hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Groundwork USA Trust Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3707
Sponsor: Rep. Tsongas, Niki [D-MA-3]
Introduced: 2015-10-07 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Community life and organization
Economic development
Employment and training programs
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Industrial facilities
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Soil pollution

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-07
text: 

Groundwork USA Trust Act of 2015

 
 Establishes the Groundwork USA Trust Program. 
 
Authorizes the Department of the Interior to award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to: (1) facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, site assessments, remediation of brownfield sites, community involvement, or site preparation; (2) reclaim vacant and derelict lands; (3) cleanup and care for neglected areas; (4) return brownfields to productive use; (5) integrate environmental education, food security, health and fitness, resource management, and job training; (6) encourage and support business, local government, nonprofit, and community cooperation in sustainable environmental care and enhancement; (7) acquire, rehabilitate, and improve real property and buildings; and (8) develop programs that encourage partnering with other environmental organizations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2015-10-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
action_date: 2015-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Financial Services, 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: 2015-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Financial Services, 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: 2015-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Financial Services, 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: 2015-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Financial Services, 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: 2015-10-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-07
text: Introduced in House
Prevent a December Government Shutdown Act

Bill: 114-hr-3708
Sponsor: Rep. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD-8]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Budget process
Defense spending
Executive agency funding and structure
Legislative rules and procedure

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Prevent a December Government Shutdown Act of 2015 

 
This bill requires the congressional leadership of both parties to appoint an equal number of individuals to negotiate legislation to: (1) increase the security and nonsecurity discretionary spending limits equally for FY2016, and (2) reduce the deficit by the amount deemed appropriate. 
 
 If a majority of the appointees approve the measure, Congress must consider the legislation using expedited legislative procedures included in the Budget Control Act of 2011. 
 
If the legislation is not enacted prior to November 17, 2015, the bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to increase the FY2016 discretionary spending limits by specified amounts and eliminate the automatic spending cuts required in FY2016 by sequestration under current law. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on the Budget, 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: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on the Budget, 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: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on the Budget, 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: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Helping our Rural Veterans Receive Health Care Act

Bill: 114-hr-3709
Sponsor: Rep. Poliquin, Bruce [R-ME-2]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health promotion and preventive care
Hospital care
Rural conditions and development
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Helping our Rural Veterans Receive Health Care Act

 
This bill amends the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 to make permanent and expand the pilot program to provide, through qualifying non-VA health care providers, VA-authorized hospital care or medical, rehabilitative, or preventive health services to veterans in highly rural areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Safe Agriculture Production Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3710
Sponsor: Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Agricultural practices and innovations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Pest management

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Safe Agriculture Production Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Plant Protection Act to allow state, local, or tribal governments to use methyl bromide as a fumigant if: (1) the use is required to respond to an emergency concerning a significant economic loss of crops to pests or diseases, and (2) the Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not object to that use within a specified time period.
 
The bill allows this use of methyl bromide during an emergency event regardless of whether the use is registered and included in the label approved for the product by the Environmental Protection Agency under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
 
The bill limits the amount of methyl bromide that may be used per emergency event at a specific location to not more than 20 metric tons. The aggregate amount of methyl bromide used in the United States each year may not exceed the total amount authorized under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
 
The bill gives USDA exclusive authority for determining which species are considered quarantine pests.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Improving Access to Mental Health Act

Bill: 114-hr-3712
Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Mental health
Nursing
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Improving Access to Mental Health Act

 
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) increase the Medicare reimbursement rate for clinical social worker services, (2) exclude clinical social worker services from the prospective payment system in which predetermined amounts form the basis for payment under Medicare, and (3) alter the definition of &ldquo;clinical social worker services&rdquo; as it relates to Medicare.
 
Under current law, &ldquo;clinical social worker services&rdquo;: (1) include services performed for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, and (2) exclude services furnished to an inpatient of a skilled nursing facility as a condition of the facility's participation in the Medicare program. The bill repeals these provisions and instead specifies that such services include certain types of health behavior assessment and intervention.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Small Agriculture Producer Size Standards Improvements Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3714
Sponsor: Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
General agriculture matters
Small Business Administration
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 
 
Small Agriculture Producer Size Standards Improvements Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Small Business Act to specify that the agricultural enterprises it covers are small business concerns. 
 
The Act shall cover any small farm regardless of whether its annual receipts, including those of any affiliates, exceed $750,000.
 
The Small Business Administration shall, by rule, establish size standards for agricultural enterprises, which shall be subject to rolling review procedures under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

action_date: 2016-04-19
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
 

Small Agriculture Producer Size Standards Improvements Act of 2015

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Small Business Act to specify that the agricultural enterprises it covers are small business concerns. 
 
(Sec. 3) The Act shall cover any small farm regardless of whether its annual receipts, including those of any affiliates, exceed $750,000.
 
(Sec. 4) The Small Business Administration shall, by rule, establish size standards for agricultural enterprises, which shall be subject to rolling review procedures under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1831)
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1831)
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3714.
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1831-1833)
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Mr. Chabot moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
U.S.-Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act

Bill: 114-hr-3717
Sponsor: Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
International organizations and cooperation
Israel
Medical research
Middle East
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Neurological disorders
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

U.S.-Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act
 
 
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible entities for U.S.-Israel cooperative neuroscience research and related technological innovation. 
 
The programs shall be carried out through the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 
 
The bill establishes in NIH a U.S.-Israel Neuroscience Advisory Committee. 
 
The grant program and the Committee are terminated seven years after enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Affordable College Textbook Act

Bill: 114-hr-3721
Sponsor: Rep. Hinojosa, Ruben [D-TX-15]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Books and print media
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Higher education
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
School administration
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Affordable College Textbook Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to make competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support pilot programs that expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students.
 
 
It requires the full and complete digital content of the educational resources created or adopted using grant funds to be made available free of charge to the public: (1) on an easily accessible and interoperable website; and (2) in a machine readable, digital format that anyone can directly download, edit with attribution, and redistribute.
 
 ED must give special consideration to grant applicants that demonstrate the greatest potential to: 
 
 
 achieve the highest level of savings for students;
 
 expand the use of open textbooks at other IHEs; and 
 
 produce open textbooks that are of the highest quality, that can be most easily utilized and adapted by faculty members, that correspond to the highest enrollment courses, and that are created or adopted in partnership with entities that will assist in their marketing and distribution.
 
 
The bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include any educational material developed to accompany a college textbook as supplemental material that is subject to college textbook information disclosure requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Eyes on the Courts Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3723
Sponsor: Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-10]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Federal appellate courts
Judicial procedure and administration
News media and reporting
Photography and imaging
Supreme Court
Television and film

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Eyes on the Courts Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court, including the Supreme Court, to permit court proceedings to be photographed, electronically recorded, broadcasted, televised, or streamed on the Internet to or for the public, unless the judge determines, upon a motion of a party or the judge, that it would constitute a violation of the due process rights of a party or is not in the interests of justice.
 
The Judicial Conference may promulgate mandatory guidelines with respect to the management and administration of such photographing, recording, broadcasting, televising, or streaming.
 
The presiding judge of each appellate court may promulgate rules and disciplinary measures for the courtroom use of any form of media or media equipment and the acquisition or distribution of any of the images or sounds obtained in the courtroom.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Puerto Rico Financial Improvement and Bond Guarantee Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3725
Sponsor: Resident Commissioner Pierluisi, Pedro R. [D-PR-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Appropriations
Caribbean area
Federal Reserve System
Government lending and loan guarantees
Puerto Rico
Securities
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Puerto Rico Financial Improvement and Bond Guarantee Act of 2015 

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the current financial distress of the government of Puerto Rico. 
 
The Department of the Treasury may guarantee up to 100% of 30-year bonds issued by the government of Puerto Rico or any of its instrumentalities that are issued solely to finance capital projects or refinance existing debt, but not bonds to finance operational expenses. 
 
A guarantee is only permitted if Treasury determines that there is a reasonable prospect of repayment of the principal and interest on the bond to be guaranteed.
 
Treasury shall: 
 
 
 examine the financial management practices of the government of Puerto Rico and its instrumentalities, and 
 
establish guidelines and recommendations for making improvements in those practices and whether to make a requested guarantee. 
 
 
Appropriations are made to fund the loan guarantees.
 
Treasury may also provide advice and technical assistance to the government of Puerto Rico.
 
The Federal Reserve Act is amended to empower Federal Reserve banks to buy and sell bonds and notes issued by Puerto Rico in anticipation of the collection of taxes or receipt of assured revenues.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Highway Exceptions for Ranchers' Deliveries Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3726
Sponsor: Rep. Rooney, Thomas J. [R-FL-17]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Intergovernmental relations
Licensing and registrations
Livestock
Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Roads and highways
State and local government operations
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Highway Exceptions for Ranchers' Deliveries Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes a state to allow, by special permit, the operation of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 95,000 pounds for the hauling of livestock. The cost of such permit may not exceed $200 per year for a livestock trailer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
Health Insurance Rate Review Act

Bill: 114-hr-3727
Sponsor: Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Introduced: 2015-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Disability and health-based discrimination
Health care costs and insurance
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: 

Health Insurance Rate Review Act

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to declare that federal requirements that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) review unreasonable premium increases in health care coverage do not prohibit a state from imposing additional rate requirements on health insurance issuers that are more protective of consumers. The review is expanded to include all rate increases, not only premium increases.
 
HHS or the relevant state insurance commissioner or state regulator must ensure that any excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory rates are corrected before, or as soon as possible after, implementation, including through mechanisms such as denying rates, modifying rates, or requiring rebates to consumers. HHS may apply civil monetary penalties to health insurance issuers that fail to comply with a corrective action taken by HHS and may make the plan involved ineligible for classification as a qualified health plan.
 
HHS must determine whether HHS or the state insurance commissioner or regulator will undertake such corrective actions based on whether the state can adequately undertake the actions.
 
 This Act applies to health plans grandfathered under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Introduced in House