hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Ruth Moore Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-865
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2015-03-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Crimes against women
Disability assistance
Evidence and witnesses
Mental health
Sex offenses
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: 

Ruth Moore Act of 2015

 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in any case in which a veteran claims that a covered mental health condition was incurred in or aggravated by military sexual trauma during active duty, to: (1) accept as sufficient proof of service-connection a diagnosis by a mental health professional together with satisfactory lay or other evidence of such trauma and an opinion by the mental health professional that such condition is related to such trauma if consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service, notwithstanding the fact that there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation in such service; and (2) resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran. Allows such service-connection to be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.
 
Includes as a &quot;covered mental health condition&quot; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or any other mental health diagnosis that the Secretary determines to be related to military sexual trauma.
 
Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress in each of 2016 through 2020 on covered claims submitted.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Slain Officer Family Support Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-866
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-03-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Charitable contributions
Crime victims
Income tax deductions
Law enforcement officers
New York City
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: 

Slain Officer Family Support Act of 2015 

 
This bill authorizes a charitable tax deduction for cash contributions made for the relief of the families of slain New York Police Department Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos even if such contributions are made for the exclusive benefit of such families. A taxpayer who makes such a contribution may claim a deduction in 2014 for contributions made between January 1, 2015, and April 15, 2015. The bill also provides that the recordkeeping requirements for the charitable tax deduction will be satisfied if the taxpayer produces a telephone bill showing the name of the organization to which a contribution was made with the date and amount of such contribution. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Justice for Former American Hostages in Iran Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-868
Sponsor: Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Crime victims
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Government liability
Government trust funds
Iran
Middle East
Sanctions

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Justice for Former American Hostages in Iran Act of 2015

 
Establishes in the Treasury the American Hostages in Iran Compensation Fund to: (1) make payments to the Americans held hostage in Iran, and to their families, who are identified as members of the proposed class in case number 1:00-CV-03110 (ESG) of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; and (2) satisfy their claims against Iran relating to the taking of hostages and treatment of personnel of the U.S. embassy in Tehran between November 3, 1979, and January 20, 1981. 
 
Imposes a surcharge, to be deposited into the Fund, of 30% on the amount of: (1) any fine or penalty imposed for a violation (committed on or after enactment of this Act) of a law or regulation penalizing any economic activity relating to Iran that is administered by the Departments of State, Treasury, Justice, Commerce, or Energy; or (2) the monetary amount of a settlement entered into by a person regarding a suspected violation of such a law or regulation. 
 
 Requires Fund payments to members of the proposed class in the following order of priority:
 
 
 $10,000 for each day of captivity first to each living former hostage and then to the estate of each deceased former hostage, and
 
$5,000 to each spouse and child of a former hostage for each day of captivity of the former hostage. 
 
 
Prohibits a payment recipient from maintaining an action against Iran in any federal or state court for any claims relating to the hostage events. Waives and forever releases all existing claims against Iran for those events upon payment from the Fund to all designated recipients.
 
Requires the State Department to submit recommendations to Congress if Fund amounts will be insufficient to pay all recipients within 444 days after enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
All-of-the-Above Federal Building Energy Conservation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-869
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Building construction
Department of Energy
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental technology
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government studies and investigations
Performance measurement
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

All-Of-The-Above Federal Building Energy Conservation Act of 2015 

 
 Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to extend energy performance requirements for federal buildings in FY2016-FY2017 (from a 33% reduction from 2003 energy consumption level for FY2016 to a 36% reduction for FY2017).
 
Requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to review the results of the implementation of such requirements by December 31, 2017 (currently, December 31, 2014) and, based on such review, report to Congress on the feasibility of requiring each agency to apply energy conservation measures to, and improve the design for the construction of, agency buildings to achieve a reduction in energy consumption. 
 
Requires designated facility energy managers to consider using a system to manage energy use at their facilities in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization standard numbered 50001 and entitled &quot;Energy Management Systems.&quot;
 
Establishes exemptions from energy and water evaluation requirements. 
 
 Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to revise the definition of &quot;federal building&quot; to include buildings altered by federal agencies, and to define &quot;major renovation,&quot; for purposes of such Act. Requires DOE to establish revised federal building energy efficiency performance standards after the approval of revisions of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 or the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) to meet or exceed such revisions, including requiring, unless new or renovated federal buildings are demonstrated not to be life-cycle cost effective: (1) such buildings to be designed to achieve energy consumption levels that are at least 30% below the levels established in the ASHRAE Standard or the IECC, and (2) no less than 30% of the hot water demand for each new building or building undergoing a major renovation to be met through the installation and use of solar hot water heaters. 
 
Requires DOE to review federal building energy standards once every five years and upgrade to the standards to include all new energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that are technologically feasible and economically justified if DOE determines that significant energy savings would result. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-870
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Homeland Security
Disaster relief and insurance
Economic performance and conditions
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Poverty and welfare assistance
Sales and excise taxes
State and local taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2015

 
Requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to amend the rules concerning the factors it considers when evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the need for public assistance: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to the estimated cost of the assistance (10%), localized impacts (40%), insurance coverage in force (10%), hazard mitigation (10%), recent multiple disasters (10%), programs of other federal assistance (10%), and economic circumstances (10%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of both the local economy of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate) and the state economy (including the unemployment rate).
 
Requires such rules to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the severity, magnitude, and impact of the disaster and the evaluation of the need for assistance to individuals: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to concentration of damages (20%), trauma (20%), special populations (20%), voluntary agency assistance (10%), insurance (20%), average amount of individual assistance by state (5%), and economic considerations (5%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate).
 
Makes such rules applicable to any disaster for which a governor requested a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and was denied on or after January 1, 2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2047-2048; text of measure as introduced: CR S2048)
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
HELP Rural Communities Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-871
Sponsor: Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer credit
Financial services and investments
Housing finance and home ownership
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Helping Expand Lending Practices in Rural Communities Act of 2015 or 
the HELP Rural Communities Act of 2015

 
Directs the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to establish an application process under which a person who lives or does business in a state may apply to have an area in the state identified as a rural area if it has not yet been so designated by the CFPB for purposes of federal consumer financial law.
 
 Prescribes criteria for the CFPB to consider when evaluating the application. 
States that if, at any time before submission of an application, the area subject to review has been designated as nonrural by certain federal agencies, the CFPB is not required to consider that designation in its evaluation. 
Requires the CFPB to: (1) grant or deny the application within 90 days after the public comment period ends; and (2) publish the grant or denial in the Federal Register, including an explanation of the factors upon which the CFPB relied in making its determination.
 
Sunsets this Act two years after its enactment.
 
Amends The Truth in Lending Act with respect to CFPB authority to treat a balloon loan as &quot;a qualified mortgage&quot; to mean a balloon loan extended by any creditor operating in rural or underserved areas even if it does not operate predominantly in them. Exempts such a creditor from the requirements for escrow or impound accounts governing certain consumer credit transactions secured by a first lien on the consumer's principal dwelling.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2048-2049)
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act

Bill: 114-s-872
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act

 
Amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to permit the Native residents of each of the Native Villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, to organize as Urban Corporations and to receive certain settlement land pursuant to this Act. 
 
Authorizes those Urban Corporations to establish a settlement trust to promote the health, education, and welfare of the trust beneficiaries, and preserve the Native heritage and culture of their communities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-08
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-490.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2049)
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Jay S. Hammond Wilderness Act

Bill: 114-s-873
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Congressional tributes
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Jay S. Hammond Wilderness Act

 
Designates approximately 2,600,000 acres of National Wilderness Preservation System land in the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska as the &quot;Jay S. Hammond Wilderness Area.&quot;

action_date: 2015-09-09
text: 

Jay S. Hammond Wilderness Act

 
Designates approximately 2,600,000 acres of National Wilderness Preservation System land in the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska as the &quot;Jay S. Hammond Wilderness Area.&quot; 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 211.
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-131.
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-131.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-06-10
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-338.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2049-2050)
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Workplace Advancement Act

Bill: 114-s-875
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employment discrimination and employee rights
Labor standards
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Wages and earnings
Women's employment

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Workplace Advancement Act

 
Prohibits discrimination in the payment of wages on account of sex. (Allows payment of different wages under seniority systems, merit systems, systems that measure earnings by quantity or quality of production, or differentials based on any other factors other than sex.) 
 
 Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit discharging or retaliating against any employee because such employee has inquired about, discussed, or disclosed comparative compensation information for the purpose of determining whether the employer is compensating an employee in a manner that provides equal pay for equal work.
 
Makes such prohibition inapplicable to instances in which an employee who has access to the wage information of other employees as a part of such employee's job functions discloses the wages of such other employees other than in response to a charge or complaint or in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action under provisions prohibiting sex discrimination, including an investigation conducted by the employer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Commodity Exchange Act to specify how clearing requirements apply to certain affiliate transactions.

Bill: 114-s-876
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Commodities markets
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 
 Amends the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to revise the treatment of affiliate transactions that may be exempt from clearing requirements to authorize such an exemption only if the affiliate enters into the swap to hedge or mitigate the commercial risk of the person that is not a financial entity (as under current law), provided that an appropriate credit support measure or other mechanism must be used if the hedge or mitigation of commercial risk is addressed by entering into a swap with either: (1) a swap dealer or major swap participant, or (2) a security-based swap with a security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to establish a State residential building energy efficiency upgrades loan pilot program.

Bill: 114-s-878
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Building construction
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government lending and loan guarantees
Residential rehabilitation and home repair

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 
This bill amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a voluntary loan program to provide support to a state, territory, and tribal organization (eligible entity) in establishing or expanding programs that provide financing to residential property owners or tenants (recipient households) for energy efficiency upgrades of residential buildings.
 
DOE must establish favorable terms for a loan provided to an eligible entity. An eligible entity shall use a loan to establish or expand one or more financing programs that: (1) enable recipient households to undertake residential energy efficiency upgrades, (2) may require an outlay of capital by recipient households, and (3) incorporate a consumer-friendly repayment approach. 
 
To offset the cost of this bill, the bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to decrease the authorization of appropriations for the Zero Net Energy Commercial Buildings Initiative for FY2016-FY2018.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-879
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Adult day care
Aging
Income tax credits

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act of 2015

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow caregivers a tax credit for up to $6,000 of the eldercare expenses incurred for their parents (or ancestors of such parents).
 
Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to: (1) increase and extend funding for the National Family Caregiver Support Program through FY2019, and (2) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award a grant to or enter into a cooperative agreement with a public or private nonprofit entity to establish a National Resource Center on Family Caregiving to provide information on and support for family caregiver support programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Financing Act

Bill: 114-s-880
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Infrastructure development
Pedestrians and bicycling
Public transit
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Financing Act 

 
 Amends the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to make eligible for TIFIA funding any projects to improve or construct public infrastructure located within walking distance of and accessible to a fixed guideway transit facility, passenger rail station, intercity bus station, or intermodal facility, including transportation, public utility, and certain capital projects, and related infrastructure that promote transit ridership, walkability, or increased private investment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in Senate