hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act

Bill: 114-hr-425
Sponsor: Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional elections
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Political advertising
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act

 
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to treat as a campaign contribution any payment made by any person (other than a candidate, an authorized committee of a candidate, or a political committee of a political party) for a coordinated expenditure which is not otherwise treated as a contribution.
 
(In effect, replaces and eliminates a prohibition against contributions by minors which the U.S. Supreme Court in 
McConnell v. Federal Election Commission
 ruled an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment.)
 
Sets forth rules governing payments for coordinated expenditures, including special rule for payments by coordinated spenders for covered communications.
 
Defines "covered communication" as a public communication which: (1) expressly advocates the election of the candidate or the defeat of an opponent of the candidate (or contains the functional equivalent of express advocacy); (2) promotes or supports the candidate, or attacks or opposes an opponent of the candidate (regardless of whether the communication expressly advocates the election or defeat of a candidate or contains the functional equivalent of express advocacy); or (3) refers to the candidate or an opponent of the candidate in other ways, but only if the communication is disseminated during the applicable election period.
 
Prescribes penalties for knowing and willfull violation of this Act by a contribution which consists of a payment for a coordinated expenditure.
 
Prohibits candidates or individuals holding federal office, their agents, and certain related entities from soliciting, receiving, directing, or transferring funds to or on behalf of any political committee which accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with FECA limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements, or to or on behalf of any 527 organization which accepts such donations or contributions (other than a committee of a state or local political party or a candidate for election for state or local office).
 
(A 527 organization, tax-exempt in certain circumstances under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, is created primarily to influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or local public office.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Sanctity of Human Life Act

Bill: 114-hr-426
Sponsor: Rep. Hice, Jody B. [R-GA-10]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Abortion

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Sanctity of Human Life Act

 
This bill declares that: (1) the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human and is the person's paramount and most fundamental right; (2) each human life begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, at which time every human has all legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood; and (3) Congress, each state, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories have the authority to protect all human lives.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Export American Natural Gas Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-428
Sponsor: Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Congressional oversight
Department of Energy
Energy prices
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Oil and gas
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Export American Natural Gas Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Natural Gas Act to direct the Secretary of Energy to either approve or deny an application to export liquefied natural gas (LNG), whether through an onshore or offshore terminal, within 60 days after the later of: (1) receiving a completed application; (2) the applicant's contracting with a customer for the LNG proposed to be exported, and (3) the date of the enactment of this Act.
 
Deems the application approved if the Secretary has neither approved nor denied it by such 60-day deadline. 
 
Declares this Act inapplicable to applications for export to a nation to which export is prohibited by law. 
Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on: (1) how the economic policies of foreign countries with natural gas resources and reserves relate to the development and production of their natural gas resources and reserves, as well as the extent and status of their natural gas resources and reserves; (2) the potential of such countries to export their natural gas production to the global market, including the impact of such exports upon the global market; and (3) U.S. actions to foster natural gas exports to foreign countries having an interest in importing natural gas from the United States.
 

 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
action_date: 2015-01-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Grand Jury Reform Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-429
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Evidence and witnesses
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Grand Jury Reform Act of 2015

 
 Conditions a state or local government's eligibility for funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program on the state's compliance with this Act.
 
Requires: (1) the chief officer of the law enforcement agency of a locality in which a death results from the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer of such agency to report the death to the elected prosecutor of that locality within 24 hours of such death, and (2) the elected prosecutor to report the death to the governor of the state within 24 hours after receiving such notice. 
 
Directs the governor: (1) within three days after receiving such report, to appoint a special prosecutor to present evidence on the state's behalf at a hearing before a judge to determine whether probable cause exists to bring criminal charges against the law enforcement officer; (2) to use a random process to select the special prosecutor from among all of the elected prosecutors in the state, excluding the elected prosecutor of the locality in which the death occurred; and (3) within 24 hours after being notified of such death, to report the death to the chief officer of the state's law enforcement agency, which shall assume exclusive control of the investigation of the death during the pendency of the probable cause hearing. 
 
Requires: (1) the hearing to be held within 90 days after the appointment of the special prosecutor, unless the judge determines that good cause exists to delay it; (2) the court to remain open to the public for such hearing, except as determined appropriate by the presiding judge; (3) the presiding judge, within five days of the hearing's conclusion, to issue a determination regarding probable cause and to submit such determination to the elected prosecutor of the locality in which the death occurred; and (4) the special prosecutor to submit recommendations to the elected prosecutor, including regarding whether criminal charges should be brought against the officer. Declares that the probable cause hearing shall have no binding effect on the elected prosecutor.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H461)
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
LEVEL Act

Bill: 114-hr-434
Sponsor: Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental regulatory procedures
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Motor fuels
Product safety and quality

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Leave Ethanol Volumes at Existing Levels Act or the LEVEL Act 

 
This bill amends the Clean Air Act to revise the renewable fuel program by decreasing the volume of renewable fuel that must be contained in motor vehicle fuel in 2015 through 2022 to 7.5 billion gallons for each year. The separate volume requirements are eliminated for the following renewable fuel categories: advanced biofuels, cellulosic biofuel (ethanol derived from certain types of biological matter), and biomass-based diesel. 
 
The bill revokes the requirement that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ensure that renewable fuels emit fewer greenhouse gases than the fuel it replaces.
 
One gallon of cellulosic biomass ethanol or waste-derived ethanol is considered to be equal to 2.5 gallons of renewable fuel.
 
Petitions for waivers from requirements under the renewable fuel program may not be brought to the EPA by a person who is subject to the requirements of the program.
 
The EPA may not permit or authorize the introduction into commerce of gasoline that: (1) contains greater than 10% ethanol by volume, (2) is intended for general use in conventional gasoline-powered vehicles or engines, and (3) is not registered under the program and lawfully sold in the United States before this Act's enactment. This prohibition applies to EPA grants of waivers through the fuels and fuel additives waiver process as well.
 
This bill nullifies waivers that permit the introduction into commerce of gasoline that contains greater than 10% ethanol by volume for general use in conventional gasoline-powered vehicles or engines, except for waivers for gasoline that is registered and lawfully sold in the United States before this Act's enactment. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-435
Sponsor: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arizona
Budget deficits and national debt
Colorado
Congressional oversight
Idaho
Land transfers
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2015

 
 Directs the Secretary of the Interior to offer for disposal by competitive sale certain federal lands in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming, previously identified as suitable for disposal in the report submitted to Congress on May 27, 1997, pursuant to the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Clarification Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-436
Sponsor: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Labor
Disability assistance
Marine and inland water transportation
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Transportation employees
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Clarification Act of 2015

 
Amends the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to define &quot;recreational vessel&quot; as a vessel:
 
 
being manufactured or operated primarily for pleasure; or
 
leased, rented, or chartered to another for the latter's pleasure.
 
 
Prescribes the following rules in applying the definition:
 
 
a vessel being manufactured or built, or being repaired under warranty by its manufacturer or builder, is a recreational vessel if the vessel appears intended, based on its design and construction, to be for ultimate recreational uses. Requires the manufacturer or builder to bear the burden of establishing that a vessel is recreational under this standard;
 
a vessel being repaired, dismantled for repair, or dismantled at the end of its life will be treated as recreational at the time of repair, dismantling for repair, or dismantling, provided that such vessel shares elements of design and construction of traditional recreational vessels and is not normally engaged in a military, commercial or traditionally commercial undertaking; and
 
a vessel will be treated as a recreational vessel if it is a public vessel, such as a vessel owned or chartered and operated by the United States, or by a state or local government, at the time of repair, dismantling for repair, or dismantling, provided that such vessel shares elements of design and construction with traditional recreational vessels and is not normally engaged in a military, commercial, or traditionally commercial undertaking.
 
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor to revise a certain federal regulation to replace its definition of &quot;recreational vessel&quot; with the definition specified in this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
To provide for the retention of the name of Mount McKinley.

Bill: 114-hr-437
Sponsor: Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Alaska
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Presidential administrations
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
Requires retention of the name of Mount McKinley in Alaska. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Joanne King Herring and posthumously to each of Charles "Charlie" Wilson and Gustav Lascaris "Gust" Avrakotos, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service to the country.

Bill: 114-hr-438
Sponsor: Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Afghanistan
Asia
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Conflicts and wars
Congressional tributes
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Federal officials
House of Representatives
Members of Congress
U.S.S.R.

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Joanne King Herring, and for the posthumous presentation of such a medal to Charles Wilson and Gustav Lascaris Avrakotos, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service to the country.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medals at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the gold medals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Illegal Entry Accountability Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-439
Sponsor: Rep. Weber, Randy K., Sr. [R-TX-14]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Congressional oversight
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
El Salvador
Foreign aid and international relief
Guatemala
Honduras
Latin America
Mexico
Sanctions

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 

Illegal Entry Accountability Act of 2015

 
 Directs the Secretary of State to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, except for assistance under the international narcotic control law enforcement program.
 
Allows reinstatement of assistance only if Congress determines that Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador have taken sufficient action to mitigate unlawful U.S.-Mexico border crossings by their respective citizens.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
Helping Individuals Regain Employment Act

Bill: 114-hr-440
Sponsor: Rep. Boustany, Charles W., Jr. [R-LA-3]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
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: 2015-01-21
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: 2015-02-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
To provide for a technical change to the Medicare long-term care hospital moratorium exception.

Bill: 114-hr-441
Sponsor: Rep. Boustany, Charles W., Jr. [R-LA-3]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Hospital care
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
This bill amends the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, as amended by other specified federal law, with respect to the five-year moratorium begining April 1, 2014, on the establishment of long-term care (LTC) hospitals and LTC satellite facilities and on the increase of LTC hospital beds in existing LTC hospitals or satellite facilities for purposes of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act.
 
A technical correction is made to an exception to this moratorium for certain LTC hospitals that:
 
 
began their qualifying period for Medicare payment on or before April 1, 2014;
 
have a binding written agreement as of that date with an outside, unrelated party for the actual construction, renovation, lease, or demolition for an LTC hospital, and have expended, before that date, at least 10% of the project's estimated cost (or, if less, $ 2.5 million); or
 
have obtained on or before that date an approved certificate of need in a state where one is required.
 
 
This bill applies the exception to any similar moratorium.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
To amend title 18, United States Code, to extend the coverage of the Federal prohibition against hate crimes in order to provide greater protections to persons who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

Bill: 114-hr-442
Sponsor: Rep. Brady, Robert A. [D-PA-1]
Introduced: 2015-01-21 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing
Hate crimes
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Summary:
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: 
Amends the federal criminal code to remove the requirement that a hate crime involve conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-01-21
text: Introduced in House