hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3258
Sponsor: Sen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to exclude from a consumer report: (1) for one year, information related to a veteran's medical debt resulting from hospital or medical services provided in a non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility; and (2) information related to a fully paid or settled medical debt that had been characterized as delinquent, charged off, or in collection. 
 
 A veteran may submit a notice along with proof of VA liability for such debt to a consumer reporting agency or a reseller to dispute the debt's inclusion in a consumer report. The consumer reporting agency shall, within 30 days, delete such information from the consumer's file and notify the furnisher and the veteran.
 
 The Consumer Credit Protection Act is amended to provide a mechanism for veterans to dispute the inclusion of program debt already on a credit report. A consumer reporting agency shall, within 30 days after receiving notice of such dispute, delete such information from the veteran's file and notify the furnisher and the veteran. 
 
 
Within five days after the initial communication with a veteran, a debt collector shall, unless the appropriate information is contained in the initial communication or the veteran has paid the debt, send the veteran a written notice containing specified debt-related information, including information concerning the debt amount, creditors, the insurance company involved, and the hospital or medical care provider.
 
If a veteran notifies the debt collector within such one-year period that the program debt is disputed or that the veteran requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection until debt verification or the name and address of the original creditor is obtained.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Forensic Science and Standards Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3259
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Department of Commerce
Department of Justice
Education programs funding
Evidence and witnesses
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
National Science Foundation
Performance measurement
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding
Science and engineering education

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Forensic Science and Standards Act of 2016

 
 This bill establishes a National Forensic Science Research Initiative, carried out by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to improve, expand, and coordinate federal research in forensic sciences.
 
The bill establishes a National Forensic Science Coordinating Office to coordinate with relevant federal agencies in the development of: (1) a unified federal research strategy; and (2) any necessary programs, policies, and budgets to support implementation of the research strategy. 
 
The National Science Foundation (NSF) shall contract with the National Research Council to develop a report: (1) identifying the most critical challenges in forensic science that require further research, and (2) making recommendations for research to address those challenges. 
 
The bill states that each external forensic science research grant awarded by a federal agency under this bill shall be subject to a specified competitive merit-review process.
 
 The NSF shall:
 
 
award forensic science basic research grants to improve the foundation and practice of forensic science;
 
 support one or more forensic science research centers; and
 
conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the NSF's full portfolio of forensic science research and education grants every four years. 
 
 
 The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shall establish: (1) a competitively selected Center of Excellence focusing on measurement sciences, technology, and standards in forensic science; and (2) scientific area committees to identify gaps in and opportunities for standards development in the forensic sciences. 
 
 NIST and the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall establish a National Commission on Forensic Science to advise the agencies participating in the unified federal research strategy and review recommendations on standards development in forensic science.
 
DOJ shall:
 
 
encourage the broad adoption of forensic science standards, requiring each DOJ laboratory, and encouraging other federal forensic laboratories, to adopt these standards;
 
promote accreditation and certification based on forensic science standards; and
 
promote recommendations made by the National Commission on Forensic Science. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Volunteer Pilot Protection Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3260
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Civil actions and liability
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Volunteer Pilot Protection Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 to provide liability protection to volunteers of a volunteer pilot nonprofit organization that arranges flights for public benefit in the case of harm caused by an act or omission of a volunteer on behalf of the organization. Volunteers shall not be liable if they: (1) were operating an aircraft in furtherance of the purpose of, and acting within the scope of their volunteer responsibilities on behalf of, the nonprofit organization; (2) were properly licensed and insured for the operation of the aircraft; (3) were in compliance with all requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration for recent flight experience; and (4) did not cause the harm through willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed by the volunteer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Native American Business Incubators Program Act

Bill: 114-s-3261
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Business education
Business investment and capital
Economic development
Education programs funding
Indian social and development programs
Minority education

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Native American Business Incubators Program Act 

 
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to establish a grant program in the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development for establishing and operating business incubators that serve Indian reservation communities, including Native businesses and Native entrepreneurs. A business incubator is an organization that: (1) provides physical workspace and facilities resources to startups and established businesses, and (2) is designed to accelerate the growth and success of businesses through a variety of business support resources and services.
 
