hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2816
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2016-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Government lending and loan guarantees
Motor carriers
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: 

Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2016 

 
This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize through FY2021 a diesel emissions reduction program. The program authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants, rebates, or loans for reducing diesel emissions from certain diesel vehicles or fleets by retrofitting or replacing their engines.

action_date: 2016-06-21
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
 

Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2016 

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize through FY2021 a diesel emissions reduction program. The program authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants, rebates, or loans for reducing diesel emissions from certain diesel vehicles or fleets by retrofitting or replacing their engines.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-06-21
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 525.
action_date: 2016-06-21
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Inhofe without amendment. With written report No. 114-284.
action_date: 2016-06-21
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Inhofe without amendment. With written report No. 114-284.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Title X Amendments Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2818
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2016-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Appropriations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Low- and moderate-income housing

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: 

Title X Amendments Act of 2016

 
This bill reauthorizes the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 and revises the purpose for grants for lead-based paint hazard reduction in target housing.
 
Such grants shall be made instead for reduction of lead-based paint hazards and correction of other housing-related hazards, including any condition of residential real property that poses a risk of biological, physical, radiological, or chemical exposure that can adversely affect human health.
 
The Department of Housing and Urban Development may establish a process by which, in order to verify a family's income level, a grantee may first obtain and use income and program participation information from an entity administering:
 
 
the HOME Investment Partnerships program under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act;
 
the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966;
 
reduced price or free lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act;
 
the weatherization assistance program for low-income persons established under the Energy Conservation and Production Act;
 
the temporary assistance for needy families program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct);
 
the supplemental security income program under SSAct title XVI; or
 
any other program consistent with the family income requirements of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992.
 
 
An Indian tribe and a private nonprofit organization shall be eligible to apply for such a grant, in addition to certain state or local governments, for specified activities relating to lead-based paint hazards.
 
A private nonprofit organization shall also be eligible to apply for a grant to reduce housing-related health hazards.
 
The bill revises grantee selection criteria for a grant to carry out activities relating to lead-based paint hazards, and prescribes criteria for activities relating to housing-related hazards.
 
The bill also prescribes an allocation of funds for grants to assess and correct housing-related health hazards and evaluate the effectiveness of such assessments and corrections. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2199)
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Housing Council Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2819
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2016-04-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Consumer affairs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental health
Executive agency funding and structure
Housing and community development funding
Housing industry and standards
Low- and moderate-income housing

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: 

Healthy Housing Council Act of 2016

 
This bill establishes in the executive branch an independent Interagency Council on Healthy Housing.
 
The Council shall:
 
 
review federal programs and services that provide housing, health, energy, or environmental services to families and individuals;
 
monitor, evaluate, and recommend improvements in programs and services administered, funded, or financed by federal, state, and local agencies;
 
recommend ways to reduce duplication among federal programs and services; and
 
ensure collaboration among and within agencies in the provision and availability of such programs and services.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2199)
action_date: 2016-04-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Contaminant and Lead Electronic Accounting and Reporting Requirements (CLEARR) for Drinking Water Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2820
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Government information and archives
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Minority health
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Contaminant and Lead Electronic Accounting and Reporting Requirements (CLEARR) for Drinking Water Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by revising requirements governing the drinking water state revolving funds, including by prioritizing grant applications that improve continuous electronic monitoring or transmission of water quality testing results.
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue formal guidance that develops a process for protecting and improving the drinking water of minority, tribal, or low-income communities. In developing the process, the EPA must establish within the Office of Environmental Justice a process for the communities to request expedited testing of the quality of drinking water.
 
The EPA must develop an electronic database of drinking water quality and health screening tests.
 
The EPA may make grants for educating residents in minority, tribal, or low-income communities about: (1) drinking water contaminants that may have adverse effects on human health, and (2) the assistance that the EPA may provide in addressing the contaminants.
 
The EPA may create a partnership for researching contaminants in drinking water.
 
The bill revises reporting requirements, inspection requirements, and enforcement provisions concerning violations of national primary drinking water standards.
 
The EPA must issue a rule establishing requirements for electronic submission of compliance data by public water systems and states with primary enforcement responsibilities.
 
The bill establishes additional requirements for those states with respect to notifications of violations of drinking water regulations that have the potential to have serious adverse effects on human health.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Flexibility in Electronic Health Record Reporting Act

Bill: 114-s-2822
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Medicaid
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Flexibility in Electronic Health Record Reporting Act 

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, with respect to electronic health record (EHR) meaningful use incentive programs under Medicare and Medicaid, to continue through 2016 to allow the use of quarterly reporting without regard to the payment year or the stage of meaningful use criteria involved.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Steel Industry Preservation Act

Bill: 114-s-2823
Sponsor: Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Business expenses
Coal
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Industrial facilities
Manufacturing
Metals
Oil and gas
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Steel Industry Preservation Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify the production tax credit for steel industry fuel. 
 
(Under current law, steel industry fuel is a fuel which is: (1) produced through a process of liquefying coal waste sludge and distributing it on coal, and (2) used as a feedstock for the manufacture of coke.) 
 
The bill modifies the tax credit for steel industry fuel to: 
 
 
 extend the credit period and the placed-in-service date, 
 
 revise the definition of &quot;steel industry fuel&quot; to allow blends of coal and petroleum coke or other coke feedstock in the fuel, 
 
 set forth ownership requirements, and 
 
specify requirements for treating an owner as producing and selling steel industry fuel. 
 
 
A taxpayer that produces steel industry fuel may elect to accept an increased tax credit in lieu of certain deductions for expenses in connection with the production of steel industry fuel. 
 
The bill specifies the treatment of the credit for the purpose of the alternative minimum tax. It also exempts transactions related to steel industry fuel from rules that restrict deductions and other tax benefits for activities that are not engaged in for profit or that do not have economic substance. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Ariel Rios Federal Building Designation Act

Bill: 114-s-2824
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Department of Justice
District of Columbia
Government buildings, facilities, and property

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Ariel Rios Federal Building Designation Act

 
This bill designates the federal building housing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives headquarters located at 99 New York Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C., as the "Ariel Rios Federal Building."

action_date: 2016-04-28
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

Ariel Rios Federal Building Designation Act

 
(Sec. 2) This bill designates the federal building housing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives headquarters located at 99 New York Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C., as the "Ariel Rios Federal Building."


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 444.
action_date: 2016-04-28
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Inhofe without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-04-28
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Inhofe without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-04-28
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Buy American Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2825
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Buy American requirements
Military personnel and dependents
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Buy American Act of 2016

 
This bill directs the the Department of Defense (DOD), in the case of athletic footwear needed by members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps upon their initial entry into the Armed Forces, to: (1) furnish such footwear directly instead of providing a cash allowance to the service members to purchase such footwear, and (2) comply with American source requirements in procuring such footwear.
 
A cash allowance may be provided for the purchase of footwear that is medically required to meet a service member's unique physiological needs that cannot be met with footwear furnished by DOD. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Promoting Value Based Defense Procurement Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2826
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Armed Forces and National Security
Computers and information technology
Department of Defense
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Promoting Value Based Defense Procurement Act
 
of 2016

 
This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to revise the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to require that Lowest Price Technically Acceptable source selection criteria are used for new solicitations (solicitations issued starting 120 days after enactment of this bill) only in situations in which:
 
 
DOD is able to clearly describe the minimum requirements expressed in terms of performance objectives, measures, and standards that will be used to determine offer acceptability; 
 
DOD would realize no, or minimal, value from a contract proposal exceeding minimum technical or performance requirements; 
 
the proposed technical approaches will require no, or minimal, subjective judgment of competing proposals; 
 
a review of technical proposals other than the lowest bidder's would result in no, or minimal, benefit to DOD; and 
 
the contracting officer has included a justification for the use of LPTA evaluation methodology if the contract is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, or other knowledge-based professional services.
 
