hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Protecting Our Military Installations from Recurrent Floods Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2766
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Protecting Our Military Installations from Recurrent Floods Act of 2018

 
This bill requires the Department of Defense to disclose whether any proposed major or minor military construction project requiring congressional notification or approval will be sited within or partially within a 100-year floodplain, according to the most recent available Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood hazard data.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Disaster Recovery Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2767
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Rural Disaster Recovery Act of 2018

 
This bill amends: (1) the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to increase to 100% the federal share of disaster assistance to individuals and households for direct services after a major disaster, and (2) the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to authorize appropriations for FY2019 for emergency food and shelter grants and for disaster supplemental food and shelter grants. 
 
The Farm Service Agency shall: (1) amend regulations under the emergency conservation program to increase the limit on payments to agricultural producers to $500,00 per natural disaster, and (2) initiate a rulemaking under such program to account for the challenges posed by the increase in frequency and intensity of wildland fires.
 
 The Natural Resources Conservation Service shall establish a two-year pilot program for the administration of the emergency watershed protection program in jurisdictions where a major wildfire disaster was declared
 
The President may provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area in which fire management assistance is provided.
 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall establish pilot programs: (1) for the administration of the hazard mitigation grant program; and (2) to consider damage resulting from wildfire caused or exacerbated by flooding, mudslides, or other subsidence events.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
VET OPP Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2768
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Small business
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Veterans' Education, Transition, and Opportunity Prioritization Plan Act of 2018 or the VET OPP Act of 2018

 
This bill establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs: (1) the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration to administer economic opportunity assistance programs for veterans and their dependents and survivors, and (2) the position of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition to head such administration.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for an action plan on recommendations for changes under Medicare and Medicaid to prevent opioids addictions and enhance access to medication-assisted treatment, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-s-2769
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug therapy
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Medicaid
Medical research
Medicare
Mental health
Public participation and lobbying
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 
This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop an action plan to provide recommendations on changes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs to enhance: (1) the treatment and prevention of opioid addiction, and (2) the coverage and reimbursement of medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction.
 
The CMS must convene a stakeholder meeting to solicit public comment on the action plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act

Bill: 115-s-2770
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Evidence and witnesses
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Justice to submit to Congress all investigative materials related to an offense for which the President pardons an individual if the offense arises from an investigation in which the President, or a relative of the President, is a target, subject, or witness.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Residential Decentralized Wastewater System Improvement Act

Bill: 115-s-2771
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Poverty and welfare assistance
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Solid waste and recycling
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Residential Decentralized Wastewater System Improvement Act

 
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a grant program for constructing, refurbishing, or servicing decentralized wastewater systems of individuals with low or moderate income.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to modify provisions relating to the household water well system grant program.

Bill: 115-s-2772
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Public-private cooperation
Rural conditions and development
Water resources funding
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 
This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize and modify the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Water Well System Grant Program. 
 
(Under current law, the program awards grants for private nonprofit organizations to provide loans to eligible individuals for the construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individual household water well systems that are or will be owned by the eligible individuals in rural areas.) 
 
The bill modifies the program to: 
 
 
 prohibit the household income of an eligible individual from exceeding 60% (currently 100%) of the median nonmetropolitan household income, 
 
 require grant recipients to provide subgrants to eligible individuals instead of loans, 
 
 authorize subgrants for household decentralized wastewater systems, and
 
limit the amount of each subgrant provided to an individual to $20,000 for each water well system or decentralized wastewater system.
 
 
In the event of well water contamination, USDA must allow a subgrant to be used to install water treatment measures as needed beyond the point of entry, with or without the installation of new well equipment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act

Bill: 115-s-2773
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Fishes
Hunting and fishing
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act

 
This bill addresses certain driftnet fishing. (Driftnet fishing is a method of fishing in which a gillnet composed of a panel or panels of webbing, or a series of such gillnets, is placed in the water and allowed to drift with the currents and winds for the purpose of entangling fish in the webbing.)
 
Currently, the use of large-scale drift gillnets with a total length of 2.5 kilometers or more is prohibited in the United States.The bill expands the definition of large-scale driftnet fishing to prohibit the use of gillnets with a mesh size of 14 inches or greater. This expanded prohibition does not apply within the U.S. exclusive economic zone prior to January 1, 2020.
 
The Department of Commerce must conduct a transition program to facilitate the phase out of large-scale driftnet fishing and to promote the adoption of alternative fishing practices that minimize the incidental catch of living marine resources. 
 
Commerce may award grants to program participants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 729.
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-430.
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-430.
action_date: 2018-09-05
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2487)
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
COPS Reauthorization Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2774
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

COPS Reauthorization Act of 2018

 
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize through FY2023 the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The COPS program provides grants to state and local law enforcement agencies to support community policing efforts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Investing in 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act

Bill: 115-s-2775
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Minority education
Rural conditions and development
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Investing in 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to establish a career pathways innovation grant program to award grants to address the specialized skill needs of business and industry by carrying out study or career pathways programs, featuring school partnerships, that support career pathways in high school or career exploration in the middle grades. 
 
The bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct ED to award grants for partnerships&#8212;between certain educational entities and employers&#8212;that provide educational or career training programs leading to recognized postsecondary credentials. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
UPDATE PURPA Act

Bill: 115-s-2776
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Contracts and agency
Electric power generation and transmission
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Intergovernmental relations
Lighting, heating, cooling
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Updating Purchase Obligations to Deploy Affordable Resources to Energy Markets Under PURPA Act or the UPDATE PURPA Act

 
This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to modify the mandatory purchase and sale requirements for electric utility companies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to exempt State and county payments under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 from sequestration.

Bill: 115-s-2777
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 
This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to exempt from sequestration payments to states under provisions of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 that require certain revenues from oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico to be disbursed to Gulf producing states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) and coastal political subdivisions of the states. 
 
(Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
SAVES Act

Bill: 115-s-2778
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Ecology
Endangered and threatened species

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Saving America's Vulnerable and Endangered Species Act or the SAVES Act

 
This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, from listing a living nonnative species as a threatened or endangered species.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require a determination on designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Bill: 115-s-2780
Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Russia
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 
This bill directs the Department of State to submit to Congress a determination whether the Russian Federation meets the criteria for designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to limit the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey.

Bill: 115-s-2781
Sponsor: Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances
Asia
Aviation and airports
Congressional oversight
Detention of persons
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Europe
Foreign aid and international relief
Intellectual property
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Sanctions
Turkey

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 
This bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds to transfer an F-35 aircraft or related intellectual property or technical data to Turkey unless the President certifies to Congress that Turkey is not: (1) degrading North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) interoperability or member country security or exposing NATO assets to hostile actors; (2) seeking to import or purchase defense articles from a U.S.-sanctioned foreign country; or (3) wrongfully or unlawfully detaining U.S. citizens.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Workforce Mobility Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2782
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Workforce Mobility Act of 2018

 
This bill prohibits employers from entering into, enforcing, or threatening to enforce a covenant not to compete with any employee of such employer. A &quot;covenant not to complete&quot; is an agreement between an employer and employee that restricts such employee from performing, after the employment relationship terminates, any work for another employer for a specified period of time, any work in a specified geographical area, or any work for any other employer that is similar to the work performed for the employer who is a party to such agreement. A prohibition against a covenant not to compete does not preclude an agreement between and employer and employee not to share trade secrets.
 
The bill directs the Department of Labor to enforce this bill and impose a fine upon violators. An aggrieved party may file a civil action for actual and punitive damages, and for reasonable attorney's fees and costs if the action is successful.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Coastal Communities Adaptation Act

Bill: 115-s-2783
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Atmospheric science and weather
Building construction
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Floods and storm protection
Government lending and loan guarantees
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Postal service
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Seashores and lakeshores
State and local government operations
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Coastal Communities Adaptation Act

 
This bill helps coastal communities adapt to climate change and extreme weather and supports efforts to improve the resilience of the built and natural environment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.

Bill: 115-s-2784
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Crime prevention
Domestic violence and child abuse
Family services
Health programs administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 
This bill reauthorizes the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act through FY2023. The Act provides services and support for victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
DETER Act

Bill: 115-s-2785
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Defending Elections against Trolls from Enemy Regimes Act or DETER Act

 
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make an alien who is seeking to engage in, or has engaged in, improper interference in a U.S. election inadmissible.
 
Improper interference in a U.S. election is conduct by an alien that: (1) violates federal criminal, voting rights, or campaign finance law, or is under the direction of a foreign government; and (2) interferes with any general or primary federal, state, or local election or caucus, including a candidate's campaign or a ballot measure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-10-11
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2487)
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Main Street Employee Ownership Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2786
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2018-04-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Business investment and capital
Congressional oversight
Employee benefits and pensions
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Securities
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: 

Main Street Employee Ownership Act of 2018

 
This bill amends the Small Business Act to expand the authority of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee loans for qualified employee trusts of a small business to purchase the stock of that business. Specifically, the bill allows the guaranteed loan to also cover transactions costs associated with purchasing the stock. In addition, it allows loans to a small business to be guaranteed if the loan proceeds will: (1) be used to provide loans to a qualified employee trust of the small business to purchase the business's stock, and (2) result in the trust owning at least 51% of the business's stock. The SBA must guarantee loans to cooperatives in which employees are eligible for membership for such stock purchases.
 
The SBA shall: (1) provide outreach and educational materials to licensed small business investment companies to increase investment in transitions to employee-owned businesses, and (2) establish a Small Business Employee Ownership and Cooperative Promotion Program to offer technical assistance and training on the transition to employee ownership through cooperatives and qualified employee trusts. 
 
The Administrator of the SBA shall coordinate an interagency working group on employee-owned businesses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2018-04-26
text: Introduced in Senate