Interior must facilitate the establishment of relationships between grant recipients and educational institutions serving Native American communities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2016-09-07
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-538.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Illegal Synthetic Drug Safety Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3262
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Illegal Synthetic Drug Safety Act of 2016

 
 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to modify the treatment of controlled substance analogues (i.e., substances that have substantially similar chemical structures and pharmacological effects to schedule I controlled substances).
 
Under current law, a controlled substance analogue that is intended for human consumption is treated as a schedule I controlled substance. This bill replaces the &quot;intended for human consumption&quot; qualifier with a &quot;not a chemical substance subject to the Toxic Substances Control Act&quot; qualifier. Specifically, a controlled substance analogue that is not a chemical substance under the Toxic Substances Control Act is treated as a schedule I controlled substance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the credit for production of electricity from renewable resources to allow a credit for certain open-loop biomass and trash facilities placed in service before the date of the enactment of this Act and to modify the definition of municipal solid waste.

Bill: 114-s-3264
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources, to allow a taxpayer to elect the application of such credit to open-loop biomass and trash facilities during the period beginning after December 31, 2016, and ending before January 1, 2018 (in lieu of the 10-year period after the facilities are originally placed in service). The bill limits the aggregate period during which a taxpayer can claim a tax credit with respect to a facility to 10 years. 
 
The bill also modifies the definition of &quot;municipal solid waste&quot; to specify that the term does not include solid waste collected as part of a system which commingles commonly recycled paper with other solid waste which is not commonly recycled at any point from the time of collection through any materials recovery. The bill includes exceptions for incidental and residual waste.
 
In the case of a facility that produces electricity both from municipal solid waste and other solid waste that is not a qualified energy resource: (1) the facility is a qualified facility if it otherwise meets the requirements for qualified facilities, and (2) the credit only applies to the portion of the electricity produced from municipal solid waste.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to improve rail passenger safety by prohibiting individuals convicted of driving under the influence from holding a license or certification authorizing them to operate a commuter train.

Bill: 114-s-3265
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 
This bill revises program requirements for the licensing or certification of locomotive operators by prohibiting the issuance of a license or certification to operate a commuter train to, or revoking such license or certification of, any individual whose license was denied, canceled, revoked, or suspended within the most recent five-year period due to being convicted of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of, or impaired by, alcohol or a controlled substance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Student Loan Tax Relief Act

Bill: 114-s-3266
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Student Loan Tax Relief Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income of an individual the discharge (in whole or in part) of student loans. The student loans covered by the bill include: (1) any loan provided expressly for postsecondary educational expenses and made by specified U.S. entities, states, political subdivisions, the District of Columbia, or any institution of higher education; (2) any private education loan; and (3) loans made by specified educational and tax-exempt organizations that meet certain requirements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
CLAMP Act

Bill: 114-s-3268
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Closing Loopholes Against Money-Laundering Practices Act or the CLAMP Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require U.S. entities to obtain and have an employer identification number (EIN) assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 
 
The bill defines a &quot;U.S. entity&quot; as any business entity created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States or of a U.S. state, possession, or territory. The term excludes tax-exempt organizations. 
 
The bill establishes: (1) civil penalties for the failure to have an EIN or provide required information, and (2) a criminal penalty for the willful failure to obtain an EIN. 
 
The IRS may disclose to federal law enforcement officials taxpayer identify information, including an EIN and information from an application for an EIN, for use in investigations and prosecutions of specified offenses related to money laundering and supporting or financing terrorism.
 
Prior to disclosing the information, the IRS must determine that the disclosure would not seriously impair federal tax administration and consider whether the information requested: (1) is being sought exclusively for use in a federal criminal investigation or proceeding pertaining to the specified offense, (2) is or may be relevant to a matter relating to the offense, and (3) cannot be reasonably obtained from any other source. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act

Bill: 114-s-3269
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Alternative treatments
Child health
Drug therapy
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Government studies and investigations
Health personnel
Higher education
Licensing and registrations
Medical research
Neurological disorders
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act

 
This bill requires the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services to each evaluate whether cannabidiol, the nonpsychoactive substance derived from marijuana or the synthetic formulation, should be a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. After taking into consideration the evaluations, the DEA must initiate proceedings for classifying cannabidiol as a controlled substance if control is warranted.
 
The bill expands the authority for: (1) conducting medical research on cannabidiol, and (2) possessing or transporting cannabidiol or any other nonpsychoactive component of marijuana for certain medicinal purposes.
 
Physicians who are licensed under state law may discuss the potential harms and benefits of cannabidiol or those components of marijuana as a treatment with their patients or the legal guardians of underage patients.
 
The bill terminates four years after enactment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5169)
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Workforce Advance Act

Bill: 114-s-3271
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Higher education
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Workforce Advance Act

 
This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to include dual or concurrent enrollment and early college high school options as part of the Act's supported career technical education (CTE) programs. (Dual and concurrent enrollment programs and early college courses allow students to earn college credit while still in high school.)
 
The bill allows: (1) schools to use a portion of funding received under the Act for tuition and fees for CTE college courses, and (2) school districts to use such funding to support educators pursuing the credentials they need to teach these courses in their high schools.
 
The Department of Education may include in its demonstration and dissemination of best practices information on CTE programs methods and techniques for providing and integrating dual or concurrent enrollment, early college high schools, pre-apprenticeship programs, and other opportunities for secondary students to earn postsecondary education credit in CTE programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide that members of the Armed Forces performing services in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt shall be entitled to tax benefits in the same manner as if such services were performed in a combat zone.

Bill: 114-s-3272
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Egypt
Employment taxes
Income tax exclusion
Marriage and family status
Middle East
Military operations and strategy
Military personnel and dependents
Sales and excise taxes
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Telephone and wireless communication
Transfer and inheritance taxes
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require a qualified hazardous duty area to be treated in the same manner as a combat zone for certain tax provisions. 
 
A &quot;qualified hazardous duty area&quot; is the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt if a member of the Armed Forces performs services in such location that qualify for special pay for duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger. 
 
The requirement applies to specified tax provisions relating to: 
 
 
 the special rule where a deceased spouse was in missing status;
 
 the exclusion from gross income of certain combat pay of members of the Armed Forces; 
 
 income taxes of members of the Armed Forces on death; 
 
 combat zone-related deaths of members of the Armed Forces;
 
 the definition of wages relating to combat pay for members of the Armed Forces; 
 
 the taxation of phone service originating from a combat zone from members of the Armed Forces;
 
 joint tax returns where an individual is in missing status; and 
 
 additional time for individuals serving in combat zones to file returns, pay taxes, and perform other specified acts. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Improvement Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3273
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2016-07-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Cemeteries and funerals
Congressional oversight
Federal-Indian relations
Forests, forestry, trees
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Historical and cultural resources
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Mining
Monuments and memorials
Oil and gas
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Veterans' pensions and compensation
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: 

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Improvement Act of 2016 

 
This bill amends the Barrow Gas Field Transfer Act of 1984 to require the Department of the Interior to convey to the Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation, an Alaska Native village corporation, sand and gravel deposits underlying a surface estate owned by the corporation.
 
 Interior must grant the Shishmaref Native Corporation, a village corporation, an easement between Shishmaref, Alaska, and the area of Ear Mountain, Alaska. 
 
Shee Atika Incorporated, an urban Native corporation, may opt to receive credits from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the sale of Cube Cove in Admiralty Island, Alaska, that may be used to acquire federal property sold at public sales. 
 
The bill authorizes a land exchange between the USDA and the Sealaska Corporation, an Alaska Native regional corporation. 
 
Cook Inlet Region, Inc., a regional corporation, may satisfy its claim land under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). 
 
The bill amends ANCSA to require Interior to convey: (1) a surface estate to Kian Tr'ee Corporation, a village corporation, for the Native village of Canyon Village; and (2) a subsurface estate to Doyon Limited, a regional corporation. 
 
Upon application by the village of Kaktovik or Nagamut, Interior must convey land within the National Wildlife Refuge System to the village. 
 
The bill makes land held by Alaska Native corporations subject to the National Historic Preservation Act, the Tribal Forest Protection Act, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. 
 
Native residents of the villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, may organize as urban corporations. Upon incorporation, Interior must offer each corporation 23,040 acres of land. 
 
Alaska Native veterans who served during the Vietnam War may receive an allotment of federal land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-509.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Introduced in Senate