hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act

Bill: 114-s-2946
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Customs enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of the Treasury
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Law enforcement officers
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: 

Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act
 
 
 This bill expands the definition of "law enforcement officer" under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include: (1) federal employees not otherwise covered whose duties include the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted criminals and who are authorized to carry a firearm; (2) Internal Revenue Service employees whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns; (3) U.S. Postal Inspection Service employees; (4) Department of Veterans Affairs police officers; and (5) certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are seized-property specialists with duties relating to custody, management, and disposition of seized and forfeited property. 
 
Service performed by an incumbent (an individual appointed before enactment of this bill to a position that is considered to be a law enforcement officer under FERS and the CSRS only by virtue of the expanded definition in this bill) on or after enactment of this bill shall be treated as service performed as a law enforcement officer. Service performed by an incumbent before enactment of this bill shall be treated for federal retirement purposes as service performed as such an officer only if a written election is submitted to the Office of Personnel Management within five years after enactment of this bill or before separation from service, whichever is earlier. An incumbent who makes an election before enactment of this bill may pay a deposit into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund to cover prior service. 
 
Nothing under current law respecting mandatory separation from government service under CSRS or FERS shall cause the mandatory separation of an officer during the three-year period beginning on the enactment of this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2977-2978)
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Food Date Labeling Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2947
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2016-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Charitable contributions
Consumer affairs
Department of Agriculture
Federal preemption
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Food industry and services
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Meat
Solid waste and recycling

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: 

Food Date Labeling Act of 2016

 
This bill establishes requirements that: (1) address food waste that occurs when people throw out fresh food because of their confusion over the meaning of expiration dates on food labels and whether or not the food is still safe to eat, and (2) standardize quality date and safety date food labels. Producers, manufacturers, distributors, or retailers that place a date label on food packaging of a product (food labelers) must use the phrases &quot;best if used by&quot; to indicate food quality and the phrase &quot;expires on&quot; to warn of food that may be unsafe to eat after a specified date. 
 
While labelers may voluntarily choose to include a quality date on packaging, they must include a safety date on ready-to-eat products.
 
The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish guidance for food labelers on how to determine quality dates and safety dates for food products.
 
No one may prohibit the sale, donation, or use of a product after the quality date for the product has passed.
 
USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services must educate consumers on the meaning of quality date and safety date food labels. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Survivors' Access to Supportive Care Act

Bill: 114-s-2948
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2016-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Assault and harassment offenses
Crime victims
Crimes against women
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Education programs funding
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Evidence and witnesses
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Higher education
Medicaid
Medical education
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Sex offenses
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: 

Survivors' Access to Supportive Care Act or SASCA

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants for state surveys concerning health care provider access for sexual assault forensic examination services. 
 
HHS must establish a continuing and clinical education pilot program for medical examiners of survivors of sexual assault.
 
HHS must establish a SASCA Task Force to: (1) review data concerning those examiners; and (2) assist and standardize state-level efforts in improving medical forensic evidence collection relating to sexual assault.
 
Each institution of higher education that receives federal funds must publish its plan for ensuring access to sexual assault medical forensic examinations and treatments. Those institutions must also, to the extent practicable, ensure that students have access to such examinations.
 
The bill amends the Public Health Service Act by requiring HHS to establish: (1) a demonstration grant program for equipping new providers with the clinical training necessary to establish and maintain competency in sexual assault forensic examiner and sexual assault nurse examiner services; and (2) a center that provides technical assistance to states and health care providers for increasing the quality of, and access to, sexual assault examinations.
 
HHS must convene state and hospital regional learning collectives to assist health care providers and states in sharing best practices, discussing practices, and improving the quality of, and access to, sexual assault examinations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2949
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2016-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of the Interior
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Great Lakes
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Water quality
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: 

Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2016

 
This bill reauthorizes for FY2016-FY2021 the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 1990 and revises requirements for: (1) funding requests to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for proposals and regional projects that restore the fish and wildlife resources and habitat of the Great Lakes Basin, and (2) cost-share requirements for the proposals and projects.
 
The bill renames: (1) the Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office as the Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, and (2) the Upper Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office as the Upper Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Gold King ACT

Bill: 114-s-2950
Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO]
Introduced: 2016-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Colorado
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Federal-Indian relations
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Intergovernmental relations
Lakes and rivers
New Mexico
Pollution liability
Public contracts and procurement
Solid waste and recycling
State and local government operations
Wages and earnings
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: 

Gold King Accountability and Compensation for Taxpayers or the Gold King ACT

 
This bill allows a person to bring a compensation claim for allowable damages (i.e., property, business, or financial losses) under the Federal Tort Claims Act if the claim is related to an injury resulting from the spill in Cement Creek from the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. The spill occurred on August 5, 2015. The bill prohibits certain exemptions and limitations on tort claims against the United States under the Act from applying to claims for injuries resulting from the spill.
 
The EPA must receive, process, and pay under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 claims related to the Gold King Mine spill, including claims that otherwise would be ineligible under that Act or the national oil and hazardous substances pollution contingency plan if the response action carried out by the claimant is not inconsistent with the plan. The EPA must pay claims from unobligated balances in its accounts.
 
