hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

Bill: 114-s-2086
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2015-09-28 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arms control and nonproliferation
Crime victims
Foreign property
Government liability
International law and treaties
Iran
Middle East
Nuclear weapons
Sanctions
Terrorism
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: 

Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

 
 This bill prohibits the President, until Iran has paid each judgment against it, from:
 
 
limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying them; or 
 
removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury. 
 
 
These sanctions are the ones contained in: 
 
 
sections 4 through 7.9 of Annex II of the JCPA; and 
 
any other agreement related to Iran's nuclear program that includes the United States, commits the United States to take action, or pursuant to which the United States commits or otherwise agrees to take action, regardless of the form it takes, whether a political commitment or otherwise, and regardless of whether the agreement is legally binding or not.
 
 
 A judgment is any final judgment entered by the courts of the United States or of the states that:
 
 
relates to a claim brought against Iran or its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities and for which the court determined that none of them were immune under specified terrorism exceptions from the court's jurisdiction; and 
 
was entered between April 24, 1996, and the date of the enactment of this Act. 
 
 
The JCPA is the agreement signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, by Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and all related implementing materials and agreements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Fort Scott National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act

Bill: 114-s-2087
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2015-09-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Historic sites and heritage areas
Kansas
Land transfers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: 

Fort Scott National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act

 
This bill allows the Department of the Interior to acquire by purchase with appropriated funds or by donation (as under current law) the lands and interests in land, together with buildings and improvements, known as Fort Scott in the city of Fort Scott in Bourbon County, Kansas. 
 
The proviso that the buildings so acquired shall not include the structure known as &quot;Lunette Blair&quot; is repealed (thereby allowing its acquisition). 
 
The boundary of the Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas shall be modified accordingly. 

action_date: 2016-09-06
text: 

Fort Scott National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act

 
(Sec. 2) This bill allows the Department of the Interior to acquire by purchase with appropriated funds or by donation (as under current law) the lands and interests in land, together with buildings and improvements, known as Fort Scott in the city of Fort Scott in Bourbon County, Kansas. 
 
The proviso that the buildings so acquired shall not include the structure known as &quot;Lunette Blair&quot; is repealed (thereby allowing its acquisition). 
 
The boundary of the Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas shall be modified accordingly. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 596.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-323.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-323.
action_date: 2016-07-13
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-502.
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 90 Cornell Street in Kingston, New York, at the "Staff Sergeant Robert H. Dietz Post Office Building".

Bill: 114-s-2088
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-09-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Military personnel and dependents
New York State
Postal service

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 90 Cornell Street in Kingston, New York, at the "Staff Sergeant Robert H. Dietz Post Office Building."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Social Security Earned Benefits Payment Act

Bill: 114-s-2090
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-09-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Appropriations
Disability assistance
Government trust funds
Self-employed
Social security and elderly assistance
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: 

Social Security Earned Benefits Payment Act

 
This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to require allocations to the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund equal to: (1) 2.65% of the amount of wages and self-employment income paid between December 31, 2015, and January 1, 2021; and (2) 1.80% of wages and self-employment income paid after December 31, 2020.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6976-6977)
action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Introduced in Senate
JOLT Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2091
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Border security and unlawful immigration
Canada
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Government information and archives
Immigration status and procedures
Judicial review and appeals
Terrorism
Travel and tourism
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

Jobs Originated through Launching Travel Act of 2015 or JOLT Act of 2015

 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to admit into the United States a qualifying Canadian citizen over 50 years old and spouse for a period not to exceed 240 days (in a single 365-day period) if the person maintains a Canadian residence and owns a U.S. residence or has rented a U.S. accommodation for the duration of such stay. 
 
Revises the secure travel partnership program (the visa waiver program as renamed by this Act) to: (1) authorize DHS to designate any country as a program country; (2) adjust visa refusal rate criteria, including addition of a 3% maximum overstay rate; and (3) revise probationary and termination provisions.
 
 Expresses the sense of Congress that DHS should, in evaluating countries participating in the secure travel partnership program, give review priority to countries where circumstances indicate that such a review is necessary or desirable. 
 
Directs the Department of State to require U.S. diplomatic and consular missions to: (1) conduct nonimmigrant visa application interviews expeditiously, consistent with national security requirements and in recognition of resource allocation considerations; and (2) set a goal of interviewing 90% of all nonimmigrant visa applicants, worldwide, within 10 days of application receipt. 
 
Directs the State Department to: (1) develop and conduct a pilot program for processing visas using secure remote videoconferencing technology, and (2) seek to coordinate enrollment and interview processes for individuals eligible for both a U.S. visa and enrollment in the Global Entry program.
 
 Requires an alien at the time of application for U.S. entry under the secure travel partnership program to have a valid, unexpired electronic passport that incorporates biometric and document authentication identifiers that comply with internationally accepted practices.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt amounts paid for aircraft management services from the excise taxes imposed on transportation by air.

Bill: 114-s-2092
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Sales and excise taxes
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the excise tax on transportation of persons by air amounts paid by an aircraft owner or lessee for aircraft management services related to maintenance and support of the aircraft or flights on such aircraft. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide that the Secretary of Transportation shall have sole authority to appoint Federal Directors to the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Bill: 114-s-2093
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: District of Columbia
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Intergovernmental relations
Maryland
Public transit
State and local government operations
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 
This bill grants the Department of Transportation sole authority to appoint Federal Directors to the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
 
The signatory parties to the WMATA Compact shall amend it to reflect such authority.

action_date: 2015-11-30
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 
(Sec. 1) This bill grants the Department of Transportation sole authority to appoint Federal Directors to the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
 
The signatory parties to the WMATA Compact shall amend it to reflect such authority.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-30
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 304.
action_date: 2015-11-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 114-170.
action_date: 2015-11-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 114-170.
action_date: 2015-10-07
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
IRGC Terrorist Designation Act

Bill: 114-s-2094
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Iran
Middle East
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

IRGC Terrorist Designation Act

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization and should be so designated by the Secretary of State. 
 
The Secretary shall report to Congress on whether the IRGC meets such criteria and, if not, a detailed justification as to which criteria have not been met.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Alaskan Pollock and Golden King Crab Labeling Act

Bill: 114-s-2095
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alaska
Fishes
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Seafood

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

Alaskan Pollock and Golden King Crab Labeling Act

 
This bill declares the acceptable market name of 
Gadus chalcogrammus
 is &quot;pollock&quot; and the acceptable market name of 
Lithodes aequispinus
 is &quot;golden king crab.&quot;
 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow the sale of pollock labeled &quot;Alaskan pollock&quot; or &quot;Alaska pollock&quot; only if the pollock was harvested in the exclusive economic zone or state waters adjacent to Alaska.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
HIV Clinical Services Improvement Act

Bill: 114-s-2097
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: HIV/AIDS
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Home and outpatient care
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

HIV Clinical Services Improvement Act

 
This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require payment under the Medicaid program for services furnished by recipients of Ryan White Part C grants, which support comprehensive primary care in outpatient settings for individuals living with HIV.
 
Providers must be paid an amount equivalent to the prior average costs of providing these services. However, a state plan may establish an alternative payment methodology that: (1) is agreed to by the state and the grantee, and (2) results in payment to the grantee that at least equals the amount otherwise required to be paid to the grantee under the bill.
 
As a condition of receiving payment under the bill, a grantee shall be subject to specified quality management and reporting requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Students Before Profits Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2098
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Education programs funding
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

Students Before Profits Act of 2015

 
This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education (ED) to recalculate the cohort default rate and redetermine title IV eligibility for an institution of higher education (IHE) that engages in default manipulation. 
 
 ED may impose enhanced civil penalties and sanctions on IHEs and officers for substantial misrepresentation or other serious violations of title IV requirements. The bill requires ED to establish the Student Relief Fund, financed by civil penalties, to provide financial relief to students enrolled in an IHE that is sanctioned or fails to comply with title IV requirements. 
 
If ED takes an enforcement action (e.g., heightened financial oversight) against a proprietary (i.e., for-profit) IHE, then ED may hold the executive officer of such proprietary IHE personally liable for financial losses related to the enforcement action. Additionally, ED may pursue claims against an IHE's executive officers and board of directors to recover discharged federal student loans. 
 
A proprietary IHE must, as a condition of continued eligibility to participate in title IV programs, prohibit an individual who defrauds students from being a member of the board of directors or an executive officer of the institution. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Student Loan Relief Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2099
Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Income tax exclusion
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Student aid and college costs
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

Student Loan Relief Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to establish a temporary three-year program to facilitate federal student loan refinancing into the private market, at no cost to the federal government, to ensure payment of lower interest rates on student loans. Private lenders under such refinancing program shall be eligible to receive a federal government guarantee of 95% of loans.
 
Treasury shall, in consultation with the Department of Education, begin a national awareness campaign to alert student loan borrowers about such refinancing program with a disclosure that a private loan that results from such refinancing is not eligible for income driven repayment or loan forgivingness.
 
The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an exclusion from gross income for the payment of an employer, either to an employee or a lender, of any indebtedness of an employee under a qualified education refinance loan or any interest relating to such a loan. The term &quot;qualified education refinance loan&quot; means any indebtedness used solely to refinance a qualified education loan with respect to which the lender offers the borrower protection in the event of unemployment or financial hardship. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Tobacco to 21 Act

Bill: 114-s-2100
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 

Tobacco to 21 Act

 
This bill prohibits the sale or distribution of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21.
 The Department of Health and Human Services must enforce this prohibition by taking necessary actions including, as appropriate, conducting undercover compliance checks, performing retailer inspections, initiating enforcement actions for noncompliance, and establishing requirements that retailers check identification.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 54, United States Code, to extend the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Bill: 114-s-2101
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2015-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land use and conservation
Outdoor recreation
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: 
This bill extends funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund through November 30, 2015.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2102
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2015-09-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Competition and antitrust
Corporate finance and management
Federal district courts
Jurisdiction and venue
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-30
text: 

Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Clayton Act with respect to actions brought by the Attorney General for violations of antitrust laws. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is required, but only under the Clayton Act, to exercise the same authority and procedures of the Attorney General specified in the Act with respect to the prohibition against acquisition by one corporation of the stock of another (merger) that may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly.
 
The Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA) is amended to exclude proposed mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, or similar transactions from FTC proceedings, except in cases where the FTC approves an agreement with the parties to the transaction that contains a consent order.
 
Jurisdiction is granted to the U.S. district courts to issue writs of mandamus commanding compliance with the FTCA or any FTC order, if the FTC applies to such courts with respect to any activity related to consummation of a merger, acquisition, joint venture, or similar transaction that results in an unfair method of competition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-09
text: Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-10-07
text: Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-09-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-09-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to modify a provision relating to adjustments of certain State apportionments for Federal highway programs, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-2103
Sponsor: Sen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN]
Introduced: 2015-09-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Air quality
Government trust funds
Regional and metropolitan planning
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-30
text: 
This bill modifies the formula that the Department of Transportation uses to apportion federal highway funds among the states for the national highway performance program, the surface transportation program, the highway safety improvement program, the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program, and metropolitan transportation planning. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2015-09-30
text: Introduced in Senate