hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to provide end user exemptions from certain provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Bill: 113-s-888
Sponsor: Sen. Johanns, Mike [R-NE]
Introduced: 2013-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Commodities markets
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Corporate finance and management
Financial services and investments
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: 
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to exempt, from the rules of prudential regulators for swap dealers and major swap participants with respect to initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization, those swaps in which one of the counterparties: (1) is eligible for an exception from clearing requirements for certain significant price discovery agreements, contracts, or transactions in a commodity exempt from regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); or (2) satisfies specified criteria governing treatment of affiliates in connection with clearing requirements.
 
Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, regarding registration and regulation of security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants, to exempt from initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization a security-based swap in which one of the counterparties: (1) qualifies for a specified exception from clearing requirements, or (2) satisfies certain criteria governing the treatment of affiliates.
 
 Requires that the amendments to CEA made by this Act be implemented: (1) without regard to federal information policy requirements or the notice and comment requirements of federal administrative procedure; and (2) through promulgation of an interim final rule, pursuant to which public comment will be sought before a final rule is issued.
Limits the disregard of such federal information policy and notice and comment requirements solely to changes to rules and regulations, or proposed rule and regulations, that are limited to, and directly a consequence of, the amendments to CEA made by this Act.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 67.
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Servicemembers' Choice in Transition Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-889
Sponsor: Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Introduced: 2013-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Military personnel and dependents
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: 
Servicemembers' Choice in Transition Act of 2013 - Amends provisions concerning the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense (DOD) (employment and job training assistance and related services for members of the Armed Forces being separated from active duty, and for their spouses) to require such Program to include: (1) information about disability-related employment and education protections, (2) instruction in the use of educational assistance entitlements, (3) testing to determine academic readiness for post-secondary education and appropriate courses, (4) instruction on the financing of post-secondary education, and (5) information on benefits provided under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and in other subjects determined by the Secretary concerned.
 
Requires the VA Secretary to submit to the congressional veterans committees the results of a study to determine the feasibility of providing veterans' benefits instruction at all overseas locations where such instruction is provided through a joint contract with the Secretary of Labor.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-12
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-111.
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3167)
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3167)
action_date: 2013-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
American Jobs in American Forests Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-891
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Employee hiring
Fires
Foreign labor
Forests, forestry, trees
State and local government operations
Temporary and part-time employment
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
American Jobs in American Forests Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Labor, as a component of the H-2B (temporary nonagricultural workers) labor certification process for employment in forestry, to take specified actions to recruit U.S. workers before petitioning to hire H-2B workers. 
 
 Requires a prospective H-2B employer to submit a separate petition for each state in which the employer plans to employ H-2B non-immigrants for a period of at least seven days. 
Prohibits the Secretary from granting a temporary labor certification to a prospective H-2B employer until the Director of the state workforce agency has determined that: (1) employer recruitment requirements have been met, and (2) U.S. nationals are not qualified or available to fill such employment opportunities.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Iran Sanctions Loophole Elimination Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-892
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Foreign and international banking
International monetary system and foreign exchange
Iran
Middle East
Sanctions
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Iran Sanctions Loophole Elimination Act of 2013 - Amends the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 to direct the President to prohibit the opening, and prohibit or impose strict conditions on the maintaining, in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that is a person described in this Act.
 
Describes such person as a person that on or after May 9, 2013, knowingly: (1) conducted or facilitated a significant transaction involving the currency of a country other than the country in which the person is operating with, for, or on behalf of the Central Bank of Iran or another Iranian financial institution designated by the Secretary of the Treasury for the imposition of sanctions, or a person that is involved in the energy, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors of Iran; or (2) transferred funds for, or held funds on behalf of, a person described in the previous paragraph in relation to a transaction without regard to the currency of such funds. 
 
Authorizes the President to impose sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act with respect to any other person.
 
Authorizes the President to waive the provisions of this Act with respect to a person for up to 180 days (and authorizes renewal of such waiver for additional periods of up to 180 days) for reasons of U.S. national security. Requires congressional notification at least seven days prior to a waiver or waiver renewal.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-21
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-42.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend expiring authority for work-study allowances for individuals who are pursuing programs of rehabilitation, education, or training under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to expand such authority to certain outreach services provided through congressional offices, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-894
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Congressional operations and organization
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Hospital care
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Members of Congress
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Extends from June 30, 2013, to June 30, 2016, the period during which certain work-study activities qualify for an additional veterans' educational assistance allowance under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance program. Expands such activities to include, for the same additional period, certain outreach services provided through U.S. congressional offices, including the distribution of information to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their dependents concerning available benefits and services.
 
Requires annual reports from the VA Secretary to Congress on work-study allowances paid.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-06-12
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-111.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3259-3260)
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3259)
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Antimicrobial Data Collection Act

Bill: 113-s-895
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Animal and plant health
Business records
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government studies and investigations
Health information and medical records
Livestock
Medical research
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Antimicrobial Data Collection Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA), to develop a research program to study the relationship between the sales, distribution, and end-use practices of animal drugs containing an antimicrobial active ingredient in food-producing animals and antimicrobial resistance trends. Requires the Secretary to analyze data from the program to determine the data's contribution to studying antimicrobial resistance and establishing an antimicrobial data collection strategy.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) report to Congress on the program's research design and goals, including a needs assessment to improve the FDA's evaluation of antimicrobial resistance; and (2) report to Congress and the public within two years with the comprehensive results of the program and recommendations for developing an antimicrobial data collection strategy.
 
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise the requirements for the annual summaries of antimicrobial animal drug information, including by requiring the Secretary to maximize the quality, accuracy, detail, and specificity of the data made publicly available in the summaries. Requires the Secretary to conduct an annual evaluation of the effectiveness of and compliance with relevant FDA programs and policies regarding antimicrobial drug sales for food-producing animals, and the use of such drugs and antimicrobial resistance.
 
Directs the Secretary to publish a final version of voluntary guidance for drug sponsors on new animal drugs and new animal drug combination products administered in or on medicated feed or drinking water of food-producing animals.
 
Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to evaluate the FDA's approaches to eliminate injudicious use of antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals and the effectiveness of the FDA's data collection activities regarding antimicrobial resistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Social Security Fairness Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-896
Sponsor: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Social Security Fairness Act of 2013 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal the government pension offset requirement applicable to and reducing husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and divorced mother's and divorced father's insurance benefits with respect to federal, state, or local government employees who receive a government pension and did not pay Social Security taxes during their years of government service, and so did not earn entitlement to Social Security benefits for those years.
 
Repeals also the windfall elimination requirement with respect to computation of an individual's primary insurance amount under which OASDI retirement or disability benefits are reduced if the individual receives a federal, state, or local government pension, did not pay Social Security taxes during the years of government service, and so did not earn entitlement to Social Security benefits for those years.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act

Bill: 113-s-897
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to provide the Secretary of Education, from the combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System, with the amount the Secretary determines to be reasonably necessary to award Direct Stafford Loans during the award year beginning July 1, 2013, to all eligible students attending participating institutions of higher education selected by the Secretary.
 
Prohibits appropriated funds from being used for Direct Stafford Loans made during that period.
 
Sets the interest rate on Direct Stafford Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2013, and before July 1, 2014, at the primary credit rate charged by the Federal Reserve banks on July 1, 2013.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3260)
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Science Laureates of the United States Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-899
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: General science and technology matters
Research administration and funding
Science and engineering education

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Science Laureates of the United States Act of 2013 - Establishes the position of Science Laureate of the United States. 
 
Requires the President to appoint a Science Laureate on the basis of: (1) merit, particularly the ability of such individual to foster and enhance public awareness and interest in science and to provide ongoing significant scientific contributions; and (2) recommendations received by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) based on those factors. 
 
Encourages each Science Laureate to continue his or her scientific work and directs the NAS to facilitate his or her duties.
 
Requires each Science Laureate to serve a term of one or two years. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Payroll Protection Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-900
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Crime victims
Employment taxes
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Small Business Payroll Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a registration system for payroll tax deposit agents (defined as any person that provides payroll processing or tax filing and deposit service to one or more employers). Requires such agents to: (1) submit a bond or to submit to quarterly third-party certifications, (2) make certain disclosures to their clients concerning liability for payment of employment taxes, and (3) pay penalties for failing to collect or pay over employment taxes or for attempting to evade or defeat payment of such taxes.

Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) issue a notice of confirmation of any address change for an employer making employment tax payments, and (2) send such notice to both the employer's former and new address.
 
Requires officers or employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who are evaluating an offer-in-compromise of a tax liability to give special consideration to an offer from a taxpayer who has been the victim of fraud.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
State Witness Protection Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-901
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Assault and harassment offenses
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Evidence and witnesses
Government information and archives
Judicial procedure and administration
Juvenile crime and gang violence
Law enforcement administration and funding
Organized crime
U.S. Sentencing Commission
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
State Witness Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose criminal penalties on any person who kills, or attempts to kill, a witness in a state or local judicial proceeding, who uses physical force or the threat of force against such a witness, or who offers such witness anything of value with the intent to: (1) influence, delay, or prevent the testimony or attendance of such witness at a state or local judicial proceeding; (2) prevent the production of a record or document in a state or local judicial proceeding; (3) cause or induce any person to withhold testimony or evidence, destroy evidence, evade legal process, or be absent from a state or local judicial proceeding; (4) hinder, delay, or prevent any person from providing information to a state or local law enforcement officer or judge; or (5) retaliate against any person for attending a state or local judicial proceeding or providing information to a law enforcement officer.
 
Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend guidelines to increase the sentencing range for obstruction of justice if such crime involved threatening, harming, or bribing a witness or the destruction of evidence.
 
Directs the Attorney General to make competitive grants to eligible state, tribal, and local governments to establish or maintain programs that provide: (1) protection or assistance to witnesses in court proceedings involving homicide, a serious violent felony or drug offense, gangs, or organized crime; and (2) information and outreach to the public about witness intimidation. Sets forth criteria by which the Attorney General shall evaluate applicants, including the extent to which: (1) an applicant has a lack of infrastructure to support a witness assistance program, and (2) witness intimidation is present with respect to the applicant. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to apply the provisions of the Act to certain Congressional staff and members of the executive branch.

Bill: 113-s-902
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional committees
Congressional officers and employees
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to extend the requirement for participation in the American Health Benefit Exchange (a state health insurance exchange created by PPACA) to the President, Vice-President, executive branch political appointees, and employees of congressional committees and leadership offices of Congress (currently, this requirement applies to Members of Congress and their staff).
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Alien Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-903
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2013-05-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Firearms and explosives
Immigration status and procedures
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: 
Alien Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to consider a legal alien to be a state resident for purposes of federal firearms possessions only if the alien is residing in a state in which he or she has resided for at least 90 days before the date of sale or delivery of a firearm.
 
Makes it illegal for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person is not a lawful U.S. permanent resident alien.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2013-05-08
text: Introduced in Senate