hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3360
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2016-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses
Cancer
Child health
Community life and organization
Crime victims
Crimes against women
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Family planning and birth control
Health care coverage and access
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Immunology and vaccination
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Sex and reproductive health
Sex offenses
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Sexually transmitted diseases
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: 

Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act of 2016

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services such as sexual health education and contraception. Marginalized youth are disadvantaged individuals under the age of 26. Grants may be awarded to state or local health or education agencies, public schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations.
 
Grants may be used to: (1) provide sexual health information to marginalized youth, (2) promote effective communication regarding sexual health among marginalized youth, (3) promote and support opportunities for school-age parents, and (3) train individuals who work with marginalized youth to promote sexual health and the development of safe and supportive environments.
 
Grants may not be used to provide access to health services that: (1) are medically unsound; (2) withhold sexual health-promoting or lifesaving information; (3) promote gender stereotypes; or (4) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of homosexual, bisexual, or transgender youth, sexually active youth, school-age parents, or survivors of sexual abuse or assault.
 
Unobligated FY2017 appropriations for abstinence education are made available for these grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Diagnosis Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3361
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2016-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: 

Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Diagnosis Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Interagency Pulmonary Hypertension Coordinating Committee. The committee must monitor research and annually summarize research and medical advances regarding pulmonary hypertension.
 
The committee must develop a comprehensive strategic plan to improve health outcomes for individuals with pulmonary hypertension. The plan must include recommendations regarding pulmonary hypertension diagnosis, research, transplantation criteria, public awareness, and health care delivery.
 HHS must report on activities related to improving health outcomes for individuals with pulmonary hypertension. The report must include information regarding pulmonary hypertension epidemiology, treatment, support available to individuals, and research.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Campus Fire Safety Education Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3362
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Emergency planning and evacuation
Fires
Higher education

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: 

Campus Fire Safety Education Act of 2016

 
 This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or consortiums of such institutions, in a collaborative partnership with a nonprofit organization or a public safety department (eligible entity), for: (1) initiating, expanding, or improving fire safety education programs; and (2) increasing fire safety awareness among enrolled students. 
 
ED shall give priority to institutions that plan to use funds to initiate, expand, or improve fire safety education programs that include educational material specifically prepared for students with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The bill sets forth provisions regarding grant periods and matching and other requirements. An eligible entity may not be awarded more than $250,000 per fiscal year under this bill.
 
An eligible entity shall use grant funds to initiate, expand, or improve a fire safety education program that: 
 
 
reaches all enrolled students (for an institution of higher education); 
 
ensures maximum exposure to, increases awareness of, and effectuates change in behavior regarding, fire safety by students through conducting outreach to students a minimum of twice per academic year and through measures that provide fire safety information to any student upon request; 
 
includes minimum instruction regarding fire behavior, fire injury and death, ignition scenarios, fire safety systems and equipment, the importance of means of egress, fire prevention techniques, and actions to be taken if a fire occurs to minimize the potential for death, injury, and property damage; and 
 
includes a mechanism for carrying out evaluations of program effectiveness. 
 
 
ED shall publish a report of best practices for initiating, expanding, or improving fire safety education programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for the Defense of Israel, 2016

Bill: 114-s-3363
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2016-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: 

Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for the Defense of Israel, 2016 

 
This bill provides FY2016 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) and for the Foreign Military Financing Program to assist Israel in addressing security threats from Iran. 
 
The bill provides funding to DOD for Procurement and Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation to provide to the government of Israel for the procurement of missile defense systems to address security threats from Iran, subject to previously established transfer procedures and in accordance with U.S-Israeli production agreements. 
 
The bill also provides funding to the President for the Foreign Military Financing Program for assistance for Israel to address security threats from Iran. 
 
The funds provided by this bill are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. The funds are only available if the President subsequently designates the amounts as emergency spending and transmits the designations to Congress. 
 
The bill amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to reauthorize sanctions against Iran until December 31, 2031. (Under current law, the sanctions expire on December 31, 2016.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
CHIP IN for Vets Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3364
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2016-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: 

Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 or the CHIP IN for Vets Act of 2016

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a pilot program under which it may accept up to five donations from specified non-federal entities of: (1) real property that includes a constructed facility or that is to be used as the site of a facility constructed by the entity, and (2) a facility to be constructed by the entity on real property of the VA.
 
