hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1776
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural education
Agricultural practices and innovations
Alternative and renewable resources
Congressional oversight
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Fires
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Forests, forestry, trees
Manufacturing
Research administration and funding
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017 

 
This bill amends the Farm Security Rural Investment Act of 2002 to reauthorize through FY2023 several Department of Agriculture (USDA) energy programs, including:
 
 
 the Biobased Markets Program; 
 
the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program; 
 
 the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels; 
 
the Rural Energy For America Program (REAP); 
 
the Biomass Research and Development Initiative; 
 
the Feedstock Flexibility Program; and 
 
the Community Wood Energy Program. 
 
 
The bill modifies and reauthorizes the Biomass Crop Assistance Program to:
 
 
rename it the Biofuels and Biobased Product Feedstock and Wildland Fire Protection Program; 
 
require USDA to provide assistance under the program for hazardous woody fuel reduction projects; and
 
 expand the definition of eligible materials to include algae and animal waste byproducts, including fat, oil, grease, and manure. 
 
 
The bill provides mandatory funding through FY2023 for several of the reauthorized programs. 
 
The bill modifies the Biobased Markets Program to: (1) include producers of renewable chemicals in the voluntary labeling program, and (2) require USDA and the Department of Commerce to jointly develop North American Industry Classification system codes for renewable chemical manufacturers and biobased products manufacturers.
 
The bill modifies REAP to prohibit more than 30% of the funds from being used each year for: (1) any one form of renewable energy, or (2) technologies to improve the efficiency of energy usage. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Corporate Responsibility Fee Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1777
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Poverty and welfare assistance
Sales and excise taxes
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

Corporate Responsibility Fee Act of 2017 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a specified excise tax on certain employers who employ low-wage employees during the taxable year. A &quot;low-wage&quot; employee is an employee who receives wages from the employer that are less than 218% of the federal poverty line. The bill reduces the amount of the tax for employers who provide certain health and retirement benefits to low-wage employees. Government employers, churches, and church organizations are exempt from the tax. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act

Bill: 115-s-1778
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Employee benefits and pensions
Employee hiring
Employment and training programs
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Labor standards
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a Patriot employer a business-related tax credit equal to 10% of up to $15,000 of wages paid to any employee in a taxable year. 
 
The bill sets forth criteria for designation as a Patriot employer, including requirements that such employer: (1) maintains its headquarters in the United States and does not expatriate to avoid payment of U.S. income taxes, (2) complies with the employer mandate to provide minimum essential health care coverage to its employees under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (3) provides employees with paid sick leave or paid family and medical leave, (4) compensates at least 90% of its employees at an hourly rate that is at least 218% of the federal poverty level for an individual for the calendar year divided by 1,750 and provides at least 90% of its employees with a basic level of retirement benefits, (5) provides for differential wage payments to its employees who are members of the Uniformed Services, (6) has a written policy in place for the recruitment of employees who have served in the Uniformed Services or who are disabled, and (7) increases the number of its employees performing substantially all of their services inside the United States to offset the number of employees who work outside the United States. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Freedom of Commerce Act

Bill: 115-s-1779
Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Manufacturing
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

Freedom of Commerce Act 

 
This bill amends the Federal Switchblade Act to repeal provisions restricting the sale, transport, and distribution of switchblade knives. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
National White Collar Crime Control Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1781
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Crimes against children
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Employment and training programs
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Law enforcement officers
Pornography

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

National White Collar Crime Control Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 to authorize the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to enter into a cooperative agreement or make a grant for training and technical assistance to help law enforcement officers, investigators, auditors, and prosecutors identify, investigate, and prosecute white collar crime.
 
White collar crime includes high-tech crime, economic crime, and Internet-based crime against children and child pornography.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5059-5060)
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Forty Hours Is Full Time Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1782
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

Forty Hours is Full Time Act of 201

7

 
 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the employer mandate to provide health care coverage, to: (1) modify the formula for calculating the number of full-time employees employed by an applicable large employer subject to the mandate; and (2) define a &quot;full-time employee&quot; as an employee who is employed on average at least 40 hours per week (currently, 30 hours).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
PROVE Act

Bill: 115-s-1783
Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
Introduced: 2017-09-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: 

Pre-Registration Of Voters Everywhere Act or the PROVE Act

 
This bill requires each state to implement a process to allow an individual who has turned 16 years old to register to vote in federal elections that occur after the individual turns 18 years old. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2017-09-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Students Before Profits Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1784
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2017-09-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Education programs funding
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: 

Students Before Profits Act of 

2017

 
This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education (ED) to recalculate the cohort default rate and redetermine title IV eligibility for an institution of higher education (IHE) that engages in default manipulation.
 
 ED may impose enhanced civil penalties and sanctions on IHEs and officers for substantial misrepresentation or other serious violations of title IV requirements. The bill requires ED to establish the Student Relief Fund, financed by civil penalties, to provide financial relief to students enrolled in an IHE that is sanctioned or fails to comply with title IV requirements.
 
If ED takes an enforcement action (e.g., heightened financial oversight) against a proprietary (i.e., for-profit) IHE, then ED may hold the executive officer of such proprietary IHE personally liable for financial losses related to the enforcement action. Additionally, ED may pursue claims against an IHE's executive officers and board of directors to recover discharged federal student loans.
 
A proprietary IHE must, as a condition of continued eligibility to participate in title IV programs, prohibit an individual who defrauds students from being a member of the board of directors or an executive officer of the institution.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to prohibit the implementation of a policy change to permit small, non-locking knives on passenger aircraft.

Bill: 115-s-1785
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2017-09-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aviation and airports
Department of Homeland Security
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: 
This bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from implementing any change to the prohibited items list of the Transportation Security Administration that would permit passengers to carry small, non-locking knives through passenger screening checkpoints at airports, into sterile areas at airports, or onboard passenger aircraft.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Introduced in Senate
SECURE Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1786
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2017-09-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer credit
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Legal fees and court costs
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: 

Stopping Errors in Consumer Use and REporting Act of 2017 or the SECURE Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act with respect to civil liability for willful or negligent noncompliance with consumer credit protection requirements. Specifically, it authorizes a court to award: (1) injunctive relief to require compliance with that Act, and (2) costs and fees to the prevailing party in any successful action for injunctive relief.
 
In disputes regarding information contained in a consumer's credit report, the consumer reporting agency must provide all documentation provided by the consumer to the furnisher of the disputed information. The furnisher must review and consider the documentation.
 
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) must issue rules to ensure accuracy of consumer reports issued by consumer reporting agencies.
 
This bill adds negligence and willful violations of the Act as a basis for civil action and penalty by the Federal Trade Commission.
 
A consumer reporting agency: (1) must give a consumer a credit score free of charge if one is requested in connection with a free annual consumer report, and (2) must provide free disclosures to any consumer who has received either a notice of adverse action or an offer of credit on materially less favorable terms.
 
Upon request by a consumer under age 16 or the consumer's legal guardian or custodian, a consumer reporting agency may not provide anyone with the minor's consumer report, nor add information to the file without permission. 
 
The Government Accountability Office must study the feasibility of a government-administered consumer credit reporting system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-10-17
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-132.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Introduced in Senate
National Geologic Mapping Act Reauthorization Act

Bill: 115-s-1787
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2017-09-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Department of the Interior
Earth sciences
Federal officials
Geography and mapping
Land use and conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: 

National Geologic Mapping Act Reauthorization Act

 
This bill amends the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 to: (1) reauthorize such Act through FY2023, and (2) provide for the Associate Director for Core Science Systems to replace the Associate Director for Geology as the chairperson of the geologic mapping advisory committee. 

action_date: 2018-11-29
text: 

National Geologic Mapping Act Reauthorization Act

 
This bill amends the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 to reauthorize the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program of the U.S. Geological Survey through FY2023.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-12-04
text: By Senator Murkowski from Committee on Energy and Natural Resources filed written report. Report No. 115-404.
action_date: 2018-12-04
text: By Senator Murkowski from Committee on Energy and Natural Resources filed written report. Report No. 115-404.
action_date: 2018-11-29
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 691.
action_date: 2018-11-29
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2018-11-29
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2018-10-02
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2018-08-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 115-528.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Worker Owned Wealth Act

Bill: 115-s-1788
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2017-09-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: 

Worker Owned Wealth Act 

 
This bill establishes a loan program and tax incentives to assist employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). 
 
The Department of the Treasury must establish in each field office an Employer Ownership Revolving Loan Fund to make: (1) low-interest loans to business owners seeking to establish employee ownership in the business, and (2) loan guarantees to private lenders who make loans to ESOPs. 
 
The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income a limited amount of the interest received from loans to a corporation or an ESOP to acquire or transfer employer securities for an ESOP that meets specified requirements.
 
The bill also imposes a 10% tax on a disposition of certain employer securities by an ESOP: (1) within three years of the acquisition of the securities, subject to specified conditions; or (2) if the securities or the proceeds from the disposition have not been allocated to participants or their beneficiaries. 
 
The bill modifies the limitation on the deductibility of executive compensation of publicly held corporations to: (1) require a corporation that uses the performance-based compensation exception to be at least 5% employee-owned under an employee stock program, and (2) modify the definition of &quot;publicly held corporation.&quot; 
 
The bill establishes within the National Economic Council the Office of Employee Ownership and Worker Empowerment to provide educational and technical assistance, raise awareness, and report to Congress regarding employee ownership in companies. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program Oversight Improvement Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1789
Sponsor: Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Introduced: 2017-09-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: 

Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program Oversight Improvement Act of 2017

 
This bill directs the Department of Defense to report to Congress annually on the participation of members of the Armed Forces in the Transition Assistance Program during the preceding year. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-09-11
text: Introduced in Senate
Boost Saving for College Act

Bill: 115-s-1790
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2017-09-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Disability and paralysis
Employee benefits and pensions
Higher education
Income tax credits
Income tax exclusion
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: 

Boost Saving for College Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the tax treatment of qualified tuition programs (known as 529 plans). 
 
The bill allows: (1) a nonrefundable tax credit for contributions of an individual to a 529 plan, and (2) an exclusion from the gross income of an employee of up to $1000 per year of employer contributions to a 529 plan. 
 
The bill also permits savings from a 529 plan to be rolled over tax-free into: (1) a Roth Individual Retirement Account of the owner or the beneficiary of a 529 plan that has been maintained for 10 years, and (2) an ABLE account of the designated beneficiary of the 529 plan. 
 
(Tax-favored ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] accounts are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Fostering Success in Higher Education Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1792
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2017-09-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Education programs funding
Higher education
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Indian social and development programs
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: 

Fostering Success in Higher Education Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education to provide formula grants to states, Indian tribes, and territories for increasing the number of foster and homeless youth that apply and enroll in institutions of higher education (IHEs). 
 
States that receive grants must use at least 70% of the grant funds to award subgrants to IHEs to enable the IHEs to become institutions of excellence by improving college access, retention, and completion rates for foster and homeless youth.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: Introduced in Senate
Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1793
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2017-09-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: 

Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to provisions affecting taxpayer rights, to: 
 
 
increase penalties for unauthorized disclosure or inspection of taxpayer information and allow punitive damages for willful unauthorized inspection or disclosure; 
 
prohibit the disclosure of taxpayer information to any contractor or other agent of a governmental entity without confidentiality safeguards; 
 
increase the limit on civil damages for unauthorized collection actions by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees and allow punitive damages for reckless or intentional actions; 
 
extend to two years the time limit for contesting a tax levy or for seeking a return of wrongfully levied property; 
 
waive user fees for taxpayers who agree to automated installment payments; 
 
allow amounts that have been wrongfully levied from retirement accounts to be recontributed without regard to contribution limits; 
 
modify the requirements and exceptions that apply to payments of estimated taxes;
 
require the disclosure of collection activities relating to a joint account upon the oral request of either spouse (currently, a written request is required); and
 
require tax-exempt organizations to file their tax returns in electronic form.
 
 
The IRS must maintain a program that provides free tax preparation and electronic filing services to low-income and elderly taxpayers.
 
The bill amends the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 to require at least one IRS appeals officer and one settlement officer to be located and permanently available in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5219)
action_date: 2017-09-12
text: Introduced in Senate