hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1035
Sponsor: Rep. Capps, Lois [D-CA-24]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Blood and blood diseases
Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Evidence and witnesses
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health personnel
Medical research
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2015

 
Provides that: (1) specified diseases, including heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for a minimum of 5 years shall be presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of the last active date of employment in fire protection activities; (2) the disability or death of such an employee due to such a disease shall be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance of duty; and (3) such presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. Allows such presumption for fire protection employees who contract any uncommon infectious disease, including but not limited to tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), regardless of the length of employment of such employee.
 
Defines an "employee in fire protection activities" as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who: (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility of his or her job.
 
Directs the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine the implementation of this Act and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks associated with firefighting and to report to Congress on: (1) an analysis of the injury claims made under this Act, (2) an analysis of the available research related to the health risks associated with firefighting, and (3) recommendations for any administrative or legislative actions necessary to ensure that those diseases most associated with firefighting are included in the presumption created by this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
Let the GSEs Pay Us Back Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1036
Sponsor: Rep. Capuano, Michael E. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Financial crises and stabilization
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing finance and home ownership
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

Let the GSEs Pay Us Back Act of 2015

 
 Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and any affiliate, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and any affiliate (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs), with each GSE acting through an appointed conservator, to enter into an agreement that modifies the Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement for the GSE to provide that: (1) any Senior Preferred Stock purchased under the Agreement by the Treasury shall not accrue further dividends; and (2) any amounts received by the GSE, before or after the modification, during a single year as a draw upon the Treasury's commitment under the Agreement shall be treated as a loan by the Treasury to the GSE meeting specified criteria.
 
Specifies as such criteria that this loan be treated as though originated on the date of the last such draw during that year, with: (1) an original principal obligation equal to the aggregate amount of such draws, (2) a 30-year term, (3) an annual interest rate of 5%, and (4) requirements for full amortization of the loan over the 30-year term. Requires the GSE to repay the loan in accordance with the amortization schedule established.
 
Requires any dividends paid by the GSE to the Treasury under the Agreement before the modification to be treated as payments of principal and interest due under the loan, to be credited against payments due: (1) first to the loan with the earliest origination date that has not yet been fully repaid until it is repaid, and (2) then to the loan having the next earliest origination date until it is repaid.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
ETHICS Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1037
Sponsor: Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Congressional officers and employees
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Members of Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

Ensuring Trust and Honorability in Congressional Standards Act of 2015 or the ETHICS Act of 2015

 
Requires the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives to conduct ongoing ethics training and awareness programs for Members, officers, and employees of the House.
 
Requires a Member, officer, or employee who serves in or is employed by the House, during each session of Congress, to complete a Committee program by the last day of the session, except that:
 
 
 an individual who did not serve or who was not employed in the previous session of Congress, or whose service or employment begins after the first day of the session, must complete the program within 60 days after that service or employment begins; and
 
 during the session in which this Act is enacted into law, each Member, officer, and employee must complete the program by the last day of the session or 60 days after the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs earlier.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act

Bill: 114-hr-1038
Sponsor: Rep. Costello, Ryan A. [R-PA-6]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Employee performance
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Personnel records

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act

 
Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to retain a copy of any reprimand or admonishment received by a VA employee in the employee's permanent record.

action_date: 2015-05-18
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act

 
(Sec. 2) Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to retain a copy of any reprimand or admonishment received by a VA employee in the employee's permanent record.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-18
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2015-05-18
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3259)
action_date: 2015-05-18
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H3259)
action_date: 2015-05-18
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1038.
action_date: 2015-05-18
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3259-3260)
action_date: 2015-05-18
text: Mr. Wenstrup moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-03-24
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-03-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
African Descent Affairs Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1039
Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa
Department of State
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
Human rights
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

African Descent Affairs Act of 2015

 
Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to direct the Secretary of State to establish within the Department of State an Office of Global African Descent Affairs, to be headed by the Director and Special Advisor to the Secretary on Global African Descent Affairs.
 
Includes among Office functions: 
 
 
advising the Secretary and directing policies, programs, and funding relating to the human rights and the advancement of people of African descent internationally; 
 
developing and managing the President Obama Fund for African Descent Affairs to invest in solutions to combat racial discrimination and create economic and political opportunities for people of African descent internationally; 
 
 directing U.S. government resources to respond to needs for protection, integration, resettlement, and empowerment of people of African descent in U.S. policies and international programs; and 
 
compiling an annual report on U.S. government activities relating to people of African descent. 
 
 
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to include in the annual human rights report for countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East a description of the status and the people of African descent in each country. 
 
Directs the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development to appoint a Senior Advisor to the Administrator on Global African Descent Affairs who shall: (1) advise the Administrator and direct policies, programs, and funding relating to the human rights and advancement of people of African descent internationally; and (2) develop a uniform set of indicators and standards for monitoring and evaluating foreign assistance for people of African descent. 
 
Requires the Director and Special Advisor to the Secretary on Global African Descent Affairs to develop or update annually (for 10 years after the initial report) a U.S. global strategy to empower, prevent, and respond to discrimination and violence against people of African descent.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E234)
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
Flat Tax Act

Bill: 114-hr-1040
Sponsor: Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employment taxes
Income tax deductions
Income tax rates
Legislative rules and procedure
Tax reform and tax simplification
Transfer and inheritance taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

Flat Tax Act 

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize an individual or a person engaged in business activity to make an irrevocable election to be subject to a flat tax (in lieu of the existing income tax provisions) of 19% for the first two years after an election is made, and 17% thereafter. 
 
Calculates taxable income for individual taxpayers by subtracting a basic standard deduction and an additional standard deduction for each dependent from the total of wages, retirement distributions, and unemployment compensation. Defines "business taxable income" to mean gross active income reduced by the cost of certain business inputs. 
 
Imposes an employer tax on the value of excludable compensation provided to employees not engaged in business activity of 19% for the first two years after an election is made under this Act and 17% thereafter. 
 
Repeals the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. 
 
Requires a two-thirds vote of the House of Representatives or the Senate to increase the flat tax rate proposed by this Act or to reduce the amount of the standard deduction or business-related deductions allowed by this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
Jamiel Shaw, II Memorial Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1041
Sponsor: Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Census and government statistics
Criminal justice information and records
Government information and archives
Immigration status and procedures
Law enforcement administration and funding
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

Jamiel Shaw, II Memorial Act of 2015

 
 Prohibits the payment of funds to a state or its political subdivisions under any program or activity administered by the Department of Homeland Security unless such state: (1) compiles statistics on each person arrested, charged, convicted of a crime, or incarcerated by such state, including the immigration status and country of origin of such persons and the crimes for which such persons were arrested, charged, convicted, or incarcerated; (2) reports such statistics monthly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and (3) certifies, on a monthly basis, compliance with the requirements of this Act. Requires each federal agency to compile similar statistics and report on such statistics monthly to the FBI.
 
Requires the FBI to annually publish all statistics reported under this Act as a separate data collection of its Uniform Crime Reports. Defines &quot;crime&quot; for purposes of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications.
action_date: 2015-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
action_date: 2015-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
RESPONSE Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1043
Sponsor: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Accidents
Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Emergency planning and evacuation
First responders and emergency personnel
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Public-private cooperation
Railroads
Rural conditions and development
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

RESPONSE Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council.
 
Directs the Subcommittee to evaluate the following topics and develop recommendations for improving emergency responder training and resource allocation for hazardous materials incidents involving railroads:
 
 
 the quality and application of training for local emergency first responders related to rail hazardous materials incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities near railroads;
 
the effectiveness of funding levels related to training local emergency responders for rail hazardous materials incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and small communities;
 
a strategy for integration of commodity flow studies, mapping, and access platforms for local emergency responders and how to increase the rate of access to the individual responder in existing or emerging communications technology;
 
 the need for emergency response plans for rail, similar to existing law related to maritime and stationary facility emergency response plans for hazardous materials;
 
 the need for a rail hazardous materials incident database;
 
 increasing access to relevant, useful, and timely information for the local emergency responder for training purposes and in the event of a rail hazardous materials incident; and 
 
 determining the most appropriate agencies and offices for the implementation of the recommendations.
 
 
Terminates the Subcommittee not later than four years after this Act's enactment, subject to one year extensions.
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Clean Air Act to modify the application of certain provisions regarding the inclusion of entire metropolitan statistical areas within nonattainment areas, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-hr-1044
Sponsor: Rep. Mulvaney, Mick [R-SC-5]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Environmental regulatory procedures
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 
This bill amends the Clean Air Act to modify provisions regarding geographical areas that do not attain the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone and carbon monoxide. Currently, if an ozone or carbon monoxide nonattainment area is classified as a serious, severe, or extreme area, the nonattainment area's boundaries must be revised to include the entire metropolitan statistical area or consolidated metropolitan statistical area. This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require each state to revise the boundaries of all of these nonattainment areas that expanded to include the entire statistical area. States must exclude from the nonattainment area all counties within each statistical area that are not in violation of the NAAQS concerned, as determined by air quality monitoring and not by computer modeling.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Establishment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1045
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
District of Columbia
Lawyers and legal services
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: 

District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Establishment Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the District of Columbia Code to shift the responsibility for conducting prosecutions for violations of District of Columbia laws from the Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia [Attorney General for the District] or the Attorney General's assistants to the head of the office designated under District local law as the one responsible for conducting such prosecutions (local prosecutor's office) or the local prosecutor's assistants.
 
An indictment or information brought in the name of:
 
 
 the United States in the U.S. District Court for the District may include charges of offenses prosecutable by the District if the head of the local prosecutor's office consents to such inclusion in writing, and 
 
the District in the Superior Court of the District may be joined for trial in the U.S. District Court for the District with an indictment or information brought in that court if the offenses charged could have been joined in the same indictment or information and if the head of the local prosecutor's office consents to such joinder.
 
 
Nothing in this Act shall affect the authority of the Attorney General or the U.S. Attorney for the District to exercise jurisdiction concerning violations of federal laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E235)
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-24
text: Introduced in House