hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
U.S. Territories Investor Protection Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3467
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Banking and financial institutions regulation
Caribbean area
Financial services and investments
Puerto Rico
Securities
U.S. territories and protectorates
Virgin Islands

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: 

U.S. Territories Investor Protection Act of 2016 

 
 This bill amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to repeal the exemption from its coverage of investment companies created under the laws of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or any other U.S. possession.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Small Business Act to expand tax credit education and training for small businesses, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-3468
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2016-09-29 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Income tax credits
Research and development
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: 
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to develop partnership agreements to:
 
 
provide for development of basic training relating to federal income tax credits benefitting small businesses and startups, especially credits for research and experimentation, and informational materials relating to such credits, including IRS guidance documents; 
 
 provide these basic training and informational materials through electronic resources and at physical locations; and
 
 make the materials available to SBA business development programs and business development entities that partner with SBA programs, including universities, nonprofits, business incubators, and business accelerators.
 
 
The bill amends the Small Business Act to require SBA development centers to provide, in conjunction with the IRS, informational materials, education, and basic training to small businesses relating to federal income tax credits, including credits available to: (1) businesses generally; and (2) small businesses and startups specifically, especially credits for research and experimentation.
 Such materials, education, and basic training may be delivered in person or through an Internet website.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Introduced in Senate
Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3469
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2016-11-16 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Art, artists, authorship
Asia
Books and print media
China
Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Department of the Treasury
Detention of persons
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Europe
Foreign labor
Foreign property
Higher education
Hong Kong
Human rights
International exchange and broadcasting
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
News media and reporting
Political movements and philosophies
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Protest and dissent
Religion
Sanctions
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
United Kingdom
Visas and passports
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-16
text: 

Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act
 
of 2016

 
This bill amends the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 to direct the Department of State to report to Congress (within 90 days and annually thereafter through 2023) on conditions in Hong Kong that are of U.S. interest. 
 
Such report shall include matters in which Hong Kong is given separate treatment under U.S. laws from that accorded to China. 
 
 The State Department shall certify to Congress annually whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous to justify separate treatment different from that accorded to China in any new laws, agreements, treaties, or arrangements entered into between the United States and Hong Kong. 
 
 The President shall identify persons responsible for: (1) the surveillance, abduction, detention, or forced confessions of certain booksellers and journalists in Hong Kong; and (2) other actions suppressing basic freedoms.
 
 The bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny U.S. entry to identified individuals and revoke visas or other entry documentation. 
 
 Entry, work, or study visa applicants who resided in Hong Kong in 2014 shall not be denied visas on the basis of the applicant's arrest or detention or other adverse government action taken as a result of participation in the nonviolent protest activities related to Hong Kong's electoral process. 
 
 The President shall freeze the U.S.-based assets of identified individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2016-11-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Poverty Measurement Improvement Act

Bill: 114-s-3472
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Poverty Measurement Improvement Act

 
This bill requires the Bureau of the Census, for each of FY2017-FY2027, in order to more accurately determine the extent of poverty in the United States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of federal means-tested benefit and tax programs, to conduct a new survey of income and poverty in the United States and supplement and verify the information obtained using data from the most recent available Current Population Survey (CPS), data furnished by state and federal agencies that administer such benefits, and income tax data. 
 
The Bureau shall produce tables and graphs showing for each year the poverty rates and related data calculated using the survey responses and other data collected, including:
 
 
 the total family income for survey respondents (the sum of all money income and federal means-tested benefits minus state and federal income and payroll taxes of household members); 
 
 a breakdown of the amount of income taxes and payroll taxes paid by survey respondents; and 
 
 for 2018 and subsequent years, poverty rates calculated using updated poverty thresholds.
 
 
For 2018 and subsequent years, the Bureau shall adjust the poverty thresholds for determining poverty rates by using the personal consumer expenditure price index.
 
The Bureau shall create a database that contains data from the survey, data from the most recent available CPS, and data furnished by administering agencies. The bill applies specified security, disclosure, and confidentiality restrictions to personally identifiable information obtained under this bill and makes data contained in a response to a survey conducted pursuant to this bill inadmissible as evidence in any court or agency proceeding. 
 
The bill requires: (1) state administering agencies to report to federal administering agencies on federal means-tested benefits received by each household, (2) the Bureau to provide summary statistics comparing income levels to consumption habits of respondents to the Consumer Expenditure Survey, and (3) the Government Accountability Office to submit a report comparing the income measure created under this bill to the income measure used by the Bureau for calculating the supplemental poverty measure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Death Gratuity Equity Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3473
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Death Gratuity Equity Act of 2016

 
This bill requires federal agencies to pay a death gratuity of $100,000 per employee for the death of civilian employees resulting from injuries sustained in the line of duty that did not result from natural causes or the employee's serious and willful misconduct. The bill also allows an additional payment of up to $8,800 for funeral and burial expenses. (Currently, funeral and burial payments may not exceed $800 per employee and the combination of payments for death gratuity, funeral, burial, and other compensation and reimbursements may not exceed $10,000 per employee.)
 
The amounts must be adjusted annually for inflation. For tax purposes, a death gratuity payment shall not be considered gross income to the person receiving payment.
 
The death gratuity remains at $100,000 for an employee who dies of injuries incurred in connection with service with an Armed Force in a contingency operation, except that employees who are noncitizens and nonresidents of the United States or Canada, and their dependents, are subject to the Department of Labor's authority to modify payments that are substantially disproportionate to compensation for disability or death payable in similar cases under local laws or customs at the place outside the continental United States or Canada where the employee is working at the time of injury. The bill also allows such death gratuities in connection with such Armed Force service to be paid in addition to any other amounts paid under U.S. law based on the same death. 
 
The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to make death gratuities payable to the surviving beneficiaries (currently, dependents) of U.S. Foreign Service employees, or individuals in a special category serving in an uncompensated capacity for that agency in support of a diplomatic mission, who die as a result of injuries sustained in the performance of duty abroad. But the Foreign Service death gratuity is reduced by the amount of any federal civilian employee death gratuity paid under this bill for the same death.
 
Additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated for death gratuity payments under this bill if an agency and the Office of Management and Budget determine that a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other incident results in the inability of the agency to meet these death gratuity payment requirements. An authorized payment that exceeds the amount available to the agency without additional appropriations may be made only if Congress makes the additional appropriations for that purpose.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6486)
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
American Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3474
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Employee hiring
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

American Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to specify that hiring and training additional career law enforcement officers, as an allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services program, includes prioritizing the hiring and training of veterans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6486)
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Review the Rule Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3475
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Digital media
Jurisdiction and venue

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Review the Rule Act of 2016

 
This bill delays the effective date of an amendment to rule 41 (Search and Seizure) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure adopted by the U.S. Supreme Court and transmitted to Congress for review on April 28, 2016. (The amendment allows a federal magistrate judge to issue a warrant to use remote access to search computers and seize electronically stored information located inside or outside that judge's district in specific circumstances.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6486-6487)
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
National Guard Bonus Repayment and Financial Relief Act

Bill: 114-s-3476
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

National Guard Bonus Repayment and Financial Relief Act

 
This bill requires the Army to review all bonuses, incentive pays, or similar benefits received by members of the Army National Guard between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2010, to determine if such benefits were issued erroneously and to either: (1) waive repayment of such an erroneous payment if the member concerned fully satisfies any period of service otherwise agreed to or imposed upon the member in connection with receipt of the payment; or (2) repay any such erroneous payment and any interest that was repaid by a member before this bill's enactment if the member fully satisfies any such period of service. 
 
The Army may require an Army National Guard member to repay any such erroneous payment upon determining that: (1) the member knowingly received the benefit through fraud or misrepresentation in which the member participated, or (2) repayment is otherwise consistent with provisions governing repayment of unearned pay.
 
For any such member granted relief under this bill, the Army shall: (1) notify all consumer credit reporting agencies that any debt subject to the relief was never valid, and (2) provide assistance to the member facing financial hardship as a result of recoupment actions taken in connection with receipt of the payment. A consumer reporting agency notified of the invalidity of such a debt may not, after the date of notice, make any consumer report containing information relating to the debt.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Seniors Through Immunization Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3477
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Protecting Seniors Through Immunization Act of 2016

 
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to specify that certain deductible, coinsurance, initial coverage limit, and cost-sharing requirements that apply under the Medicare prescription drug benefit shall not apply with respect to the shingles vaccine. 
 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must provide to Medicare beneficiaries specified information regarding: (1) coverage of vaccines for seniors, and (2) access to the shingles vaccine without cost-sharing.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3478
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Educational facilities and institutions
Europe
Human rights
International organizations and cooperation
Law enforcement administration and funding
Racial and ethnic relations
Religion
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2016

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) it is in the U.S. national interest to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad; (2) there is a need to ensure the security of European Jewish communities, including synagogues, schools, and cemeteries; and (3) the United States should continue to emphasize the importance of combating anti-Semitism in multilateral bodies.
 
