hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Repayment Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-799
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2017-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Employee hiring
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Income tax exclusion
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Military personnel and dependents
Student aid and college costs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
User charges and fees
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-30
text: 

Dynamic Repayment Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to replace several existing federal student loan programs with a single repayment plan that caps annual debt repayments based on income and forgives remaining balances after 20 or 30 years of payments. 
 
The bill terminates the authority of the Department of Education (ED) to make federal Direct Stafford Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and Direct PLUS loans, subject to exceptions for existing student borrowers, PLUS loans made to parents of undergraduates, and Direct Consolidation Loans. 
 
To replace the programs, the bill establishes the Income Dependent Education Assistance (IDEA) Loan Program and the IDEA Loan Repayment Program, which: 
 
 
 limit annual repayments based on the borrower's income; 
 
 forgive remaining balances after either 20 or 30 years of payments, depending on the amount of the loan; and 
 
prohibit the accrual of interest on loans for active duty service members. 
 
 
The bill amends the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require ED and the Department of Health and Human Services to exchange information necessary to use the National Directory of New Hires to assist in the collection of student loans. 
 
The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require the Department of the Treasury to disclose to ED tax return information necessary to carry out the IDEA Loan Repayment Program, and (2) to exclude loan forgiveness under the program from gross income. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act

Bill: 115-s-800
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2017-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Coal
Corporate finance and management
Environmental regulatory procedures
Government liability
Land use and conservation
Mining
Pollution liability
Solid waste and recycling
State and local government operations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-30
text: 

Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act

 
This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act to prohibit the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement (OSMRE)and state regulatory authoritiesfrom accepting new self-bonds for coal reclamation.Additionally, any existing self-bonds or corporate bondsutilized for coal reclamationmust be converted to surety or collateral bonds.
 
The OSMRE may approve state or federal alternative coal miningbond programs thatresult in no greater risk of financial liability to the federalgovernment than a surety or collateral bond program.
 
The bill also requires the OSMRE to issue rules establishing limitations on surety bondsto minimize the financial liability to the federal or stategovernment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-801
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2017-04-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Department of Labor
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government studies and investigations
Labor standards
Labor-management relations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: 

Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017

 
 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to authorize private employers to provide compensatory time off to their employees at a rate of 1 1/2 hours per hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required, but only if it is in accordance with an applicable collective bargaining agreement or, in the absence of such an agreement, an agreement between the employer and employee.
 
 This bill prohibits an employee from accruing more than 160 hours of compensatory time. An employer must provide monetary compensation for any unused compensatory time off accrued during the preceding year.
 
 This bill requires an employer to give employees 30-day notice before discontinuing compensatory time off.
 
 This bill prohibits an employer from intimidating, threatening, or coercing an employee in order to: (1) interfere with the employee's right to request or not to request compensatory time off in lieu of payment of monetary overtime compensation, or (2) require an employee to use such compensatory time.
 
 This bill makes an employer who violates such requirements liable to the affected employee in the amount of the compensation rate for each hour of compensatory time accrued, plus an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, reduced for each hour of compensatory time used.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Larry Doby Congressional Gold Medal Act

Bill: 115-s-802
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2017-04-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Athletes
Conflicts and wars
Congressional tributes
Military history
Professional sports
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: 
 
Larry Doby Congressional Gold Medal Act

 
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Government Settlement Transparency and Reform Act

Bill: 115-s-803
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2017-04-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business expenses
Civil actions and liability
Commodities markets
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Income tax deductions
Securities
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: 

Government Settlement Transparency and Reform Act 

 
 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand provisions relating to the nondeductibility of fines and penalties to prohibit a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred to, or at the direction of, any governmental entity relating to the violation of any law or the investigation or inquiry into a potential violation of law.
 
 The bill exempts from such prohibition: (1) restitution or amounts paid to come into compliance with any law that was violated or otherwise involved in the investigation or inquiry, (2) amounts paid pursuant to a court order in a suit in which the governmental entity was not a party, and (3) amounts paid or incurred as taxes due. 
 
The bill also imposes new reporting requirements on governmental entities relating to amounts paid as fines or for restitution. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2176-2177)
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-804
Sponsor: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2017-04-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Employee performance
Federal officials
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Medical education
Personnel records
Right of privacy
Sex and reproductive health
State and local government operations
Veterans' medical care
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: 

Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2017

 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) establish standards to ensure that all VA medical facilities have the structural characteristics necessary to adequately meet the gender-specific health care needs of veterans at such facilities, including privacy, safety, and dignity; (2) integrate such standards into its prioritization methodology with respect to requests for funding major medical facility projects and major medical facility leases; and (3) report on such standards, including regarding the facilities that fail to meet such standards and the costs of projects and leases required to meet them.
 
The VA shall: (1) establish policies for environment of care inspections at VA medical centers, which shall include an alignment of inspection requirements with the women's health handbook of the Veterans Health Administration; and (2) certify that such policies have been finalized and disseminated to such centers.
 
The VA shall: (1) use health outcomes for women veterans furnished health care by the the VA in evaluating the performance of VA medical center directors, (2) publish on its website information on such performance and on health outcomes for women veterans for each VA medical facility, (3) ensure that every VA medical center has a full-time obstetrician-gynecologist, and (4) carry out a pilot program to increase the number of residency program positions and graduate medical education positions for obstetrician-gynecologists at VA medical facilities in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
 
The VA must develop procedures to share information that includes military service and separation data, personal email addresses and telephone numbers, and mailing addresses of veterans with state veterans agencies in electronic format as a means of facilitating the furnishing of assistance and benefits to such veterans. A veteran may elect to prevent his or her information from being shared.
 
The bill requires the VA to carry out an examination of whether VA medical centers are able to meet the health care needs of women veterans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-17
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-299.
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Inclusive Prosperity Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-805
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2017-04-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Financial services and investments
Government information and archives
Income tax credits
Sales and excise taxes
Securities
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: 

Inclusive Prosperity Act of 201

7

 
 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose an excise tax on the transfer of ownership in certain securities (covered transaction), including any share of stock in a corporation, any partnership or beneficial interest in a partnership or trust, any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (excluding tax-exempt municipal bonds), or derivative financial instruments; (2) impose a penalty on taxpayers who fail to include a covered transaction on their tax return or information statement; and (3) allow an individual taxpayer whose modified adjusted gross income does not exceed $50,000 ($75,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns) a tax credit for the amount of tax paid on covered transactions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Introduced in Senate
College for All Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-806
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2017-04-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational guidance
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Indian social and development programs
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Minority education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: 

College for All Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish a grant program to eliminate tuition and required fees: (1) for all students at community colleges and two-year tribal colleges and universities, and (2) for working- and middle-class students at four-year public institutions of higher education (IHEs).
 
Additionally, the bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the HEA to: 
 
 
reauthorize the Federal TRIO Programs, the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (i.e., GEAR UP), and the Federal Work Study Program for FY2018-FY2027; 
 
eliminate existing base guarantees of Federal Work Study funds to IHEs and require funds to be allocated based solely on the aggregate need of the institution's students; 
 
modify the interest rate formulas for federal student loans to revise applicable rates on new loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2017; and 
 
allow student loan borrowers to modify interest rates on outstanding federal student loans to current rates. 
 
 
Finally, it directs the Department of Education to use any excess revenue generated by the Federal Direct Loan program to carry out the Federal Pell Grant program. 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-04-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-808
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2017-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Athletes
Civil actions and liability
Elementary and secondary education
Health care quality
Health personnel
Higher education
Jurisdiction and venue
Licensing and registrations
Professional sports
School athletics

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: 

Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2017

 
This bill extends the liability insurance coverage of a state-licensed medical professional to another state when the professional provides medical services to an athlete, athletic team, or team staff member pursuant to a written agreement. Prior to providing such services, the medical professional must disclose to the insurer the nature and extent of the services. This extension of coverage does not apply at a health care facility or while a medical professional licensed in the state is transporting the injured individual to a health care facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-07-09
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 501.
action_date: 2018-07-09
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: 2018-07-09
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: 2018-06-26
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Simpler Tax Filing Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-809
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2017-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business records
Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: 

Simpler Tax Filing Act of 201

7

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the Internal Revenue Service should begin offering pre-prepared tax returns to as many taxpayers as possible by tax year 2022.
 
