights and remedies established by this Act shall be in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by law and shall not supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. 
Sets forth requirements for state and federal notification of individuals of the restoration of their voting rights. 
Prohibits any state, local government, or other person from receiving or using any federal funds to construct or improve a place of incarceration unless that person has in effect a program to notify each U.S. citizen incarcerated in that person's jurisdiction, upon release from such incarceration, of that individual's rights under this Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. Hearings held.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2381-2382)
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Farm and Small Business Expensing Tax Relief Act

Bill: 113-s-2237
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Income tax deductions
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
 Farm and Small Business Expensing Tax Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business taxpayer to expense up to $5,000 of the costs incurred to acquire or produce any item of tangible property if: (1) the taxpayer's average annual gross receipts during the preceding three taxable years do not exceed $10 million, and (2) the taxpayer has in effect written accounting procedures as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Social Security Identity Defense Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2239
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Crime prevention
Criminal justice information and records
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Social Security Identity Defense Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury to make certain disclosures to individuals who were validly assigned a social security account number and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) if the Secretary determines that there is a substantial likelihood that there has been a fraudulent use of such account number in the employment context. Authorizes the FBI Director to disclose information received from the Secretary to federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, provided such an official enters into a memorandum of understanding regarding the confidentiality of such information, but restricts the use of such information to carrying out criminal investigations or prosecutions.
 
Requires employers who have been notified of suspected misuse of an employee's social security account number to cease including such account number on statements provided to such employee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act

Bill: 113-s-2240
Sponsor: Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Licensing and registrations
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicare
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) establish an Advance Directive Certification Program to encourage eligible beneficiaries to adopt and maintain certified advance directives to guide the delivery of health care to them, and (2) make a one-time payment (of $50 for using a manual process, of $75 for using on-line processes only) to each eligible beneficiary that adopts a certified advance directive and registers it with the Program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Drug-Free Playgrounds Safety Enhancement Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2241
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child safety and welfare
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Games and hobbies
Outdoor recreation
Sports and recreation facilities

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Drug-Free Playgrounds Safety Enhancement Act of 2014 - Amends provisions of the Controlled Substances Act prescribing enhanced penalties for distributing or manufacturing drugs in or near certain facilities, such as schools, playgrounds, youth centers, and swimming pools, to: (1) include among such facilities a video amusement game facility (currently, a video arcade facility); (2) define a &quot;video amusement game facility&quot; as any facility that is legally accessible to persons under 18 years of age, that is intended primarily for amusement, and that contains video game machines or other similar youth games; and (3) revise the definition of &quot;playground&quot; to mean any outdoor area that is intended for recreation, that is open to the public, and that contains one or more apparatus intended for the recreation of children, including play structures, sliding boards, swingsets, seesaws, merry-go-rounds, slides, jungle gyms, chin-up bars, sandboxes, spring riders, monkey bars, overhead ladders, trapeze rings, playhouses, rope bridges, and mazes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Community Financial Protection Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2242
Sponsor: Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Consumer credit
Financial services and investments
Government information and archives

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Community Financial Protection Act of 2014 - Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to require the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to request reports through the prudential regulator from a person that is either an insured depository institution or an insured credit union with total assets of $10 billion or less (persons).
 
Prohibits the Director from making such requests for an industry-wide report, or for a report pertaining to two or more such persons. 
 
Requires the Director, as a prerequisite to making such request, to make a showing to the prudential regulator that publicly available information pertaining to such person(s) is insufficient for the purposes of either: (1) supporting the role of the CFPB in implementing federal consumer financial laws; (2) supporting examination activities of the CFPB; or (3) risk assessment and detection concerning consumers and consumer financial markets.
 
Authorizes the prudential regulator to deny any request for a report or information made by the Director with respect to such persons.
 
Requires the prudential regulator who fulfills the Director's request for a report to do so with reports that have been furnished to a federal or state agency (or are required to have been furnished to a federal or state agency.
 
Instructs the Director to accept existing reports in formats consistent with those submitted to the prudential regulator and federal and state agencies if the prudential regulator has determined that they provide the information requested.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2243
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Child care and development
Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Employee leave
Executive agency funding and structure
Financial services and investments
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government studies and investigations
Lawyers and legal services
Mental health
Neurological disorders
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2014 - Expands eligibility for the family caregiver program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include members of the Armed Forces or veterans who are seriously injured or who became ill on active duty prior to September 11, 2001 (currently, limited to service after September 11, 2001). Expands services to caregivers of veterans under such program to include child care services, financial planning services, and legal services. 
 
Authorizes the transfer of entitlement to post 9/11 education assistance to family members by veterans who are retired for a physical disability or who are seriously injured veterans in need of family caregiver services, without regard to length-of-service requirements. 
 
Authorizes the VA Secretary to pay monthly special compensation to seriously injured or ill veterans in need of personal care services and to their caregivers. Excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, such compensation paid to injured or ill veterans. 
 
Authorizes flexible work schedules or telework for federal employees who are caregivers of veterans. 
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to designate a veteran participating in the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers as an adult with a special need for purposes of the lifespan respite care program. 
 
Establishes in the executive branch an interagency working group to review and report on policies relating to the caregivers of veterans and members of the Armed Forces.
 
Directs the Secretary to provide for studies on members of the Armed Forces who commenced service after September 11, 2001, and veterans who have incurred a serious injury or illness, including a mental health injury, and their caregivers. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2383-2386)
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2382-2383)
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act

Bill: 113-s-2245
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional oversight
District of Columbia
Intergovernmental relations
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act - Amends the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to eliminate congressional review of newly-passed District laws. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
District of Columbia Budget Accountability Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2246
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Budget process
Congressional oversight
District of Columbia
State and local finance
Temporary and part-time employment

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
District of Columbia Budget Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to: (1) repeal the current fiscal years for the Armory Board and the District of Columbia Public Schools, and (2) authorize a change of D.C. fiscal year by an act of the D.C. Council.
 
Repeals the requirement that the D.C. Council submit to the President for transmission to Congress the annual budget for the D.C. Government, except during a control year as defined by the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995.
 
Repeals the requirement that the D.C. Council Chairman transmit to the President any item or provision of an adopted budget which the Council has reenacted after a line-item veto by the Mayor.
 
Repeals the requirement that hiring, assignment, and transfer by the Mayor of full-time or part-time employees be authorized by Act of Congress, except in a control year. Requires hiring, assignment, and transfer of employees to be authorized by Acts of the D.C. Council.
 
Revises requirements for the effective dates of acts of the D.C. Council which take effect immediately because of emergency circumstances or which propose amendments to the District Charter.
 
Revises the D.C. Council authority to increase spending in the case of a General Fund surplus or of increased revenue collections to replace congressional appropriations as the source of funds for such increases with local funds under the D.C. budget.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2247
Sponsor: Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Debt collection
Public contracts and procurement
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2014 - Requires the head of any executive agency that issues an invitation for bids or a request for proposals for a contract, or that offers a grant, in an amount greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, to require each person submitting a bid or proposal or grant application to submit a form: (1) certifying whether the person has a seriously delinquent tax debt, and (2) authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information limited to describing whether such person has such a debt. 
 
Subjects a person who submits a certification that he or she has a seriously delinquent tax debt, or whose certification that he or she does not have such a debt is demonstrated to be false, to a negative responsibility determination when applying for a federal contract or grant. Provides for: (1) the suspension from the federal procurement process of a person who certifies that he or she has such a debt, and (2) debarment of a person whose certification that he or she does not have such a debt is demonstrated to be false.
 
Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" as an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records. Exempts from such definition: (1) tax debts that are being paid in a timely manner under an approved installment agreement, and (2) debts for which a collection due process hearing has been requested or is pending. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Expand School Meals Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2248
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2014-04-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Competition and antitrust
Education of the disadvantaged
Elementary and secondary education
Food assistance and relief
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Life, casualty, property insurance
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: 
Expand School Meals Act of 2014 - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to gradually expand eligibility for free meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs to children whose family income falls at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. (This makes children who are currently eligible for reduced price meals eligible for free meals.)
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) begin this expansion in the school year beginning July 1, 2014, in states that have enacted a law under which school food authorities provide free breakfasts or lunches in lieu of reduced price breakfasts or lunches in schools statewide; and (2) continue such expansion in up to five additional states in each subsequent school through the school year beginning on July 1, 2019. Makes the new income eligibility guidelines effective on such date.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) deny a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred for punitive damages in connection with any judgment in, or settlement of, any action; and (2) include in gross income any amount paid as insurance or otherwise due to liability for punitive damages.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2014-04-10
text: Introduced in Senate