The VA may accept such a donation only if the property is: (1) a property for which funds have been appropriated for a VA facility project, or (2) identified both as meeting a VA need as part of its long-range capital planning process and as the location for a VA facility project that is included on the Strategic Capital Investment Planning process priority list in the most recent budget submitted by the President. Also, the entity must agree to:
 
 
 independently donate the real property, improvements, goods, or services for the VA facility project in an amount acceptable to the VA and at no additional cost to the federal government;
 
conduct all necessary environmental and historic preservation due diligence;
 
comply with all local zoning requirements (except for federally required studies and consultations); 
 
 obtain all permits required in connection with the construction of the facility;
 
 use construction standards required of the VA when designing and building the facility; and
 
 provide the real property, improvements, goods, or services in a manner sufficient to complete the construction of the facility, at no additional cost to the federal government.
 
 
The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress, at least biennially, on the donation arrangements entered into under the pilot program.
 
The VA's authority to accept donations under the program shall terminate five years after the date of this bill's enactment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve the treatment of pension and employee benefit plans maintained by tribal governments.

Bill: 114-s-3365
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2016-09-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to treat employee benefit or pension plans maintained by Indian tribes and domestic relations orders issued pursuant to tribal law in the same manner as plans maintained by states and domestic relations orders issued pursuant to state law.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to streamline the R-1 religious worker visa petition process.

Bill: 114-s-3366
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Foreign labor
Religion
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit a consular officer from issuing a nonimmigrant R-visa (for a religious worker and accompanying or joining spouse or child), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from granting such status, to an alien until DHS has approved a petition filed on the alien's behalf. 
 
An eligible petitioner may file a blanket petition, in lieu of individual petitions, on behalf of aliens meeting 
 specified requirements for blanket petition inclusion. 
 
DHS may only include in approval of a blanket petition missionary service locations for which DHS has previously conducted a site inspection in connection with an individual petition for a religious worker. 
 
A petitioner may file a petition at any time to amend the list of previously authorized missionary service locations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3367
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alabama
California
Colorado
Department of Veterans Affairs
Florida
Georgia
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Indiana
Maine
Massachusetts
Mental health
Michigan
Montana
New York State
North Carolina
South Carolina
Texas
Veterans' medical care
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 

Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act of 2016

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out major medical facility leases in specified amounts for:
 
 
 outpatient clinics in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Daytona Beach, Gainesville, and Ocala, Florida; Hampton Roads, Virginia; Missoula, Montana; Northern Colorado, Colorado; Oxnard and Santa Rosa, California; Pike County, Georgia; Portland, Maine; and Raleigh, North Carolina;
 
 an outpatient mental health clinic and an outpatient specialty clinic in Birmingham, Alabama;
 
research space in Boston, Massachusetts; Charleston, South Carolina; and Mission Bay, California;
 
Chief Business Office Purchased Care office space in Denver, Colorado; and
 
 replacement outpatient clinics in Corpus Christi, Texas; Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida; Pontiac, Michigan; Rochester, New York (phase II); and Terre Haute, Indiana. 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
ASPIRE Act

Bill: 114-s-3368
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Higher education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 

Access, Success, and Persistence in Reshaping Education Act of 2016 or the ASPIRE Act

 
This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring the Department of Education (ED) to rank institutions of higher education based on the percentage of first-time, full-time students who receive Pell Grants and are enrolled at the institutions. The institutions in the bottom 5% must improve the enrollment of those students by specific deadlines or pay a fee-per-student penalty.
 
Additionally, ED must rank institutions of higher education based on the percentage of first-time, full-time students who enroll at the school and graduate within 6 years. The bill gives institutions in the bottom 5% the option of receiving funding to improve student graduation rates. Those institutions must improve those rates by specific deadlines or pay a penalty.
 
The bill establishes consumer warning requirements for institutions with low enrollment or graduation rates.
 
ED must establish: (1) grant programs for improving graduation rates, and (2) a bonus program for providing nonfinancial rewards to institutions of higher education that make college more affordable and increase college access and success for low-income or working class students and moderate-income students.
 
