hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Senior$afe Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2216
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2015-10-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Aging
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Civil actions and liability
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Financial services and investments
Fraud offenses and financial crimes

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-28
text: 

Senior$afe Act of 2015

 
This bill provides that: (1) a supervisor, compliance officer, or legal advisor for a covered financial institution who has received training regarding the identification and reporting of the suspected exploitation of a senior citizen (at least 65 years old) shall not be liable for disclosing such exploitation to a covered agency if such individual made the disclosure in good faith and with reasonable care; and (2) a covered financial institution shall not be liable for such a disclosure by such an individual if such individual was employed by the institution at the time of the disclosure and the institution had provided such training.
 
A &quot;covered financial institution&quot; means a bank, a credit union, an investment adviser, or a broker-dealer. A &quot;covered agency&quot; means each of the federal financial institutions regulatory agencies or a state financial regulatory agency, law enforcement agency, or adult protective services agency.
 
A covered financial institution may provide such training to each of its supervisors, compliance officers, or legal advisors who: (1) may come into contact with a senior citizen as a regular part of such employee's duties; or (2) may review or approve the financial documents, records, or transactions of a senior citizen in connection with providing him or her financial services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S7595-7596)
action_date: 2015-10-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2217
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Department of Health and Human Services
Food industry and services
Nutrition and diet
Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise the nutritional information that restaurants and retail food establishments must disclose. The nutrient content disclosure statement on the menu or menu board must include: (1) the number of calories contained in the whole menu item; (2) the number of servings and number of calories per serving; or (3) the number of calories per common unit of the item, such as for a multi-serving item that is typically divided before presentation to the consumer. Nutritional information may be provided solely by a remote-access menu (e.g., an Internet menu) for food establishments where the majority of orders are placed by customers who are off-premises.
 
Establishments with self-serve food may comply with the requirements for restaurants or place signs with nutritional information adjacent to each food item.
 
An establishment&rsquo;s nutrient content disclosures have a &ldquo;reasonable basis&rdquo; if they are within acceptable allowances for variation, including variations in serving size or ingredients and inadvertent human error in formulation.
 
Establishments with standard menu items that come in different flavors, varieties, or combinations, that are listed as a single menu item can determine and disclose nutritional information using specified methods or methods allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
 
Regulations pursuant to this Act or the clause amended by this Act cannot take effect earlier than two years after final regulations are promulgated pursuant to this Act.
 
The FDA may not exempt states from nutrition labeling requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2218
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Health promotion and preventive care
Income tax deductions
Physical fitness and lifestyle

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2015 or the PHIT Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a medical care tax deduction for up to $1,000 ($2,000 for a joint return or a head of household) of qualified sports and fitness expenses. The bill defines "qualified sports and fitness expenses" as amounts paid exclusively for the sole purpose of participating in a physical activity, including: (1) for membership at a fitness facility, (2) for participation or instruction in physical exercise or activity, or (3) for equipment used in a program (including a self-directed program) of physical exercise or activity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2219
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Economic performance and conditions
Government studies and investigations
Outdoor recreation
Retail and wholesale trades
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce to assess and analyze the outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the effects attributable to it on the overall U.S. economy.
 
In conducting the assessment, the Bureau may consider employment, sales, contributions to travel and tourism, and other appropriate contributing components of the outdoor recreation economy.

action_date: 2016-11-15
text: 

Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016

 
(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Commerce to enter into a joint memorandum with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior to conduct, acting through the Bureau of Economic Analysis, to assess and analyze the outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the effects attributable to it on the overall U.S. economy.
 
In conducting the assessment, Commerce may consider employment, sales, contributions to travel and tourism, and other appropriate contributing components of the outdoor recreation economy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-15
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 664.
action_date: 2016-11-15
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-371.
action_date: 2016-11-15
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-371.
action_date: 2016-06-29
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy MOM Act

Bill: 114-s-2220
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child health
Employee benefits and pensions
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Medicaid
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or the Healthy MOM Act

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and Internal Revenue Code to require health insurers, health insurance exchanges, and group health plans to offer a special enrollment period to pregnant individuals. The special enrollment period offered by an insurer or exchange must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the insurer or exchange. The special enrollment period offered by a group health plan must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the plan or is confirmed by a health care provider.
 
Coverage offered by a group health plan or health insurer that covers dependents must provide coverage for maternity care to all covered individuals.
 
The Office of Personnel Management must ensure that eligible pregnant women are allowed to enroll in federal employee health benefit plans outside of the open enrollment period.
 
This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to revise the range in which a state must establish a maximum level of family income for pregnant women and infants to be eligible for Medicaid. The upper limit of the range is eliminated and the lower limit is set to the level in place, or specified in an amendment to a state plan, on January 1, 2014.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Ensuring Access to Affordable and Quality Home Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act

Bill: 114-s-2221
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Adult day care
Aging
Disability and paralysis
Labor standards
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Ensuring Access to Affordable and Quality Home Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act 

 
 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 with respect to the exemption from minimum wage and maximum hour requirements of domestic service employment to provide companionship services for individuals who because of age or infirmity are unable to care for themselves. Definitions of "companionship services" and "domestic service employment" are detailed. Excluded from companionship services are any relating to the care and protection of the aged or infirm which require and are performed by trained medical personnel.
 
The exemption shall now extend to third-party employment of an employee to provide companionship services to such individuals, including non-medical in-home personal care or household work related to their care. "Third-party employment" means employees who provide companionship or live-in domestic services while employed by an employer or agency other than the family or household using their services, whether or not such an employee provides services to more than one household or family in the same workweek when providing such services.
 