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is amended to require the Department of State's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom to include, for each European country in which threats or attacks against Jewish persons, schools, and religious institutions are particularly significant, a description of: 
 
 
the security challenges and needs of European Jewish communities and European law enforcement agencies; 
 
U.S. efforts to partner with European law enforcement agencies and civil society groups to combat anti-Semitic incidents;
 
educational programming and public awareness initiatives that impart values of pluralism and tolerance, showcase the positive contributions of Jews, and pay special attention to population segments that exhibit a high degree of anti-Semitic animus; and 
 
efforts by European governments to adopt and apply a working definition of anti-Semitism.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow unpopulated census tracts that are contiguous to low-income communities to be treated as low-income communities under the new markets tax credit.

Bill: 114-s-3479
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a census tract that has a population of zero and is contiguous to one or more low-income communities to be treated as a low-income community for the purpose of the new markets tax credit. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Secure Citizenship Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3480
Sponsor: Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Secure Citizenship Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require an alien to list on his or her naturalization application such person's current legal name and date of birth and all other names used since birth.
 
The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security, by May 31, 2017, to: (1) complete the digitization of fingerprints of aliens who were fugitives, convicted criminals, or subject to deportation orders or who had other derogatory information dating back to 1990 under the Historical Fingerprint Enrollment program; and (2) store such digitized fingerprints along with related biographical data in its Automated Biometric Identification system. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
HHS Slush Fund Elimination Act

Bill: 114-s-3481
Sponsor: Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

HHS Slush Fund Elimination Act 

 
This bill prohibits federal funds, including funds appropriated from the Judgment Fund, from being used to pay any final judgment, award, or compromise settlement relating to the transitional reinsurance program or the risk corridor program established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 
 
(The Judgment Fund is a permanent and indefinite appropriation to pay judgments against the United States, including awards, compromise settlements, and related interest and costs. Under the risk corridor program, qualified health plans offered in the individual or small group markets participate in a payment adjustment system based on the ratio of the allowable costs of the plan to the plan's aggregate premiums. Under the transitional reinsurance program, health insurance issuers and certain group health plans make contributions to the program, and reinsurance payments are made to issuers for enrollees in certain individual market plans with claim costs within a specified level.)
 
The bill includes an exception that requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to pay any final judgment, award, or compromise settlement relating to the two programs from funds appropriated to HHS under provisions of the risk corridor program that require certain health plans with lower costs to make payments to HHS. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate
Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3482
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2016-11-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Lakes and rivers
Utah
Water resources funding
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: 

Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2016

 
This bill (1) ratifies the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Agreement negotiated between the Navajo Nation, the United States, and Utah; and (2) satisfies the claims of the tribe for water rights and injury to water rights under all laws with respect to the Navajo Nation Reservation.
 
The bill enumerates Navajo Nation's right to use water from water sources located within Utah and adjacent to or encompassed within the the boundaries of the reservation resulting in depletion of no more than 81,500 acre-feet annually.
 
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) must plan, design, and construct the water diversion, delivery, and conservation features of the Navajo water development projects. Reclamation must convey title to those Navajo water development projects described as water supply and water distribution systems once they are complete, in operation, and if applicable, delivering potable water.
 
The Department of the Interior must facilitate the formation of a project management committee to review cost factors and budgets and improve management of the Navajo water development projects.
 
The bill establishes: (1) the Navajo Operation, Maintenance, and Replacement (OM&R) Trust Account for the operation, maintenance, and replacement of the Navajo water development projects authorized to be constructed and described in the agreement as water supply systems and water distribution systems; and (2) the Navajo Water Development Fund to plan, design, and construct the Navajo water development projects.
 
The bill outlines waivers, releases, and retentions of claims by the Navajo Nation and the United States under the agreement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2016-11-17
text: Introduced in Senate