ED must collect the penalty fees and use them to fund the grant and award program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Empowering Law Enforcement to Keep America Safe Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3369
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 

Empowering Law Enforcement to Keep America Safe Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the federal criminal code to expand the categories of subscriber transactional records that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may request from wire or electronic communication service providers about a person or entity for an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities.
 
Under current law, the FBI may request a person's or an entity's name, address, length of service, and telephone toll billing records. The bill allows the FBI to also request:
 
 
email addresses, telephone numbers, instrument numbers, or other account identifying information;
 
means and sources of payment (including card or bank account information);
 
account numbers, login history, service start dates, or types of services; 
 
IP addresses or network addresses; or
 
communication addressing, routing, or transmission information (excluding cell tower information), session times, or durations for an electronic communication.
 
 
The bill prohibits the FBI from requesting the contents of an electronic communication.
 
The bill also amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to make permanent the government's authority to track a non-U.S. person who engages in international terrorism or preparatory activities (commonly referred to as a &quot;lone wolf&quot;) under the same evidentiary standards that apply to an agent of a foreign power under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. (Currently, this provision is scheduled to expire on December 15, 2019.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Safety Over Secrecy Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3370
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Civil actions and liability
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Evidence and witnesses
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Judicial procedure and administration
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 

Safety Over Secrecy Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the federal judicial code to prohibit courts, except when balancing confidentiality interests against public awareness interests in response to a party's motion, from approving or ordering the enforcement of any provision of a settlement agreement in a civil suit if: (1) a pleading in the suit alleges facts relevant to protecting the public from a hazard to public safety or health; and (2) the provision prohibits a party from disclosing settlement terms (other than the amount of any money paid under the settlement) or from discussing the suit, evidence produced in the suit, or the hazard to public safety or health. 
 
A &quot;hazard to public safety or health&quot; is defined as an activity, substance, or condition that has a potential to cause harm to the health or safety of the public. 
 
Upon a motion by a party to the settlement agreement, a court may approve or order enforcement of such a provision if: (1) the public interest in disclosure of facts relevant to protecting the public is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information or records, and (2) the requested order is no broader than necessary to protect such confidentiality. 
 
The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that the interest in protecting financial, medical, or other similar personal information relating to an identifiable individual outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Courts may redact language to accommodate personal privacy and public awareness.
 
The bill also prohibits courts from approving or ordering the enforcement of a settlement agreement provision in a civil suit that includes allegations concerning public safety and health hazards if the provision restricts a party from disclosing such information to a federal or state agency with law enforcement or regulatory authority over related activity. But facts disclosed to a federal or state agency must be protected as confidential under any other laws, regulations, or agreements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Affordability and Enrollment Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3371
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Aging
Caribbean area
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Health care costs and insurance
Health programs administration and funding
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medicare
Puerto Rico
U.S. territories and protectorates

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 

Medicare Affordability and Enrollment Act of 2016

 
This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to:
 
 
establish an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenditures for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries;
 
expand income-eligibility for cost-sharing and, with respect to beneficiaries consequently eligible for cost-sharing, establish a federal medical assistance percentage of 100% under Medicaid;
 
limit the amount of coinsurance or copayment required of low-income beneficiaries;
 
eliminate the two-year waiting period for Medicare coverage with respect to individuals with disabilities;
 
allow beneficiaries residing in U.S. territories to be eligible for certain premium and cost-sharing subsidies available to other beneficiaries under the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and
 
modify other provisions related to special rules for beneficiaries in Puerto Rico, income and resource determinations, and enrollment procedures.

 
The bill also amends the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 to extend funding for specified beneficiary outreach and education activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Natural Gas Truck Tax Parity Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3372
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2016-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: 

Natural Gas Truck Tax Parity Act of 2016 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the excise tax rate on the retail sale of heavy trucks and trailers by 35% for any automobile truck chassis, automobile truck body, or tractor that is fueled wholly or partially by an alternative fuel. 
 
The term &quot;alternative fuel&quot; means compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, renewable natural gas, hydrogen, and any liquid whose volume is at least 85% methanol. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate