hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
To streamline the collection and distribution of government information.

Bill: 114-hr-443
Sponsor: Rep. Bridenstine, Jim [R-OK-1]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Economic performance and conditions
Executive agency funding and structure
General science and technology matters
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Scientific communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
Repeals the National Technical Information Act of 1988, effective one year after the enactment of this Act (thus abolishes the National Technical Information Service [NTIS]). 
 
Directs: (1) the Secretary of Commerce, the Archivist of the United States, the Comptroller General, and the Commissioner of Social Security to consult with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to determine if any NTIS function is critical to the U.S. economy; (2) the Comptroller General to determine which of any such critical functions are not being carried out by any other agency or instrumentality of the federal government; and (3) the Secretary of Commerce, prior to the effective date of this Act, to submit to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Finance a written certification that all NTIS operations have been terminated. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Expanding Care for Veterans Act

Bill: 114-hr-444
Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alternative treatments
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medical education
Medical research
Mental health
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Research administration and funding
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Expanding Care for Veterans Act

 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a plan to expand the scope of VA's research and education on, and delivery and integration of, complementary and alternative medicine services.
 
Requires the Secretary to carry out, through VA's Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, a three-year program to: (1) assess the feasibility and advisability of integrating the delivery of complementary and alternative medicine services selected by the Secretary with other VA health care services for veterans, and (2) identify and resolve barriers to providing such services and integrating them with other VA health services.
 
Requires such program to be conducted, at not fewer than 15 VA medical centers, by integrating the provision of complementary and alternative medicine services with other VA health care services provided to veterans who have a mental health condition, experience chronic pain, or have a chronic condition. Requires veterans' participation to be voluntary.
 
Directs the Secretary to contract with a qualified independent entity for comprehensive studies of the barriers encountered by veterans in receiving, and by administrators and clinicians in providing, complementary and alternative medicine services through VA. Provides for the conduct of such studies through surveys of veterans and VA administrators and clinicians.
 
Requires the Secretary to carry out a three-year program awarding grants to public or private nonprofit entities to assess the feasibility and advisability of using wellness programs to complement the provision of mental health care to veterans and family members who are eligible for readjustment counseling from VA.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Transparency in Rule Making When Using Scientific Testing Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-445
Sponsor: Rep. Bucshon, Larry [R-IN-8]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Government information and archives
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Transparency in Rule Making When Using Scientific Testing Act of 2015

 
Requires the general notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register to include any scientific research of which the agency is aware and which is relevant to the rulemaking. Defines &quot;scientific study&quot; for purposes of the rulemaking process.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reduce the limit on the amount of certain contributions which may be made to a candidate with respect to an election for Federal office.

Bill: 114-hr-447
Sponsor: Rep. Capuano, Michael E. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional elections
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reduce from $2,000 to $1,000 the maximum amount of contributions that any person may make to any candidate with respect to election for federal office. 
 
Requires adjustment to such amount (indexing) for inflation after 2018.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Women's Health Protection Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-448
Sponsor: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Abortion
Civil actions and liability
Federal preemption
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Medical education
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Women's Health Protection Act of 2015

 
This bill prohibits any government from imposing on abortion services:
 
 
a requirement that a medical professional perform specific tests or medical procedures;
 
a requirement that the same clinician who performs a patient's abortion also perform additional tests, services or procedures;
 
a limitation on an abortion provider's ability to prescribe or dispense drugs or provide services via telemedicine;
 
a requirement or limitation concerning the physical plant, equipment, staffing, or hospital transfer arrangements of facilities where abortions are performed, or the credentials, hospital privileges, or status of personnel at those facilities;
 
a requirement that, prior to obtaining an abortion, a patient make medically unnecessary in-person visits to any individual or entity;
 
a limitation on medical training for abortion procedures;
 
a prohibition prior to fetal viability;
 
a prohibition after fetal viability when continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the woman's life or health;
 
a restriction on a woman's ability to obtain an immediate abortion when a delay would pose a risk to the woman's health; or 
 
a restriction on obtaining an abortion prior to fetal viability based on a woman's reasons or perceived reasons or that requires her to state her reasons before obtaining an abortion.
 
 A measure or action that is similar to a requirement or limitation listed above is prohibited if it singles out abortion services or makes abortion services more difficult to access and does not significantly advance women's health or the safety of abortion services.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-449
Sponsor: Rep. Delaney, John K. [D-MD-6]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Higher education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2015

 
Amends the federal bankruptcy code to allow the discharge in bankruptcy of an educational loan or an obligation to repay funds received as an educational benefit, scholarship, or stipend. (Currently, those debts are dischargeable only if excepting them from discharge would impose an undue hardship on the debtor and the debtor's dependents.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Protect Democracy From Criminal Corporations Act

Bill: 114-hr-450
Sponsor: Rep. Ellison, Keith [D-MN-5]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business ethics
Congressional elections
Corporate finance and management
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Fraud offenses and financial crimes

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Protect Democracy From Criminal Corporations Act

 
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit a corporation from making a disbursement of funds in connection with a campaign for election for federal, state, or local office for six years after the corporation: (1) is finally convicted of conspiracy to commit an offense against, or to defraud, the United States or any other felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust; or (2) that has been charged with such an offense enters into a non-prosecution agreement, a deferred prosecution agreement, or any other agreement with the Attorney General to resolve such charge if the agreement includes a requirement that the corporation make a payment equal to or greater than $1 million.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act

Bill: 114-hr-452
Sponsor: Rep. Gibson, Christopher P. [R-NY-19]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Elementary and secondary education
Language arts

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act

 
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to eliminate the requirement that students be tested against state academic content and achievement standards in mathematics and reading or language arts in each of grades three through eight. 
 
Requires, instead, that those tests be administered at least once during: (1) grades 3 through 5, (2) grades 6 through 9, and
 (3) grades 10 through 12.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Healthy Relationships Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-453
Sponsor: Rep. Hultgren, Randy [R-IL-14]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Family planning and birth control
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Marriage and family status
Sex and reproductive health
Sexually transmitted diseases
Teenage pregnancy

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Healthy Relationships Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes the Health Resources and Services Administration to award grants for qualified sexual risk avoidance education for youth and their parents.
 
The unambiguous message that postponing sexual activity is the optimal sexual health behavior for youth must be the primary emphasis and context for each topic covered by the education. The education must be age appropriate, medically accurate, and evidence based.
 
The education must address specified topics, including:
 
 
 the benefits associated with personal responsibility, success sequencing (sequential progression through: completing school, securing a job, and marrying before bearing children), goal setting, healthy decision making, and a focus on the future;
 
the research-based advantage of reserving sexual activity for marriage;
 
the skills needed to resist the pervasive, sex-saturated culture;
 
the foundational components of healthy relationships; and
 
how to avoid sexual coercion, dating violence, and risk behaviors, such as drugs, alcohol, and the misuse of social media.
 
 Priority in awarding grants must be given to programs serving youth in middle school and high school that will promote parent-child communication regarding healthy sexual decision making.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act

Bill: 114-hr-454
Sponsor: Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Military personnel and dependents
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act 

 
Requires the United States to forgive any overpayment of military retired or retainer pay for any period after the death of the recipient through the last day of the month in which such death occurs, if such payment is electronically deposited to a joint account bearing the name of the decedent and the decedent's designated beneficiary.
 
Provides a special effective date for the first annuity payment to a survivor under the Survivor Benefit Plan when an overpayment is so forgiven.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-08-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Reducing Barriers for Veterans Education Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-456
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Patrick [D-FL-18]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Reducing Barriers for Veterans Education Act of 2015

 
Makes an individual who is eligible for educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance program eligible for assistance with the fees for applying to institutions of higher education (IHEs).
 
Sets the amount of such assistance payable to an individual at the lesser of: (1) the total application fees charged to the individual by the IHEs, or (2) $750.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-03-24
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
New Jersey Betting and Equal Treatment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-457
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Gambling
New Jersey
Professional sports
School athletics
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

New Jersey Betting and Equal Treatment Act of 2015

 
 Amends the federal judicial code to exempt a lottery, sweepstakes, or other betting, gambling, or waging scheme operating exclusively in New Jersey, to the extent such scheme is approved by that state's legislature by statute, from the prohibition against a governmental entity, or a person acting pursuant to the law or compact of

 

a governmental entity, sponsoring, operating, advertising, or promoting sports gambling.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to permit multiemployer plans in critical status to modify plan rules relating to withdrawal liability, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-hr-458
Sponsor: Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-32]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Employee benefits and pensions

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to revise requirements permitting multiemployer plans to adopt alternative rules for computing the payment of an employer's withdrawal liability to include a plan in critical status whose plan sponsor determines it cannot be expected to emerge from that status by the end of the rehabilitation period.
 
Requires any such rule to become effective 90 days after adoption unless the corporation disapproves it before the end of the 90-day period (subject to tolling while a request by the corporation for additional information is pending).
 
Authorizes a corporation to disapprove a rule only if it creates an unreasonable risk of loss to plan participants and beneficiaries or to the corporation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Wild Game Donation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-461
Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Charitable contributions
Food assistance and relief
Food industry and services
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Meat
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Wild Game Donation Act of 2015 

 
 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the tax deduction for charitable contributions of qualified wild game meat by the processing fees paid with respect to such contributions, and (2) exclude from the gross income of meat processors processing fees paid by a charitable organization for the processing of donated wild game meat. 
 
Defines "qualified wild game meat" as the meat of any animal typically used for human consumption but only if: (1) such animal is killed in the wild by the individual making the charitable contribution and is hunted or taken in accordance with all state and local laws, (2) the meat is processed for human consumption by a licensed processor, and (3) the meat is apparently wholesome as determined by regulations under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
For the relief of Alemseghed Mussie Tesfamical.

Bill: 114-hr-462
Sponsor: Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Subjects: Private Legislation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Provides for the relief of Alemseghed Mussie Tesfamical.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
PRO-LIFE Act

Bill: 114-hr-463
Sponsor: Rep. Neugebauer, Randy [R-TX-19]
Introduced: 2015-01-22 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Abortion
Child health
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Health facilities and institutions
Public contracts and procurement
School administration

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: 

Protecting Life in Funding Education Act or the PRO-LIFE Act

 
Amends the General Education Provisions Act to prohibit the provision of federal education funding to state or local educational agencies that make health services available to students through school-based health centers, unless those centers certify that they will not provide students with abortions, abortion-related materials or referrals, or directions to abortion services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: Introduced in House
Constitutional Check and Balance Act

Bill: 114-hr-464
Sponsor: Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
Introduced: 2015-01-22 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Congressional-executive branch relations
Members of Congress
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: 

Constitutional Check and Balance Act

 
 Authorizes any Member of Congress who casts a recorded vote on final passage of a version of a bill or joint resolution enacting a provision into law to bring an action for declaratory or injunctive relief in an appropriate U.S. district court to compel an executive branch official to enforce the provision, if the President or any other executive branch official issues a memorandum or other written statement directing the official to not enforce it.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-22
text: Introduced in House