hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Veterans Access to Speedy Review Act

Bill: 114-hr-732
Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disability assistance
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Veterans Access to Speedy Review Act

 
Requires the Board of Veterans' Appeals, for purposes of scheduling a veteran's appeal hearing at the earliest possible date, to determine whether to provide such hearing: (1) at its principal location or at another Department of Veterans Affairs facility or other federal facility, and (2) through the use of videoconferencing or by an appellant's personal appearance.
 
Requires the Board to notify the appellant of such decisions. Allows the appellant to request a different location or type of hearing. Requires the Board to grant such request and ensure that the hearing is scheduled at the earliest possible date.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-02-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
SNAP Verify Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-733
Sponsor: Rep. Salmon, Matt [R-AZ-5]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Food assistance and relief
Photography and imaging
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

SNAP Verify Act of 2015 

 
This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require households to present photographic identification when using an electronic benefit card for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) transactions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
To authorize the appropriation of funds to be used to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals in order to improve educational achievement for children.

Bill: 114-hr-736
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 
Directs the Secretary of Education to allot funds to states for distribution to local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals in order to improve educational achievement for children. 
 
Requires that 80% of a state's allotment be allocated to LEAs on the basis of each LEA's proportion of low-income schoolchildren in the state, and that the remainder be allocated on the basis of each LEA's proportion of the overall population of schoolchildren in the state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
Sewage Sludge in Food Production Consumer Notification Act

Bill: 114-hr-737
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural practices and innovations
Consumer affairs
Farmland
Food industry and services
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Livestock
Meat
Solid waste and recycling

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Sewage Sludge in Food Production Consumer Notification Act 

 
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Egg Products Inspection Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to require consumers to be notified regarding food produced from crops, poultry, or livestock on land in which sewage sludge was applied. Sewage sludge is solid, semi-solid, or liquid residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works. Under the bill, if consumers are not notified regarding food produced on land on which sewage sludge was applied, the food is considered adulterated food subject to Food and Drug Administration or Department of Agriculture recalls. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research.
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
Baseball Diplomacy Act

Bill: 114-hr-738
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Athletes
Caribbean area
Cuba
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign labor
Immigration status and procedures
Latin America
Professional sports
Sanctions
Trade restrictions
Travel and tourism
Visas and passports
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Baseball Diplomacy Act

 
 Waives certain foreign assistance and trade and travel prohibitions against Cuba under specified federal law regarding Cuban nationals who: (1) enter the United States on a visa to play organized professional baseball, and (2) return to Cuba with their baseball earnings. States that such visa shall be valid only for the duration of the season and need not be renewed as long as the player remains with the same team.
 
Prohibits the President from denying visas to such nationals based upon authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict any entry of aliens or class of aliens that would be detrimental to U.S. interests. 
 
Declares that this Act shall not be affected by the economic embargo requirements against Cuba under the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
To permit members of the House of Representatives to donate used computer equipment to public elementary and secondary schools designated by the members.

Bill: 114-hr-739
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Computers and information technology
Congressional operations and organization
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Members of Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 
Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1987 to allow the Clerk of the House of Representatives, at the request of a Member of the House, to donate computers and related peripheral tools previously used by the Member to a public elementary or secondary school designated by such Member without regard to whether the donation: (1) is a cost to the government, or (2) has a recoverable value. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
Clean Vehicles Incentive Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-740
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Motor fuels
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Clean Vehicles Incentive Act of 2015

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain businesses located in areas designated as nonattainment areas under the Clean Air Act a general business tax credit for the cost of certain clean-fuel vehicle property and the use of clean-burning fuel. 
 
Allows a new qualified hybrid motor vehicle tax credit for hybrid motor vehicles placed in service after December 31, 2014, by an eligible business if substantially all of the use of the vehicle is in a nonattainment area. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
United States Library Trust Fund Act

Bill: 114-hr-741
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Government trust funds
Libraries and archives
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

United States Library Trust Fund Act

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish in the Treasury the United States Library Trust Fund, and (2) allow taxpayers to designate a portion of any tax overpayment (not less than $1) to the Fund. Authorizes public libraries or public school libraries to receive grants from the Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
Access to Contraception for Women Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-742
Sponsor: Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses
Crime victims
Crimes against women
Family planning and birth control
HIV/AIDS
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health promotion and preventive care
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
Sex offenses
Sexually transmitted diseases
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Access to Contraception for Women Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2015

 
Expands the TRICARE health care program managed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to entitle additional female beneficiaries and dependents to care related to the prevention of pregnancy. (Currently, such care is limited to certain female members of the uniformed service or a reserve component performing active duty or certain servicewomen performing inactive-duty training.) Prohibits cost-sharing from being imposed or collected for such pregnancy prevention care, including for any method of contraception provided through a facility of the uniformed services, the TRICARE retail pharmacy program, or the national mail-order pharmacy program.
 
Provides for such pregnancy prevention care to include all methods of contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling.
 
Directs the DOD Secretary to: (1) ensure that every military treatment facility has a sufficient stock of a broad range of FDA-approved methods of contraception to dispense to any women members of the Armed Forces and female covered beneficiaries who receive care through such facility, (2) disseminate clinical practice guidelines and decision support tools to DOD-employed health care providers, (3) ensure that women members of the Armed Forces have access to comprehensive counseling on contraception during health care visits, and (4) establish uniform curriculum to be used in family planning education programs for all men and women members of the Armed Forces.
 
Requires questions regarding family planning services and counseling to be incorporated into DOD health surveys.
 
Requires every military treatment facility, upon request, to provide emergency contraception, or information about FDA-approved methods of emergency contraception, to any woman who: (1) states to personnel that she is a victim of sexual assault or is accompanied by another individual who states that the woman is a victim of sexual assault, or (2) is reasonably believed to be a survivor of sexual assault.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-08-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
To improve rangeland conditions and restore grazing levels within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah.

Bill: 114-hr-743
Sponsor: Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Livestock
Monuments and memorials
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Utah

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 
Directs the Department of the Interior to implement a management program within the areas of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah that are administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to: (1) improve rangeland conditions for wildlife and livestock carrying capacity in those areas, and (2) restore livestock grazing to the level of usage in those areas that existed as of September 17, 1996. 
 
Requires Interior, in issuing or renewing grazing permits and in issuing or modifying allotment management plans for livestock grazing in those areas, to incorporate standards and guidelines that are consistent with: (1) the &quot;Utah Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management for BLM Lands in Utah&quot;, approved by the Secretary on May 20, 1997; and (2) the applicable BLM regulations contained in regulations relating to livestock grazing on public land. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
Medical Innovation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-744
Sponsor: Rep. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD-8]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Appropriations
Civil actions and liability
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Executive agency funding and structure
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Health technology, devices, supplies
Medical research
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Prescription drugs
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Medical Innovation Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require certain drug manufacturers to make payments to fund research supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
 
A drug manufacturer with over $1 billion in net income in a fiscal year that has entered into a settlement agreement in the previous five years with a federal agency regarding specified violations must pay 1% of its net income to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for each of its covered blockbuster drugs. A covered blockbuster drug is a drug that has at least $1 billion in net sales in a year and was developed, in whole or in part, through federal investments in medical research, including a drug for which a patent contains information that relates to, or is based upon, federally-funded research.
 
Each fiscal year, HHS must publish a list of manufacturers that make payments, each manufacturer's covered blockbuster drugs, and payment amounts.
 
Payments are divided between the FDA and the NIH in proportion to the discretionary funding of those agencies, excluding FDA user fees. Payments are not disbursed if appropriations for the FDA or the NIH are lower than in the prior fiscal year.
 
The FDA's priority use for payments must include advancing regulatory science for medical products.
 
The NIH's priority use for payments must include supporting: (1) research that fosters radical innovation, (2) research that advances fundamental knowledge, (3) research related to diseases that disproportionately account for federal health care spending, and (4) early career scientists.
 A covered blockbuster drug for which a manufacturer has not made a required payment is considered misbranded and cannot be sold until payment is made.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-745
Sponsor: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2]
Introduced: 2015-02-04 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health information and medical records
Medicare
Motor vehicles
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: 

Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015

 
 Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the ambulance fee schedule to: (1) increase the conversion factor for ground ambulance services in the formula for determining the appropriate fee, and (2) increase the mileage rate for such services.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study how the conversion factor should be modified, if at all, to take into account the cost of providing ambulance services in urban, rural, and super-rural areas.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a process to determine, in advance of furnishing end stage renal disease ambulance services, whether payment for them may not be made because they are not covered or because they are excluded from coverage. Prohibits any payment unless the Secretary determines, pursuant to this process, that the service meets coverage requirements.
 
Directs the Secretary to develop a data collection system for ambulance providers to collect cost, revenue, utilization, and other appropriate information.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Introduced in House
AWARE Act

Bill: 114-hr-746
Sponsor: Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
Introduced: 2015-02-05 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Agricultural research
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Livestock
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: 

Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors Act or the AWARE Act

 
This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to apply standards for humane treatment to farm animals at federal research or laboratory animal facilities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E170)
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-04
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H759-760)