hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1253
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health technology, devices, supplies
Medicare
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015

 
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover substitute disposable medical technology as durable medical equipment, subject it to a special payment rule, and exempt it from competitive acquisition.

action_date: 2015-07-30
text: 

Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services to make a separate payment, calculated according to a specified formula, to a home health agency for an applicable disposable device when furnished on or after January 1, 2017 to an individual who receives home health services for which payment is made under Medicare.
 
 An &quot;applicable disposable device&quot; is one that is:
 
 
a disposable negative pressure wound therapy device that is an integrated system composed of a non-manual vacuum pump, a receptacle for collecting exudate, and dressings for the purposes of wound therapy; and
 
a substitute for, and used in lieu of, a negative pressure wound therapy durable medical equipment item that is an integrated system of a negative pressure vacuum pump, a separate exudate collection canister, and dressings that would otherwise be covered for individuals for such wound therapy.
 
 
The Government Accountability Office shall study:
 
 
 the value of disposable devices to the Medicare program and Medicare beneficiaries as well as the role of disposable devices as substitutes for durable medical equipment, and
 
the impact of the payment under this Act for applicable disposable devices. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 184.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 114-105.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 114-105.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Committee on Finance. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Families for Foster Youth Stamp Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1254
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Child safety and welfare
Postal service

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Families for Foster Youth Stamp Act of 2015

 
 Requires the United States Postal Service, for a period of at least four years, to provide for the issuance and sale of a semipostal in order to increase funding for effective programs targeted at improving permanency outcomes for youth in foster care.
 
Requires any amounts becoming available from the sale of the semipostal to be transferred to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for programs and activities under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 that specifically target improvement in permanency outcomes for youth in foster care through adoption, guardianship, or kinship care. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Sutton Mountain and Painted Hills Area Preservation and Economic Enhancement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1255
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land transfers
Oregon
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Sutton Mountain and Painted Hills Area Preservation and Economic Enhancement Act of 2015

 
Designates the Sutton Mountain Wilderness, Pat's Cabin Wilderness, Painted Hills Wilderness, and Dead Dog Wilderness in Oregon as wilderness areas and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. 
 
Permits grazing of livestock to continue if already established. 
 
Declares that nothing in this Act alters, modifies, enlarges, diminishes, or abrogates the treaty rights of any Indian tribe.
 
Authorizes the Department of the Interior to: (1) conduct management activities necessary to maintain or restore fish and wildlife populations and habitats, and (2) take measures necessary for the control of fire, insects, and diseases.
 
Authorizes commercial services (including outfitting and guide activities) to the extent necessary for activities that fulfill recreational or other wilderness purposes of such areas. 
 
Requires Interior to provide an owner of private property within the boundary of a wilderness area adequate access to such property.
 
Prescribe requirements for the Collins, Faulkner, Quant, and Twickenham Livestock LLC land exchanges in Oregon.
 
Directs Interior to convey specified lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management to Wheeler County, Oregon. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Advancing Grid Storage Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1256
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Atmospheric science and weather
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Government lending and loan guarantees
Public utilities and utility rates
Research administration and funding
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Advancing Grid Storage Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish certain energy storage programs.
 
The bill establishes a program for the research of energy storage systems within DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
 
DOE must establish a loan program to provide loans to states and other government entities, educational institutions, and electric utilities for: (1) the demonstration and deployment of energy storage systems in a specific project, and (2) programs to finance the demonstration and deployment of multiple energy storage systems through a financial assistance program. Loans may only be used to fund programs relating to the demonstration and deployment of energy storage systems in households, businesses, and communities. 
 
DOE must establish a technical assistance and grant program to: (1) disseminate information and provide technical assistance directly to nonprofit or for-profit entities so those entities can identify, evaluate, plan, and design energy storage systems; and (2) make grants to such entities so that they may contract to obtain technical assistance to identify, evaluate, plan, and design energy storage systems. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1257
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Labor-management relations
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Fairness Act of 2015

 
This bill repeals the exclusion from the collective bargaining rights of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employees of regulations of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) addressing any matter or question concerning professional conduct or competence, peer review, or the establishment, determination, or adjustment of employee compensation.
 
