hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-563
Sponsor: Rep. Hahn, Janice [D-CA-44]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Conflicts and wars
Government trust funds
Marine and inland water transportation
Transportation employees
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 
 
Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2015

 
Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund from which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is to make one payment of $25,000 to each individual who, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, was a documented member of the U.S. merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in U.S. waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States. Requires such individuals to: (1) apply for such benefit within one year after the enactment of this Act, and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944.
 
Requires the Secretary to include, in annual budget documents submitted to Congress, detailed information on the Fund's operation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H588,  E126)
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Stepping Up to STEM Education Act

Bill: 114-hr-565
Sponsor: Rep. Honda, Michael M. [D-CA-17]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Department of Education
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Higher education
Performance measurement
Research and development
Rural conditions and development
Science and engineering education
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Stepping Up to STEM Education Act

 
Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Education within the Department of Education to pursue breakthrough research and development in educational technology and to facilitate the effective use of that technology to improve student achievement.
 
Directs the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to state-based science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (STEM) networks or similar organizations of STEM stakeholders to increase students' achievement in the STEM disciplines in elementary and secondary schools and in out of school and afterschool programs.
 
Includes among grant uses:
 
 
testing, sharing, and scaling up STEM education research, promising practices, and exemplary programs;
 
identifying state STEM education weaknesses and prioritizing strategies to address them;
 
implementing rigorous career and college ready standards in STEM education;
 
developing and implementing innovative STEM assessments that measure student progress toward those career and college ready standards;
 
promoting and developing pre- and in-service STEM teacher training;
 
developing STEM career pathways and workforce education and training programs that reflect 21st century workforce needs;
 
facilitating the implementation of expanded STEM learning opportunities on school sites; and
 
promoting, supporting, and designing programs that develop STEM content coaches and master educators in order to strengthen core competencies of the classroom practitioner. 
 
 
Requires grantees to conduct periodic independent evaluations of their effectiveness in accomplishing those activities.
 
Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) endorsing or approving any STEM curriculum designed for use in an elementary school, secondary school, or institution of higher education; or (2) requiring a state, local educational agency, or school to adopt a specific STEM program or instructional materials.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Technology-Enabled Education Innovation Partnership Act

Bill: 114-hr-566
Sponsor: Rep. Honda, Michael M. [D-CA-17]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Higher education
Performance measurement
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Student records
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Technology-Enabled Education Innovation Partnership Act

 
 Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable grants to eligible partnerships to design, implement, refine, and scale technology-enabled education innovation programs.
 
Defines an &quot;eligible partnership&quot; as a partnership composed of at least one state or local educational agency (LEA) and at least one institution of higher education or nonprofit research organization working with the state or LEA as a research and evaluation partner.
 
Requires at least 75% of the students participating in each technology-enabled education innovation program to be attending schools in which at least 50% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the school lunch program.
 
Requires an independent evaluation of each innovation program by a research and evaluation collaborator.
 
Directs each partnership to provide a data set containing the student records of innovation program participants to a Technology-Enabled Education Innovation Partnership Coordinating Center that is created by the Secretary to: (1) conduct meta-analyses and other syntheses of such data, and (2) allow independent researchers access to the data.
 
Directs the Secretary to support national technology activities that provide the technology-enabled education innovation programs with information on, and technical assistance in, effectively implementing technology in schools.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish and oversee at least one advanced learning technology research and development center to address the priorities and grand challenges for learning technology set forth in the Department of Education's 2010 National Education Technology Plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Revolving Door Pension Prevention Act

Bill: 114-hr-567
Sponsor: Rep. Israel, Steve [D-NY-3]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Members of Congress
Public participation and lobbying

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Revolving Door Pension Prevention Act 

 
Prohibits any former Member of Congress who is a registered lobbyist who receives annual compensation of $1 million or more for lobbying activities from receiving benefits under: (1) the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System (including the Thrift Savings Plan); or (2) the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (including enhanced dental or vision benefits).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act

Bill: 114-hr-568
Sponsor: Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Congressional oversight
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government studies and investigations
Water storage
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Energy to submit a report within one year on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use systems for potable hot and chilled water in federal buildings and on the return on investment of installing the insulation. The report must include: (1) an analysis based on the cost of municipal or regional water for delivered water and the avoided cost of new water; and (2) a summary of energy and water savings, including short-term and long-term (20 years) projections of such savings.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
To prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing oil and gas leases on portions of the Outer Continental Shelf located off the coast of New Jersey.

Bill: 114-hr-569
Sponsor: Rep. LoBiondo, Frank A. [R-NJ-2]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean
Land transfers
Licensing and registrations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
New Jersey
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing a lease, permit, or license for oil exploration or extraction from specified submerged Outer Continental Shelf lands located within 125 miles of the coastline of New Jersey, including areas with respect to which a moratorium on oil and gas leasing activities existed before enactment of this Act
.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Stop Wasting Taxpayer Money on Cuba Broadcasting Act

Bill: 114-hr-570
Sponsor: Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area
Cuba
International exchange and broadcasting
Latin America

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Stop Wasting Taxpayer Money on Cuba Broadcasting Act

 
Repeals the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act and the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act (thus eliminating Voice of America: Radio/Television Marti broadcasts to Cuba).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Veterans Access to Community Care Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-572
Sponsor: Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Veterans Access to Community Care Act of 2015

 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use the Secretary's existing authority to furnish health care to veterans at non-VA facilities to provide health care at non-VA facilities to veterans who reside more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest VA medical facility providing the care they seek.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Estuary Urgent Needs Priority Program Act

Bill: 114-hr-573
Sponsor: Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Lakes and rivers
Mammals
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Pest management
Water quality
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Estuary Urgent Needs Priority Program Act
 
 
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise the National Estuary Program by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make competitive awards to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the economic and ecological well-being of coastal areas, including extensive seagrass habitat losses, recurring harmful algae blooms, unusual marine mammal mortalities, invasive exotic species, and jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons.
 
The EPA must give priority to national estuary programs that are not part of the Geographic Programs as described in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Pay Back the Taxpayers Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-574
Sponsor: Rep. Royce, Edward R. [R-CA-39]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Budget deficits and national debt
Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government trust funds
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Pay Back the Taxpayers Act of 2015

 
 Prohibits the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs), after enactment of this Act and during the term of any conservatorship or receivership, from making any contribution or transfer to, or allocating or setting aside any amounts for, the Housing Trust Fund or the Capital Magnet Fund.
 
Requires any amounts set aside by a GSE, before enactment of this Act, for either Trust Fund but not yet allocated or transferred to it, not to be so allocated or transferred but to be covered into the General Fund of the Treasury and used only for reducing the federal budget deficit. 
 
Requires any amounts paid or repaid to the Secretary of the Treasury by a GSE, in any form after enactment, and during any conservatorship or receivership of the GSE, to be covered into the General Fund and for the same purpose only.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
VA Bonus Accountability Act

Bill: 114-hr-575
Sponsor: Rep. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ-9]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government studies and investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 

Stop Wasteful Bonuses in Department of Veterans Affairs Act of 2015 or VA Bonus Accountability Act

 
Prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) from awarding a bonus to any VA employee for five years after the end of a fiscal year in which the Comptroller General, the VA Inspector General, or any other senior VA ethics official makes an adverse finding relating to the employee. Requires VA to order such an employee to repay any bonus awarded in any year in which an adverse finding is made.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use existing authorities to furnish health care at non-Department of Veterans Affairs facilities to veterans who live more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest medical facility of the Department that furnishes the care sought by the veteran.

Bill: 114-hr-577
Sponsor: Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-01-27 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use the Secretary's existing authority to furnish health care to veterans at non-VA facilities to provide health care at non-VA facilities to veterans who reside more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest VA medical facility providing the care they seek.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-27
text: Introduced in House
Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-578
Sponsor: Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7]
Introduced: 2015-01-28 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Army Corps of Engineers
Firearms and explosives
Lakes and rivers
Outdoor recreation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: 

Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act of 2015

 
 Prohibits the Secretary of the Army from promulgating or enforcing any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm at a water resources development project administered by the Chief of Engineers if: (1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm, and (2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the state in which the project is located.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: Introduced in House
THRIFT Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-579
Sponsor: Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-10]
Introduced: 2015-01-28 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget process
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal appellate courts
Federal district courts
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Supreme Court

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: 

To Help Reduce Inefficient Federal Tendencies Act of 2015 or the THRIFT Act of 2015

 
Allows federal agencies, including judicial branch agencies, to: (1) retain up to 25% of annual savings from the implementation of plans developed by such agencies to create efficiencies and cost savings in agency operations; and (2) use such savings for specified purposes, including salary increases and employee awards for cost savings disclosures. Requires an agency to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan and an associated request to amend its approved operating budget specifying how such savings will be achieved and the amount and source of such savings.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
action_date: 2015-01-28
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: 2015-01-28
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: 2015-01-28
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: 2015-01-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-28
text: Introduced in House