hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Proprietary Education Oversight Coordination Improvement Act

Bill: 114-s-396
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative remedies
Business ethics
Consumer affairs
Corporate finance and management
Education programs funding
Executive agency funding and structure
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Intergovernmental relations
State and local government operations
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Proprietary Education Oversight Coordination Improvement Act

 
Establishes the Proprietary Education Oversight Coordination Committee to:
 
 
coordinate federal oversight of proprietary institutions of higher education (IHEs);
 
coordinate federal activities to protect students from unfair, deceptive, abusive, unethical, fraudulent, or predatory practices, policies, or procedures of proprietary IHEs;
 
encourage information sharing among federal agencies regarding federal investigations, audits, or inquiries of such IHEs;
 
increase coordination and cooperation between federal and state agencies to improve oversight and accountability of proprietary IHEs; and
 
develop best practices and consistency among federal and state agencies in the dissemination of consumer information regarding such IHEs.
 
 
Requires the Committee to: (1) meet at least once each quarter of each fiscal year; and (2) meet at least once each fiscal year, and otherwise interact regularly, with state attorneys general, state approval agencies, veterans service organizations, and consumer advocates.
 
Directs the Committee to submit, and make publicly available, an annual report to Congress that includes: (1) recommendations for legislative and administrative actions the Committees deems necessary to improve the enforcement of applicable federal laws, increase the accountability of proprietary IHEs to students and taxpayers, and ensure the promotion of quality education programs; and (2) specified financial and consumer information regarding such IHEs.
 
Requires the Committee, each academic year, to publish the For-Profit College Warning List for Parents and Students, which is to be comprised of proprietary IHEs:
 
 
that have engaged in illegal activity during the previous academic year as determined by a federal or state court;
 
that have entered into a settlement resulting in a monetary payment;
 
that have had any higher education program withdrawn or suspended; or
 
for which the Committee has sufficient evidence of widespread or systemic unfair, deceptive, abusive, unethical, fraudulent, or predatory practices, policies, or procedures that threaten the academic success, financial security, or general best interest of students.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S834-836)
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Foreign Earnings Reinvestment Act

Bill: 114-s-397
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Foreign and international corporations
Income tax deductions
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Taxation of foreign income
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Foreign Earnings Reinvestment Act 

 
 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the election allowed to a domestic corporation to deduct current and accumulated dividends received from a controlled foreign corporation to the corporation's last taxable year beginning before the enactment of this Act or the first taxable year which begins during the one-year period beginning on such enactment date, (2) reduce tax rates on foreign earnings of domestic corporations that reinvest such earnings in the United States and that expand their payrolls over 2014 levels, and (3) increase the taxable income of domestic corporations that fail to maintain employment levels in the 23-month period after receiving a reduction in tax rates under this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S836)
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-398
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alternative treatments
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Musculoskeletal and skin diseases
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act of 2015

 
Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 to require a program under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides chiropractic care and services to veterans through Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and clinics to be carried out at: (1) no fewer than 75 medical centers by December 31, 2016, and (2) all medical centers by December 31, 2018.
 
Includes chiropractic examinations and services within required VA medical, rehabilitative, and preventive health care services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-03
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-201.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-399
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Budget process
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Housing finance and home ownership

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to revise the budgetary treatment of federal loans and loan guarantees to account for them on a fair value basis. Under a fair value approach, costs are measured using market rates rather than the lower Treasury interest rates currently used. 
 
Estimates for loan guarantees and direct loans in the President's budget are required to include a risk component that reflects the impact of using a fair value estimate to account for market risk. The President's budget is also required to include agency-by-agency estimates without the risk component. A risk component must be included in estimates used for requirements under current law that appropriations be provided in advance for the costs of new direct loans, loan guarantees, or modifications that increase costs. 
 
The bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to permit adjustments to discretionary spending limits for this Act. 
 
The bill also changes the budgetary treatment of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). 
 
 Agency budget justification materials are required to be posted on the public website of the agency on the same day the materials are submitted to Congress. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Notice for Organizations That Include Charities is Essential (NOTICE) Act

Bill: 114-s-400
Sponsor: Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Notice for Organizations That Include Charities is Essential (NOTICE) Act
 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury to notify any tax-exempt organization, not later than 300 days after such an organization fails to file its annual tax return or other required information for two consecutive years, that: (1) the Internal Revenue Service has no record of its return or information for two consecutive years, and (2) a penalty will occur if the organization fails to file its return or information by the next filing deadline. Allows the reinstatement of the tax-exempt status of such an organization without the requirement of an application if: (1) the organization demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that it did not receive the notice required by this Act, and (2) it files an annual return or required information for the current year. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-401
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Judicial procedure and administration
Lawyers and legal services
Legal fees and court costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015

 
Amends the sanctions provisions in Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to require the court to impose an appropriate sanction on any attorney, law firm, or party that has violated, or is responsible for the violation of, the rule with regard to representations to the court. Requires any sanction to compensate parties injured by the conduct in question.
 
Removes a provision that prohibits filing a motion for sanctions if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, or denial is withdrawn or appropriately corrected within 21 days after service or within another time the court sets. 
 
Authorizes the court to impose additional sanctions, including striking the pleadings, dismissing the suit, nonmonetary directives, or penalty payments if warranted for effective deterrence.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S837)
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
STEM Master Teacher Corps Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-402
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Performance measurement
Science and engineering education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

STEM Master Teacher Corps Act of 2015 

 
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to consortia of local educational agencies (LEAs) or states, acting in partnership with institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations to establish a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Master Teacher Corps program.
 
Requires grantees to:
 
 
select exemplary elementary and secondary school STEM teachers for membership in the STEM Master Teacher Corps;
 
provide those teachers with compensation that supplements their base salaries, with higher compensation going to those teaching at high-need public schools;
 
provide, and track the effectiveness of, research-based training for Corps members;
 
provide discretionary resources for Corps members at high-need schools to use;
 
help coordinate instructional leadership and mentoring roles for Corps members; and
 
facilitate efforts by Corps members to inform STEM education policy at the national, state, and local levels.
 
 
Gives grant priority to applicants that intend to include: (1) large numbers of teachers in the STEM Master Teacher Corps; and (2) rural schools, particularly high-need rural schools, in the area they serve.
 
Requires grantees to ensure that at least 75% of their STEM Master Teacher Corps are teachers at high-need schools.
 
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, to: (1) evaluate the STEM Master Teacher Corps program; (2) identify optimal strategies for designing and advancing such program; and (3) identify best practices for developing, supporting, and retaining STEM teachers based on lessons learned from the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act

Bill: 114-s-403
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Minnesota
Outdoor recreation
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Vermont

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act

 
 This bill amends the National Trails System Act to revise the authorized route of the North Country National Scenic Trail to extend it to the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and to modify the route in northeastern Minnesota. 

action_date: 2015-09-09
text: 

North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act

 
 (Sec. 2) Amends the National Trails System Act to revise the authorized route of the North Country National Scenic Trail to extend it to the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and to modify the route in northeastern Minnesota. 
 
(Sec. 3) Prohibits any land or interest outside of the exterior boundary of any federally administered area from being acquired by the federal government for the Trail by condemnation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 205.
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-125.
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-125.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-06-10
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-338.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act

Bill: 114-s-404
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Abortion
Child health
Civil actions and liability
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Family relationships
Health personnel
Separation, divorce, custody, support
Teenage pregnancy

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act

 
 Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion (deems such transporting to be a de facto abridgment of the right of a parent under any law in the minor&#146;s state of residence that requires parental involvement in the minor&#146;s abortion decision). Makes an exception for an abortion necessary to save the life of the minor. 
 
Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant: (1) reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the required parental consent or notification or judicial authorization took place; or (2) was presented with documentation showing that a court waived parental notification requirements or authorized the minor's abortion.
 
Defines &quot;abortion&quot; to mean the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device: (1) to intentionally kill the unborn child of a woman known to be pregnant; or (2) to intentionally prematurely terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth or of preserving the life or health of the child after live birth, or to remove a dead unborn child. 
 
Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on a physician who performs or induces an abortion on an out-of-state minor in violation of parental notification requirements. Requires such physician to give 24-hour actual or constructive notice to a parent of the minor seeking an abortion, subject to certain exceptions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Disaster Assistance Recoupment Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-406
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Debt collection
Disaster relief and insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Disaster Assistance Recoupment Fairness Act of 2015

 
 Requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency to: (1) waive a debt owed to the United States related to federal assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to an individual or household in relation to a major disaster declared by the President between January 1, 2012, and the date of enactment of this Act, unless the debt involves fraud, the intentional presentation of a false claim, or intentional misrepresentation by the debtor or any party having an interest in the claim; and (2) reimburse a debtor for any payments already made on such a debt.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-407
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing
Firearms and explosives
Law enforcement administration and funding
Trade restrictions
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. 
 
Defines a &quot;large capacity ammunition feeding device&quot; to: (1) mean a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, helical feeding device, or similar device that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily changed to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition; and (2) exclude an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
 
Provides exemptions for: (1) devices lawfully possessed before this Act's enactment; (2) federal, state, and local agencies and law enforcement officers; (3) licensees under the Atomic Energy Act for on-site security, off-site training, and transportation of nuclear materials; and (4) authorized testing or experimentation by a licensed firearms manufacturer or importer.
 
Requires a device manufactured after this Act's enactment to be identified by a serial number and the date it was manufactured conspicuously engraved or cast on the device.
 
Sets penalties for violations. Subjects devices used or involved in knowing violation of such Act to seizure and forfeiture.
 
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the use of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants for buy-back programs for surrendered large capacity ammunition feeding devices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Empowering Jobs Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-408
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Economic development
Income tax exclusion
Rural conditions and development
Securities
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Empowering Jobs Act of 2015

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax-exempt enterprise zone facility bonds and empowerment zones, to: (1) include as employees of a qualified business entity employees who are residents of an empowerment zone, an enterprise community, or a qualified low-income community; and (2) extend the period of designation for empowerment zones through December 31, 2016 (thus extending the eligibility of such zones for certain tax benefits). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Military Sex Offender Reporting Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-409
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Criminal justice information and records
Military personnel and dependents
Sex offenses

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Military Sex Offender Reporting Act of 2015

 
Amends the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act to direct the Department of Defense to provide to the Attorney General information required under such Act to be provided by a sex offender or by the jurisdiction in which an offender registers for inclusion in the National Sex Offender Registry regarding persons who are: (1) released from military corrections facilities or convicted if the sentences adjudged by courts-martial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice do not include confinement, and (2) required to register under such Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in Senate