As a result VHA employees may participate in collective bargaining with the VA over such regulations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Local Energy Supply and Resiliency Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1258
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Atmospheric science and weather
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Computers and information technology
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Government lending and loan guarantees
Lighting and heating
Lighting, heating, cooling
Public utilities and utility rates
Research administration and funding
Rural conditions and development
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Local Energy Supply and Resiliency Act of 2015

 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish certain programs to support distributed energy systems, which are energy sources and systems that: (1) produce electric or thermal energy close to the point of use using renewable energy resources or waste thermal energy, (2) generate electricity using a combined heat and power system, (3) distribute electricity in microgrids, (4) store electric or thermal energy, or (5) distribute or transfer thermal energy to building heating and cooling systems through a district energy system. 
DOE must establish: (1) a loan program to provide funding for deploying distributed energy systems to states and other government entities, institutions of higher education, and electric utilities; and (2) a technical assistance and grant program to disseminate information and provide technical assistance to nonprofit and profit entities for identifying, evaluating, planning, and designing distributed energy systems. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
National Laboratory Technology Maturation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1259
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Energy research
Product development and innovation
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Small business
Technology transfer and commercialization

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

National Laboratory Technology Maturation Act of 201

5

 
 Requires the Department of Energy to establish the National Laboratory technology maturation program to make grants of up to $5 million per fiscal year to National Laboratories to increase the successful transfer of technologies licensed from National Laboratories to small businesses by providing a link between an innovative process or technology and a practical application with potential to be successful in commercial markets.
 
Requires grant recipients to use the funds to provide vouchers of up to $250,000 each to small businesses that hold a technology license from a National Laboratory to pay the cost of providing assistance from its scientists and engineers to assist in the development of the licensed technology and further develop related products and services until they are market-ready or sufficiently developed to attract private investment.
 
Requires a National Laboratory that awards a voucher to carry out such a project to: (1) establish a procedure to monitor interim progress of the project toward commercialization milestones, and (2) discontinue providing such funding or assistance if it determines that a project is not making adequate progress toward such milestones under the procedure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Sunshine in Sponsorship Identification Act

Bill: 114-s-1260
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Government information and archives
Marketing and advertising

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 
 
Sunshine in Sponsorship Identification Act

 
Directs the Federal Communications Commission to update its sponsorship identification rules for commercial and political advertising to: (1) reflect current technologies and practices, (2) ensure that political broadcasts include more detailed disclosures about the identity of the true sponsors, and (3) require more detailed sponsorship identification information to be placed online or in another form more readily accessible to the public.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Wireless Telecommunications Tax and Fee Collection Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1261
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Sales and excise taxes
State and local taxation
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Telephone and wireless communication
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Wireless Telecommunications Tax and Fee Collection Fairness Act of 2015

 
Prohibits a state or a local jurisdiction from requiring a person to collect from, or remit on behalf of, any other person a state or local tax, fee, or surcharge imposed on the purchase or use of any wireless telecommunications service within the state unless the collection or remittance is in connection with a financial transaction between: (1) the person that the state or local jurisdiction requires to collect or remit the tax, fee, or surcharge; and (2) the purchaser or user of the wireless telecommunications service. Allows any person who is aggrieved by a violation of such prohibition to bring a civil action in U.S. district court for equitable relief. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1262
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for tax-exempt Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts to pay for trade or business expenses, including the purchase of equipment or facilities, marketing, training, incorporation, and accounting fees. Allows annual contributions to such accounts up to $10,000. Sets forth rules for the tax treatment of contributions to and rollovers from such accounts, similar to rules governing individual retirement accounts (IRAs).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1263
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-05-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental technology
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Manufacturing
Product development and innovation
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: 

Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2015

 
 This bill requires the Department of Commerce to: (1) establish a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to ensure that U.S. clean energy technology firms have the information and assistance they need to be competitive and to create clean energy technology sector jobs; and (2) administer the Fund to promote policies that will reduce production costs and encourage innovation, investment, and productivity in the clean energy technology sector, and implement a national clean energy technology export strategy. The Fund must be administered through the International Trade Administration.
 
Clean energy technology includes technology related to the production, use, transmission, storage, control, or conservation of energy that will contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations through reduction, avoidance, or sequestration of energy-related emissions and that will: (1) reduce the need for additional energy supplies by using existing supplies with greater efficiency or by transmitting, distributing, or transporting energy with greater effectiveness through U.S. infrastructure; or (2) diversify the sources of the energy supply to strengthen energy security and to increase supplies with a favorable balance of environmental effects if the entire technology system is considered.
 
Commerce must provide information, tools, and other assistance to U.S. businesses to promote clean energy technology manufacturing and facilitate the export of clean energy technology products and services. This assistance must be consistent with the National Export Initiative.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Renewable Electricity Standard Act

Bill: 114-s-1264
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]
Introduced: 2015-05-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Dams and canals
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Forests, forestry, trees
Government trust funds
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-11
text: 

Renewable Electricity Standard Act 
 
 
 Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require a retail electric supplier to submit to the Department of Energy (DOE) for 2015 and thereafter one or more of the following: (1) specified federal renewable energy credits, (2) certification of the renewable energy generated and electricity savings, and (3) specified alternative compliance payments. Prescribes, for 2015 through 2039, a schedule of graduated annual percentages of a retail electric supplier's base amount that shall be generated from renewable energy resources (increasing from 7.5% in 2015 to 30% in 2030). 
 
Directs DOE to establish a program to: (1) verify and issue federal renewable energy credits to generators of renewable energy; (2) track the sale, exchange, and retirement of the credits; and (3) enforce the federal renewable energy credits program.
 
Directs DOE to issue a generator of electric energy one federal renewable energy credit for each kilowatt hour of electric energy generated by the use of a renewable energy resource at an eligible facility.
 
Prescribes rules for federal renewable energy credit trading and for borrowing and repayment of federal renewable energy credits.
 
Provides that this Act does not diminish the authority of a state or its political subdivision to: (1) adopt or enforce any law (including regulations) respecting renewable energy, or (2) regulate the acquisition and disposition of federal renewable energy credits by retail electric suppliers.
 
Permits an electric utility that has sales of electric energy subject to rate regulation to recover the full cost of renewable energy obtained to comply with this Act.
 
Establishes in the Treasury a state renewable energy account for a grant program for promoting renewable energy production and providing energy assistance and weatherization services to low-income consumers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Long Range Bomber Sustainment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1265
Sponsor: Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Introduced: 2015-05-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Military operations and strategy
Military procurement, research, weapons development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-11
text: 

Long Range Bomber Sustainment Act of 2015 

 
This bill prohibits a B-1, B-2, or B-52 bomber aircraft from being retired during a fiscal year unless the Secretary of Defense certifies that: 
 
 
the retirement of the aircraft will not detrimentally affect the U.S. Armed Forces' capacity to carry out the full range of long range bomber aircraft missions anticipated in operational plans of the Armed Forces in effect as of the date of the submission of that certification; 
 
 the Secretary has completed assessments of planning scenarios that span the range of plausible future challenges for such aircraft, and the severity, likelihood, and imminence of risk associated with each such planning scenario; 
 
the Secretary has concluded, based on such assessments, that retirements of B-1, B-2, and B-52 bomber aircraft in the near term will not detrimentally affect operational capability; and 
 
the Secretary has developed a plan to replace any operational capability lost as a result of the retirement of such bomber aircraft.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2015-05-11
text: Introduced in Senate