hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Charter School Accountability Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1708
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2015-07-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: 

Charter School Accountability Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to replace the charter school grant program, through which states receive formula-based grants, with a competitive grant program.
 
The Department of Education (ED) shall award grants to: (1) support the start up of charter schools that have been thoroughly vetted for quality and local impact, and (2) replicate or expand high-quality charter schools.
 
To be eligible to receive grant funding, a state must:
 
 
have legally binding rules related to fiduciary duties and conflicts of interest of charter school officers, directors, managers, and employees; 
 
require all charter schools to annually conduct and publicly disclose independent audits; 
 
provide that charter schools are covered by the state's open meetings and open records laws to the same extent as public schools are covered by those laws; 
 
have policies in effect that hold charter school authorizers accountable for monitoring a charter school's educational performance and financial operations; and 
 
require a charter school to make certain public disclosures related to its operation and funding. 

 
The bill also revises the per-pupil facilities aid program, through which ED makes competitive matching grants to states to provide per-pupil financing to charter schools for facility acquisition, construction, and renovation. Specifically, a state may: (1) partner with one or more organizations to provide up to half of the state share of program funding, and (2) receive more than one program grant under specified circumstances.
 
ED must conduct specified national activities, including awarding competitive grants directly to charter school developers in states that have not applied for or received charter school grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Introduced in Senate
AmeriCorps School Turnaround Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1710
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2015-07-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Financial literacy
Higher education
National and community service
Science and engineering education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: 

AmeriCorps School Turnaround Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes a grant program to enable elementary schools, secondary schools, or specified entities that serve low-performing schools to: (1) improve the academic achievement of elementary and secondary school students, and (2) select national service participants and engage such participants in school turnaround projects. 
 
An entity that receives a grant under the program must use the grant funds to carry out one or more of the following activities: (1) improving the quality and frequency of individualized learning time, (2) increasing individualized learning time or extended learning programs, (3) providing college and career readiness guidance and assistance, (4) accelerating reading and mathematics knowledge and skills, or (5) carrying out school-wide activities to increase graduation rates or address nonacademic factors impacting student achievement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for a temporary safe harbor from the enforcement of integrated disclosure requirements for mortgage loan transactions under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 and the Truth in Lending Act, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-1711
Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2015-07-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Housing finance and home ownership
Real estate business

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: 
This bill prohibits until January 1, 2016, enforcement against any person of integrated disclosure requirements for mortgage loan transactions under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974, the Truth in Lending Act, and regulations issued under such Acts.
 
No suit may be filed against any person for a violation of such requirements occurring before that date, as long as the person has made a good faith effort to comply with them.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Introduced in Senate
National Forest Small Tracts Act Amendments Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1712
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2015-07-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Forests, forestry, trees
Government trust funds
Land transfers
Outdoor recreation
Solid waste and recycling

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: 

National Forest Small Tracts Act Amendments Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Small Tract Act of 1983 (the Act) to permit the sale, exchange, or interchange under such Act of National Forest System lands the sale or exchange of which is not practicable under any other authority of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) which have a value determined to be not more than $500,000. 
 
Includes as those lands permitted to be sold, exchanged, or interchanged under the Act:
 
 
parcels of 40 acres or less that are determined to be physically isolated, to be inaccessible, or to have lost their National Forest character;
 
parcels of 10 acres or less which are not eligible for conveyance under such Act, but which are encroached on by a permanent habitable improvement for which there is no evidence that the encroachment was intentional or negligent; or
 
parcels used as a cemetery, a landfill, or a sewage treatment plant under a special use authorization issued by the USDA. 
 
 
Requires any proceeds under this Act to be deposited in the special fund established under the Sisk Act and made available for:
 
 
the acquisition of land or interests in land for administrative sites for the National Forest System (NFS) in the state from which the amounts were derived;
 
the acquisition of land or interests in land for inclusion in the NFS in that state, including those which enhance opportunities for recreational access;
 
the performance of deferred maintenance on administrative sites for the NFS in that state or other deferred maintenance activities in that state which enhance opportunities for recreational access; and
 
the reimbursement of the USDA for costs incurred in preparing a competitive sale conducted under the authority of the Act. 
 


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

Bill: 114-s-1713
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2015-07-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Electric power generation and transmission
Employment and training programs
Government lending and loan guarantees
Low- and moderate-income housing
Residential rehabilitation and home repair

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: 

Low-Income Solar Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a loan and grant program for photovoltaic solar (a method of converting energy from the sun into electricity) installations in low-income and underserved areas for FY2016-FY2030.
 
Loans must be provided for: (1) community solar facilities that provide solar energy to low-income households, or (2) solar installations at federally subsidized affordable housing at multi-family complexes.
 
The community solar facilities must: (1) be owned by an organization of electricity consumers that own a share of the facility's solar electricity generation, (2) have a certain a nameplate rating (or power generation capacity), (3) be located in or near a community that uses the electricity generated by the facility, and (4) reserve at least 25% of the electricity generated for low-income households. 
 
Grants must be given for: (1) solar electricity generating facilities installed on properties of eligible, low-income home owners; or (2) new solar projects for low-income households and individuals, including the costs of equipment and job training associated with solar projects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Miners Protection Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1714
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2015-07-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Coal
Employee benefits and pensions
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Mining
Sales and excise taxes
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: 

Miners Protection Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to address potential shortages in the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan for payment of health care benefits to retired coal miners by expanding the eligible uses of interest transferable to such plan from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, and supplemental payments from the General Fund of the Treasury. The calculation of such interest and payments shall be made by taking into account only those beneficiaries who are actually enrolled in the plan as of the enactment of this Act, as well as those retirees whose health care benefits, payable directly by an employer in the bituminous coal industry under a coal wage agreement, would be denied or reduced as a result of a bankruptcy proceeding commenced in 2012. 
 
The bill requires the Department of the Treasury to transfer to the trustees of the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan additional funds to pay pension benefits required under that plan, if the $490 million cap on certain transfers to the UMWA Combined Benefit Fund and distributions to states and Indian tribes exceed the aggregate amount required to be transferred to them. 
 
The bill also expands the annual reporting requirements of the trustees of the 1974 UMWA Pension Plan on plan solvency and value of plan assets.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-07-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Mayflower Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 114-s-1715
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Currency
Massachusetts
U.S. history

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 

Mayflower Commemorative Coin Act

 
This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to issue up to 50,000 $5 gold commemorative coins, and up to 100,000 $1 silver commemorative coins, whose design is emblematic of the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts. 
 
These coins shall be issued only during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2020. 
 
 The Department must pay all surcharges received from sales of the coins to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants for educational purposes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
America's College Promise Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1716
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Higher education
Minority education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 

America's College Promise Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to states and Indian tribes to waive tuition and fees at community colleges. To receive a grant, states and Indian tribes must agree to waive tuition and fees at all their community colleges and for all eligible students. 
 
An eligible student is a first-time student who: (1) qualifies for resident tuition; (2) enrolls at least half-time; (3) maintains satisfactory academic progress; and (4) enrolls in an academic program with credits that are fully transferable to any public institution of higher education in the state or enrolls in a training program that leads to credentials in an in-demand industry. 
 
The bill appropriates $1.4 billion in FY2016 and $79.7 billion over FY2016-FY2025 to make grants under this community college program. 
 
This bill also authorizes ED to award grants to four-year historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to waive or reduce tuition and fees for up to 60 credits for low-income students. 
 
HBCUs and MSIs that participate must: (1) enroll a student body that contains at least 35% low-income students; (2) maintain or adopt reforms and practices to improve completion rates and student outcomes; (3) set performance goals; and (4) execute an articulation agreement with community colleges, if accepting transfer students. 
 
It appropriates $55 million for FY2016 and $10.1 billion over FY2016-FY2025 to make grants under this HBCU/MSI program.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Four Rationers Repeal Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1718
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Genetics
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medicaid
Medical research
Medicare
Minority health

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 

Four Rationers Repeal Act of 2015

 
This bill repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) related to the establishment of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (also known as the Independent Medicare Advisory Board), effective as of enactment of PPACA. (The purpose of the board is to develop proposals to reduce the growth rate of Medicare spending without restricting benefits or modifying eligibility.) Provisions amended by the repealed provisions are restored.
 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and title XI, title XVIII (Medicare), and title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. (The purpose of the center is to test innovative payment and service delivery models to reduce expenditures while preserving or enhancing the quality of care.)
 
Group health plans and health insurers are no longer required to cover, without cost-sharing, certain items and services recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
 
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is no longer required to convene the USPSTF.
 
The Community Preventive Services Task Force is eliminated. (This task force developed recommendations regarding community preventive interventions based on scientific evidence.)
 The Department of Health and Human Services may not use comparative effectiveness research to deny or delay coverage of an item or service under a federal health care program. Comparative effectiveness research conducted or supported by the federal government must account for factors contributing to differences in the treatment response and treatment preferences of patients.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
RAISE Family Caregivers Act

Bill: 114-s-1719
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Aging
Disability and paralysis
Family services
Health programs administration and funding
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 

Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2015 or the RAISE Family Caregivers Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop, maintain, and periodically update a National Family Caregiving Strategy.
 
 HHS shall convene a Family Caregiving Advisory Council to advise it on recognizing and supporting family caregivers.
 
Federal departments and agencies must share with HHS any data they maintain that HHS needs to prepare the initial and updated Strategies.

action_date: 2015-12-08
text: 

Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2015 or the RAISE Family Caregivers Act

 
(Sec. 3) This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop, maintain, and periodically update a National Family Caregiving Strategy.
 
(Sec. 4) HHS shall convene a Family Caregiving Advisory Council to advise it on recognizing and supporting family caregivers.
 
(Sec. 5) This Act shall terminate on December 31, 2025.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-12-09
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2015-12-09
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2015-12-09
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2015-12-08
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8499-8500; text as passed Senate: CR S8499-8500)
action_date: 2015-12-08
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8499-8500; text as passed Senate: CR S8499-8500)
action_date: 2015-12-01
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 306.
action_date: 2015-12-01
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2015-12-01
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2015-11-18
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4843)
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Harriet Tubman Currency Tribute Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1720
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Currency
Racial and ethnic relations
U.S. history
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 
 
Harriet Tubman Currency Tribute Act of 2015

 
 This bill amends the Federal Reserve Act to direct the Department of the Treasury to ensure that the face of all $10 federal reserve notes printed after December 31, 2020, bear the likeness of Harriet Tubman. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Joint Formularies for Veterans Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1721
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Drug therapy
Military medicine
Prescription drugs
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 

Joint Formularies for Veterans Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to jointly establish: (1) a uniform formulary with respect to systemic pain and psychotropic drugs that are critical for the transition of an individual from receiving health care services furnished by DOD to health care services furnished by VA, and (2) a uniform formulary for DOD and VA that includes all appropriate systemic pain and psychotropic drugs.
 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit DOD and VA from each maintaining its own formularies. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Salary Collection Regulatory Relief Act

Bill: 114-s-1722
Sponsor: Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Introduced: 2015-07-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Business records
Corporate finance and management
Government information and archives
Securities
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: 

Salary Collection Regulatory Relief Act
 .
 
 Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to repeal the requirement that the Securities and Exchange Commission amend certain federal regulations about executive compensation to require each issuer of securities to disclose in any filing: (1) the median of the annual total compensation of all the issuer's employees, except the chief executive officer; (2) the annual total compensation of the chief executive officer; and (3) the ratio of the first amount to the second.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4930-4931)
action_date: 2015-07-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1723
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2015-07-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Electric power generation and transmission
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: 
 
Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require an electric utility, upon the request of an electric consumer, to make available to the consumer interconnection service and net billing service for a solar photovoltaic system allocating electricity to multiple individual electric consumers of the utility and meeting other specified characteristics (community solar facility).
 
Each state regulatory authority and each nonregulated utility must, within specified time limitations, commence consideration of and finally determine ratemaking standards.
 
The bill makes conforming technical amendments to the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
 
Certain ratemaking time limitations set out in PURPA, and requirements in case of a failure to comply with them, shall not apply in the case of any electric utility in a state if before enactment of this Act:
 
 
 the state has implemented the standard under this Act (or a comparable one) for the electric utility; 
 
 the state regulatory authority or the relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a comparable one) for the electric utility; or 
 
 the state legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard (or a comparable one). 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Introduced in Senate