The EPA must develop and implement a program for long-term water quality monitoring of the Animas River.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2951
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2016-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Marine pollution
Oil and gas
Pollution liability
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: 

Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to make foreign facilities that are located offshore and outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) liable for removal costs and damages that result from oil spills that reach (or threaten to reach) U.S. navigable waters, adjoining shorelines, or the EEZ. Specifically, the following parties may be held liable: (1) the owners or operators of the foreign facilities, including facilities located in, on, or under any land within foreign countries; and (2) the holders of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located. 
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Stopping Mass Hacking Act

Bill: 114-s-2952
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2016-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Computers and information technology
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: 

Stopping Mass Hacking Act 

 
This bill rejects 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: 2016-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3032-3033)
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
IHS Accountability Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2953
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2016-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Employee hiring
Employee performance
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Federal-Indian relations
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Health care quality
Health personnel
Indian social and development programs
Minority health
Personnel records
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: 

Indian Health Service Accountability Act of 2016 or the IHS Accountability Act of 2016

 
This bill amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, the Public Health Service Act, and other laws to:
 
 
allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to remove, transfer, or demote certain employees of the Indian Health Service (IHS) based on performance or misconduct; 
 
allow HHS to establish certain incentives related to IHS employee recruitment and retention;
 
require HHS to modify the pay system for certain IHS employees;
 
establish requirements for IHS and its employees with respect to retaliation and other conduct; and
 
revise other provisions regarding IHS hiring practices, liability protections, accountability, and transparency.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2016-06-17
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held in Rapid City, South Dakota. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-522.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 114-s-2957
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2016-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays
Currency
Higher education
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Science and engineering education
Smithsonian Institution
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Space flight and exploration
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: 

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act

 
This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, half-dollar clad, and proof silver coins in recognition and celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon. 
 
Treasury may issue coins minted under this bill for only a one-year period, beginning January 1, 2019.
 
All sales of these coins shall include a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, $5 per half-dollar clad coin, and $50 per proof silver coin. 
 
All of the surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid as follows: 
 
 
one-half to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum's &quot;Destination Moon&quot; exhibit;
 
one-quarter to the Astronauts Memorial Foundation; and 
 
one-quarter to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, to aid its missions by providing college scholarships for the very best and brightest students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to establish a pilot program on partnership agreements to construct new facilities for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Bill: 114-s-2958
Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced: 2016-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Building construction
Cemeteries and funerals
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Nebraska
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: 
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a program under which it may enter into up to five partnership arrangements with a state or local authority, a tax exempt non-profit corporation, a limited liability corporation, a private entity, a donor, or other non-federal entity to conduct: 
 
 
super construction projects (a project for the construction, alteration, or acquisition of a medical facility involving a total expenditure of more than $100 million);
 
major medical facility projects (a project for the construction, alteration, or acquisition of a medical facility involving a total expenditure of more than $10 million, excluding an acquisition by exchange); or 
 
major construction projects to construct a new cemeteries or to develop additional gravesites or columbarium niches at existing cemeteries. 
 
 
The VA may select projects for which: (1) Congress has appropriated partial funding or the VA has identified a need through its long-range capital planning process by listing it on the Major Construction Strategic Capital Investment Planning priority list included in the annual budget submitted to Congress by the President, and (2) a non-federal entity has entered into or is willing to enter into a formal agreement with the VA to independently finance or donate an acceptable amount of project funds at no additional cost to the federal government.
 
One of the non-federal entity partnership agreements shall be a project to design, finance, and construct a new ambulatory care center in Omaha, Nebraska. 
 
Each partnership agreement shall require the partner entity to:
 
 
 conduct necessary environmental and historic preservation due diligence, comply with local zoning requirements, and obtain any permits required for construction;
 
use construction standards required of the VA when designing and building the project, except to the extent the VA determines otherwise; and 
 
 
 establish a Board of Directors to oversee the project.
 
 
The VA shall include in the annual budget submitted to Congress by the President information regarding any projects conducted under this bill during the preceding year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-06-29
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-707.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to clarify the use of amounts in the WMAT Settlement Fund.

Bill: 114-s-2959
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2016-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Arizona
Government trust funds
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Rural conditions and development
Water resources funding
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: 
This bill amends the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to specify that settlement funds may be used for the tribe's rural water system.

action_date: 2016-09-27
text: 
(Sec. 1) This bill amends the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to specify that settlement funds may be used for the planning, design, and construction of the tribe's rural water system.

action_date: 2016-09-29
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on September 27, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
 
(Sec. 1) This bill amends the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to specify that settlement funds may be used for the planning, design, and construction of the tribe's rural water system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S6285)
action_date: 2016-09-29
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S6285)
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 651.
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Barrasso with amendments. With written report No. 114-363.
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Barrasso with amendments. With written report No. 114-363.
action_date: 2016-09-07
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2016-06-29
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-401.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate
Access to Birth Control Act

Bill: 114-s-2960
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2016-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Family planning and birth control
First Amendment rights
Health care coverage and access
Health technology, devices, supplies
Religion

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: 

Access to Birth Control Act

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require pharmacies to comply with certain rules related to contraceptives, including: (1) providing a customer a contraceptive without delay if it is in stock; (2) immediately informing a customer if the contraceptive is not in stock and either transferring the prescription to a pharmacy that has the contraceptive in stock or ordering the contraceptive and notifying the customer when it arrives, based on customer preference, except for pharmacies that do not ordinarily stock contraceptives; and (3) ensuring that pharmacy employees do not take certain actions relating to a request for contraception, including intimidating, threatening, or harassing customers, interfering with the delivery of services, intentionally deceiving customers about the availability or mechanism of action of contraception, breaching or threatening to breach medical confidentiality, or refusing to return a prescription. 
 
The bill does not prohibit a pharmacy from refusing to provide a contraceptive to a customer if: (1) it is unlawful to dispense the contraceptive to the customer without a prescription and no prescription is presented; (2) the customer is unable to pay for the contraceptive; or (3) the pharmacy employee refuses to provide the contraceptive on the basis of a professional clinical judgment.
 
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 does not provide a claim or a defense to a claim concerning the requirements of this bill or provide a basis for challenging the application or enforcement of these requirements.
 
The bill does not preempt state law or any professional obligation of a state board that provides greater protections for customers.
 
Civil penalties and a private cause of action are established for violations of this bill. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate