hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-302
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Department of State
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
HIV/AIDS
Human rights
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Violent crime
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

International Human Rights Defense Act of 2015

 
Directs the Secretary of State to establish in the Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor a Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Peoples who shall: 
 
 
 direct U.S. government efforts regarding the human rights of LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender); 
 
 represent the United States in diplomatic matters relevant to the human rights of LGBT people, including discrimination and violence against LGBT people; 
 
 serve as the principal advisor to the Secretary of State regarding human rights for LGBT people; and 
 
 implement activities regarding support, education, resettlement, and empowerment of LGBT people.
 
 
Directs the Special Envoy to develop or update annually for five years a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to discrimination and violence against LGBT people.
 
Authorizes the Secretary and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development to provide assistance to prevent and respond to discrimination and violence against LGBT people.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S654-655)
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-303
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Right of privacy
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2015
 
 
Makes any individual who has a seriously delinquent tax debt ineligible to receive a bonus from a federal agency (i.e., an executive agency, the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, or an employing agency in the legislative branch). Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" as an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records. Exempts a tax debt: (1) that is being paid in a timely manner under an approved installment payment agreement or an offer-in-compromise, (2) for which a collection due process hearing has been requested or pending, (3) for which a levy has been issued or agreed to by an applicant for employment, or (4) that is determined to be an economic hardship to the taxpayer. 
 
Requires each agency to review public records to determine if a notice of tax lien has been filed against an agency employee or applicant for employment. Prohibits an agency head or agency employee from using or disclosing tax delinquency information other than for the administration of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S619-620)
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
American Job Protection Act

Bill: 114-s-305
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Business records
Comprehensive health care
Employee benefits and pensions
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Sales and excise taxes
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

American Job Protection Act

 
Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that: (1) impose fines on large employers (employers with 50 or more full-time employees) who fail to offer their full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential health insurance coverage, and (2) require large employers to file a report with the Department of the Treasury on health insurance coverage provided to their full-time employees. Applies the Internal Revenue Code as if those provisions had never been enacted.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Enhancing Educational Opportunities for all Students Act

Bill: 114-s-306
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Income tax exclusion
Poverty and welfare assistance
Preschool education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Enhancing Educational Opportunities for all Students Act
 
 
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow a state educational agency to allocate grant funds among local educational agencies based on the number of eligible children (children age 5 to 17 from a family with an income below the poverty level) enrolled in the public schools and the state-accredited private schools within each local agency's geographic jurisdiction.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow payment of home school expenses from Coverdell education savings accounts; (2) remove the dollar limitation on contributions to Coverdell education savings accounts and require such accounts to provide adequate safeguards to prevent contributions from exceeding the amount necessary to provide for the qualified education expenses of the account beneficiary; and (3) allow tax-exempt qualified tuition programs (529 tuition programs) to pay qualified pre-kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education expenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
ConTACT Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-307
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child health
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Elementary and secondary education
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Neurological disorders
School athletics

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act of 2015 or the ConTACT Act of 2015

 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish guidelines for states on the implementation of best practices for diagnosis, treatment, and management of mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs) in school-aged children, including best practices relating to student athletes returning to play after an MTBI.
 
Requires the Pediatric MTBI Guideline Expert Panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a final report on best practices by July 31, 2015.
 
Authorizes HHS to make grants to states to: (1) adopt, disseminate, and ensure schools implement the guidelines; and (2) ensure elementary and secondary schools implement computerized preseason baseline and post-injury neuropsychological testing for student athletes.
 
Directs HHS to require states receiving grants to utilize, to the extent practicable, applicable expertise and services offered by local chapters of national brain injury organizations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
After School for America's Children Act

Bill: 114-s-308
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Child health
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Family relationships
Indian social and development programs
Language arts
Minority education
Nutrition and diet
Physical fitness and lifestyle
School administration
Science and engineering education
Special education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

After School for America's Children Act

 
Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before and after school programs to improve their academic performance.)
 
Requires the Centers to provide: (1) students with activities that are targeted to their academic needs and aligned with the instruction they receive during the school day, and (2) students' families with opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education.
 
Includes Indian tribes or organizations among the local public or private entities that are eligible for grants from states to establish the Centers.
 
Requires states to use at least 93% (currently 95%) of their allotment from the Secretary of Education to provide grants to those entities. 
 
Allows states to use up to 5% (currently, 3%) of their allotment for certain state activities.
 
Requires states to: (1) award grants to local entities that serve students who primarily attend schools that are eligible for schoolwide programs under part A of title I of the ESEA, and (2) favor applicants that propose to serve students that have not achieved proficiency in accordance with state academic achievement standards.
 
Requires states to use a rigorous peer review process in reviewing grant applications.
 
Allows states to renew a grant under part B based on the grantee's performance during the original grant period.
 
Prohibits the Secretary or states from giving funding priority to applicants that propose to use the funds to extend the regular school day.
 
Includes among the activities grants may fund: (1) core academic subject education activities, including those that allow students to recover or attain credits; (2) literacy education programs; (3) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle; (4) services for the disabled; (5) cultural programs; and (6) programs that build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and support innovative STEM teaching methods.
 
Reauthorizes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program through FY2021.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Earmark Elimination Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-309
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Legislative rules and procedure
Senate
Tariffs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Earmark Elimination Act of 2015

 
 Makes it out of order in the Senate to consider a bill or resolution introduced in either chamber or any other measure that includes an earmark.
 
Permits waiver of a point of order against an earmark only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Senators.
 
Makes this Act inapplicable to any authorization of appropriations to a federal entity if the authorization is not specifically targeted to a state, locality, or congressional district.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
EGO Act

Bill: 114-s-310
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Appropriations
Art, artists, authorship
Congressional officers and employees
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Members of Congress
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Eliminating Government-funded Oil-painting Act or the EGO Act

 
Prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the federal government to pay for an official portrait of an officer or employee of the federal government, including the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, the head of an executive agency, or the head of an office of the legislative branch. 

action_date: 2015-07-27
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

Eliminating Government-funded Oil-painting Act or the EGO Act

 
(Sec. 2) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the federal government to pay for an official portrait of an officer or employee of the federal government, including the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, the head of an executive agency, or the head of an office of the legislative branch. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 165.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 114-93.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 114-93.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-311
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Assault and harassment offenses
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Crimes against children
Disability and health-based discrimination
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Performance measurement
Racial and ethnic relations
Religion
School administration
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2015

 
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit conduct, including bullying and harassment, that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to: (1) limit students' ability to participate in, or benefit from, school programs; or (2) create a hostile or abusive educational environment that adversely affects their education.
 
Requires LEAs to also provide: (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their discipline policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level.
 
Requires: (1) the Secretary of Education to conduct, and report on, an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools; and (2) the Commissioner for Education Statistics to collect state data, that are subject to independent review, to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA discipline policies. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthening Kids' Interest in Learning and Libraries Act

Bill: 114-s-312
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Libraries and archives
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Strengthening Kids' Interest in Learning and Libraries Act or the SKILLS Act

 
Amends part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require the inclusion of effective school library programs in school improvement programs.
 
Defines an &quot;effective school library program&quot; as one that: (1) is staffed by a state sanctioned school librarian; (2) has up-to-date materials and technology, including broadband; (3) includes regular collaboration between teachers and school librarians concerning school reform efforts; and (4) supports the development of digital literacy skills.
 
Replaces the existing program under subpart 4 (Improving Literacy Through School Libraries) of part B of title I of the ESEA with a new program (Improving Literacy and College and Career Readiness Through Effective School Library Programs) awarding competitive three-year grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to develop and enhance effective school library programs. Makes LEAs eligible for such grants only if at least 20% of their students are impoverished.
 
Amends part A (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund) of title II of the ESEA to rename part A the Teacher, School Librarian, and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund. Requires states and LEAs to use funds under the program to train school librarians, and recruit and retain highly effective school librarians.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S656)
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-313
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Allied health services
Contracts and agency
Health personnel
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015

 
Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require physical therapists furnishing outpatient physical therapy services to use specified locum tenens arrangements for payment purposes in the same manner as such arrangements are used to apply to physicians furnishing substitute physicians services for other physicians.
 
(Locum tenens [place holder], or substitute, physicians usually assume professional practices in the absence of a regular physician for reasons such as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education.)

action_date: 2015-07-30
text: 

Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require physical therapists furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area to use specified locum tenens arrangements for payment purposes in the same manner as such arrangements are used to apply to physicians furnishing substitute physicians services for other physicians.
 
(Locum tenens [place holder], or substitute, physicians usually assume professional practices in the absence of a regular physician for reasons such as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 177.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-98.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-98.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Committee on Finance. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act

Bill: 114-s-314
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health personnel
Medicare
Prescription drugs
Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act

 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover pharmacist services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act

Bill: 114-s-315
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2015-01-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Aging
Health technology, devices, supplies
Hearing, speech, and vision care
Income tax credits
Tax treatment of families

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: 

Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act
 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit of up to $500 in a taxable year for the purchase of a hearing aid that is authorized under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for commercial distribution and is intended for use by the taxpayer or a dependent of the taxpayer. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Introduced in Senate