hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to rename the National Florence Crittenton Mission.

Bill: 114-s-1727
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Women's employment
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 
This bill renames the National Florence Crittenton Mission the &quot;National Crittenton Foundation.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Access to Court Challenges for Exempt Status Seekers (ACCESS) Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1728
Sponsor: Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Judicial review and appeals
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Access to Court Challenges for Exempt Status Seekers (ACCESS) Act of 2015

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the availability of the declaratory judgment legal remedy to all organizations that are currently classified as tax-exempt (currently, limited to "c-3" charitable, religious, or educational organizations) and to religious and apostolic organizations, for purposes of determining the initial or continuing qualification of such organizations for a tax exemption. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Disaggregating Student Outcomes by Disability Category Act

Bill: 114-s-1729
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Special education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Disaggregating Student Outcomes by Disability Category Act

 
This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require annual state report cards to disaggregate, by type of disability (such as blindness), data regarding the educational outcomes of students with disabilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Stronger Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1730
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Financial services and investments
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Stronger Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to increase the money penalties in administrative and civil actions involving securities laws violations.
 
Prescribes a fourth tier penalty of triple monetary penalties for noncompliance with certain enforcement actions if the violator, within the five-year period preceding the prohibited act, was criminally convicted for securities fraud or became subject to a judgment or order imposing monetary, equitable, or administrative relief in any Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) action alleging fraud by such violator.
 
Applies the treatment as a separate offense each day that a violation of an SEC cease-and-desist order is committed through continuing noncompliance to violation of any action to enforce a federal court injunction or certain SEC orders that bar, suspend, place limitations on the activities or functions of, or prohibit the activities of, a person.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4956)
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Forest Incentives Program Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1733
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Building construction
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Energy efficiency and conservation
Forests, forestry, trees
Land use and conservation
Materials
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Forest Incentives Program Act of 2015
 
 
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a forest incentives program to achieve supplemental greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration on U.S. private forest land (eligible land) through: 
 
 
carbon incentives contracts, and 
 
conservation easement agreements. 
 
 
In selecting projects under such program, USDA shall give priority to contracts and agreements that: 
 
 
sequester the most carbon on a per acre basis; and 
 
create forestry jobs or protect habitats and achieve significant other environmental, economic, and social benefits. 
 
 
To participate in such program, an owner of eligible land must enter into a carbon incentives contract. 
 
USDA shall make financial incentive payments to owners of eligible land for: 
 
 
certain forestry practices that measurably increase carbon sequestration and storage over a designated period on eligible land, and 
 
conservation easements on eligible land covered under a conservation easement agreement. 
 
 
The Department of the Interior may set aside a portion of program funds to develop specified forest carbon modeling and methodologies and for other specified purposes. 
 
Interior shall establish a greenhouse gas incentives program to achieve supplemental greenhouse gas emission reductions from material choices in buildings. 
 
Interior shall provide owners of nonresidential buildings used for commercial or state or local government purposes incentive payments for the use of commercial or industrial products composed of biological products for sequestering carbon in those buildings. Program participants shall receive their payments upon the completion of the construction or renovation of the applicable building.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-16
text: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Expedite Transit Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1734
Sponsor: Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Public transit
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Expedite Transit Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century with respect to the good repair certification requirement for recipients of funding under the pilot program to demonstrate whether innovative project development and delivery methods or innovative financing arrangements can expedite project delivery for certain meritorious new fixed guideway capital projects and core capacity improvement projects.
 
The Department of Transportation (DOT) may waive the requirement that a recipient desiring to participate in the program certify that its existing public transportation system is in a state of good repair if the recipient seeks to carry out a core capacity improvement project which will allow the recipient to make substantial progress in achieving a state of good repair.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1735
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Firearms and explosives
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 to revise what are prohibited firearms to include any firearm: (1) that, after removal of all parts other than a major component (currently, of grips, stocks, and magazines), is not as detectable by walk-through metal detectors as the Security Exemplar; or (2) any major component of which, if subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices (currently, x-ray machines) commonly used at airports for security screening, would not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component.
 
Modifies the definition of: (1) "major component" to include the barrel of a firearm only in the case of a rifle or shotgun, and (2) "Security Exemplar" to repeal the requirement that it be fabricated within 12 months after enactment of such Act.
 
Exempts from undetectable firearms provisions: (1) a prototype firearm for detectability testing; (2) any firearm received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the United States; or (3) the manufacture, importation, possession, transfer, receipt, shipment, or delivery of a firearm by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer pursuant to a contract with the United States. (Replaces the exemption of any firearm that has been certified by the Department of Defense or the Central Intelligence Agency as necessary for military or intelligence applications or that is manufactured and sold exclusively to U.S. military or intelligence agencies.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act

Bill: 114-s-1736
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Business investment and capital
Great Lakes
Income tax credits
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a 30% tax credit for investment in a qualifying offshore wind facility (an offshore facility using wind to produce electricity), and (2) direct the Department of the Treasury to establish a qualifying credit for offshore wind facilities program to consider and award certifications for investments eligible for such a credit to qualifying offshore wind facility sponsors.
 
Requires Treasury to review credits allocated under this Act periodically and authorizes Treasury to make additional allocations and reallocations of such credits upon determining that: (1) the limit on the total amount of megawatt capacity for offshore facilities with respect to which credits may be allocated under the program has not been attained, or (2) scheduled placed-in-service dates of previously certified facilities have been significantly delayed and the applicant for certification will not meet the required timeline.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Bring Jobs Home Act

Bill: 114-s-1737
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Employee hiring
Foreign and international corporations
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Taxation of foreign income
U.S. territories and protectorates

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Bring Jobs Home Act
 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) grant business taxpayers a tax credit for up to 20% of insourcing expenses incurred for eliminating a business located outside the United States and relocating it within the United States, and (2) deny a tax deduction for outsourcing expenses incurred in relocating a U.S. business outside the United States. Requires an increase in the taxpayer's employment of full-time employees in the United States in order to claim the tax credit for insourcing expenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Truck Safety Act

Bill: 114-s-1739
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Commuting
Congressional oversight
Department of Transportation
Government studies and investigations
Labor standards
Life, casualty, property insurance
Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Truck Safety Act 

 
This bill increases from $750,000 to $1.5 million (adjusted annually for inflation) the minimum level of financial responsibility required to satisfy liability covering public liability, property damage, and environmental restoration for the transportation of property by a commercial motor carrier in the United States or to a place outside the United States. 
 
The Department of Transportation (DOT) must increase, by regulation, the minimum level of financial responsibility for transporting property or passengers if the current amount is insufficient to satisfy liability claims.
 
DOT shall initiate a rulemaking to establish a federal motor vehicle safety standard requiring a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 26,000 pounds to be equipped with crash avoidance and mitigation systems. 
 
DOT shall finalize regulations to require such a motor vehicle also to be equipped with an electronic control module requiring the speed to be set by the manufacturer at a maximum 70 m.p.h.
 
DOT must ensure that a review is completed on each motor carrier that demonstrates through performance data that it poses the highest safety risk, especially whenever it is among the highest risk carriers for two consecutive months.
 
DOT shall require, with respect to driver compensation, that a motor carrier:
 
 
 track the on-duty (not driving) time of an employee whose base compensation is calculated in a manner other than an hourly wage and who is required to keep a record of duty status under the hours of service regulations; and 
 
 separately compensate the employee for any on-duty (not driving) time period at an hourly rate not less than the federal minimum wage rate under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.
 
 
This compensation requirement, however, shall not apply where employment is governed by a collective bargaining agreement, negotiated by bona fide employee representatives, if the agreement governs, and compensates the employee for, all hours of on-duty (not driving) time. 
 
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shall study the effects of excessive commuting on safety and commercial motor vehicle driver fatigue. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5167-5168)
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1740
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Marriage and family status
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax treatment of families

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to change provisions that refer to married couples to make such provisions equally applicable to legally married same sex couples. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4957)
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
TESR Act

Bill: 114-s-1741
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Department of Transportation
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government information and archives
Motor vehicles
Product safety and quality
Retail and wholesale trades
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Tire Efficiency, Safety, and Registration Act of 2015 or the TESR Act 

 
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards, tire registration requirements, and a tire recall database. 
 
DOT must establish: 
 
 
 tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards for passenger car tires that meet specified requirements, and 
 
 tire wet traction minimum performance standards to ensure that passenger tire wet traction capability is not reduced to achieve improved tire fuel efficiency. 
 
 
DOT must require tire distributors or dealers that are not owned or controlled by a tire manufacturer to maintain records that include the names and addresses of customers and the tires that are leased or purchased. The distributors or dealers must electronically transmit the records to the tire manufacturers at no cost to the customers. 
 
DOT must also establish a publicly available and searchable electronic database of tire recall information that is reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The database must be searchable by Tire Identification Number and any other criteria that assist consumers in determining whether a tire is subject to a recall. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Postal Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1742
Sponsor: Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Merit Systems Protection Board
Motor vehicles
Postal Regulatory Commission
Postal service
Public contracts and procurement
Rural conditions and development
U.S. Postal Service

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Rural Postal Act of 2015 

 
Imposes a two-year moratorium on the closing or consolidation of any postal facility (i.e, a processing and distribution center, processing and distribution facility, network distribution center, or other facility that is operated by the U.S. Postal Service [USPS], the primary function of which is to sort and process mail). Sets forth matters which the USPS must consider in making a determination to close or consolidate a postal facility, including the effect of the closing or consolidation on the affected community, and for using an alternate means of transportation contract. Allows any person served by a postal facility to appeal a closing or consolidation to the Postal Regulatory Commission. 
 
Preserves the current six-day mail delivery schedule. 
 
Sets forth criteria for the closing or consolidation of rural post offices. Imposes a one-year moratorium on the discontinuation of a rural post office.
 
Grants a right of appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board to any USPS officer or employer who: (1) is not represented by a recognized bargaining representative; and (2) is in a supervisory, professional, technical, clerical, administrative, or managerial position covered by the Executive and Administrative Schedule. 
 
Establishes in the USPS the position of Chief Morale Officer who shall oversee USPS employees, including managers, and develop national initiatives that address working conditions, staffing, communication, and training. 
 
Establishes the Rural Postal Service Advisory Commission to provide strategic guidance on enhancing and protecting postal services in rural areas and to foster innovative thinking to address challenges facing the USPS in enhancing and protecting such services. 
 
Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the USPS considering options for delivery vehicles in rural areas, providing wireless broadband Internet access service in rural post offices, and maintaining door or curbside delivery in lieu of centralized delivery.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1744
Sponsor: Sen. Perdue, David [R-GA]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Forests, forestry, trees
Georgia
Land transfers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2015

 
Authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell or exchange any or all interest of the United States in 30 tracts of National Forest System land in Georgia totaling approximately 3,841 acres. 
 
Authorizes USDA to reserve any rights-of-way or other rights or interests in land sold or exchanged under this Act that is considered necessary for management purposes or to protect the public interest. 
 
Prohibits USDA from selling or exchanging land under this Act for less than market value, as determined by an appraisal or through a competitive bid. 

Requires proceeds to be used for the acquisition of land for national forest purposes in Georgia. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-16
text: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Hearings held.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Extracurricular Programs for Indian Children Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1745
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Child care and development
Child health
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Food assistance and relief
Indian social and development programs
Mental health
Minority education
Nutrition and diet

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 

Extracurricular Programs for Indian Children Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants for before-school, after-school, and summer school programs for Indian and Alaska Native students. Entities eligible for grants include Indian tribes, local educational agencies with more than 10% Indian or Alaska Native students, schools within Indian reservations, tribal colleges and universities, and tribal nonprofit organizations.
 
Grants may be used for activities that advance or improve student academic achievement and well-being, including education activities, Native language and culture programs, physical fitness activities, programs that promote parental involvement, substance abuse and violence prevention programs, health and mental health services, and transportation services.
 The bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to make entities that are eligible for the grants in this Act eligible for the school lunch program, summer food service program for children, child and adult care food program, and school breakfast program.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate