hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Credit Union Residential Loan Parity Act

Bill: 114-s-1440
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Credit and credit markets
Housing finance and home ownership
Real estate business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Credit Union Residential Loan Parity Act

 
Amends the Federal Credit Union Act to revise the definition of &quot;member business loan,&quot; which currently excludes an extension of credit fully secured by a lien on a 1- to 4-family dwelling that is a member's primary residence.
 
Removes the condition that the dwelling be a member's primary residence, and so denying eligibility for a member business loan to any requested extension of credit that would be fully secured by a lien on a 1- to 4-family dwelling, regardless of whether it is or is not the member's primary residence.
 
Declares that this Act does not preclude the National Credit Union Administration from treating an extension of credit fully secured by a lien on a 1- to 4-family dwelling that is not a member's primary residence as a member business loan for purposes other than certain member business loan limitation requirements under the Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3243; text of measure as introduced: CR S3243)
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Exclusion for Deficit Reduction in Agricultural Subsidies Elimination Act

Bill: 114-s-1442
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural insurance
Budget deficits and national debt

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Exclusion for Deficit Reduction in Agricultural Subsidies Elimination Act or the ERASE Act 

 
This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to eliminate a requirement that any renegotiated Standard Insurance Agreement (SRA) be budget neutral. 
 
The SRA is an agreement between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the private companies that administer the federal crop insurance program. It specifies details such as administrative and operating expense reimbursements and risk sharing between USDA and the companies in the operation of the program. 
 
Eliminating the budget neutrality requirement permits USDA to use the renegotiation of the SRA to achieve savings. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Distillery Excise Tax Reform Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1444
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alcoholic beverages
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Distillery Excise Tax Reform Act of 2015 

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce to $2.70 per proof gallon the excise tax rate on the first 100,000 proof gallons of distilled spirits that are removed in the calendar year and that have been distilled, processed, or bottled by a distilled spirits operation at a qualified facility in the United States. Makes this rate reduction applicable to a specified controlled group of corporations that is a distilled spirits operation. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Microloan Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1445
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Government lending and loan guarantees
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Microloan Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Small Business Act to revise requirements for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program (direct loans to eligible intermediaries for making fixed interest rate microloans to startup, newly established, or growing small businesses).
 
The bill repeals the authority for each intermediary to expend certain grant amounts to: (1) provide information and technical assistance to small businesses that are prospective borrowers, and (2) enter into third party contracts to provide technical assistance.
 
The bill also repeals minimum allocation requirements and authority to redistribute portions of remaining microloan funds in the third quarter.
 
It is the sense of Congress that the SBA should promote the Microloan Program to encourage entrepreneurs to use it.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1447
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Chemistry
Congressional oversight
Education programs funding
Environmental health
Executive agency funding and structure
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Manufacturing
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Science and engineering education
Scientific communication
Solid waste and recycling
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Technology transfer and commercialization

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2015

 
 Directs the President to establish an interagency Sustainable Chemistry Program to promote and coordinate federal sustainable chemistry research, development, demonstration, technology transfer, commercialization, education, and training activities.
 
Directs the President to establish an Interagency Working Group that includes representatives from specified federal agencies to oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the Program. 
 
Requires the Interagency Working Group to establish an Advisory Council on Sustainable Chemistry to make recommendations to it and provide it with advice and assistance. 
 
Requires participating agencies to report to the Office of Management and Budget on Program activities and appropriations. 
 
Requires the Interagency Working Group to submit a report to Congress, as well as to the Government Accountability Office.
 
Instructs the Interagency Working Group to lead agencies in awarding grants to institutions of higher education to establish partnerships with companies across the value chain in the chemical industry to: (1) create collaborative research, development, demonstration, technology transfer, and commercialization programs; and (2) train students and retrain professional scientists and engineers in the use of sustainable chemistry concepts and strategies. 
 
Requires the National Science Foundation to contract with the National Research Council to assess the current status of sustainable chemistry research in the United States. 
 
Directs the Interagency Working Group to produce a national strategy for sustainable chemistry that provides a framework for advancing sustainable chemistry research. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Building Better Trucks Act

Bill: 114-s-1449
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Energy efficiency and conservation
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Manufacturing
Motor carriers
Motor fuels

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Building Better Trucks Act

 
This bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to revise the advanced technology vehicle manufacturing incentive program, which provides loans to support the production of fuel-efficient, advanced technology vehicles and qualifying components in the United States. The program is expanded by allowing manufacturers of certain fuel-efficient, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (trucks) to qualify for loans. The amount charged as the fee to cover administrative costs is revised.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Medical Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act

Bill: 114-s-1450
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Medical Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to modify the hours of employment for a physician or physician assistant appointed in the VA on a full-time basis to more or less than 80 hours in a biweekly pay period provided the employee's total hours of employment in a calendar year do not exceed 2,080.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-16
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-212.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1451
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Disability and paralysis
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay burial and funeral expenses, accrued benefits, dependency and indemnity compensation, and non-service connected disability or death pension amounts to a survivor of a veteran who has not filed a formal claim if the VA determines that the record contains sufficient evidence to establish the survivor's entitlement to such benefits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-16
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-212.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Emergency Health Care Safety Net Expansion Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1452
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health care costs and insurance
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Veterans Emergency Health Care Safety Net Expansion Act of 2015

 
Eliminates the requirement limiting reimbursement for emergency treatment in a non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility to veterans who are active participants in the VA's health care system. Requires the veteran to be an enrollee in the VA's patient enrollment system.
 
Treats the VA as a participating provider for purposes of allowing the VA to recover the costs it incurs in providing care to a veteran for a non-service connected disability that is covered under the veteran's health plan contract.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Puerto Rico Medicare Part B Equity Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1453
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Caribbean area
Health care coverage and access
Medicare
Puerto Rico
U.S. territories and protectorates

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Puerto Rico Medicare Part B Equity Act of 2015

 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the exclusion of residents of Puerto Rico from deemed enrollment under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) and thus apply it to them.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for a special seven-month enrollment period for such residents.
 
Requires recalculation of the late enrollment penalty to 15% of the usual penalty for residents of Puerto Rico who are current enrollees or who enroll during a specified transition period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Transportation and Logistics Hiring Reform Act

Bill: 114-s-1454
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2015-05-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Department of Transportation
Evidence and witnesses
Licensing and registrations
Motor carriers
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: 

Transportation and Logistics Hiring Reform Act

 
This bill establishes a national hiring standard for motor carriers.
 
The bill defines an"entity" as a person acting as:
 
 
a shipper or a consignee; 
 
 a broker, a freight forwarder, or a household goods freight forwarder;
 
 a non-vessel-operating common carrier, an ocean freight forwarder, or an ocean transportation intermediary;
 
 an indirect air carrier authorized to operate under a Standard Security Program approved by the Transportation Security Administration; 
 
 a federally licensed customs broker;
 
an interchange motor carrier; or
 
 a warehouse. 

 
Before tendering a shipment, but not more than 35 days before the pickup of a shipment by the hired motor carrier, an entity shall verify that the carrier:
 
 
 is registered with and authorized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to operate as a motor carrier or household goods motor carrier; 
 
 has the minimum insurance coverage required by federal law; and 
 
 does not have an unsatisfactory safety fitness rating issued by the FMCSA.
 
 
Only evidence of an entity's compliance with this Act may be admitted as evidence in a civil action for damages resulting from a claim of negligent selection or retention of such motor carrier against the entity. No other motor carrier data created or maintained by the FMCSA, including safety measurement system data or analysis of such data, may be admitted in a case or proceeding in which it is asserted or alleged that an entity's selection or retention of a motor carrier was negligent. 
 
The Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate safety fitness determination regulations that update and revise the standards for establishing an unsatisfactory safety rating for motor carriers. In the regulations promulgated, the Secretary shall determine if a carrier is not fit to operate a commercial motor vehicle in or affecting interstate commerce.
 
 All commercial carriers shall comply with all applicable federal laws pertaining to safety.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural ACO Improvement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1456
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2015-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Medicare
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: 

Rural ACO Improvement Act of 2015

 
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish additional requirements for assigning Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries to accountable care organizations (ACOs) under the Medicare shared savings program. The program enables ACOs to receive payments for savings stemming from care coordination and management.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the basis for assignment to reflect beneficiaries' utilization of not only primary care services provided by ACO physicians, but also those provided by other ACO practitioners, and those furnished in federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics. Other ACO practitioners include physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and registered dieticians or nutrition professionals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act

Bill: 114-s-1457
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2015-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Federal-Indian relations
Gambling
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Indian social and development programs
Land transfers
Texas

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: 

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act

 
 This bill amends the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas Restoration Act to repeal the prohibition against gaming activities by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas on its lands if those gaming activities are prohibited by Texas law. 
 
The United States and the Tribe must execute and file in each applicable court a motion for dismissal of any pending claim arising out of or relating to any interest in the aboriginal lands of the Tribe. 
 
Any claim by or on behalf of the Tribe, or any predecessor in interest or any of its members, against the United States, Texas, or any landowner, that is based on any interest in or right involving any land or natural resources regarding the aboriginal lands, is hereby extinguished.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
STREAM Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1458
Sponsor: Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]
Introduced: 2015-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Economic performance and conditions
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental regulatory procedures
Intergovernmental relations
Mining
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: 

Supporting Transparent Regulatory and Environmental Actions in Mining Act of 2015 or the STREAM Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to direct the Department of the Interior to make publicly available the scientific products used in developing a rule under the Act or any related environmental impact statement, environmental assessment, or economic assessment when the rule or assessment is published. If those scientific products received federal funds, Interior must also make publicly available the data used and the background information of its authors.
 
If Interior does not comply, the notice and comment period for the rules and assessments will be extended by specified periods. A rule or an assessment must be withdrawn if Interior fails to comply for more than 180 days.
 
In carrying out the Act, Interior: (1) may not make any determination regarding certain agency action subject to specified mining and environmental Acts, and (2) shall defer to the determinations of an agency or state authority implementing those Acts with respect to any agency action under the jurisdiction of that agency or state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Cider Investment and Development through Excise Tax Reduction (CIDER) Act

Bill: 114-s-1459
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alcoholic beverages
Fruit and vegetables
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: 

Cider Investment and Development through Excise Tax Reduction (CIDER) Act 

 
Amends the Internal Revenue to revise the definition of "hard cider," for purposes of the excise tax on distilled spirits, wines, and beer, to mean a wine: (1) containing not more than .64 gram of carbon dioxide per hundred milliliters of wine (subject to necessary tolerances); (2) which is derived primarily from apples, apple juice concentrate, pears, or pear juice concentrate, and water; (3) which contains no fruit product or fruit flavoring other than apple or pear; and (4) which contains at least one-half of 1% and less than 8.5% alcohol by volume. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate
Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1460
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2015-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Conflicts and wars
Military operations and strategy
Military personnel and dependents
Public-private cooperation
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: 

Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act of 2015

 
Includes under the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program (public-private contributions for educational assistance in addition to post-9/11 educational assistance) the child or spouse of an individual who, on or after September 11, 2001, dies in the line of duty while serving on active duty.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-16
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-212.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate