hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Raise the Wage Act

Bill: 114-s-1150
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Government information and archives
Labor standards
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Raise the Wage Act

 
This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to increase the federal minimum wage for employees to: (1) $8.00 an hour on January 1, 2016, or, if later, on the first day of the third month after enactment of this Act; (2) $9.00 an hour after one year; (3) $10.00 an hour after two years; (4) $11.00 an hour after three years; (5) $12.00 an hour after four years; and (6) the amount the Secretary of Labor determines (based on increases in the median hourly wage of all employees) after five years, and annually thereafter.
 
The federal minimum wage for tipped employees shall increase to $3.15 an hour for one year on January 1, 2016, or the first day of the third month after enactment of this Act, whichever is later. Subsequent annual adjustments of the wage increase, according to a specified formula, shall ensure that it remains equal to the wage in effect under FLSA for other employees.
 
Employers must notify their employees of the right to retain any received tips.
 
The separate minimum wage requirements for tipped employees shall end, effective one day after the hourly wage established for them under this Act takes effect.
 
The Secretary must publish any increase in the minimum wage in the Federal Register and on the Department of Labor's website 60 days before it takes effect.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
USPSTF Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1151
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

USPSTF Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the scope and responsibilities of the United States Preventive Services Task Force to require it to: (1) publish research plans to guide its review of scientific evidence relating to the effectiveness of preventive services; (2) make evidence reports and recommendations available for public comment; (3) establish a system for grading preventive care (Grades A, B, C, and D and a Grade I for insufficient information); and (4) convene a preventive services stakeholders board to provide feedback on Task Force activities and recommend preventive services and scientific evidence for the Task Force to review. Members of the Task Force and the preventive services stakeholders board are considered federal employees for purposes of disclosure and management of conflicts of interest.
 
The Government Accountability Office must submit a report that: (1) lists current recommendations of the Task Force; (2) compares Task Force recommendations and recommendations of other federal health agencies, national medical professional societies, and patient and disease advocacy organizations; and (3) analyzes the impact of Task Force recommendations on public and private insurance coverage, access, and outcomes, including the impact on morbidity and mortality.
 
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the authority of HHS to make no payment for a preventive service that has not been graded by the Task Force.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1152
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Housing finance and home ownership
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 to make permanent the extended one-year period after a servicemember's military service during which: (1) a court may stay proceedings to enforce an obligation on real or personal property owned by the servicemember prior to such military service; and (2) the sale, foreclosure, or seizure of such property is invalid without a court order or agreement. (Currently, the extended one-year period is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2014, and return to a nine-month period under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Red River Private Property Protection Act

Bill: 114-s-1153
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Lakes and rivers
Land transfers
Oklahoma
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Red River Private Property Protection Act

 
 Declares that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior disclaims any right, title, and interest to certain lands along a stretch of the Red River between Texas and Oklahoma (the affected area) located south of the South Bank boundary line. 
 
Directs the BLM, in identifying the current South Bank boundary line along the affected area, to commission a new survey that: (1) adheres to the gradient boundary survey method, (2) spans the entire length of the affected area, (3) is conducted by Licensed State Land Surveyors chosen by the Texas General Land Office, and (4) is completed within two years of enactment of this Act. Requires submission of the survey to the Texas General Land Office for approval. 
 
Permits a private property owner who holds, right, title, or interest in the affected area, after the survey is completed and approved, to appeal public domain claims by the BLM to an Administrative Law Judge. 
 
Instructs the BLM to:
 
 
ensure that no parcels of land in the affected area are treated as federal land for the purpose of any resource management plan until the survey has been completed and approved and the parcel is no longer subject to further appeal, and, subsequently,
 
offer any remaining identified federal lands for disposal by competitive sale for at least fair market value.
 
 
Requires the BLM to submit to Congress a list of identified federal lands that have not been sold and the reasons why.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2572-2573)
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Subsistence Access Management Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1154
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Land use and conservation
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Subsistence Access Management Act of 2015

 
Prohibits the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, with respect to a community or area designated as rural on or before May 6, 2007, from:
 
 
redesignating the community or area as nonrural, or
 
adjusting the boundaries of a community or area to render some or all of it as nonrural. 
 
 
Reinstates the list of communities and areas designated as rural (including their boundaries) as in effect on May 6, 2007, and as if the final rule issued May 7, 2007, and entitled &quot;Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, Subpart C: Nonrural Determinations,&quot; had not been issued. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Geothermal Exploration and Technology Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1155
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government trust funds
Land use and conservation
Lighting and heating
Lighting, heating, cooling
Oil and gas
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Geothermal Exploration and Technology Act of 2015

 
This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a direct loan program for high risk geothermal exploration wells, and gives preference to loans to carry out projects that are likely to lead to successful new geothermal development leading to electricity production. Data from exploratory wells must be provided to DOE and the Department of the Interior for use in mapping national geothermal resources and other uses. DOE must determine the number of wells for each selected geothermal project for which a loan may be made. 
 
The Geothermal Investment Fund is established to carry out the program. Amounts repaid on loans must be deposited in the Fund.
 
The bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to require DOE to establish a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal energy. In carrying out the program, DOE must identify and mitigate potential environmental impacts. DOE must make grants to promote the development of geothermal heat pumps and the direct use of geothermal energy, giving priority to proposals that apply to large buildings, commercial districts, and residential communities.
 
The bill amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to allow the holder of an oil and gas lease of public land to also lease the land for the production of geothermal energy if: (1) the holder of the oil and gas lease has an approved drilling permit, (2) the geothermal energy will be produced from a well producing or capable of producing oil and gas, (3) the geothermal lease would serve the public interest, and (4) oil and gas production is currently occurring under the existing lease.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to consider Brunswick County, North Carolina to be part of the same metropolitan statistical area as Wilmington, North Carolina.

Bill: 114-s-1157
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Census and government statistics
North Carolina
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 
 Directs the Office of Management and Budget to consider Brunswick County, North Carolina, to be part of the metropolitan statistical area that contains Wilmington, North Carolina. 
 
Terminates this Act on January 1, 2021.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1159
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Charitable contributions
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax exclusion of distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for charitable purposes to: (1) make such exclusion permanent; (2) eliminate the $100,000 cap on such exclusion; (3) permit tax-free distributions from IRAs to a split-interest entity (i.e., a charitable remainder annuity or unitrust, a pooled income fund, and a charitable gift annuity); and (4) allow distributions to a split-interest entity to be made when the account beneficiary attains age 59-1/2 (otherwise, age 70-1/2 for IRA distributions to a charitable organization). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Horse Protection Amendments Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1161
Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Department of Agriculture
Licensing and registrations
Mammals
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Public-private cooperation
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Horse Protection Amendments Act of 2015 

 
This bill amends the Horse Protection Act to replace the Designated Qualified Persons program responsible for inspecting horses for soring with a new inspection system. (The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness.) 
 
A sore horse must be disqualified from being shown or exhibited for at least 30 days for the first determination that the horse is sore and 90 days for a second determination and any subsequent determination.
 
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish a single Horse Industry Organization (HIO) in order to establish a formal affiliation with the management of each horse sale, horse exhibition, and horse sale or auction, appoint inspectors to conduct inspections, contract with equine veterinary experts to advise the HIO Board on objective scientific testing methods and certification of testing results, and otherwise ensure compliance with the Horse Protection Act. 
 
The Commissioners of Agriculture for Tennessee and Kentucky must appoint individuals to govern the HIO. Those individuals must appoint individuals representing the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1162
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Appropriations
Executive agency funding and structure
Firearms and explosives
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Law enforcement officers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015

 
Grants covered federal law enforcement officers the same rights to carry a government-issued firearm during a covered furlough as they had before such furlough was in effect.
 
Defines: (1) &quot;covered federal law enforcement officer&quot; to mean any agency employee who has the authority to make arrests or apprehensions for or prosecute violations of federal law and who, on the day before the applicable covered furlough begins, is authorized by the agency to carry a firearm in the course of official duties; and (2) &quot;covered furlough&quot; to mean a planned event by an agency during which employees are involuntarily furloughed due to downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any budget situation other than a lapse in appropriations, and an event during which agency employees are involuntarily furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations.
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Native American Languages Reauthorization Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1163
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Department of the Interior
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Indian social and development programs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Native American Languages Reauthorization Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to reauthorize through FY2020 and revise a grant program administered by the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native American languages. 
 
Decreases the required minimum number of enrollees in educational programs funded by the grant program from:
 
 
10 to 5 enrollees in Native American language nests, and 
 
15 to 10 enrollees in the Native American language survival schools. 

 
Changes the duration of grants provided under the program. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-11
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-11-18
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-192.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
End Discriminatory State Taxes for Automobile Renters Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1164
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Lease and rental services
Motor vehicles
Property tax
Sales and excise taxes
State and local taxation
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

End Discriminatory State Taxes for Automobile Renters Act of 2015

 
This bill prohibits a state or local government from levying or collecting a discriminatory tax on the rental of motor vehicles, the business of renting motor vehicles, or motor vehicle rental property. A tax is discriminatory if it is not a generally applicable tax and is only applicable to the rental of motor vehicles, a motor vehicle business, or motor vehicle rental property, but not to the majority of other rentals of tangible personal property within a state or locality. This prohibition does not apply to an already existing tax if such tax does not lapse, the tax rate does not increase, and the tax base for such tax does not change. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act

Bill: 114-s-1165
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Department of Education
Education programs funding
Employment and training programs
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Licensing and registrations
Marketing and advertising
Student aid and college costs
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act

 
 This bill makes any institution of higher education (IHE) postsecondary program designed to prepare students for a recognized occupation or profession requiring licensing or other entry pre-conditions ineligible to participate in a federal financial assistance program, unless it meets specified student consumer protection requirements within one year after this Act's enactment. 
 
Each program must: (1) fully prepare students to satisfy those entry pre-conditions in the metropolitan statistical areas and states in which the students reside and in any state the program claims a successful program graduate will be prepared to work in the particular occupation or profession involved; and (2) provide timely placement of students in required pre-licensure positions, such as clinical placements, internships, or apprenticeships.
 
The bill requires the Department of Education to promulgate regulations regarding pre-accredited IHE programs to: (1) impose consumer protection requirements that are consistent with those this Act imposes on accredited programs, and (2) condition an IHE's participation in any federal financial assistance program on the IHE signing a loan discharge agreement with each student who is enrolled in any pre-accredited program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate
BUILD Career and Technical Education Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1166
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Public-private cooperation
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 

Building Understanding, Investment, Learning, and Direction Career and Technical Education Act of 2015 or the BUILD Career and Technical Education Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the Department of Education to award competitive two-year grants to local educational agencies to support career and technical education exploration programs that provide middle and high school students with experiential learning opportunities that are connected to their education and career pathways.
 
Grant funds must be used for: (1) leasing, purchasing, upgrading, or adapting equipment related to program activities; (2) staff expenses in coordinating or implementing program activities; (3) consultation services that are directly aligned to program goals; (4) professional development programs that are aligned to program goals; (5) minor remodeling to accommodate program equipment; and/or (6) program evaluation.
 
The bill requires each grantee to develop a plan to evaluate specified outcomes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in Senate