hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Labor Statistics Improvement Act

Bill: 114-hr-3674
Sponsor: Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13]
Introduced: 2015-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Census and government statistics
Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: 

Labor Statistics Improvement Act 

 
 Establishes an independent Commission to Improve Labor Statistics.
 
Directs the Commission to:
 
 
examine and assess the process by which the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates statistical data relating to unemployment rates, including the methods used for determining that an individual is considered to be looking for work;
 
recommend any improvement to the process and methods, including proposals for any alternative measures of labor force participation, taking into account evidence that the official unemployment rate doesn't always accurately reflect labor market strength; and
 
develop a new method for determining and reporting underemployment that takes into consideration workers who are not in jobs that match their skill sets or education and who are earning less than other workers in similar occupations or with similar skill sets and education.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Student Borrower Fairness Act

Bill: 114-hr-3675
Sponsor: Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-11]
Introduced: 2015-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Contracts and agency
Corporate finance and management
Foreign labor
Higher education
Income tax rates
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Student aid and college costs
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: 

Student Borrower Fairness Act 

 
This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to permit student loan borrowers to refinance their loans at interest rates offered on loans to banks by the Federal Reserve System. The cost of this bill is offset by an amendment to the Internal Revenue Code that increases the corporate income rate on companies that pay their chief executive officers or highest paid employees more than 100 times the median compensation of all their employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3676
Sponsor: Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
Introduced: 2015-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Performance measurement

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: 

Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to award grants to states to expand access to clinically appropriate services for opioid abuse or addiction. States must use these grants to provide up to 60 consecutive days of services to individuals who otherwise would not have access to substance abuse services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Opioid Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3677
Sponsor: Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
Introduced: 2015-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Education programs funding
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical education
Medical ethics
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Prescription drugs
Solid waste and recycling

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: 

Opioid Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to states to develop a peer review process to identify and investigate questionable or inappropriate prescribing and dispensing patterns of drugs classified as schedule II or III under the Controlled Substances Act, which are drugs with an accepted medical use that have the potential to be abused and addictive.
 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require HHS to establish grant programs to: (1) facilitate training to increase the capacity of health care providers to screen and treat patients to prevent drug abuse, and (2) develop continuing education criteria that allow health profession boards or state agencies to certify appropriate education for safe prescribing of schedule II or III drugs. The Health Resources and Services Administration must award grants to evaluate the prospect of state health professions boards expanding the authority of providers to prescribe drugs to treat drug abuse.
 
The Drug Enforcement Administration must request that practitioners registered to dispense controlled substances screen patients for potential drug abuse before prescribing a schedule II or III drug.
 
The Food and Drug Administration must consider whether naloxone (a prescription drug used to rapidly reverse an overdose of heroin or other opioids, which are drugs with effects similar to opium) should be available without a prescription.
 
HHS must convene or coordinate with an interagency working group to encourage states and local governments to increase opportunities for disposal of opiates (drugs derived from opium) and to reduce opportunities for abuse of opiates.
 The Government Accountability Office must review federal opioid abuse activities and make recommendations to reduce opioid abuse and overdoses.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Preserving Access to Orphan Drugs Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3678
Sponsor: Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-3]
Introduced: 2015-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug therapy
Health care coverage and access
Prescription drugs
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: 

Preserving Access to Orphan Drugs Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to expand the definition of orphan drug for purposes of the annual fee paid by brand name prescription drug manufacturers and importers to include medications for rare conditions that were, prior to 2011, approved or in clinical trials. (Drug manufacturers and importers pay an annual fee based on their sales of brand name prescription drugs, excluding sales of orphan drugs.) Currently, only medications for rare conditions for which a tax credit for clinical trials was allowed are considered orphan drugs.
 This Act applies to fees paid after 2014.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
To provide that the Social Security Administration pay fees associated with obtaining birth certificate or State identification card for purposes of obtaining a replacement social security card for certain victims of domestic violence, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-hr-3679
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Patrick [D-FL-18]
Introduced: 2015-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses
Crime victims
Domestic violence and child abuse
Government information and archives
Sex offenses
Social security and elderly assistance
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: 
This bill directs the Social Security Administration to pay, upon the request of a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, family violence, sexual assault, or stalking, the fees charged by any governmental authority associated with obtaining the birth certificate or state residence identification card in order to obtain a replacement Social Security card for such a person. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act

Bill: 114-hr-3681
Sponsor: Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]
Introduced: 2015-10-02 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health programs administration and funding
Medicaid
Mental health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: 

Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act

 
This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to: (1) extend the emergency psychiatric demonstration project, which allows eligible states to provide payment for medical assistance to certain psychiatric institutions under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act; and (2) eliminate certain limitations on federal funding for the project.
 
Provided that an eligible state's participation is projected not to increase net Medicaid program spending: (1) a state that is already participating in the project may continue to do so through FY2016, and (2) the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may allow a participating state or a new eligible state to participate in the project through 2019.
 
HHS must submit recommendations to Congress regarding whether the project should be further extended or expanded.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-02
text: Introduced in House
African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3683
Sponsor: Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1]
Introduced: 2015-10-05 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Historic sites and heritage areas
Protest and dissent
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-05
text: 

African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to establish within the National Park Service (NPS) a U.S. Civil Rights Network that encompasses: (1) all NPS units and programs that relate to the African American civil rights movement during the period from 1939 through 1968; (2) other federal, state, local, and privately owned properties that relate to the African American civil rights movement and that are included in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places; and (3) other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature that are directly related to such movement. 
 
In carrying out the Network, Interior must: (1) review civil rights movement studies and reports that may already be underway or completed, such as the Civil Rights Framework Study; (2) produce and disseminate educational materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or electronic information; (3) provide technical assistance; and (4) adopt an official, uniform symbol or device for the Network and issue regulations for the symbol's use.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-30
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-10-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2015-10-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-10-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-05
text: Introduced in House
Preserving Teacher Loan Forgiveness for Military Spouses Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3684
Sponsor: Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1]
Introduced: 2015-10-06 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Military personnel and dependents
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: 

Preserving Teacher Loan Forgiveness for Military Spouses Act of 2015

 
This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify the qualifying service requirement of the teacher loan forgiveness program for certain military spouses.
 
Under current law, an otherwise qualified full-time teacher must complete five consecutive years of service to be eligible for the teacher loan forgiveness program. This bill permits a teacher who completes five full-time years of non-consecutive service to be eligible for loan forgiveness if the teacher was a qualified military spouse during any break in teaching service.
 
A qualified military spouse is an individual who: (1) is a highly-qualified teacher at a high-need school, (2) is the spouse of a servicemember, (3) experienced a break in teaching service to relocate with servicemember spouse pursuant to military orders, and (4) resumed teaching the next academic year. 
 
The Department of Education must report to Congress on the number of individuals impacted by this modification.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
United States-Turkey Free Trade Promotion Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3685
Sponsor: Rep. Mooney, Alexander X. [R-WV-2]
Introduced: 2015-10-06 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Asia
Coal
Europe
Free trade and trade barriers
Trade agreements and negotiations
Turkey

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: 

United States-Turkey Free Trade Promotion Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the United States Trade Representative to initiate negotiations to enter into a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey that, among other things, promotes the export and import of natural resources, including coal, between the two countries.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
Veterans Care and Reporting Enforcement Act

Bill: 114-hr-3686
Sponsor: Rep. Emmer, Tom [R-MN-6]
Introduced: 2015-10-06 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Hospital care
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: 

Veterans Care and Reporting Enforcement Act

 
This bill requires the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in the case of an investigation involving patient health and safety relating to VA hospital care or medical services, to: 
 
 
provide a copy of the IG's report to Congress and to the Member of Congress in whose district the VA facility is located; 
 
within three days make the report available on the IG's website for at least one year; and 
 
in the case of an investigation of a medical facility, post a notice of the investigation at an appropriate place and on the facility's website for at least 30 days.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-12-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
Cuba Agricultural Exports Act

Bill: 114-hr-3687
Sponsor: Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1]
Introduced: 2015-10-06 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Agricultural trade
Caribbean area
Cuba
Foreign aid and international relief
Latin America
Sanctions
Trade restrictions
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: 

Cuba Agricultural Exports Act

 
This bill amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to exempt from prohibitions against U.S. assistance to Cuba any exports under the market access program, the export credit guarantee program, and the foreign market development cooperator program, including any federal commodity promotion program obligations or expenditures of funds. 
 
This exemption shall not apply if the U.S. assistance recipient would be an entity controlled by the Cuban government, including the armed forces, the Ministry of the Interior, or any subdivision of either governmental entity. 
 
A person subject to U.S. jurisdiction may invest in the development of an agricultural business in Cuba if the Department of State and the Department of Agriculture jointly determine that the agricultural business: 
 
 
is not controlled by the government of Cuba, including the armed forces, the Ministry of the Interior, or any subdivision of either governmental entity; and 
 
does not traffic in property of persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction which was confiscated by Cuba on or after January 1, 1959. 
 
 
Certain language limiting financing of agricultural sales to Cuba is repealed.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
To provide for the authority for the successors and assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio Grande City, Texas, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-hr-3688
Sponsor: Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28]
Introduced: 2015-10-06 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Latin America
Mexico
Public contracts and procurement
Roads and highways
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: 
This bill modifies the existing authority for the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande River near Rio Grande City, Texas. 
 
The authority, which currently expires 66 years after completion of the bridge, is made permanent and expanded to include the successors or assigns of the company. The bridge must not consist of more than 14 lanes. 
 
The company and its successors and assigns may use eminent domain to acquire certain land needed for the bridge, subject to Texas laws and requirements for just compensation and public proceedings. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-02-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-10-06
text: Introduced in House