hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Helping Individuals Regain Employment Act

Bill: 114-s-38
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Sales and excise taxes
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Helping Individuals Regain Employment Act

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the definition of &quot;full-time employee,&quot; for purposes of the employer mandate to provide minimum essential health care coverage, any individual who is a long-term unemployed individual. Defines "long-term unemployed individual" as an individual who begins employment after enactment of this Act and has been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
No Budget, No Pay Act

Bill: 114-s-39
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Appropriations
Budget process
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Legislative rules and procedure
Members of Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

No Budget, No Pay Act

 
Prohibits the payment of any pay to any Member of Congress (excluding the Vice President): (1) if both houses of Congress have not approved a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year before October 1 of that fiscal year and have not passed all the regular appropriations bills for the next fiscal year by such date, or (2) until both houses of Congress approve such a budget resolution and pass all such appropriations bills. Prohibits any retroactive pay for such a period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-40
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015

 
Directs the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations that prohibit broadband providers, in transmitting network traffic over the broadband Internet access service of an end user, from: (1) entering an agreement with an edge provider (a provider of Internet content, applications, services, or access devices) to give preferential treatment or priority to the traffic of such edge provider in exchange for consideration (commonly referred to as &quot;paid prioritization&quot;); and (2) giving preferential treatment or priority to content, applications, services, or devices that are provided or operated by such broadband provider or an affiliate of such broadband provider.
 
Prohibits this Act from superseding any obligation or authorization of a broadband provider to address the needs of emergency communications, law enforcement, public safety, or national security authorities.
 
Sets forth enforcement authority under the Communications Act of 1934, with modified forfeiture standards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S60; text of measure as introduced: CR S60-61)
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Travel Tax Relief Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-41
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Income tax deductions
Transportation costs
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Veterans Travel Tax Relief Act of 2015
 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow veterans a deduction from gross income, up to $400 a year, for their travel expenses, including those of a family member, to a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center for treatment related to a service-connected disability or for an examination related to a claim for disability compensation or a pension.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Stopping Illegal Obamacare Subsidies Act

Bill: 114-s-42
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Comprehensive health care
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax credits
Medicaid

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Stopping Illegal Obamacare Subsidies Act 

 
 Prohibits American Health Benefit Exchanges from providing for automatic enrollment in health plans until the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) verifies that each state exchange and the federal exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) have resolved the inconsistencies outlined in the June 14 IG report.
 
Directs the Secretary of HHS to make public the steps that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the federal exchange will take to clear any inconsistencies that arose on or before the enactment of this Act and to ensure that the systems used by the CMS to determine or assess eligibility for premium tax credits, cost-sharing reductions, Medicaid under title XIX of the Social Security Act (SSAct), and the State Children's Health Insurance Program under SSAct title XXI can resolve such inconsistencies within 30 days after enactment of this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary to make public the methods that the CMS use to monitor, track, and measure the progress of the federal and state exchanges in resolving inconsistencies.
 
Suspends for plan year 2015 the availability of premium assistance tax credits and the reduced cost-sharing program under PPACA; and allows them to resume only after the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration declares affirmatively that all inconsistencies related to invalid Social Security numbers have been resolved, and the IG determines that this is so.
 
Directs the Secretary to request additional information from any applicant for a qualified health plan on a state or federal exchange whose information contains inconsistencies. Requires the applicant to: (1) be withdrawn from the premium assistance credit and reduced cost-sharing programs if the additional information is not provided within 90 days, and (2) re-enroll in a qualified health plan with appropriate and accurate information during the next open enrollment period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Ethical Stem Cell Research Tax Credit Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-43
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Cell biology and embryology
Health promotion and preventive care
Income tax credits
Medical research

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Ethical Stem Cell Research Tax Credit Act of 2015

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 30% of qualified stem cell research expenses paid or incurred in a taxable year. Defines "qualified stem cell research expenses" as expenses for carrying out basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of or treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions. Prohibits a tax credit for any research expenses that may involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction of or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell for prohibited purposes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Birthright Citizenship Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-45
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Citizenship and naturalization
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Birthright Citizenship Act of 2015 

 
 Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States &quot;subject to the jurisdiction&quot; of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is: (1) a U.S. citizen or national, (2) a lawful permanent resident alien whose residence is in the United States, or (3) an alien performing active service in the U.S. Armed Forces.
 
 States that this Act may not be construed to affect the citizenship or nationality status of any person born before the date of its enactment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to reduce the amount of financial assistance provided to the Government of Mexico in response to the illegal border crossings from Mexico into the United States, which serve to dissipate the political discontent with the higher unemployment rate within Mexico.

Bill: 114-s-46
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Foreign aid and international relief
Latin America
Mexico
Military education and training

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 
 Directs the Secretary of State to: (1) annually estimate the number of illegal border crossings along the southern U.S. land border, and (2) reduce financial assistance to the government of Mexico by a total of $1,000 for each illegal border crossing from Mexico to the United States during the previous fiscal year.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to not reduce appropriations for the government of Mexico from the International Military Education and Training Fund, the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Fund, and the fund to carry out nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining, and related programs and activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the implementation of any program that grants temporary legal status to, or adjusts the status of, any individual who is unlawfully present in the United States until the Secretary of Homeland Security certifies that the US-VISIT system has been fully implemented at every land, sea, and air port of entry.

Bill: 114-s-47
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Congressional oversight
Criminal justice information and records
Government information and archives
Immigration status and procedures
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 
Prohibits the implementation of any program that grants temporary legal status to, or adjusts the status of, any individual who is unlawfully present in the United States until the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) certifies to the President and to Congress that the integrated entry and exit data system (US-VISIT) has been fully implemented at every land, sea, and air port of entry.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to include a question to ascertain United States citizenship and immigration status in each questionnaire used for a decennial census of population, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-49
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Citizenship and naturalization
Immigration status and procedures

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 
Requires the Secretary of Commerce to include in each questionnaire used for conducting the decennial census of population a question to ascertain U.S. citizenship and immigration status. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-50
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Abortion
Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Department of Health and Human Services
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Licensing and registrations
Medical education
Medical ethics

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2015

 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the federal government and any state or local government receiving federal financial assistance from subjecting an institutional or individual health care entity, including any health professional, facility, organization, or insurance plan, to discrimination on the basis that the entity refuses to participate in abortion-related activities.
 
Creates a cause of action for any violation of the abortion discrimination prohibition. Gives federal courts jurisdiction to prevent and redress actual or threatened violations by issuing legal or equitable relief, including injunctions and orders preventing the disbursement of all or a portion of federal financial assistance until the prohibited conduct has ceased. Gives standing to institute an action to affected health care entities and the Attorney General.
 
Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to designate the HHS Office for Civil Rights to receive and investigate complaints alleging a violation of abortion discrimination prohibition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act

Bill: 114-s-51
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Abortion
Congressional oversight
Family planning and birth control
Health facilities and institutions
Health programs administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act

 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) from providing federal family planning assistance to an entity unless the entity certifies that, during the period of assistance, the entity will not perform, and will not provide funds to any other entity that performs, an abortion. Excludes an abortion where: (1) the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest; or (2) a physician certifies that the woman suffered from a physical disorder, injury, or illness that would place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy. Excludes hospitals that do not provide funds to non-hospital entities that perform abortions.
 
Requires HHS to provide Congress annually: (1) information on grantees who performed abortions under the exceptions, and (2) a list of entities to which grant funds are made available. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to close the loophole that allowed the 9/11 hijackers to obtain credit cards from United States banks that financed their terrorist activities, to ensure that illegal immigrants cannot obtain credit cards to evade United States immigration laws, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-52
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Citizenship and naturalization
Consumer credit
Social security and elderly assistance
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 
Authorizes a financial institution, when verifying the identity of a non-U.S. citizen or national who is seeking to open a bank account, to accept only: (1) a Social Security number, (2) a passport number and the country of issuance, (3) an alien identification card number, or (4) any combination of such items.
 
Prohibits a financial institution, for such verification purposes, from accepting identification documents issued by a foreign government, other than an unexpired passport.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Tax Credit Integrity Preservation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-53
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax credits
Social security and elderly assistance
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax treatment of families

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Child Tax Credit Integrity Preservation Act of 2015

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the identification requirements for the child tax credit to require taxpayers to provide a valid identification number (i.e., a Social Security account number issued by the Social Security Administration) on their tax returns in addition to the name and identification number of each qualifying child.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5172-5173)
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Regulatory Fairness Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-54
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental regulatory procedures
Licensing and registrations
Solid waste and recycling
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Regulatory Fairness Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to define the period of time in which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is authorized to restrict or deny a permit for the discharge of dredged or fill materials into navigable waters as the period that:
 
 
begins on the date that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers publishes a notice for the discharge of dredged or fill material into navigable waters at specified disposal sites, and 
 
ends on the date that the Army Corps issues the permit.
 
 
The EPA must make all the information and data that it reviewed in making a determination publicly available.
 
The EPA's authority to withdraw a specification of a defined area as a disposal site for the discharge of dredged or fill materials is eliminated.
 
Any previous action by the EPA that occurred outside of this period to deny or restrict a permit or to prohibit the specification of any defined area as a disposal site is nullified.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Offshore Fairness Act

Bill: 114-s-55
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alabama
Atlantic Ocean
Fishes
Florida
Georgia
Gulf of Mexico
Intergovernmental relations
Land transfers
Louisiana
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mining
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oil and gas
South Carolina
State and local government operations
Texas
Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Offshore Fairness Act 

 
This bill amends the Submerged Lands Act to change the seaward boundaries of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia from a distance of three geographic miles from the coast line to a distance of three marine leagues. This change expands the offshore jurisdictions of those states.
 
The Department of the Interior must convey the submerged land in the Outer Continental Shelf that is within this expanded area to a state upon request. After a conveyance, states are prohibited from imposing on that land: (1) burdens or requirements on an interest owner that would be stricter than federal burdens or requirements, or (2) administrative or judicial penalties or sanctions on an interest owner that are more severe than the federal penalties or sanctions. 
 
The submerged land within the seaward boundaries of those states are subject to federal oil and gas mineral rights and are considered to be part of the federal Outer Continental Shelf for purposes of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, and other laws applicable to the leasing of the oil and gas resources.
 
Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas are given exclusive fishery management authority to manage and conserve the Gulf of Mexico red snapper in adjacent coastal waters of the applicable state and through the exclusive economic zone. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration must provide financial assistance to those states for stock assessments and data collection relating to the Gulf of Mexico red snapper.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Ending Mobile Phone Welfare Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-56
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Telecommunication rates and fees
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Ending Mobile Phone Welfare Act of 2015

 
Prohibits a provider of commercial mobile communications service from receiving universal service support under specified provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 for the provision of such service through the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program that provides discounts on monthly telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Food Stamp Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act

Bill: 114-s-57
Sponsor: Sen. Vitter, David [R-LA]
Introduced: 2015-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Food assistance and relief
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: 

Food Stamp Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act 

 
Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to disqualify from the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) any person who has been found to have intentionally used an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card issued to a household of which the person is not a member. 
 
Requires an EBT card to include a list of the members of a household eligible to use the card, if a state agency does not require the card to include a photograph. Requires a member of a household using an EBT card to show photographic identification at the point of sale. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate