hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Venue Equity and Non-Uniformity Elimination Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2733
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2016-03-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Intellectual property
Jurisdiction and venue
Manufacturing
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: 

Venue Equity and Non-Uniformity Elimination Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the federal judicial code to allow patent actions to be brought only in judicial districts where:
 
 
the defendant has its principal place of business or is incorporated; 
 
the defendant has committed an act of infringement of a patent in suit and has a regular and established physical facility that gives rise to the act of infringement; 
 
the defendant has agreed or consented to be sued; 
 
an inventor named on the patent conducted research or development that led to the application for the patent in suit; or
 
a party has a regular and established physical facility and has managed significant research and development for the invention claimed in the patent, has manufactured a tangible product alleged to embody that invention, or has implemented a manufacturing process for a tangible good in which the process is alleged to embody the invention. 
 
 
 If a foreign defendant does not have a principal place of business, incorporation, or a physical facility in the United States, that foreign defendant may be sued in any judicial district, and joinder of such a defendant shall be disregarded in determining where the action may be brought with respect to other defendants.
 
These provisions replace current patent action venue laws that allow patent actions to be brought in the judicial district where the defendant resides or where the defendant has committed acts of infringement and has a regular and established place of business.
 
A teleworking employee's dwelling or residence shall not constitute a regular or established physical facility of a defendant. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Introduced in Senate
CLEAN UP Act

Bill: 114-s-2734
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2016-03-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: 

Creating Livable Environments And New Usable Property Act or the CLEAN UP Act

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2019: (1) the exclusion of gain or loss on the sale or exchange of brownfield sites (land used for commercial or industrial purposes that has been contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution and has been cleaned up and made suitable for commercial or industrial uses) from unrelated business taxable income, and (2) the election to expense environmental remediation expenditures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect America from Homemade Explosives Act

Bill: 114-s-2735
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2016-03-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Firearms and explosives

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: 

Protect America from Homemade Explosives Act

 
This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise federal explosives laws.
 
It includes, within the meaning of &quot;explosives,&quot; black powder substitutes and smokeless powder.
 
Additionally, the bill revises certain exceptions to federal explosives laws to specify that: (1) activities related to small arms ammunition do not include activities involving smokeless powder in excess of 50 pounds; and (2) the 50-pound maximum quantity, with respect to a lawful purchase of commercially manufactured black powder, includes aggregate quantities of black powder and black powder substitutes.
 
Finally, it amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose penalties on an individual who attempts to make an illegal firearm.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Improving Medical Device Innovation Act

Bill: 114-s-2737
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2016-03-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government studies and investigations
Health technology, devices, supplies
Technology assessment

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: 

Improving Medical Device Innovation Act

 
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise provisions related to medical device performance standards, reporting requirements, and classification panels.
 
A person may request that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognize a performance standard established by a recognized standards organization as a standard to which a medical device may conform in order to meet an FDA requirement. When a request to recognize a standard is received, the FDA must determine whether to recognize all, part, or none of the standard and publish the rationale for that determination. (Currently, the FDA recognizes certain performance standards, but it is not required to respond to requests or publish rationales.)
 
The FDA must:
 
 
train employees who review premarket submissions for medical devices on recognized standards;
 
review its published principles for recognizing standards;
 
identify types of medical devices for which a premarket report is no longer needed to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness;
 
ensure that adequate expertise is represented on medical device classification panels;
 
provide an opportunity for a person whose premarket submission is subject to review by a classification panel to recommend expertise needed on the panel; and
 
provide opportunities for patients, patient representatives, and medical device sponsors to recommend individuals for positions on classification panels.
 
 The FDA, in coordination with medical device manufacturers, must establish pilot projects to evaluate alternative methods of compliance with reporting requirements for certain medical devices. The Government Accountability Office must report on these pilot projects.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Political Intelligence Transparency Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2738
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2016-03-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Commodities markets
Congressional operations and organization
Federal officials
Financial services and investments
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Licensing and registrations
Members of Congress
Public participation and lobbying
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: 

Political Intelligence Transparency Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) to require the disclosure of political intelligence activities, particularly relating to information useful for analyzing securities or commodities markets.
 
Political intelligence consultants or their employing organizations must register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives and make quarterly reports on political intelligence activities. The bill exempts from such requirements an individual whose combined political intelligence and lobbying activities constitute less than 20% of the time engaged in such services to a client over a three-month period.
 
Persons or entities that make an oral or written political intelligence contact with a covered legislative branch or executive branch official must, on the official's request: (1) state whether such person or entity is registered under the LDA, (2) identify the client on behalf of whom the contact is made, and (3) state whether such client is a foreign entity and make any related disclosures.
 
The federal criminal code is amended to subject to a fine and/or imprisonment certain former officers, employees, and elected officials of the executive and legislative branches who knowingly make any communication to, or appearance before, any officer or employee of a federal or District of Columbia agency or court in violation of certain permanent or temporary restrictions and with the intent to gain information for use in: (1) analyzing securities or commodities markets, or (2) informing investment decisions in those markets.
 
The bill excludes from such prohibition any communication made by a representative of a media organization to gather and disseminate news and information to the public.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2016-03-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the transfer or release of individuals detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to state sponsors of terrorism.

Bill: 114-s-2740
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2016-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Africa
Caribbean area
Cuba
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Detention of persons
Executive agency funding and structure
Latin America
Libya
Middle East
Military facilities and property
Somalia
Terrorism
Yemen

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: 
This bill prohibits the use of funds available to the Department of Defense (DOD) to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to Libya, Somalia, Yemen, or a country that is a state sponsor of terrorism of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who: 
 
 
is not a U.S. citizen or a member of the Armed Forces; and 
 
 is or was held by DOD on or after January 20, 2009, at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Keep Estimated Extra Payments Act

Bill: 114-s-2741
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2016-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: 

Keep Estimated Extra Payments Act 

 
This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to permit the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and the Department of Labor to elect not to recoup overpayments of benefits to participants in multiemployer and single employer pension plans. 
 
(The PBGC is a federal government agency created by ERISA to protect the pensions of participants and beneficiaries covered by private-sector, defined benefit pension plans.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Farm Payment Loophole Elimination Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2743
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2016-04-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: 

Farm Payment Loophole Elimination Act of 2016 

 
This bill amends the Agricultural Act of 2014 to apply to family farms the requirement that recipients of farm subsidies be actively engaged in farming. The bill eliminates the existing exemption for family farms that permits family members that are not actively engaged in farming to receive farm subsidies. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Genetic Research Privacy Protection Act

Bill: 114-s-2744
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2016-04-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Evidence and witnesses
Freedom of information
Health information and medical records
Medical research
Mental health
Research administration and funding
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: 

Genetic Research Privacy Protection Act

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise provisions regarding disclosure by researchers of the identifiable, sensitive information of research subjects. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must prohibit researchers from disclosing such information from federally funded research to persons not connected to the research. Researchers may apply to have other research covered by this prohibition.
 
Disclosures of such information are permitted if required by law, necessary for the medical treatment of the research subject, made with the consent of the subject, or made for the purposes of other research that is in compliance with regulations regarding protection of subjects.
 HHS may exempt identifiable information collected for biomedical research from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Detaining Terrorists to Protect Americans Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2746
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2016-04-05 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area
Congressional oversight
Cuba
Detention of persons
International law and treaties
Latin America
Military facilities and property
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: 

Detaining Terrorists to Protect Americans Act of 2016

 
This bill prohibits the use of funds to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to or within the United States, its territories, or possessions of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who: (1) is not a U.S. citizen or a member of the Armed Forces; and (2) is or was held by the Department of Defense (DOD) on or after January 20, 2009, at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
 
No funds may be used: 
 
 
to construct or modify any facility in the United States, its territories, or possessions to house any individual detained at Guantanamo under DOD custody or control unless expressly authorized by Congress; or 
 
through FY2017 to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release of an individual detained at Guantanamo to any foreign country or foreign entity unless expressly authorized by Congress.
 
 
 &quot;Individual detained at Guantanamo&quot; means any individual located at Guantanamo as of October 1, 2009, who: (1) is not a U.S. citizen or a member of the Armed Forces; and (2) is under DOD custody or control, or otherwise under detention at Guantanamo. 
 
No funds may be used to: (1) close or abandon Guantanamo, (2) relinquish control of Guantanamo to Cuba, or (3) implement a material modification to the Treaty Between the United States of America and Cuba that constructively closes Guantanamo.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Elder Protection and Abuse Prevention Act

Bill: 114-s-2747
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2016-04-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Adult day care
Aging
Congressional oversight
Consumer credit
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Home and outpatient care
Law enforcement administration and funding
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: 

Elder Protection and Abuse Prevention Act 

 
This bill amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to direct the Administration on Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services to: (1) ensure that all programs funded under such Act include appropriate training in elder abuse prevention and services addressing elder justice and exploitation; and (2) update periodically the need for such training related to prevention of abuse, neglect, and exploitation (including financial exploitation) of older adults.
 
The Administration has a duty and function to: (1) establish priority information and assistance services for older individuals; and (2) develop a National Eldercare Locator Service, with a nationwide toll free number.
 
The Administration shall establish a National Adult Protective Services Resources Center.
 
Each area plan shall provide that the area agency on aging: (1) increases public awareness of elder abuse and financial exploitation, and removes barriers to elder abuse education, prevention, investigation, and treatment; and (2) reports instances of elder abuse.
 
The Administration shall make grants to states with approved plans for elder abuse and neglect screening.
 
A state operating a nutrition project shall encourage distributors of nutrition services to distribute information on diabetes, elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and the annual Medicare wellness exam.
 
A state, an area agency on aging, a nonprofit organization, or a tribal organization shall use a grant for an older individuals' protection from violence project to replicate successful prevention and training models.
 
The Administration shall award grants to and contract with eligible organizations for projects to engage volunteers over age 50 in supporting older adults (and their families or caretakers) who have experienced or are at risk of elder abuse.
 
A state may use funds under the National Family Caregiver Support Program to support the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act

Bill: 114-s-2748
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2016-04-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Department of Health and Human Services
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Education programs funding
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Home and outpatient care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medical education
Medical research
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Neurological disorders
Nursing
Research administration and funding
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: 

Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants or contracts for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. These Centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced education nursing degrees, social work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician assistant studies in palliative care.
 
HHS may make grants to, and enter into contracts with, schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical education programs to support the training of physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine.
 
HHS must: (1) provide Palliative Medicine and Hospice Academic Career Awards to individuals to promote their career development; (2) award grants or contracts to entities that operate a Palliative Care and Hospice Education Center; (3) award incentive grants or contracts to advanced practice nurses, social workers, physician assistants, pharmacists, chaplains, or students of psychology pursuing an advanced degree in palliative care or related fields; and (4) award grants to schools of nursing, health care facilities, or programs leading to certification as a nurse assistant to train individuals in providing palliative care.
 
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must provide for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care.
 
The National Institutes of Health must expand national research programs in palliative care.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide an exception from the reduced flat rate per diem for long-term temporary duty under Joint Travel Regulations for civilian employees of naval shipyards traveling for direct labor in support of off-yard work, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-2749
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2016-04-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Defense
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Military readiness
Temporary and part-time employment
Transportation costs
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) civilian public shipyard workers play a critical role in maintaining U.S. ships and submarines; and (2) in order to reduce temporary duty expenses DOD should eliminate unnecessary temporary duty and not cut the reimbursement rate for workers undertaking temporary duty to sustain military readiness, such as temporary duty in support of ship and submarine maintenance.
 
The bill requires that DOD Joint Travel Regulations be modified to require that: (1) the reduced flat rate per diem for long-term temporary duty not be imposed on civilian employees of naval shipyards traveling on such duty for direct labor in support of off-yard work, and (2) those employees be paid the full per diem rate for such travel.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2016-04-05
text: Introduced in Senate