hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Citizen Empowerment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2856
Sponsor: Rep. Jenkins, Lynn [R-KS-2]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Evidence and witnesses
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Citizen Empowerment Act of 2015

 
Requires any executive agency employee who is conducting an in-person or a telephonic interview, audit, investigation, inspection, or other official interaction with an individual relating to a possible violation of federal law that could result in the imposition of civil or criminal fines or penalties or the collection of unpaid tax to allow such individual to make an audio recording of the interaction.
 
Permits the employee conducting the interaction to record it if the employee: (1) informs the individual of the recording prior to or at the initiation of the interaction, and (2) provides the individual with a transcript of the recording at such individual's expense. 
 
Requires the employee conducting an initial in-person or telephonic interview or other interaction to provide to the individual a verbal or written notice of such individual's rights.
 
Exempts from the application of this Act any in-person or telephonic interview or other interaction that: (1) is likely to include the discussion of classified material or information that would endanger public safety if released publicly; or (2) if released, would endanger an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by a federal law enforcement officer. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Humane Cosmetics Act

Bill: 114-hr-2858
Sponsor: Rep. McSally, Martha [R-AZ-2]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Product development and innovation
Product safety and quality

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Humane Cosmetics Act

 
This bill prohibits testing cosmetics on animals, effective on the date that is one year after enactment of this Act. No cosmetic may be sold or transported if the final product or any component was developed or manufactured using animal testing after such date, effective three years after enactment of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Sonoran Corridor Interstate Development Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2859
Sponsor: Rep. McSally, Martha [R-AZ-2]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Arizona
Roads and highways
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Sonoran Corridor Interstate Development Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to designate the State Route 410, the Sonoran Corridor connecting Interstate 19 to Interstate 10 south of the Tucson International Airport in Arizona, as a high priority corridor on the National Highway System and a future part of the Interstate System.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4634)
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
To direct the Mayor of the District of Columbia to establish a District of Columbia National Guard Educational Assistance Program to encourage the enlistment and retention of persons in the District of Columbia National Guard by providing financial assistance to enable members of the National Guard of the District of Columbia to attend undergraduate, vocational, or technical courses.

Bill: 114-hr-2860
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: District of Columbia
Education programs funding
Higher education
National Guard and reserves
Student aid and college costs
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 
Amends the District of Columbia Code to add the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Act.
 
Directs the Mayor of the District of Columbia, in coordination with the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, to establish a program that allows the Mayor to provide educational assistance for a first undergraduate, masters, vocational, or technical degree or certification to a member of the District of Columbia National Guard who: 
 
 
has satisfactorily completed initial active duty service, 
 
agrees to serve for at least six years, and 
 
is not receiving a Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E947)
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Veterans Protection Enhancement Act

Bill: 114-hr-2862
Sponsor: Rep. Rooney, Thomas J. [R-FL-17]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Crime victims
Crimes against property
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Military personnel and dependents
U.S. Sentencing Commission

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Veterans Protection Enhancement Act

 
This bill directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend the federal sentencing guidelines to provide for a two-level sentencing increase if the defendant intentionally selected any victim or any property because of the victim's military service or veteran status.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Secure Legal Services for Veterans Act

Bill: 114-hr-2863
Sponsor: Rep. Rooney, Thomas J. [R-FL-17]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government trust funds
Lawyers and legal services
Medical research
Neurological disorders
Research administration and funding
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Secure Legal Services for Veterans Act

 
This bill prohibits an individual who is not an agent or attorney from soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any fee or compensation for services rendered in the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of an appeal before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Board of Veterans' Appeals. 
 
 Violators of such prohibition shall be fined, imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
 
 Amounts collected for such violations shall be deposited in the TBI Research and Initiatives Fund and remain available to the VA without fiscal year limitation for traumatic brain injury research and initiatives.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
To prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from extending the renewable fuel program past 2022 if the Administrator waives applicable volume requirements in prior years.

Bill: 114-hr-2864
Sponsor: Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental regulatory procedures
Motor fuels

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 
This bill amends the Clean Air Act to revise the renewable fuel program by prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from requiring that transportation fuel contain any applicable volume of renewable fuel, advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, or biomass-based diesel, for any year after 2022, if the EPA waives at least: (1) 20% of any of the applicable volume requirement set forth for renewable fuel, advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, or biomass-based diesel for two consecutive years; or (2) 50% of such volume requirement for a single year. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Technical Clarification to Public Law 113-243 Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2865
Sponsor: Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-32]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Bankruptcy
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Transportation employees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Technical Clarification to Public Law 113-243 Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 with respect to rollovers to a traditional individual retirement account (IRA) of payments to qualified airline employees in commercial airline carrier bankruptcy cases.
 
A commercial airline employee shall be qualified for such a rollover if he or she had participated in a commercial airline's tax-exempt defined benefit pension plan that was terminated or otherwise restricted.
 
 The bill prescribes a special rule for airline payments received by a qualified employee from an airline carrier resulting from a bankruptcy case filed after September 11, 2001, and before January 1, 2007, or on November 29, 2011.
 
Under this special rule, the period for a qualified airline employee to make a tax-exempt rollover of such a payment into a traditional IRA shall be extended to the period beginning on December 18, 2014, and ending 180 days after the enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Healthy MOM Act

Bill: 114-hr-2866
Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2015-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Employee benefits and pensions
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: 

Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or the Healthy MOM Act

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and Internal Revenue Code to require health insurers, health insurance exchanges, and group health plans to offer a special enrollment period to pregnant women beginning when the pregnancy is reported to the issuer, exchange, or plan.
 The Office of Personnel Management must ensure that eligible pregnant women are allowed to enroll in federal employee health benefit plans outside of the open enrollment period.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-23
text: Introduced in House
Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2868
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Sam [R-TX-3]
Introduced: 2015-06-24 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Department of Labor
Employee benefits and pensions
Federal preemption
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Licensing and registrations
Small business
State and local taxation
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: 

Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations, and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements. 
 
Prescribes rules governing AHPs, including requirements relating to certification, sponsors and boards of trustees, participation and coverage, nondiscrimination, contribution rates, notice of voluntary termination, correction actions, and mandatory termination.
 
Establishes the Association Health Plan Fund to be used to make payments to an insurer to maintain coverage for a plan if there is a reasonable expectation that, without such payments, claims would not be satisfied by reason of termination of coverage.
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor to establish a Solvency Standards Working Group.
 
Allows a state to impose a contribution tax on an association health plan that commenced operations in such state after the enactment of this Act.
 
Preempts any state law that may preclude a health insurance issuer from: (1) offering health insurance coverage in connection with a certified AHP; or (2) offering health insurance coverage of the same policy type to other employers operating in the state that are eligible for coverage under such AHPs, whether or not such other employers are participating employers in such plan.
 
Subjects to criminal penalties a person who willfully makes false representations with respect to an AHP.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2870
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2015-06-24 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of State
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign aid and international relief
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Legal fees and court costs
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Mental health
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: 

Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2015

 
Amends the Torture Victims Relief Act of 1998 to authorize FY2016-FY2017 appropriations to: 
 
 
the Department of Health and Human Services for grants to domestic treatment centers for the costs of services in the rehabilitation of victims of torture (including treatment of both physical and psychological effects), social and legal services, and research and training of health care providers outside of treatment centers or programs; and 
 
the President for grants to foreign treatment centers and programs for activities designed to treat victims for the physical and psychological effects of torture. 
 
 
Directs the U.S. Agency for International Development to support indigenous foreign treatment centers and programs for torture victims in order to increase their capacities to train other local health care providers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
Keeping Guns From Criminals Act

Bill: 114-hr-2871
Sponsor: Rep. Beyer, Donald S., Jr. [D-VA-8]
Introduced: 2015-06-24 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Firearms and explosives
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: 

Keeping Guns From Criminals Act

 
This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the criminal liability standard for certain firearm sales or transfers. 
 
Current law makes it a crime for any person to knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to a prohibited person (i.e., a person who is prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm). This legislation eliminates the "knowingly" standard to impose criminal liability on any person who sells or transfers a firearm to a prohibited person, regardless of whether such seller or transferor knows that the buyer is a prohibited person. 

 
A defendant seller or transferor may assert as an affirmative defense against prosecution evidence to prove that the buyer or recipient passed a background check or possessed a valid concealed carry permit in the state of transfer. 
 
The affirmative defense does not apply if defendant knew or had reasonable cause to believe the buyer or recipient was a prohibited person. 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
LADDER Act

Bill: 114-hr-2873
Sponsor: Rep. Crowley, Joseph [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2015-06-24 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Contracts and agency
Employee hiring
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Inflation and prices
Labor-management relations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: 

Limiting the Ability to Demand Detrimental Employment Restrictions Act or the LADDER Act

 
This bill: (1) prohibits employers from entering into not to compete covenants with low-wage employees engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, and (2) requires an employer of such employees to post notice of such prohibition in a conspicuous place on the employer's premises.
 
The bill defines "low-wage employee" as an employee who earns less than the greater of $15 per hour or the state or local minimum wage.
 
In order for an employer to require such an employee who is not a low-wage employee to enter into such a covenant, the employer must have disclosed the requirement for entering into such covenant before hiring such employee.
 
The Secretary of Labor shall: (1) enforce a complaint of a violation of this Act in the same manner as a complaint of a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and (2) impose a civil fine on any employer who violates this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
Andrew P. Carpenter Tax Act

Bill: 114-hr-2874
Sponsor: Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4]
Introduced: 2015-06-24 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Income tax exclusion
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: 

Andrew P. Carpenter Tax Act 

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any amount attributable to the discharge of student loan indebtedness of a veteran who died as a result of a service-connected disability.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-24
text: Introduced in House