 
LPTA source selection criteria shall be avoided when the procurement is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, or other knowledge-based professional services. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Willing Workers and Willing Employers Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2827
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Employee hiring
Foreign labor
Immigration status and procedures
Small business
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Willing Workers and Willing Employers Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish, for 10 years, an H-2C visa nonimmigrant classification for an alien who is coming temporarily to the United States to perform services or labor in a registered position for a registered non-agricultural employer.
 
An alien may not be admitted as an H-2C nonimmigrant if the alien: 
 
 
is inadmissible under this Act, 
 
fails to pass a criminal or a national security background check, 
 
 is from a country that has supported acts of international terrorism, or 
 
has not received an offer of employment from a registered employer in a registered position. 
 
 
A registered position is a position for which a registered employer has submitted an H-2C hiring attestation to, and that has been approved by, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 
 
An occupation requiring an individual with a bachelor's degree or higher level of education may not be an eligible H-2C occupation.
 
Employers must: (1) register with DHS, (2) operate in an employment area where the unemployment rate is equal to or less than 4.9%, (3) attest that they have advertised and attempted to recruit qualified U.S. workers, and (4) participate in the E-verify program or an employment verification system patterned upon E-verify. Such employers may: (1) promote an H-2C worker after not less than 12 months on the job, and (2) terminate an H-2C worker at any time for any reason for which it is lawful to terminate U.S. workers.
 
The maximum number of positions that may be approved for the first fiscal year is 65,000, and the number of positions that may be approved for a subsequent fiscal year may not be less than 45,000 or more than 85,000. 
 
The initial period of authorized presence for an H-2C worker is 36 months, with specified renewal periods.
 
A percentage of H-2C positions are reserved for small businesses.
 
The bill prescribes penalties for: (1) H-2C worker violations, revocation of employment status, and removal from the United States; and (2) employer violations, including program ineligibility.
 
An H-2C worker: (1) may travel outside, and be readmitted to, the United States; (2) may not bring family members into the United States who have not received employment offers from a registered employer; (3) must comply with biometric entry and exit requirements; and (4) may terminate employment at any time and accept employment with another registered employer in any other registered position. 
 
DHS shall implement an electronic monitoring system to monitor the presence and employment of H-2C workers. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in The Dalles, Oregon, as the "Loren R. Kaufman Memorial Veterans' Clinic".

Bill: 114-s-2828
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Oregon
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Designates the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic located at 704 Veterans Drive, The Dalles, Oregon, as the "Loren R. Kaufman Memorial Veterans' Clinic."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
Lead Testing in School and Child Care Drinking Water Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2830
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2016-04-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Child care and development
Child health
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: 

Lead Testing in School and Child Care Drinking Water Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a voluntary school and child care lead testing program of grants to states to assist local educational agencies in voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child care programs.
 
The bill repeals the current program of federal assistance for state programs regarding lead contamination in school drinking water.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to provide priority for applicants for a license to operate as a small business investment company that are located in a disaster area.

Bill: 114-s-2831
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2016-04-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Disaster relief and insurance
Government lending and loan guarantees
Licensing and registrations
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2016-04-21
text: 
This bill amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to require the Small Business Administration to give priority to small business investment company applications for licenses to operate in a declared major disaster area.

action_date: 2016-05-24
text: 
(Sec. 1) This bill amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to give priority to small business investment company (SBIC) applications for licenses to operate in a declared major disaster area.
 
In calculating the outstanding leverage (debt) of one or more licensed SBICs in view of the maximum leverage allowed for debenture or loan guarantee purposes, the SBA shall not include the cost basis of any investment made by an SBIC in a small business concern in a major disaster area during the one-year period beginning on the date of the disaster declaration.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-24
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 481.
action_date: 2016-05-24
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Vitter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-05-24
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Vitter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-05-11
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2016-04-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2016-04-21
text: Introduced in Senate