Exempted also from the Act's maximum hour requirements are third-party employment in domestic service of an employee who resides in the household in which the services are provided.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Community College to Career Fund Act

Bill: 114-s-2222
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Adult education and literacy
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Licensing and registrations
National Guard and reserves
Public-private cooperation
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Community College to Career Fund Act

 
This bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Department of Labor to award competitive grants to eligible community colleges, four-year public institutions of higher education, tribal colleges or universities, public or private nonprofit two-year institutions of higher education in specified U.S. territories, or a consortium of any of them, in partnership with employers or an employer or industry partnership representing multiple employers, in order to develop, offer, improve, and provide educational or career training programs for workers.
 
The governor of the state in which at least one of these entities is located shall establish criteria for an educational or career training program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential for which an eligible entity submits a grant proposal.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act

Bill: 114-s-2223
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Land transfers
South Dakota
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act 

 
This bill transfers jurisdiction over certain public land from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for inclusion in the Black Hills National Cemetery. 
 
Upon a determination by the VA that all or a portion of such transferred land shall not be used for cemetery purposes, the VA shall: (1) notify Interior and transfer jurisdiction of the land back to Interior, and (2) be responsible for any decontamination costs necessary for restoration of the lands to the public lands. 

action_date: 2016-09-06
text: 

Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act 

 
(Sec. 3) This bill transfers jurisdiction over approximately 200 acres of Bureau of Land Management land from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for inclusion in the Black Hills National Cemetery, South Dakota.
 
The VA shall reimburse Interior for reasonable transfer costs, including survey costs.
 
 The cemetery's boundary is modified to include such federal land. 
 
For the period such land is under the administrative jurisdiction of the VA, it shall be withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws, the mineral leasing laws, and the geothermal leasing laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 598.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-325.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-325.
action_date: 2016-07-13
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2016-04-21
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-500.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2224
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2015-10-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Intergovernmental relations
Policy sciences
Poverty and welfare assistance
Racial and ethnic relations
State and local government operations
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: 

Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2015

 
This bill establishes in the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Federal Interagency Working Group on Reducing Child Poverty.
 
The Working Group as its primary goal shall develop a national plan to reduce: 
 
 
within 10 years the number of children living in poverty in the United States to half the number cited in the report of the U.S. Census Bureau on Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013; 
within the same 10 years the number of children living in extreme poverty in the United States to zero; and 
within 20 years the number of children living in poverty, extreme or otherwise, in the United States to zero. 
 
 
HHS shall enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences for two public workshops to provide the Working Group with information to assist in the development of the plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2225
Sponsor: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Introduced: 2015-10-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Foreign labor
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Immigration status and procedures
Temporary and part-time employment
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-30
text: 

Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to declare that, effective as if enacted on January 1, 2015, a returning H-2B visa alien (temporary nonagricultural worker) who has already been counted toward the applicable numerical limitation shall: 
 
 
 not again be counted toward that limitation in the current fiscal year, but shall be considered a returning worker; and 
 
shall be counted again toward the limitation if the alien departs the United States for a period longer than one year, or was not counted toward the limitation in any of the three most recent fiscal years.
 
 
 &quot;Other temporary service or labor&quot; for H-2B purposes means that an employer's labor need will last: (1) at most 1 year if peak load or intermittent, unless it is a one-time occurrence not to exceed 3 years; or (2) not to exceed 10 months if the employer's need is seasonal.
 
 An H-2B employer shall file an employee petition with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which shall have exclusive authority to issue rules and final determinations for the H-2B visa program. 
 
 H-2B employer requirements are set forth regarding: (1) petitions, (2) admissions and maximum stay in status, (3) housing, (4) enforcement, (5) transportation, (6) recruitment, (7) U.S. worker protections, (8) wages, and (9) absconding workers.
 
 DHS shall consult with the Department of State to develop an electronic notification system to notify the latter within 48 hours after an H-2B petition's final approval. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-10-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2226
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2015-11-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug therapy
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Family services
Government studies and investigations
Health programs administration and funding
Prescription drugs
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: 

Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to extend support for residential substance abuse treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women through FY2020.
 
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment must carry out a pilot program to make grants to state substance abuse agencies to support services for pregnant and postpartum women who have a primary diagnosis of a substance use disorder.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Private Spectrum Relocation Funding Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2227
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2015-11-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: 

Private Spectrum Relocation Funding Act of 2015 

 
 
 
This bill amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to allow a federal entity to receive payment or reimbursement from a private entity to accelerate implementation of a transition plan deemed sufficient by a technical panel within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for federally used frequencies of electromagnetic spectrum to be relocated or shared to make spectrum available for auction or for other commercial or nonfederal use. 
 
 
 
To collect or receive such a payment or reimbursement, the technical panel must approve a federal entity's proposal with a finding that: (1) the activities funded by the payment are reasonably likely to materially accelerate implementation of the transition plan or commercial or other nonfederal use of spectrum subject to such plan, and (2) such implementation or use would not be achieved without the private entity's payment. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit review of certain Medicare payment determinations for disproportionate share hospitals, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-2228
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2015-11-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Health facilities and institutions
Hospital care
Judicial review and appeals
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: 
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow adminstrative or judicial review of additional Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment determinations for acute care hospitals known as subsection (d) hospitals. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid must make DSH payments to qualifying hospitals that treat a disproportionate share of low-income patients.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Scheduling Accountability Act

Bill: 114-s-2229
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2015-11-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: 

Veterans Scheduling Accountability Act

 
This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct random, periodic audits of the medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans Integrated Service Networks to determine if they are in compliance with legal and VA standards requiring that veterans be provided timely access to VA health care. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Introduced in Senate