 The Department of the Treasury must report to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee on actions necessary to achieve the goal of offering pre-prepared tax returns to taxpayers by tax year 2022, with an analysis of the budgetary, administrative, and legislative barriers to achieving such goal, including the amount of appropriations that would be required. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-811
Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]
Introduced: 2017-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Adoption and foster care
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Poverty and welfare assistance
Religion

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: 

Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of
 
2017

 
This bill prohibits the federal government, and any state or local government that receives federal funding for any program that provides child welfare services under part B (Child and Family Services) or part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct), from discriminating or taking an adverse action against a child welfare service provider that declines to provide, facilitate, or refer for a child welfare service that conflicts with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. The prohibition also applies to Indian tribal organizations or consortia that have an approved foster care and adoption assistance plan or that have an agreement with a state for the administration of funds under part B or part E of the SSAct.
 
The bill bars such prohibition from applying to SSAct requirements that forbid state entities from denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements on the basis of an adoptive parent's or a child's race, color, or national origin. 
 
The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold 15% of the federal funds that such a state, local, or tribal entity receives for such programs if the state, local, or tribal entity violates this bill. 
 
An aggrieved child welfare service provider may assert such an adverse action violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and to obtain all appropriate relief (including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
PARTS Act

Bill: 115-s-812
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2017-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Intellectual property
Manufacturing
Marketing and advertising
Motor vehicles
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: 

Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade, and Sales Act of 2017 or the PARTS Act 

 
This bill declares that it is not an act of infringement, with respect to a design patent that claims a component part of a motor vehicle as originally manufactured, to: (1) make, test, or offer to sell within, or import into, the United States any article of manufacture that is similar or the same in appearance to the component part claimed in such design patent if the purpose of such article is for the repair of a motor vehicle to restore its appearance as originally manufactured; or (2) use or sell within the United States any such same or similar articles for such restorations more than 30 months after the claimed component part is first offered for public sale as part of a motor vehicle in any country. 
 
The bill defines: (1) "component part" as a component part of the exterior of a motor vehicle only (such as a hood, fender, tail light, side mirror, or quarter panel), excluding an inflatable restraint system or other component part located in the interior of a motor vehicle; and (2) "offer to sell" to include marketing or pre-sale distribution.
 
The bill applies to any patent issued, or application filed, before, on, or after the effective date of this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, to make it unlawful for a packer to own, feed, or control livestock intended for slaughter.

Bill: 115-s-813
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2017-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Livestock
Meat

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: 
This bill amends the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to prohibit livestock packers from owning, controlling, or feeding livestock to such an extent that the producer no longer materially participates in the management of the operation with respect to the production of the livestock. 
 
The bill includes exceptions for: (1) livestock held for not more than seven days before slaughter; (2) certain cooperatives that own, control, or feed livestock and provide such livestock for slaughter; (3) packers that are not required to report price and quantity information on each reporting day; or (4) packers that own one livestock processing plant. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-814
Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
Introduced: 2017-04-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Disability and health-based discrimination
Disability and paralysis
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Mental health
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: 

Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2017 

 
This bill requires a state that receives funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program to train law enforcement officers on diversity and sensitivity. The Department of Justice (DOJ) may reduce by up to 20% the JAG allocation of a state that fails to comply.
 
Additionally, the bill requires a state or local government that receives JAG funding to have in effect a law requiring the appointment of an independent prosecutor to investigate and prosecute an offense involving the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer that results in a death or injury. DOJ must reduce by 20% the JAG allocation of a state or local government that fails to comply.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Introduced in Senate